Product Description

There is no accolade or major mystery award that has not already been bestowed upon Lawrence Block. His acclaimed crime novels are asintelligent, provocative, and emotionally complex as they are nerve-tighteningly intense. And perhaps the most respected of his myriad works are the Matthew Scudder books -- masterworks of suspenseful invention featuring a remarkable protagonist rich in conscience and character, with all the flaws that his humanity entails. This is the detective novel as high art.

Customer Reviews (14)

Amazing that everyone likes this
This book is not easy reading. But what amazes me is that nearly everyone thinks this is just'another' mystery, even though a hard-boiled one due to some excess violence. Also, most people highlight the interesting, and in many respects sympathetic, main character, Matt Scudder. All right, I like Matt Scudder fine, even though this is rather infantile (most mystery writes nowadays try to create characters readers are inclined to like, so as to become curious what will become of their 'heroes' in the next novel; see commissario Brunetti in Donna Leon's books, see ... well there are plenty, I don't have to enumerate them all). The plot, however, is not the best mystery plot conceivable; Matt Scudder has a hunch, the hunch turns out true (and to be a nightmare), he walks round a bit in the city gathering information, gets the information, and goes on...).

But this book is outright obscene. By this I do NOT refer to the considerable amount of violence, most of it sexualized (and some of it more than is necessary to make the point). Rather, what I find obscene is, first, that Scudder takes the law into his own hands and has no doubts about it; he kills one person (a 'very bad' person, it is true) in a situation where there is not the slightest necessity, and he admits that he simply wanted to kill her. Second, after that, he attends a church service and receives communion.

Strange that you folks over there (I am German) seem to take this for granted. I don't want to say that this 'must not happen' in a book. But the least it should do is to make readers wonder. This seems not be the case. Strange.

A Dance at the Slaughterhouse
This one of a collection of the Matthew Scudder series written by Lawrence Block and as with all his writings it is of a high standard. It is one of those books that you don't want to put down. Block writes a believable and honest story line that is easy to follow but with a few suble turns just to keep you guessing. Look forward to finishing the Matthew Scudder series.

Another Good Addition to the Scudder Series
If you're a hard-boiled mystery buff, you can't go wrong by picking up any of the Scudder series by Lawrence Block.This book finds Matt Scudder still sober and attending AA (Alcoholics Anonymous).In his spare time he's trying to prove that an accident was actually a murder.While he's not doing that, he's looking for a couple that made a child-porn snuff film.

I highly recommend this book for all hard-boiled mystery fans.

Scudder and a snuff flick
My problem is, after reading When the Sacred Gin Mill Closes, all other Matthew Scudder novels, pale in comparison.This is a good novel, but not great.I have read about 5 of his books now and this is a good read.An insight into his relationship with his father.I am not big on endings with a hail of gunfire, but it was done better than most.

Very good novel based on the element of pornography
The cable television producer may have orchestrated the rape and death of his wife, so the dead woman's brother hires Scudder to prove him guilty.A snuff film death holds a major clue that will connect both murders and help Scudder and his girlfriend Elaine solve the cast.
Good read.... ... Read more

Product Description
Louis Pinell, the recently apprehended "Icepick Prowler," freely admits to having slain seven young women nine years ago -- but be swears it was a copycat who killed Barbara Ettinger Matthew Scudder believes him. But the trail to Ettinger's true murderer is twisted, dark and dangerous...and even colder than the almost decade-old corpse the p.i. is determined to avenge.

Customer Reviews (12)

Short, gritty, and to the point
These early Matthew Scudder books, written in the late 70s and early 80s, feel like a window into another world. Scudder isn't so much a private investigator as he is "a guy who does favors and sometimes takes some money in exchange for them". He solves his mysteries without the aid of computers and databases and cell phones -- his tools of the trade are footwork, conversation, and public libraries.He spends a lot of time knocking on doors and dropping dimes(!) into pay phones. Unfortunately, he also spends a lot of time in the bottle, a trait that follows him through the series. In this book, a man has been arrested for a series of murders several years earlier.The problem is, he couldn't have killed the final victim.That victim's father is looking for answers, and Scudder is going to try to find them. I enjoy these books because they're short, gritty, and to the point.

one the best of Matthew Scudder
The earlier Matthew Scudder noves are the best. They are dark, gritty and realistic.In later novels, Block marries off Scudder, why?Marrying the detective off makes him as Mr and Mrs North.Here he is still free to adventure and screw up.Block fleshes out all of the characters and we know them.We may not like them, but we know and understand them.
This is one of the best of the series, and I have read them all.

Matt Scudder Solves a Cold Case
In this fourth novel of the Matt Scudder series, Scudder is hired to investigate the murder of a young woman that happened nine years ago. The police assumed that the Icepick Prowler, a serial killer, had murdered her, but they recently caught him, and he confessed to all the other murders, but swore he did not do this one. Although the murder showed the characteristics of the Icepick Prowler's work, Scudder notes enough differences to make him think that a copycat killer did it and is still loose. This leads us on Scudder's plodding, careful investigation through streets (and bars) of New York. It's a gritty picture, but the author gives us clues that help to identify the killer. Otherwise, it's a surprise. Block's writing is outstanding, and his descriptions of the dark streets and alleys of New York are priceless. This is a great book to keep your attention on a long flight.

Definitely not Block's best Scudder novel
While this book did have an entertaining plot, a woman is suspected of being killed by the icepick prowler, but turns out that she wasn't killed by him when he confesses to 7 of the 8 murders he was suspected of. Scudder is thrown into the mix to investigate whether Barbara Ettinger was killed by the Icepick Prowler or a copycat killer. While it is an entertaining and easy read, I felt at times that the quality of writing wasn't nearly as good as 2 of his best scudder novels ever: "Eight Million Ways to Die" and "A Dance at the Slaughterhouse". I just wasn't satisified with the quality of this book, I felt it could have been better. That tends to be the way Block's books are with me, they are either a hit or a miss.

Snore.. snort.. huh? I guess I went to sleep
I made it the whole way to Jan's and Matt's "enlighting" [not very... cut me a break Block], trite, hack conversation about if he was a drunk or not and realized I was going to sleep.I made a firm decision and tossed the book into the get rid of this asap pile and went and found something else to read.

Block reads like "she said... he said..." conversations. Dry comes to mind.As I said in a previous review if you really hate "show not tell" in novels this is the writer for you.He does no showing at all.I feel as if I am listening to someone outline what might be a very good book.I had read another book of his which had the same fate as this one: halfway I tossed it into the get rid of this do NOT pass on to someone you like pile.

Matt comes across as the most pathetic attempt at an alcoholic I have encountered in novels [or in real life and I use to work Drug and Alcohol units].He meanders aimlessly thru his addiction and Block meanders aimlessly thru the plot.Well suited for each other.It's a shame.As I said previously there is great potential for a GREAT story here.It was wasted more than Matt ever was in his drinking days.

IF you must try Block, I suggest the library. ... Read more

Product Description

Nobody knows better than Matthew Scudder how far down a person can sink in the city of New York. Except a young prostitute named Kim—and she wanted out. Maybe Kim didn't deserve the life fate had dealt her. She surely didn't deserve her death.

Customer Reviews (25)

One of the all-time great detective books
The mystery is pretty good in itself, but what sets this book and all of Block's books apart is the vivid world in which it takes place.Block has John D. MacDonald's gift for dialogue matched with Charles Dickens' ability to develop characters, wrapped in a noir sensibility that creates an unforgettable reading experience.Block's portrayal of the standard hard-drinking detective as he struggles with the decision to become sober is particularly poignant.I have given away several copies of this book, and so far every person I gave it to has read most or all of the Matt Scudder series.

A Private Eye, A Great Mystery, and Alcoholism
I loved this mystery. It is a literary page-turner about the search for a prostitute's murderer.

Detective Matt Scudder's on-going battle with alcohlism is as vivid and intricately described as anything I've ever read.I am a clinical social worker and marriage and family therapist and I often give copies of this book to my clients who have alcohol issues or addictions.Anyone who hasa problem with alcohol oraddictions or has a loved one with addiction problems should read this book.

Anyone who loves a good mystery with great characters will love this book.

Very good book.. weak ending...
Superb character development.. may have dragged a bit at times...but entertaining and better written than most crime novels I have read... but the ending...hmm... how can a book that had been that good up until the final chapters end so.. well.. disappointingly...

great mystery with well-defined, interesting characters
Read a lot of L Block books.Going to go back and read some earlier titles that I missed.Terrific story teller.

Reviews from the Weekend Reader, Elizabeth Jean Allen
Matthew Scudder is not a licensed private investigator.To claim he was one would not be ethical.Besides, private investigators have to keep up with records and billable hours...No, you can't hire him, but you can ask him to do a favor.In return for said favor, you can buy him a drink and give him a little cash.

At one point in his life Matt was a detective for the NYPD, but when a stray bullet from his gun struck and killed an innocent child during a shootout, Matt resigned.He buried his grief in a bottle and started doing favors for friends.

In Eight Million Ways to Die, Matt has reached a crossroads.After experiencing blackout that lasted several days that ended with Matt in the hospital, he knew he had to come to terms with his drinking.He agreed to go to AA, but he was not ready to label himself an alcoholic.

In need of money, Matt agreed to act as an intermediary for a hooker.She wanted out of the business but was afraid to tell her pimp.It was a simple job and the situation was settled without bloodshed or tears.Chance, the pimp, felt Kim wasted her money.She didn't need to hire Matt.All she had to do was tell him she wanted out.When Kim was found dead a few days later, the police and Matt assumed Chance was the guilty party.

The police would never be able to prove that Chance was guilty.Chance knew that, but the fact that the police assumed he did it and were not looking elsewhere irritated him.Kim was a hooker, but she was one of his girls.The cloud of suspicion was hurting his business.As Matt already had a vested interest in the case, Chance hires him.Matt would ferret out the truth.

It has been 25 years since Laurence Block's Eight Million Ways to Die was first released.New York City has changed since then, but it was easy to visualize the rabble and the rubble of the New York City of old through the eyes of Matthew Scudder.It was descriptive without the lengthy prose to go with it.

It is a classic hardboiled detective story.The clues are doled out at regular intervals.An astute mystery reader may be able to identify the killer before Matt puts the pieces together.I had my suspicions but there was enough doubt to keep me guessing right up until the end.

Eight Million Ways to Die is dark, cynical, violent and incredibly lonely--all that a great PI mystery should be.For the mystery fans out there, I highly recommend it.

... Read more

Product Description
Matt Scudder is finally leading a comfortable life.The crime rate's down and the stock market's up.Gentrification's prettying-up the old neighborhood.The New York streets don't look so mean anymore.

Then all hell breaks loose.

Scudder quickly discovers the spruced-up sidewalks are as mean as ever, dark and gritty and stained with blood.He's living in a world where the past is a minefield, the present is a war zone, and the future's an open question.It's a world where nothing is certain and nobody's safe, a random universe where no one's survival can be taken for granted.Not even his own.

A world where everybody dies.Amazon.com Review
You would think that by the 14th novel in a series, an author might becomea bit bored with his characters, a bit sloppy in his writing. Thankfully,Lawrence Block is no such writer. Matt Scudder, in his 14thappearance, is as sharp and entertaining as he is in such mysteries asEight Million Ways toDie and A Dance atthe Slaughterhouse. Scudder is one of the few dicks out there witha fully fleshed-out personality; he's not insensitive to the mayhem around him,and his fears are well founded and realistic. After all, as the titleboldly states, we live in a world where everybody dies.

Settled into married life, sober, and finally a legit private eye (thestate granted his license), Scudder is prepared to become a respectablehigh-priced detective working for New York City lawyers. But when his old buddy,Mick Ballou, comes to him because two of his runners end up murdered, Scudderfinds himself sinking back into the muck of the underworld. While dodgingthugs who are out to put a stop to his investigation, Scudder must figure out who has it in for Ballou.

The writing in this novel is elegant--equally supple in describing thegibbous moon as it is in sorting out Scudder's feelings on the murder of aclose friend, or when recounting a rather gory eye plucking. The dialogue issnappy and true to life. Lawrence Block once again proves he's worthy ofthe title Grand Master of Mystery. So be sure to set aside a chunk of timebefore you sit down to read this novel, because you're not going to beable to tear yourself away. --Jenny Brown ... Read more

Customer Reviews (50)

Cold, Dark Noir
You'll want to turn up the heat and get under the blanket after this one. It's dark, dark, dark.

Still, I've read lots of Lawrence Block, and this one is one of my favorites. The characters are strong, and the plot is gripping. Yes, it starts a little slow, but there's quite a pay-off at the end.

This one's very memorable and haunting--it will stick with me a long time.

A bout with morality
Block's Scudder series is serious business, though his characterizations are phenomenal in all his series.The other two: Burglar/Rhodenbarr and Tanner are much lighter.This particular Scudder continues his psychological explorations of middle-aged, formerly embittered, alcoholic, unofficial detective Matt Scudder.This one has quite a bit of action, as opposed to the last work, "Even the Wicked."A good mystery writer spins a fine tale, but a great mystery writer evolves into a great writer who chooses to write mysteries--evolving the genre into literature.It seems to me that this is Block's objective, conscious or unconscious as the case may be.Certainly his descriptions of Scudder's bout with relative morality is fine work.Many sides of his "hero" (some light, some dark) are variously depicted in this incredible series.Scudder is all too human.Block also coins memorable turns of phrase (some funny), that I add to my quote collection, such as: "I could probably be a vegetarian like Elaine, but only if bacon was declared a vegetable" on page 215.I didn't read the series in order, I think it would be better to do so, since they build on each other, and the characters' growth trend and relationships develop through the series which is chronological.

