Through the years, Evan Hunter has written stories under a number of pseudonyms, including those of Richard Marsten and Hunt Collins. His most familiar nom de plume, is, however, that of Ed McBain. The McBain Brief is a collection of his short stories which were published at various times under other names….

This book isn't just an excuse for McBain to clean out his closets, though; it is a museum of an author in transition. Arranged in no apparent order, the stories reveal a writer in search of his style….

Occasionally, the rough edges show. As with any compilation, there is trash lurking among the treasure…. Some experiments simply don't work, while others display flashes of brilliance which eventually were translated to a commercially successful technique.

Through these experiments, McBain evolved into the master of the police procedural. With these tales, he developed his art. It was in...