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coleman_matt's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
brettdinelli's review against another edition
3.0
95% plot, 5% character. I usually prefer the other way around. But it's only the first in the series.
jbrito's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
carriethis's review against another edition
4.0
I had no idea. No idea.... all those years growing up with hardback Lawrence Block books on my parents' bookshelves. I should have read them! It's not too late now, and honestly, even though the Matt Scudder series kicked off in the 1970's, this first book doesn't feel dated or cliched. It's the real deal. Boozy, world-weary New York noir. Gimme!!!
stevem0214's review against another edition
3.0
Not a bad read...I want to try some more in the series. However I'd figured out the "who done it" less than a quarter way in...not because I'm smart ('cause I'm not), but because the plot wasn't that detailed. I do want to try some more though, because I like the character.
adamcagey's review against another edition
4.0
I started re-reading the Matthew Scudder books last year and haven't made a lot of progress, unfortunately. Like al of my favorite mystery novels, Block's books are less concerned with solving a murder than they are showing us the inner workings of the main character. And what a main character. Scudder's development mirrors that of his writer in a lot of ways. When the series begins, they were both alcoholics struggling to make it through the day. We get to watch them make the first tentative steps toward recovery and then (not without some backsliding, give up drink entirely. It all plays out in one of the meaner portrayals of New York I've read. I really think that the development of the Scudder character will be counted as a significant literary achievement. Block just needs some critics to "discover" him the way the New Wave "discovered" Hitchcock.
dantastic's review against another edition
5.0
When call girl is murdered and her roommate/killer hangs himself in prison, the girl's wealthy stepfather hires Matthew Scudder to investigate the girl's past and find out why her life ended the way it did. Scudder's investigations lead him through a web of sex and lies...
Wow. Lawrence Block always keeps me entertained but this was one hell of a read. It's less than 200 pages but one of the more powerful pieces of detective fiction I've read in years. I figured Scudder would unearth some bad things in his quest. Come on, how can you not unearth bad things when you're investigating the death of a call girl? Still, I was surprised by all the twists.
Scudder himself is a great character. He left the police force after a ricocheting bullet of his killed an innocent girl and has been operating as something of a PI ever since. He tithes to the church and drinks a lot. He has a sense of law and order and justice about him that keeps him interesting. For instance, he tells the story of setting up a guy he knew was a rapist by planting heroin in his apartment while he was gone and then informing on him. This is the first Scudder book and I think I'll be picking up the others as I find them.
For fans of noir, you can't go wrong picking up this book.
Wow. Lawrence Block always keeps me entertained but this was one hell of a read. It's less than 200 pages but one of the more powerful pieces of detective fiction I've read in years. I figured Scudder would unearth some bad things in his quest. Come on, how can you not unearth bad things when you're investigating the death of a call girl? Still, I was surprised by all the twists.
Scudder himself is a great character. He left the police force after a ricocheting bullet of his killed an innocent girl and has been operating as something of a PI ever since. He tithes to the church and drinks a lot. He has a sense of law and order and justice about him that keeps him interesting. For instance, he tells the story of setting up a guy he knew was a rapist by planting heroin in his apartment while he was gone and then informing on him. This is the first Scudder book and I think I'll be picking up the others as I find them.
For fans of noir, you can't go wrong picking up this book.
zorc_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Sexual violence, Homophobia, and Incest
CW: pop psychology from the 70s.