Listening to stories
Matt Scudder walks and Elaine goes to the gym for exercise.Mick Ballou is a notorious criminal and Grogans, in Hell's Kitchen, is his bar and headquarters.Mick is an unlikely friend for a private detective to have.

Matt is faced with the mystery of two deceased persons, formerly of the North of Ireland, and a substantial amount of twice stolen whiskey.Mick believes he has an enemy.Matt Scudder still attends AA meetings.He usually fits in two or three a week.He enjoys listening to the stories.

On Sunday evenings he eats dinner with his sponsor.When he and his sponsor go out to dinner, by coincidence, they are dressed in similar garb.The sponsor becomes another victim while Matt is using the lavatory.Matt knows his sponsor would destroy his guilty thoughts by pointing out that Matt is just an alcoholic.Matt finds himself explaining to the investigating officers the role of a sponsor in the AA program.

Matt is saved from danger by Mick.Gary Alan Dowling is the son of Patrick Farrelly, a man who had operated in opposition toMick Ballou.He may have some involvement in the recent matters of conflict.This is an exceptionally dark tale in the Matt Scudder series.

violent, but good book
Lawrence Block's book is violent, and sometimes unintentionally humorous, but interesting.As read by Mr. Forster, whose accent is not bad, but a bit over the top (in places) as it gets more violent at the end. Overall, it is a pretty good introduction to his writing.This is the first book of his I've listened to and have bought the paperback.I will probably look for more of these.

Not Everybody Died
"Everybody Dies" represents author Lawrence Block's attempt to reintroduce the edge that the great private detective Matthew Scudder lost in the previous novel, "Even the Wicked."In "Wicked," Scudder turned into super-sleuth, solving three high profile cases while never coming remotely close to courting physical danger.The result was the weakest novel of the 14 (and counting) in the series."Everybody Dies" tries to be different.Right off the bat, Scudder is viscously attacked on the street, his AA sponser is killed by a hired gunman who mistakes him for Scudder, and his gangster buddy Mick Ballou's bar is firebombed, which kills a dozen people including Scudder's former mistress.The rest of the novel concerns Scudder and Ballou's search for those responsible in order to take revenge.

All of this sounds exciting, and yet it is curiously rather sterile.In the best Scudder books, the threat is always lurking in the background, including the threat that Scudder might fall off the wagon.Here it seems over the top and not particularly plausible.The leading badguy seems as if he'd be incapable of being organized enough to take on Ballou the way he does and the climatic battle has surprisingly little tension.One problem, I think, is that Scudder has become far too domesticated with his stable marriage and stable life.As a character, he needs to return to the edge.Otherwise his stories will continue to be safe and predictable, rather than daring like the best of the series, no matter how many minor characters Block kills off in the process. ... Read more

Product Description
In the dark days, in a sad and lonely place, ex-cop Matt Scudder is drinking his life away -- and doing "favors" for pay for his ginmill cronies. But when three such assignments flow together in dangerous and disturbing ways, he'll need to change his priorities from boozing to surviving.

Customer Reviews (21)

The best of the Scudder series
I find this the best book in the Matt Scudder series, and one of the best detective novels ever written.In addition to the usual vivid setting, dialogue, and characterization, this book contains one of the most vivid and unpredictable scenes in detective writing.As hard as it must be to write convincing dialogue or develop an interesting background, the hardest feat in writing (judged by how infrequently even the best achieve it) is to create a sense of danger, a sense that anything can happen, including total disaster.Block achieves this here in a big way, when Scudder and his crew decide the time has come to take action.An unforgettable reading experience.

The Nail On The Head
"When the Sacred Ginmill Closes" is one of my favorite books ever.The way Block looks back and remembers things and doesn't remember things and the kind of perspective he puts all of it in is very close to home.It is one of those rare things in a book that really makes you feel like you have a kinship with the author.Lots of us have lived through not just a few booze soaked years.And sometimes it is natural to have, if not fond memories of these crazy times, then at least not a fatalistic view of them either.It is hard to say why some books are so important to some people, this is one of those.
Had this not been the first book of this series that I read, I probably wouldn't have read any more of it.That's not to say that the other books in this series aren't good, but this was certainly the right one to get your attention.Speaking of the series, this book could easily have been a cliche, since it is the transition between drunkenness and then muddle and then sobreity.It seems like most series have to have that one book that is a device to introduce different moods or relationships for the character.The way it was done here was taking the alcoholic side of it to a new level.It seemed like a brief moment of clarity that some alcoholics have years down the road.When something that happened back then all of a sudden comes back into your conciousness and it is clearly remembered and considered as it just happened a few days ago.Sometimes these moments are the greatest thing in the world, even if they are about something which is all to forgettable.What a book.

Oh that wonderful sleaze!
This is the first time that I've read a Matthew Scudder novel, and I must say that I enjoyed it.Matt Scudder is one of the most human hard-bitten detectives that I've ever come across.And Block does not shy away from hard and dismal topics.This book is about drinking friendships.He points out throughout the book that people really don't know the people that they drink with.It is also about betrayal, greed and it even has a cold-blooded killer.Block really knows his city, and that comes across in these pages.It reminded me of "The Maltese Falcon".Block knows New York and its people in this setting (which is 1970's New York) like Hammett knew 1920's San Franscisco.This is high praise indeed because The Maltese Falcon is such a perfect detective story.This one measures up just as well.I will have to read more of Matt Scudder, I think.

Best of the Scudder novels
In my opinion the best of this series.Block at times is a formulaic machine, almost a hack.Not in this book however.There is nuance and real texture, pretty close to literature if you will.Block nails the NYC of the early 70's, the corruption, the IRA "lads" running about, a true sense of danger that could flare from the most mundane source.This is "Hell's Kitchen" pre gentrification.Well worth the time and effort.

Scudder is the greatest crime protagonist out there
I am writing this because I was looking to see what others were saying about my favorite mystery/crime character. The latest few reviews were pretty hard on Block and I just want to put a few things straight.

First of all, Block is a very hit or miss author. He has written dozens of books and maybe only 25% of them are Scudder novels. He has written just as many 'Burglar' books that are more akin to Agatha Christy than Dashiel Hammett, and I am not their biggest fan. Besides that, Block has written countless short stories and started a few other series' that are in comparison to Scudder, uninspired.

