The Pusher

This morning I finished rereading Ed McBain's "The Pusher". It is the third book in his 87th precinct series, the one in which Det. Steve Carella was supposed to die. McBain did not want his books to have a "hero", he wanted the city to be the focal point. Luckily, his agent and publisher disagreed and Carella was granted a reprieve. This book finds the boys at the 87th dealing with heroin dealers--in 1957! McBain was ahead of his time. This time it's personal--Lieutenant Byrnes son, Larry, is hooked and Carella goes undercover to catch the pusher who is trying to frame Larry for the murder of a small time dealer. Great story.