From the internationally admired creator of the 87TH Precinct series come these tales featuring policemen and their work and displaying Ed McBain’s inimitable talents in shorter form. . . . In this collection of short stories, bestselling author Ed McBain presents a varied and colorful cast of characters who run afoul of, then into, the arms of the law. . . . A collector who loves his porcelain more than his daughter; a hooker who melts the heart of a tough cop; an ex-fighter who goes berserk at Christmas; an automobile dealer out for a funny business ride. . . . Ed McBain’s bestselling works put him in the very top rank of crime writers. In The McBain Brief, he more than justifies his reputation as a master storyteller.