What Block has done here is not write just one book and then continue to revise the same plot over and over as so many mystery writers do. Instead, as a reader you should start at the beginning of this series 'Sins of our Fathers' where you will find a Matthew Scudder, moderately in control of his alcoholism. This is not the best Block, but it is pretty important to follow the development of this amazing character from one book to the next.

By the time you come to 'Ginmill,' '8 Million Ways to Die,' or others further along in the series, you will have found yourself keenly aware of the small developments of Matthew Scudder as a character. 'Ginmill' is a key Scudder novel in that it marks a transitional point that opens up new horizons in coming books and acts as a bridge in many ways. If you have not read the preceding books, and don't wait to judge 'Ginmill' until reading a few more, this will not be apparent.

Secondly, 'Ginmill,' like all of the Scudder novels, is not earth shattering. After you have read hundreds of thrillers where the earth hangs in the balance every time, it is refreshing to pick up a Scudder book that is all about smaller mundane everyday occurrences. These pages are all the more satisfying due to the fact that Block is using this book to really explore a character that he has already spent a great deal of time and energy with.

I would highly recommend this series as a whole, it is one of two that really follow a primary character through a lifetimes worth of changes. The other that I am keenly thinking of as I write this would be by John Fante, and I would even recommend his work over Blocks (high praise). If you have read most of Block's work and would like to find another author who treats a character this way, start with Fante's 'Arturo Bandini' books (Fante's alter ego) and then pick up the rest of them. They all fit nicely together portraying a life from infancy to senility.
... Read more

Product Description

A man in a Virginia prison awaits execution for three horrific murders he must have committed but swears he didn't . . .

Customer Reviews (52)

Just OK
The serial killer is one of the most twisted I've ever read about, but the plot didn't really pull me in. I did like the way that Matt is just a regular, flawed guy. He's not the kind of detective who pieces together unbelievable intricacies, and he doesn't use brute force to subdue anyone! Unfortunately, it's just not that good of a story. I would probably skip further Scudder books unless people tell me they are way different than this one.

Much better than Hope to Die
This is a sequel to the horrible Hope To Die, and, fortunately, it's a huge improvement. Instead of using first person, Block tells the serial killer's point of view through third person. I'm not sure why it works so much better, but it does. The plot in All the Flowers are Dying is also much improved. It's a compelling story with lots of tension.

The weakness continues to be the character of the serial killer. First of all, I'm not going to go out of my way to read about serial killers--not my cup of tea. But I don't think Block did a good job of making the character believable. He is totally evil. This makes him one-dimensional and not interesting.

Still, this is a good entry in the Matt Scudder series. I'm glad Block revisited Hope to Die because the sequel is a worthy addition.

return of an old fan
Haven't read Block in several years. Was a big fan of Scudder. It's great to see he hasn't lost his edge. Highly recommended.

Arguably his best Matthew Scudder book
I have been hooked on Lawrence Block since the very first book I read.Since then, I think I have read every one of his books.The Matthew Scudder series has been a bit of a hit or miss.Some good and a few fairly bad, especially some of the latter ones.But this one is excellent.Quite possibly his best.

I never read a book's or a movie's review before reading or watching it, because inadvertently people mention something that takes away the suspense.So I'll just end this by saying that the book has twists and is wonderfully dark.

Dead flowers
I have read everyone of the Matthew Scudder novels.Trust,
this one is the least of the series. I was very disappointed.
He appears to borrow from James Patterson in giving us a serial
killer and pages and pages of the killers voice.That is one,
two it is boring.All the Flowers are dead and so is Matthew Scudder. ... Read more

Product Description

In this city, there is little sense and no rules. Those who fly the highest often come crashing down the hardest -- like successful young Glenn Holtzmann, randomly blown away by a deranged derelict at a corner phone booth on Eleventh Avenue. Unlicensed p.i. Matt Scudder thinks Holtzmann was simply in the wrong place at the worst time. Others think differently -- like Thomas Sadecki, brother of the crazed Vietnam vet accused of the murder, who wants Scudder to prove the madman innocent. But no one is truly innocent in this unmerciful metropolis --including Matther Scudder, whose curiosity and dedication are leading him to dark, unexplored places in his own heart...and to passions and revelations that could destroy everything he loves.

Customer Reviews (10)

My Favorite Lawrence Block Book
THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD is the eleventh entry in Lawrence Block's excellent Matthew Scudder series. In this case, Matt is asked to investigate the murder of a young attorney, Glenn Holtzmann. The case appears to be open and shut: Holtzmann was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and was shot and killed by a mentally unbalanced street person. But the brother of the man the police have arrested asks Scudder to look into the case, and Matt discovers that, while the police have apparently arrested the right man, the victim was a man of many unexplained secrets. Once captured by the case, Scudder will not give it up until he has unraveled all of those secrets.

The mystery itself is fine, but what I love about this book is that it comes at a very important point in Matthew Scudder's life, probably the most significant since the closing pages of EIGHT MILLION WAYS TO DIE. The times are changing, and so are the people that surround Matt. Scudder is personally conflicted in a variety of ways that will resonate deeply with a lot of readers. And the way he reacts to those changes and conflicts is what makes him one of the most intriguing characters ever to inhabit the pages of crime fiction.

a Scudder disappointment
Not all of the Matthew Scudder crime novels are equal.This is one
is the least of the series.
Matt may attend many AA meetings and have been able to stay sober, but he is basically a dry drunk.He does not work or live a good program.As we move through the pages we lose respect
for our detective friend.Block seems to lose the thread of this
story, as we wander through Scudder's relationships with his
array of offbeat characters.They are interesting in themselves,
but lend little to the storyline.Block decides he must finish this
book somehow and gives us such a lame ending.I wanted to
have a deeper understanding of Holtzmann's nefarious dealings. After trailing
this man for so many pages only to have him shot as a mistaken
identity.Oh please.I have a few more to read in this series, I hope
the last few are better than this, they would almost have to be.

Gritty writing, but not much drama for a Scudder
Let me preface by saying I'm a huge Scudder fan, so the three star rating is compared to the entirety of the Scudder saga.In this entry, the clean and ostensibly happily domesticated Scudder is hired by a vagrant's brother to clear the vagrant of a shooting.The victim happens to be a distant acquaintance of Scudder's, and though Matt didn't like the guy much, he ends up having a desultory kind of affair with his widow.Meanwhile the accused killer is himself killed in prison, leaving a stubborn Scudder to attack the closed case (or as his cop friend puts it, "trying to give a dead horse mouth-to-mouth resuscitation" --- love that noir dialogue).This is only an average Scudder entry, which means that it's a bleak look at a seedy world, rife with witty dialogue and sharp insights into AA philosophy.Probably because the case here is so cold, however, a lot of drama in the sense of personal danger or action is lacking.There's much of the traditional amoral, detatched soul-searching, which is terrific, but none of the rough justice Scudder usually hands out.

