Rating: 
Summary: Carella and Gang Keep Plugging Away
Review: As a mystery writer with my first book in its initial release, I have been amazed by the works of Evan Hunter/Ed McBain for decades. He is undeniably prolific, and his works are always of top quality. THE LAST DANCE proves my points perfectly. It is McBain's 50th 87th Precinct novel, and all the usual cops are on the scene doing their things. McBain shows them living their lives and performing their jobs. THE LAST DANCE is the police procedural at its best. It's a great novel in a great series. Ed McBain's work is unbelievable.
Rating: 
Summary: Hooray for Ed Mcbain!
Review: As I was born Oct.15,(birthdate of great men)I feel qualified to critique Ed Mcbain's latest 87th precint novel.It's great!You'd think after 50 books,the series would start to get a little stale,but they still hold you riveted to the last page.I read it in 2 days.Mcbain is still one of the best writers in the business.He refers to himself as a "cheap writer of detective fiction"in the book,but that is untrue.Ed,you're great!Since Mcbain called his latest Matthew Hope book"The Last Best Hope",and called this one"The Last Dance",I hope that doesn't mean he's planning on retiring.May the cops of the 87th precint go on detecting well into the new millenium!
Rating:
Summary: A TASTY LITTLE MORSEL!
Review: Ed McBain can do no wrong. He's found his niche in the world of police mysteries, and he is the master of his craft. I first stumbled across his 87th Precinct stories in junior high...lured in as I was by a tittilating cover of a book called "Fuzz", with a drawing of Lonie Anderson and a nude of Burt Reynolds staring boldly out at me. Hormones in turmoil, I embarrassedly checked it out of the school library. I devoured that book as fast as my teenage mind could handle it...and I've been a fan ever since. McBain has found the winning formula once again, bringing the detectives of the 87th Precinct into yet another brain-teasing murder mystery. By now, these detectives feel like family to me...I know their histories and their quirks, told at times in all seriousness, and at other times with a sense of irony and dry wit that only McBain can deliver. The dialogue is sharp, the pace is quick, and the climax is completely satisfying. If you're not already a fan of the 87th Precinct, I recommend picking up ANY of his books...you won't be disappointed. If you know of what I write, then by all means, grab this newest addition to McBain's prolific career--I found it to be one of his best. But I say that about all of his books!
Rating: 
Summary: An Enjoyable Read
Review: I have been a fan of Ed McBain's for almost 20 years, and I thoroughly enjoy his writing style. As far as his style, he is the best and the master of the genre. However, this latest book in the outstanding 87th Precinct series falls a little short as a mystery. I have read and own all of the books in this series, and I would have to say that this is not one of the best. Due to the style of Mr. McBain, and the incredible dialogue and descriptions he fills the book with, I did find this book to be an enjoyable and fast read. The mystery isn't all that thrilling or complicated. However if you are a fan of the police procedural or a fan of Ed McBain's than this book is not to be missed. If you are new to the series, this book may not be the best to start with, since it doesn't show the author's true genius.
Rating:
Summary: Solid, but not brilliant
Review: Oh, I wish there were a way to contact the people who write these reviews. More on that in a second. First, though, the book.This is a solid entry in the 87th Precinct series. Solid, but not brilliant - on the other hand, come on: there are 50 books in the series and not all of them can be masterpieces. McBain's writing style is, as always, very slick, particularly the dialogue. He shows us that you don't need paragraphs of adjectives to get your scenes across (the authors featured in Oprah's Book Club could learn a thing or three in this regard) and his dialogue is terrific - simple, realistic, sometimes humorous. So yes: as far as writing style goes, he gets his usual 9/5 out of 10. The characterisation is top-notch and aside from the suspects, wtinesses, victims etc. all your old faves are here: Carella, Kling, even Fat Ollie Weeks. Now for plotting. The plot in The Last Dance is acceptable, but not particularly inspired and in parts there are a few questionable leaps of logic. This by no means makes the novel terrible, but it does take the lustre off just a little, in so far as there are better-plotted 87th Precinct novels than this one. McBain has said he rarely knows what will happen in his novels, and plans ahead by only a chapter or two. When you use that technique, there will be hits and misses. I wouldn't say this is a miss, but there are a few mis-steps. McBain has done better and it's mildly disappointing he didn't do something huge for his 50th 87th Precinct novel. If you're new to the series, I'd start with a different novel - Poison, maybe. If you're an 87th veteran, however... well, you're probably going to buy this no matter what I say. And so you should. Just don't