Block's Scudder books are good, though not as good as his Burglar books. I have read them all. I recommend them to friends who have experience with hard-boiled detective books. These are not for detective novices.
This is the fifteenth book in the Matthew Scudder series by Block. After reading this one, I only have a couple left to read in the series and I always look forward to reading more about Scudder, the former police officer turned PI. In this one, Scudder has lost his PI license but that doesn't stop him from taking interest in a very unusual case. A couple named Byrne and Susan Hollander are killed when they return to their upscale brownstone home and surprise a couple of burglars. Susan is brutally raped and Byrne is shot three times. The culprits walk off with two pillow cases full of stolen goods. But then a few days later, the killers turn up dead in a rundown apartment in Brooklyn, one apparently killed by his partner with three shots, similar to how Byrne Hollander was murdered, and then the partner shot himself. So case closed, right? But Scudder is drawn to the case by a niece of the slain Hollanders who feels the job was a setup, possibly by the Hollander's daughter who inherits millions. The burglars evidently had a key to the house and knew the security code to shut off the alarm. So what really happened? Well Scudder thinks there may have been a third man involved, but with what motive?
I thought this was a very compelling story with a very clever premise involving a serial killer. It was an unusual Scudder novel with Scudder acting on his own prerogative rather than being hired to look into the case. He is assisted by TJ, the young black street-wise kid who has assisted Scudder in previous novels. TJ is computer smart and his help is a big asset. This novel was published in 2001, before cell phones and PCs were prevalent and Scudder has yet to jump on board. But TJ may change his mind as he shows Scudder the benefits of both. I enjoyed this one quite a lot but maybe a little less than some of the previous novels. I will be looking forward to finishing up the series â only two books left to go!
The novel opens with the ghastly deaths of Byrne and Susan Hollander during a home invasion in New York City. A few days later, police are called to a Brooklyn apartment with a terrible smell. They find the killers (of the Hollanders) that they have been seeking, dead. It seems that one killed his partner, then himself. The police close the case.
However, Matt and Elaine Scutter were at the same music performance and party, although they did not meet the other couple. Matt has a sense that something isn't right and he begins snooping. This is a fast-paced story that takes the reader through the streets of NYC as only someone who really knows the town can share with his readers.
Matt Scudder is a complex character, which makes it easier to continue a series. There's personal info that spills over into the story, such as Matt's first wife dying -- and Matt and his two sons attending the funeral. Matt also faces some conflict with his two sons, just like real life.
I've read recently that book # 16 (see below) is the continuation, and conclusion, of this mystery. Score: VG+
Matthew Scudder - 18 Mysteries
--skipped stories--
11. The Devil Knows You're Dead (1993)
12. A Long Line of Dead Men (1994)
13. Even the Wicked (1996) â G+
14. Everybody Dies (1998)
** 15.Hope to Die (2001)
16. All the Flowers Are Dying (2005)
17. A Drop of the Hard Stuff (2011)
18. The Night and The Music (2013)
I like Matt Scudder and this was one of Block's better ones. Not as gory as some and a mystery that is hard to figure out. I love the NYC setting too.