A Very Good Book (But An Average Mystery)!
The Devil Knows You're Dead is a very well written book that held my interest throughout -- however, I have been a big fan of this series from the beginning. Mystery fans who are looking for lots of action and suspense may want to skip this book. Relative to several of the other books in this series, there is considerably less physical violence and more --much more-- of a concentration on the emotional havoc and angst that Matthew Scudder is experiencing as he makes his way through his topsy-turvy world. The cases Scudder is working on in The Devil Knows You're Dead are interesting but they are not exciting and action-based. So, if this is what you're looking for in a mystery you probably should choose another book. If you enjoy great character development, interesting and likable secondary characers, vivid and accurate descriptions of the Hell's Kitchen/Clinton section of NYC, then treat yourself to this very good book. Keep in mind it's not the best book in this series but it's one I think you'll enjoy. However, I would strongly recommend that if you haven't read any of the books in this series, you first read at least one or two of the earlier books (e.g., When The Scared Ginmill Closes, A Ticket To The Boneyard, A Dance At The Slaughterhouse, A Walk Among The Tombstones, etc.) before reading The Devil Knows You're Dead. These books will familiarize you what the world of Matthew Scudder has been like. This book serves pretty much as a vehicle to further evolve the main character of Matthew Scudder and to let you know where he's moving to in his life.

B-O-R-I-N-G
I did not chose this book, it was required for a writer's workshop.When I sit down to read a detective novel I expect it to be about detecting.In The Devil Knows Your're Dead I was not the least bit interested in the personal issues / problems of the main character of this novel.The murder happens on page 17 of 316 and there is absolutely zero progress on solving the crime until about 231 pages into it.The intervening pages are mired in musings about alcoholism, transexuals, the morality of suicide, yada, yada, yada.B-o-r-i-n-g.I guess there is a market for this type of mystery (...) but give me Christie, Stout or Sayers and I'm happy.You can keep Block all to yourself. ... Read more

Product Description

The city caught its collective breath when upscale couple Byrne and Susan Hollander were slaughtered in a brutal home invasion. Now, a few days later, the killers themselves have turned up dead behind the locked door of a Brooklyn hellhole -- one apparently slain by his partner in crime who then took his own life.

Customer Reviews (45)

Hackneyed Mess
This is an unbelievably bad Lawrence Block novel. I suspect he may have owed his publisher a book after signing a big book deal. Or maybe he wanted to try to write something commercial. But this one is a big dud.

It's not that his writing is bad. He's still very good with dialogue and style. However, the plot is horrible. His serial killer characterization is cliched, distasteful, and not believable.

Block makes a mistake by alternating the first person narrative of Matt Schudder with the serial killer. It just doesn't work.

I've read a lot of Lawrence Block novels, and this is one of the worst.

Love the Characters!
Here's my review system--I score on four categories and average them together for the number of stars. The four categories are: character development (are the characters deep and complex, plot (is it interesting), voice (is the narration smooth and engaging) and cliche level (is it predictable.)

Character development: 5 stars--Lawrence Block's characters are unique and distinctive--they grow and evolve

Plot: 3 stars-- There were some twists but nothing remarkable--to me it doesn't matter because the characters are so good

Voice: 5 stars-- Maybe as good as it gets. You feel like you're having a conversation

Cliche level: 5 stars-- Block twists every thing so the cliche just isn't there--which always makes him a great read.

Scudder is a real life character who I feel like I know intimately. Each book is like a visit with an old friend.

sappy ending
I Hope this was worst of the Matthew Scudder series, since I bought quite a few.I read When the Sacred Gin Mill Closes and this was great writing. This was not terrible, but silly in parts, disjointed and not reasonable overall.The ending was utterly sappy.puh leez

GreatAs Usual
Matthew Scudder is a good guy and a real everyday hero. I love the way he thinks and admire Block's solid unpretentious writing. Matt is in recovery, and knows how to work a program. It informs his life and the way he goes about living. There is a lot to be learned from reading about Matt and his adventures.

Classic Block, Classic Crime
For over twenty-five years Lawrence Block has been entertaining readers with his tales of New York City's no-nonsense private eye Matt Scudder.After a brief respite, Block and Scudder are back in prime form in this hard-hitting crime thriller.An affluent New York couple is brutally murdered in their upper west side brownstone in what appears to be a home invasion burglary.Within days of crime, the suspects are found dead in a Brooklyn slum, victims of what appears to be a murder suicide.Case closed.But there are some inconsistencies in the all-too-perfect conclusion, inconsistencies that pull the now sixty-something Scudder into the hunt.It seems that a third player is pulling the strings, and as new bodies start to pile up, the NYPD starts taking Scudder's doubts seriously.

As always, Block writes with the street start style that only a New Yorker who knows and loves his city can muster.Through the eyes of Scudder, Bloch perfectly captures New York from the mean streets of Hell's Kitchen to the posh digs bordering Central Park.Those familiar with Block will welcome brief but meaningful appearances of Danny Boy and Mick Ballou, while TJ has matured from the street kid cast adrift to a savvy and well-grounded adolescent, the full-fledged assistant to the mostly-retired Scudder.Cleverly plotted, suspenseful, and well paced, "Hope to Die" piles up more evidence in the case to declare Lawrence Block as America's most accomplished author of popular crime fiction.If you enjoy this one, make sure to read "All the Flowers are Dying", a poignant follow-up to this fine mystery/thriller.
... Read more

Product Description

Twelve years ago, Matthew Scudder lied to a jury to put James Leo Motley behind bars. Now the ingenious psychopath is free. And the alcoholic ex-cop-turned-p.i. must pay dearly for his sins. Friends and former lovers -- even strangers unfortunate enough to share Scudder's name -- are turning up dead. Because a vengeful maniac is determined not to rest until he's driven his nemesis back to the bottle...and then to the boneyard.

Customer Reviews (16)

A Killer Goes After A Private Eye and His Girlfriends
This is a mystery about a psychopathic killer pursuing a private eye and his hooker girlfriend.In order to wreak revenge for the past, the killer intends to wipe out all of the private eye's girlfriends.

It is a quick and amusing read but ultimately, unmemorable. I recommend it for the beach or vacation.

Great character study as well as a crime story
Matthew Scudder, P.I., fights the urge to return to the booze as vigorously as he battles an old nemesis who's killing friends, family, associates and even people who share the surname Scudder.

