He'd been a promising piano prodigy, once. Now he was just an addict, scraping to get by, letting his hunger for drugs consume him. But a man's life can always get worse - as Ray Stone discovers when he wakes up beside a beautiful nightclub singer only to find her dead... and 16 ounces of pure heroin missing.

"He'd been a promising piano prodigy, once. Now he was just an addict, scraping to get by, letting his hunger for drugs consume him. But a man's life can always get worse - as Ray Stone discovers when he wakes up beside a beautiful nightclub singer only to find her dead... and 16 ounces of pure heroin missing."--Page 4 of cover.

"It’s scary how very good the master was from the start. With beautifully flowing prose and a gripping storyline, this rereleased novel is a must for McBain’s fans and lovers of hard crime tales." - Book Devil

"So Nude, So Dead carries us off into the seedy world [of] hophead jazz musicians, a world where a reefer stick can send a promising young pianist into the arms of heroin, and the arms of any number of amorous young women, be they half-Chinese strippers, supper club singers or just hangers-on." - The Rap Sheet

"So Nude, So Dead  is a remarkable glimpse Ed McBain’s early efforts and the evidence of his amazing talents is apparent throughout." - Pulp Fiction Reviews

"So Nude, So Dead is just so damn awesome." - Pulp Serenade

"So Nude, So Dead is tough-as-cheap-steak noir that goes down quick. McBain’s writing is sharp and concise." - Ravenous Monster