McBain, Ed - SO LONG AS YOU BOTH SHALL LIVE

[LJ Roberts]

SO LONG AS YOU BOTH SHALL LIVE – VG Ed McBain – 32^nd in series

Det. Bert Kling had just married beautiful Augusta Blair and was anticipating his wedding night. Augusta was waiting for him. He got out of the shower, and opened the door, but Augusta is gone. He’s not too worried as he had been told of a quaint custom of kidnapping the bride on her wedding night and his fellow officers in the 87^th Precinct were professionals. And then he noticed her coat still on the rack, and the single shoe lying on its side, and the sickeningly sweet smell of chloroform. And now he’s worried.

In 147 pages, Ed McBain writes a mystery with a full range of characters, excellent dialogue, red herrings and good suspense. The man truly is a master and I never tire of his books.