Fortunately Matthew, like Lawrence Block's bookstore owner/cat burglar/sleuth Bernie (THE BURGLAR WHO TRADED TED WILLIAMS), has good friends, including a prostitute ex-lover with whom he rekindles a romance.The dialogue is as sharp and explosive as the action scenes.My personal favorite bit, after Bernie and his ladylove go to a Kevin Costner/Michelle Pfeiffer caper...

"She's (Michelle Pfeiffer) not really pretty, but there's something about her, isn't there?If i were a man, I'd want to ----- her."
"Repeatedly."
"Oh, she does it for you, huh?"
"She's all right."
"'Repeatedly.'"

Well-Written; Suspenseful Book
As always, the novel is well-written with lots of great language.The book moves along quickly.You won't be bored ot tempted to put it down.

Block does a great job confronting Scudder's problems with alcohol, with full descriptions of AA meetings and his AA friends.You really believe that Scudder is an alcoholic.Block also frequently mentions the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, a book that Scudder is reading.Scudder ponders the Meditations as different things happen in the book.The only slight problem with this book is that the ending is somewhat predictable.

Now I am hooked on Block.
I was mildly entertained by Lawrence Block's "Even the Wicked." "A Walk Among the Tombstones" was gritty enough to get me to try my third Matthew Scudder: "A Ticket to the Boneyard."

Now I am hooked, and will read the entire series.

Scudder is an ex-NYPD cop...a flawed, complex, likeable, pragmatic character. Now an unlicensed PI, he investigates for his friends.

The plot in "Boneyard" roars along from page one with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing all the way. Not predictable. The villain is one of the most realistic, despicable and depraved I have run across.

Great hard-edged writing that leaps off the pages.

I am making Lawrence Block a priority.

A Ticket to the Boneyard
In A Ticket to the Boneyard Matthew Scudder is a former New York detective who left because he had a drinking problem. He is involved with a hooker called Elaine.They get into some trouble because of a man Elaine was involved with, James Leo Motley.Parts of the book explain the problems and results in drinking.It also describes the difficulty the main character, Matt, deals with the problem of drinking.Motley was not a normal customer of Elaine; he was new but caused trouble.The story starts out telling the life story about Matt and how he got involved with the hooker, Elaine and the man she was in trouble with. Then it goes to tell how Motley was put in jail, but before he can go he vows to revenge the man who puts him in jail.Motley was in for a number of years and yet he still remembers his vow.His vengeance toward the man who put him into jail encourages him to harm innocent people.The whole book is talks about how Matt and Elaine are scared of Motley and searching for him.Most of the time Matt is plays detective to find Motley and to protect Elaine from any danger from Motley.Although Matt is not a detective anymore he uses some of the skills he acquired and he goes searching around the city of New York for Motley after he got out of jail.
This book was written quite well and people.Although the descriptions of some people and some details do not help as much as other descriptions; the book does paint a good picture of the deaths.The details of how people were killed gave a nice description of how everything came together and how each event occurred in order.Like the saying "Never judge a book by its covers."It is part of what this book is like.The cover changes every once in a while yet it helps depicts what kind of story this is.When I first saw the cover of the book, I thought the book was going to be about a murderer and its victims.But when I finished reading the book it was not close to how the cover depicted the book to be like.I enjoyed his book very much.Some times it put me at the edge of my seat reading faster to find out what was going to occur next.Although there were not many exciting parts it was deep in learning one kind of problems a former detective.I would recommend this book to people who enjoy a nice murder story before they go to bed.Sometime there are scary parts, which you want to put down the book but it is so interesting that you rather finish the book. ... Read more

Product Description
Matthew Scudder knows that justice is an elusive commodity in the big city, where a harmless man can be shot dead in a public place criminals fly free through holes in a tattered legal system. But now a vigilante is roaming among the millions, executing those he fees deserve to die. He calls himself "The Will of the People"--an ingenious serial killer who announces his specific murderous intentions to the media before carrying through on his threats. A child molester, a Mafia don, a violent anti-abortionist -- even the protected and untouchable are being ruthlessly erased by New York's latest celebrity avenger.

Scudder knows that no one is innocent -- but who among us has the right to play God? It is a question that will haunt the licensed p.i. on his journey through the bleak city grays, as he searches for the sanity in urban madness. . .and for a frighteningly efficient killer who can do the impossible.Amazon.com Review
This is far from the best of Lawrence Block's landmark Scudderseries-too little action or suspense, too much domestic bliss--so I'lljust use its publication as an excuse to introduce newcomers to somepast glories. The best of them all is still When the Sacred GinmillCloses, definitely on my short list of the 100 Best Mysteries. Butclose behind are such other Scudder classics as A Long Line of Dead Men,A Dance at theSlaughterhouse, TheDevil Knows You're Dead, Eight Million Ways toDie, In the Midst ofDeath, A Ticket to theBoneyard, and A WalkAmong the Tombstones. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

A gentle read
Author of Afinidad: A novel of a serial killer
If this is your first Matthew Scudder novel, you will not feel you know the man at the end of the book; he is a man of few words and you don't get a lot of insight into what he is thinking either.But that doesn't matter; there is, after all, a whole series on him if you want to learn more. For the purposes of this book, such reticence from the author makes for an understated but elegant read, especially if you also like your thrillers without much violence and sex.In fact, much of the story line is related through the dialogue between the characters, and that dialogue is fantastic - witty, sassy, and streetwise. The story itself consists of two lines of investigation in New York. One concerns a vigilante killer who selects for his victims those who he believes have escaped the punitive side of the justice system.He announces his intended victims to the city through a newspaper columnist who, incidentally, is such a nasty drunk that you find yourself wishing that he would end up on the hit list himself.The other is a man dying of AIDs who is shot while sitting on a park bench enjoying the sunshine.
The reader is told fairly early on who the killer is in the first investigation, but you are kept in suspense by wondering whether the second line of investigation has anything to do with him.And then a copycat writer starts communicating with the city.
One disappointment, in my view, is how quickly a couple of the murder suspects give it up - just a bit of prompting by Matt and they're spilling their guts like they're on their therapist's couch.I would have thought that if you were facing twenty-five years to life in the slammer, you'd be a bit more reticent.Mind you, Matt is very good at what he does - three mysteries to solve and he cracks them all, for virtually no fees either.One wonders what New York's finest were doing.
If you like a lot of fast and furious action, get an earlier Scudder book.For anyone else, this is a good read.

I didn't really care for this L. Block novel--too lame.
Scudder's defense lawyer friend discovers himself on the list of "The Will"The Will is a serial killer who announces his victims in advance, and seeks to avenge himself on victims who seem to need to be killed.When Scudder's protection is broken and the lawyer is killed, Scudder sets off after the serial killer.
I think this could have been a very good novel if Block would have taken a bit more time with it, and worked with the plot and sub-plots.

