The Gutter and the Grave

Ed McBain is best known for his 87th Precinct procedural series, but The Gutter and the Grave is an excellent standalone detective novel. It features the memorable character of Matt Cordell, an alcoholic private investigator who sleeps on park benches but manages to pull himself together just long enough to solve the case. (The book was originally published as I’m Cannon – For Hire under the pseudonym Curt Cannon.)