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Rating: 
Summary: Matthew Hope meets Steve Carella at last.
Review: Ed McBain tried to tie his two best selling series together with this novel set both in Matthew Hope's Calusa Beach and in the world of the 87th Precinct. While I'm not sure if he completely succeeded I do think this noirish story of a swinging married couple, their young girlfriend (for lack of a better term), their involvement with a murderous ex con, a scheme to steal a priceless art object, and an unsolved murder or two make this still a vintage exciting McBain novel. The friendship that detective Steve Carella and lawyer (kind of PI) Matthew Hope strike up long distance over the phone seems entirely believable and adds some sympathetic empathy for two of the longest suffering "good guy" crime fighters in modern day mystery fiction. I was glad to see these two each find a sympathetic ear.The story itself is a little raunchier in terms of sex than previous McBain's, but I don't think it detracts from the story. Indeed it seems kind of essential in explaining the actions and motivations of some of the characters. I could definitely see the book being cast as a noir type of film with one wondering to the end what the outcome will be. One last note, it isn't necessary to have read any of the other Matthew Hope or 87th Precinct novels before having read this one. It stands on its own well enough, but I do think that it might be helpful to have at least a little bit of a previous acquaintance with Hope and Carella. If nothing else it helps to show the reasons these two would feel a connection with each other. However, once again it isn't necessary for one to enjoy the novel. Without giving away the ending, the title implies that this might be the last Matthew Hope novel. I certainly hope not, I for one would love to see a follow up where Hope visits Carella and the 87th Precinct in the big city. I'll certainly keep my hopes up. No pun intended.
Rating:
Summary: I HOPE THIS SERIES DOES NOT END WITH THIS ONE!!!
Review: I FIRST READ ED MCBAIN WHEN I RECEIVED SNOW WHITE, ROSE RED, ONE OF THE MATTHEW HOPE BOOKS. THAT LED ME TO DISCOVER THE 87TH PRECINCT AND HAS GIVEN ME HOURS OF READING PLEASURE. THE LAST BEST HOPE RANKS TOPS ALONG WITH THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL AS THE BEST OF THE SERIES.
Rating: 
Summary: No hope for Matthew Hope
Review: I have read all the previous M. Hope books, and many 87 Precinct. In this one, none of the characters seemed worth my time. If I had met any of them in a bar, I would have turned away and talked to the bartender. Hope seems to have lost his reason for living, and along with it, my reason for reading about him. The people from the 87th novels were just tossed in. From the many 87th precinct books I know them as wonderful multifaceted characters, but little of that was shown here. Hope's legal partner was almost invisible, yet in the previous books, there was a complex ongoing relationship, both personal and in the business. If this were my first Hope or 87th novel, I think I would have been lost. As it is, I just hope Hope recovers more from the effects of the coma.
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