Least graphic of Scudder series, enjoyable not thrilling
As mysteries go this was fairly enjoyable.Another reviewer is right, that Scudder turns into a "superslueth," but not so super since everything could be seen a mile off.I got a bit impatient in the middle because of that, but then settled in for the ride, which was slow but not annoying.As mysteries go, you could certainly do worse.This is definitely not the best you'll get from Block, but there are worse ways to spend an afternoon.

Least violent, most cheerful of the Scudder series...
Larry Block has published so many novels over the past 35 years or so that you cannot expect all of them to be masterpieces. He does have a few in that category. While this effort is not one of those, it is enjoyable enough. His aging, alcoholic-in-recovery private snoop Matt Scudder is 55, married and stable in this outing. A mysterious killer knocks off a few nasty guys in NYC, and Scudder ends up solving the case. Unfortunately the reader gets to the right conclusion at the same time as the private eye, which robs the saga of its punch. However, the show is not over, because a copycat takes the stage and creates a second case for our hero to resolve, at the same time that he is puzzling out still another, unrelated killing. While Scudder is never in any personal danger in this book, a situation most earlier reviewers lament, I still liked it. He's a complicated but nice guy, with a nice wife and a semi-adopted son who adds sizzle to his life. If you like your mysteries to avoid gristly murder details and personal danger for the lead character, this book will please you. Be warned: other entries in the Scudder series are much more graphic and have more tension, so if that's what you prefer, start with "A Walk Among the Tombstones" or one of the other, earlier novels.

One of my favorite Scudders
Block's Scudder series is serious business, though his characterizations are phenomenal in all his series.The other two: Burglar/Rhodenbarr and Tanner are much lighter, fun, less serious reading.This particular Scudder continues his personal growth from middle-aged, embittered, alcoholic into maturity.This becomes apparent to readers who have read many of the others in this series before reading this one.Some of action is downplayed in reference to character development, which might put off some readers.A good mystery writer spins a fine tale, but a great mystery writer evolves into a great writer who chooses to write mysteries--evolving the genre into literature.It seems to me that this is Block's objective, conscious or unconscious as the case may be.Certainly his poignant descriptions of Scudder's bout with alcoholism is a work or art.Many sides (some light some dark) are variously depicted in this incredible series.Scudder is all too human.Block also includes many memorable lines (which I add to my quote collection) such as: "'If it turns out there's life on Saturn;' Elaine said, `and we go there, we'll find out they've got three sets of eyes, and five sexes, and something against the Jews'" on page 31; "There is, I have been taught, all the difference in the world between the desire and the act.The one is written on water, the other carved in stone."on page 131; and "The room was thick with two conversations, the one we were having and the one we were choosing not to have." on page 283.I didn't read the series in order, it would be interesting to do so. ... Read more

Product Description

Perhaps more than any other author in the field, Lawrence Block has reinvented contemporary noir fiction—instilling the classic private eye novel with new life and literary depth, while retaining its raw power, grit, suspense, and surprise. For his efforts he has received multiple Edgar, Shamus, and Maltese Falcon Awards—wining virtually every honor the genre has to bestow—and has been named Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America P.I. Matthew Scudder remains among Block's most memorable and exquisitely developed creations—a flawed and complex protagonist whose stark, unassailable humanity is both his greatest weakness and strength.

A new breed of entrepreneurial monster has set up shop in the big city. Ruthless, ingenious murderers, they prey on the loved ones of those who live outside the law—knowing full well that criminals will never run to the police no matter how brutal the threat. So other avenues for justice must be explored—which is where ex-cop-turned-p.i. Matthew Scudder comes in. Scudder has no love for the drug dealers and poison peddlers who now need his help. Nevertheless, he is determined to do whatever it takes to put an elusive pair of thrill-kill extortionists our of business. For they are using the innocent to fuel their terrible enterprise.

Customer Reviews (13)

Tombstones is gruesome, even for Block
I am a huge fan of Block and love his Matthew Scudder series, and I do think his books just keep getting better. But I have to say I almost wish I hadn't read this one. The details of the crimes commited by the serial killer psychos are the most gruesome I've ever encountered, and he goes over and over them. I realize he's trying to create really scary bad guys, but for me, this was over the top. Anybody out there who has trouble with explicit descriptions of torture should skip this one.

Another Winner
If there is a better living crime novelist than Lawrence Block, I'd like to know who it is. I have yet to read a Scudder story that did not have me riveted!Having only recently discovered this series, every time I read another one it is deemed my new "favorite."

So, until I finish "Time to Murder and Create", which is excellent so far, "A Walk Among the Tombstones" is my favorite to date - vicious killers, flawed protagonists, interesting secondary characters and lots of action - what more could you want?I am a big fan of the Lawrence Sanders Commandment and Deadly Sin series so now that he is gone, I am glad that there are so many Scudder books yet to be read and savored.By the way, I have not read these books in any kind of order and it makes absolutely no difference!

A good Scudder, but not a classic
A very gritty and black entry into the series of the former alkie but still unlicensed private eye.In this book, Scudder is hired by a drug dealer to find the sadistic spree killers who kidnapped and butchered his wife.With the help of his street connections, Scudder decides to mete out some more of the rough justice that is becoming his trademark.But lest he become a remorseless killing machine, Block allows Scudder to begin to craft some domestic bliss at the end of this saga.It's a fine read, because Block is always entertaining.A few points distract from the story.One is unfortunate timing; the book is dated, with its labyrinthine plot to get ahold of a phone number that today could be obtained by the police without a second thought, and most civilians who have the technology.Block uses a pair of teenage hackers as the tools for this caper, and it seems like Block's stretching, trying to get into the big "thing" of the early '90s.Clearly Block's not on familiar ground, plot- or dialogue-wise.He should stick to cynical thugs and world-weary cops.The other point is that this book has a lot of black humor of the particularly morbid variety.The Scudder that I'm familiar with wouldn't have made a joke about a woman getting her breast cut off (in A Dance At the Slaughterhouse, his reaction to torture was appropriately grim).Maybe now that Scudder's found love, he's light hearted enough tocrack about torture and mutiliation, but I'm not sure I like it.

Good story, boring book.
This is the first, and only, book I've read by Lawrence Block.I picked it up for a N.Y.-to-L.A. flight.After the reviews here and on the book, I thought it would at the very least be a harmless read that zipped along, but I was disappointed to find out it's a deadly slow and dull affair.Block writes the oddest, most stilted dialogue I've ever read. This novel has no drive whatsoever to it.The cover review speaks of "suspense" that "never lets up."Could have fooled me.(There IS no suspense.)The plot, which is good, is an afterthought.The book is really about AA and dealing with being a former drunk or an addict.This plot about kidnappers/rapists who are snatching up the loved ones of drug dealers is hardly dealt with.Scudder is a lumbering dope who shuffles about without doing much work.For the most part two hackers and a young black kid (who talks like an old white man trying to write slang) do all the work.This business in the book, about getting a number that called a particular phone, seems downright silly today, with Caller ID on every home phone.

