
Ed McBain, the legendary master of the modern crime novel, redefined the police procedural and captivated millions with his razor-sharp dialogue, unforgettable characters, and gritty realism. The brilliant mind behind The Blackboard Jungle and Hitchcock’s The Birds, he left an extraordinary legacy that bridged bestselling fiction and screenwriting. With the groundbreaking 87th Precinct series, McBain didn’t just tell crime stories—he built a world that transformed the genre and inspired generations of writers, filmmakers, and readers around the globe. Ed McBain was the pen name of Evan Hunter, born Salvatore Lombino in 1926.