Matthew Scudder has been around a long time. So has Lawrence Block...
Mr. Block sent me a copy of his ebook for review. I've been a fan of his for a long time, so this review was no chore to do. This book is available now in ebook or paperback form.
This author writes mean, gritty stories where bad things happen to good people. He's been writing hard boiled fiction for years. His stories might be easier to take if the tales weren't laced with facts. He instills his own experiences, experiences of others and some totally fictional experiences just to keep you on your toes. He also has a warped mind. Otherwise his stories wouldn't have those strange little twists in them.
His character, Matthew Scudder, is an ex-cop doing P. I. work. He has a problem with alcohol; it's his way of forgetting the bad. He's not a character you love, but his way of doing things is unique and you almost have to admire it.
I'd read almost every story in this collection, but I happily read them again. Even when I knew how it was going to end, it was fun to watch Block's characters dance the game of detection.
My favorite story was the very last one: One Last Night at Grogan's. It's a new story and it draws all the short stories preceding it together.
If you haven't met Matthew yet, this is a good way to see what you think of the character. Then you need to go back to the beginning and read the series. I had to wait for them to come out; now you can get them as you want to read them.
Happy reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment