New York Times best-selling author Ed McBain is the first American to receive the Diamond Dagger, the British Crime Writers Association's highest award. Fat Ollie, a detective of the 88th precinct, just finished his first novel about a detective not unlike himself and is on his way to the copy shop when he gets the call. Quickly arriving on the scene, he finds a well-known city councilman has been shot dead-nothing new in the big bad city. But when Ollie gets back to his car, he discovers his precious manuscript stolen. Now that's a serious problem.