List $26.00

Written by Ed McBain - audio book performed by Ron McLarty - Abridged Fiction - 4 CASSETTES - 5 hours

Publisher, Simon & Schuster Audioworks (August 2004)

Ed McBain concocts a brilliant and intricate thriller about a master criminal who haunts the city with cryptic passages from Shakespeare, directing the detectives of the 87th Precinct to a future crime -- if only they can figure out what he means.

The 87th Precinct gets a visit from one of the city's most accomplished criminals -- a thief known as the "Deaf Man." Because he might be deaf. Or he might not. So little is known about the man who is harassing Detective Steve Carella with puzzling messages that it is hard to tell. But as soon as a pattern emerges, the detectives of the 87th are forced to hit the books and brush up on their Shakespeare -- because each new clue contains a line from one of his plays. Unless they can crack this complicated riddle and beat the Deaf Man at his own cat-and-mouse game, someone is going to end up hurt, orsomething will be stolen -- or both. It's always so hard to tell with the Deaf Man.

Ed McBain brings his most intelligent and devious criminal back to the 87th Precinct with a richly plotted and literary crime.

About the Author: Ed McBain holds the Mystery Writers of America's coveted Grand Master Award, and received an Edgar Award nomination for his novel Money, Money, Money. In 1998, he was the first American to receive the Diamond Dagger, the British Crime Writers Association's highest award. His books have sold more than one hundred million copies, ranging from the more than fifty titles in the 87th Precinct series to the bestselling novels The Blackboard Jungle and Criminal Conversation, written under his own name, Evan Hunter. His most recent Evan Hunter novel is The Moment She Was Gone. Writing as both Ed McBain and Evan Hunter, he broke new ground with Candyland, a novel in two parts. He is also the author of the screenplay for Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Dragica.