expect McBain to split the atom or re-invent the wheel with this one. Finally, my main gripe - and it's to do with one of the reader reviews of this book, rather than the book itself. lvkleydorff (I assume that's not a real name), in his/her 4.5-line review, says "On page 203 Lorraine Riddock is 19 years old and has red hair. On page 212 she is in her mid-thirties and has black hair. There is absolutely no excuse for such sloppiness." There's no excuse for harping on an error that doesn't exist, either. If you're going to go on about sloppiness, let's examine your own literacy. On page 203 McBain does describe Riddock as a 19-year-old red-head. On page 212, however, the 'black hair, mid-thirties' description actually refers to a police officer who is questioning Riddock. This part of the novel isn't written in a confusing way, so I have no idea how lvkleydorff reached his/her conclusion. Furthermore, lvkleydorff gave the book two stars based solely on this incorrect nitpick (his review mentioned nothing else about the book). I ask you. So lvkleydorff, if you happen to read this review, I suggest you stick to your day job, and God I hope it has nothing to do with words. And with that in mind, dear readers, I'd advise you to base your will-I-buy-it-or-won't-I decision on the general concensus, rather than just one or two reviews - I pity anyone who avoided The Last Dance simply because of lvkleydorff's insulting ineptitude.
Rating:
Summary: Everything falls into place nicely
Review: THE LAST DANCE does a nice job of combining solid detective work with the occasional bit of chance to form a nicely constructed 87th precinct novel. All the players are here, including the man we love to hate Ollie Weeks, and the murder here is complicated by a series of events that are indirectly related, yet all lead to the eventual solution. A suicide that transforms into a homicide which ties into a play revival; only McBain can make something seemingly so far fetched work so well. For the 50th book in a series, this one definitely is spry for its age and McBain does his usual fine job making it all work.
Rating:
Summary: A Fun Read
Review: The Last Dance, Ed McBain's 50th novel in the 87th precinct was actually the first one I have read. The whole crime-mystery genre thing is something I have never really explored. After reading The Last Dance, I don't know why. I really enjoyed the novel--it is a quick, engaging, almost addictive read. I found it to be the literary equivalent of Law and Order or CSI. There is a collection of crusty detectives in fictional city that reminded me much of NYC; there is an ever-growing collection of dead bodies, and an ever-growing collection of suspects. The story is well told, the dialogue is real, the characters are both amusing and believable. This series is definitely one I will return to when I am looking for a quick, engaging read. I also intend to share this series with the people in my life who don't read, but who enjoy Law and Order. Maybe this will make them readers.
Rating:
Summary: A case of plagiarism.
Review: The premise on which this crime novel is based is stated by one of the investigating officers. "When a stage musical is likely to make millions, there's always somebody who makes a claim of plagiarism." So Carella and his 87th Precinct fellow officers investigate several crimes here, and work their way through a large list of suspects whose motivation might be linked to the forthcoming production of a stage musical. You'll find the usual McBain mix here: vivid description, tight dialogue, frequent changes of location. You'll never find a dull sentence, or a lifeless piece of dialogue. It was published in the year 2000. If the drama sags slightly and the imaginative force is not as strong as the punch that hits you in some of the earlier McBain crime novels, bear in mind that this is the fiftieth time McBain has worked with this highly successful formula.
Rating:
Summary: More than a 3 but not quite a 4
Review: This book was fast reading and entertaining, yet I felt there were too many characters and too many things happening. Towards the end when another new character was introduced, it was too much. I didn't think it wrapped up well, either.
I will try another on of his books, but he'll have to put a little more substance in his writing for me to become a fan.
Rating:
Summary: Another good one from Ed/Evan
Review: This book was good to read right after BIG BAD CITY as, it made lots of references to some of the same characters (without a redo) I think that the writing style was a bit more relaxed. It was as if reading about an old friend instead of tight and formal...like when you read about a character the first time. There was a big twist as usual and an unlikely killer. I love the way they get to the killer without boring me, simply because all of the characters are so well written. If it was my first McBain I would have given it 4 stars as it was not a very deep or strongly written novel...but since I'm an 87th precinct fan and know the characters it was as if I turned on the TV and watched another good episode of my favorite series.
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