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book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
Digital audiobook read by William Roberts
Matthew Scudder series, number four. Scudder is a former NYPD detective who now free-lances as a detective on seemingly impossible cases. He doesn’t have an office, or business cards, and takes only those cases that interest him and that he feels he may be able to help. Definitely unconventional
This time out he’s approached by a man who wants answers on his daughter’s murder some nine years previous. Her killing was attributed to the Ice Pick Killer, a serial killer who recently confessed to a series of murders. But he could not possibly have murdered Barbara Ettinger; he was hospitalized at the time of her death. So who did it?
Block writes a tight, fast-moving, noir police-procedural. Scudder is something of a mystery himself. Oh, we know why he left the force and we’re privy to his demons, but he plays his cards close to the vest. Watching him ferret out the truth is engaging and fascinating.
William Roberts does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. He sets a good pace and brings Scudder (and the other characters) to life.
Matthew Scudder series, number four. Scudder is a former NYPD detective who now free-lances as a detective on seemingly impossible cases. He doesn’t have an office, or business cards, and takes only those cases that interest him and that he feels he may be able to help. Definitely unconventional
This time out he’s approached by a man who wants answers on his daughter’s murder some nine years previous. Her killing was attributed to the Ice Pick Killer, a serial killer who recently confessed to a series of murders. But he could not possibly have murdered Barbara Ettinger; he was hospitalized at the time of her death. So who did it?
Block writes a tight, fast-moving, noir police-procedural. Scudder is something of a mystery himself. Oh, we know why he left the force and we’re privy to his demons, but he plays his cards close to the vest. Watching him ferret out the truth is engaging and fascinating.
William Roberts does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. He sets a good pace and brings Scudder (and the other characters) to life.
jbrito's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ogreart's review against another edition
3.0
The different narrator was jarring to me. This guy did not have the same somber tone that the previous narrator did. And it was a dark story. As are all of Scudder's. I admire the way Scudder does not compromise.
dantastic's review against another edition
4.0
Nine years ago, eight women were gruesomely slain with an icepick. The killer was finally apprehended and it turns out he was in an asylum at the time of the eighth murder. So who the hell killed Barbara Ettinger? That's what her father, Charles London, is paying Matthew Scudder to find out...
Lawrence Block does it again. In the fourth volume, Matthew Scudder struggles with his alcoholism and follows a trail nine years cold. Once again, Block did a good job tricking me into thinking I knew who the killer was. Scudder continues to struggle with his alcoholism. The supporting cast is well done, especially Jan.
The Matthew Scudder series continues to be one of my favorites. Lawrence Block continues to wow me.
Lawrence Block does it again. In the fourth volume, Matthew Scudder struggles with his alcoholism and follows a trail nine years cold. Once again, Block did a good job tricking me into thinking I knew who the killer was. Scudder continues to struggle with his alcoholism. The supporting cast is well done, especially Jan.
The Matthew Scudder series continues to be one of my favorites. Lawrence Block continues to wow me.
henrismum's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Audiobook (All of my entries on The Story Graph are audiobooks.)
#4 in series (I started reading this series in October 2022. I have been committed since July 2023.)
Will I read other installments?Probably Not Maybe Definitely
I look forward to other books in the series. They are short with a lot of action and acute observations from the narrator.
Comparison to others in series:Not as good About the same Better
This was an intense story about an ice pick murder in NYC. Mr. Scudder followed his instincts and found who killed the woman, even nine years after her death.
The narrator was William Roberts. Initially I was upset that the narrator changed from Alan Sklar to Mr. Roberts. (At first Roberts sounded Irish to me.) However, I adjusted and enjoyed Roberts' reading within the first hour. Nonetheless, I saw that neither Roberts nor Sklar narrate any of the subsequent books. The narrator changes frequently. I hope I can get used to each new reader as Mr. Scudder requires a certain type of voice.
Source: Hoopla
#4 in series (I started reading this series in October 2022. I have been committed since July 2023.)
Will I read other installments?
I look forward to other books in the series. They are short with a lot of action and acute observations from the narrator.
Comparison to others in series:
This was an intense story about an ice pick murder in NYC. Mr. Scudder followed his instincts and found who killed the woman, even nine years after her death.
The narrator was William Roberts. Initially I was upset that the narrator changed from Alan Sklar to Mr. Roberts. (At first Roberts sounded Irish to me.) However, I adjusted and enjoyed Roberts' reading within the first hour. Nonetheless, I saw that neither Roberts nor Sklar narrate any of the subsequent books. The narrator changes frequently. I hope I can get used to each new reader as Mr. Scudder requires a certain type of voice.
Source: Hoopla
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
mschlat's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely my favorite in the series since the first volume: the mystery is solid, the characters interesting, and Scudder gets closer to acknowledging the impact of his alcoholism. I also liked how Scudder always has a clearer view of what his investigations mean than anyone around him; there's a moving passage in this book as a woman realizes her marriage is falling apart, not because of what Scudder has found, but because of the questions she and others are finally facing.
trudilibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
The brandy, I told myself. Probably be a good idea to stay away from it. Stick to what you're used to. Stick to bourbon. I went on over to Armstrong's. A little bourbon would take the edge off the brandy rush. A little bourbon would take the edge off almost anything. ~A Stab in the DarkAh, Matt. Things are getting pretty dark for you my friend. Rock bottom is rushing up to meet you at about 200 miles an hour. It's going to hit like a freight train and I'm afraid you won't even see it coming. Cause we all know 'denial' is not just a river in Egypt.
