As the case unfolds, it becomes clear to 87th precinct detectives Steve Carella and Bert Kling that the corpses are casualties of a street war involving three teenage gangs: the Death's Heads, the Scarlet Avengers, and a group known only as "the clique." By the time the case is closed, Carella and Kling have come across two more murders and a shoot-up of such savagery that they refer to it as World War III. As always, this 87th Precinct novel is filled with unforgettable characters, the creations of Ed McBain, the only American to receive Britain's coveted Diamond Dagger Award.