Block's prose style is that curt, brisk variety you see in a lot of detective books, and while I enjoy it when it's done right, here it comes off as lazy and half-assed.Like he couldn't be bothered.

You'll find yourself skipping through the pale talk about alcoholics and God.Not because they aren't subjects for discussion, but because Block cannot craft even one realistic line of dialogue.

I would have enjoyed a more detailed look about what is an intriguing idea -- kidnapping from those that can't go to the cops -- but this is clearly a case where an author had an idea and nothing after that.

a headlong ride with no letup
This was the first Scudder novel I tried,and I have since read all of them.The novel is one of the best.In one short passage where Block mentions a body being dumped in Mount Zion cemetery in Queens,he evokes a very sharp ,realistic image-you have to be there on a gray drizzly Sunday afternoon to know just how desolate a place in the city can be.A perfect place to dump a body.Block has a great sense of place as well as a very strong grasp of the details of how crime and the investigation of it play out in the real world.Block portrays evil in a way that makes you realize there is nothing theatrical or entertaining about it.These attributes form the reinforcing rods on which Block pours the concrete to achieve the finished story.Some of his novels are better than others,but none are poorly written.Even the one I liked least was saved by a single scene which was basically the outpourings of a hoodlum's feelings about his brother's death in Vietnam.It was far more powerful than my synopsis makes it sound and it made the book worth reading. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent and Accurate
Dr. Glasscock has offered an extremely faithful book on the gospel of Matthew. He deals with the historical, cultural and literary elements of the text in an informative manner. In addition this book is very readable and not overly complex, nor burdened with extraordinary terminology.He remains entirely faithful to the original intent of Matthew and explores the modern applications of this biblical book in a thoughtful manner.

Best commentary on Matthew
This is, by far, the best commentary on Matthew that I have ever used. I wish Ed Glasscock had others. If you are studying through this book, this is a must own! ... Read more

Product Description
An ancient brotherhood meets annually in the back room of a swank Manhattan restuarant, a fraternity created in secret to celebrate life by celebrating its dead. But the past three decades have not been kind to the Club of 31. Matthew Scudder -- ex-cop, ex-boozer -- has known death in all its guises, which is why he as been asked to investigate a baffling, thirty-year run of suicides and suspiciously random accidents that has thinned the ranks of this very select group of gentlemen.

Customer Reviews (16)

Good Lawrence Block detective novel
This is another in the Matt Scudder mystery series. In this one someone is killing off the members of a private men's club that meets once a year. The best thing about it is the characterization. Block is a great writer, and even if the pay off on this one isn't great the story telling is. Recommended.

Good story telling
Scudder paints a nice picture of grimy new york life as a backdrop to an interesting plot. I liked the overall narrative, but also the mini episodes where Scudder interacts and exchanges stories with the other characters. Definitely not a waste of time.

Good Matt Scudder
I'd read anything Lawrence Block wrote, cereal boxes, if necessary--that's how much of a fan I am.His only competitor in a narrow field is Donald Westlake, and Block is a tad or so better.

The plotof "Long Line" involves a tontine, a club of disparate men who meet once per year to see who has died.Unlikely?Yes, but bear with it.After a time it appears that the members are dying faster than normal, and Scudder is hired to find out why.It's been done before with different twists (e.g., Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None"), but it's not bad.I would add only that the first pages were a bit tedious--until Scudder takes the reins.Then the book moves.But it's not the plot that makes this book worthwhile.

Block's characters, the ambience of New York City and the dialogue, especially the latter, are what carry this.Block's people are full of contradictions.Too often writers invent characters who stay on a narrow track, but never Block.For example, unlicensed detective Scudder is devoted to his main squeeze, but now and then he strays.His main squeeze is an ex-call girls who has an artsy Manhattan shop and an eye for what is "in" with the artsy buyers.She can sell "paint by the number" works for hundreds of dollars if the painting is in an expensive frame.Block's African American friend talks jive and straight, and the reader is never sure which is his real voice.

Block invents some streets and byways of the City, but that causes no harm.I wouldn't nitpick that.Block's city is very much alive.His most obvious talent, however, is in writing dialogue.No one does it better.It's funny.It's real.There are very funny throwaway lines.

While this is not my favorite Block novel, it's a worthwhle read--and a good deal better than most other crime novels.

Busted Block
A boring pastiche of "koko" (Peter Straub) and "10 little indians" (Agatha Christie) with the best parts missing. The rest of the plot is a dreary Alcoholic Anonymous polemic. Avoid.

A hard-boiled puzzle
Multi-award winner Block combines the mystery puzzle format with the gritty style of the American private eye iin this 1994 Matthew Scudder novel.

Scudder himself is a somewhat unsettling character - a forthright, thoughtful recovering alcoholic who lives with an ex-prostitute and claims as his best friend a hard-drinking killer.

The story's premise is instantly tantalizing, bristling with curiosities. Scudder's new client, Lewis Hildebrand, belongs to an unusual club - 31 men who meet annually to reflect on the year's changes in their lives and to take reverent note of those members who have died. Members speak of the club to no one, not even wives.

The last living member chooses 30 new members and the club goes on. That day is quickly approaching.

Hildebrand hires Scudder to investigate the alarming death rate among members. As Scudder looks for a thread linking the disparate accidents, suicides and murders, the questions multiply and the angles proliferate. Motive is baffling and the only suspects are the surviving club members.

As always, Block's writing is excellent with a tight plot, unusual characters and intelligent dialogue. One of Scudder's better outings. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

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The author provides a reading of Matthew's Gospel from an ethnographic perspective. By investigating various character interactions in the Gospel, the diversity inherent within cultural characteristics and values such as honor and shame are revealed. Contents include: Honor, Shame and Biblical Interpretation: The Story So Far; Literary Ethnography: Towards a Modified Approach; Matthew's World: Field, Informants and Dialogic of Study; Power: Investigating the Anti-Introspective; Religious Practice: Investigating Agnostic Interaction; Exchange: Investigating Limited Good; Kinship: Investigating Dyadic Personality and Collectivist Culture; Gender and Social Stratification: Investigating the Sexual; Perceptions and Prospects. ... Read more

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How and why should we study Victorian Britain?The answer to this question used to be quite straightforward.It was the Victorian contribution to modern politics which stood out above all else.Today we are not so sure. This book suggest that politics are still central, but must be more broadly construed, as a pervasive part of Victorian culture as a whole. ... Read more