As you may have guessed, what marks this fourth installment of Lawrence Block's Scudder series, isn't the unsolved nine-year-old murder, or Scudder's uncanny ability to solve it with his characteristic dogged style, but his further descent into excessive boozing, blackouts and hangovers. He meets a woman this time that suffers from the same malady as Matt, but she has a name for it -- alcoholic. Matt bristles at this term, because as far as he's concerned he can stop drinking any time he wants. Like any good boozer who ain't ready to jump on that proverbial wagon and stay there, Matt doesn't see himself as having a problem. He sees himself as still in control.
I acutely felt Matt's loneliness and guilt in this one. It's a sad book really. Even the crime is a sad one that should never have happened in the first place. Now on to Book 5 - [b:Eight Million Ways to Die|76758|Eight Million Ways to Die (Matthew Scudder, #5)|Lawrence Block|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1289521310s/76758.jpg|2905875]. What's in store for you, Matt? How bad is this going to get before it gets better?
arthur_pendrgn's review against another edition
3.0
Not a hard-driving book, but engaging nonetheless. Not real fond of the criminals' monologues that explain everything, but that seems to be a trait for this series. What I like are the intuitive leaps that Scudder makes, permitting the reader to see if they can figure it out at this point as well.
usbsticky's review against another edition
5.0
Spoilers ahead: This is the 4th book I've read in the series. I liked the first two (4 star ratings), thought the 3rd was meh (3 star rating) and stopped for a while. Taking a break from Bernard Cornwell I decided to read #4 in this series and was blown away.
This is an investigator procedural. The protagonist is a former NYPD detective who quit his job because he inadvertently shot and killed a child shooting at a robbery gone bad. Since then he has become an unofficial unlicensed PI who looks at cases when they are referred to him. They are referred to him because people (usually cops he used to work with) know that he's good, and unofficial.
The whole setting is a bit strange, it's based in NY but the dollar amounts (a few hundred bucks for rent), people casually smoking, diners in pharmacies, the lack of technology and the way people behave make it seem like it's in the 50-60's when the book is published in the 1980 or so. It never really gives dates.
Back to the book. A serial killer (ice picks) has been apprehended but the father of a victim doesn't believe his daughter was killed by the serial killer and hires Scudder for another look.
This procedural is faithful to its name because it follows the formula of Scudder doing the footwork, looking up and interviewing witnesses one by one and piecing the story together and building up the excitement.
It isn't fast paced but I'm glued to the book because of the work the author puts in to make the setting and characters feel real and interesting. By the middle of the book I already knew I was going to give the book 5 stars and I was going to read the next one.
There is a lot of noir feeling in this book despite the dubious (to me) timeline. And every notable mystery series protagonist has a catch, in this case Scudder is an alcoholic. I read the first 3 books some time ago so I don't remember how much he was drinking but in this book, he's drink every meal and in between.
The reveal and ending is quite quick. The enjoyment of the book to me isn't really in the goal (solving the mystery), it's in the journey. I'm going to get book 5 not because of what new mystery he's going to solve but because I want to find out what is going to happen to Scudder next, and that's what a truly good book and series is.
This is an investigator procedural. The protagonist is a former NYPD detective who quit his job because he inadvertently shot and killed a child shooting at a robbery gone bad. Since then he has become an unofficial unlicensed PI who looks at cases when they are referred to him. They are referred to him because people (usually cops he used to work with) know that he's good, and unofficial.
The whole setting is a bit strange, it's based in NY but the dollar amounts (a few hundred bucks for rent), people casually smoking, diners in pharmacies, the lack of technology and the way people behave make it seem like it's in the 50-60's when the book is published in the 1980 or so. It never really gives dates.
Back to the book. A serial killer (ice picks) has been apprehended but the father of a victim doesn't believe his daughter was killed by the serial killer and hires Scudder for another look.
This procedural is faithful to its name because it follows the formula of Scudder doing the footwork, looking up and interviewing witnesses one by one and piecing the story together and building up the excitement.
It isn't fast paced but I'm glued to the book because of the work the author puts in to make the setting and characters feel real and interesting. By the middle of the book I already knew I was going to give the book 5 stars and I was going to read the next one.
There is a lot of noir feeling in this book despite the dubious (to me) timeline. And every notable mystery series protagonist has a catch, in this case Scudder is an alcoholic. I read the first 3 books some time ago so I don't remember how much he was drinking but in this book, he's drink every meal and in between.
The reveal and ending is quite quick. The enjoyment of the book to me isn't really in the goal (solving the mystery), it's in the journey. I'm going to get book 5 not because of what new mystery he's going to solve but because I want to find out what is going to happen to Scudder next, and that's what a truly good book and series is.