I grew up reading Lawrence Block, and only stopped reading the Matthew Scudder novels when he took a decidedly darker turn around book #9 & #10. But I eventually got past those and I'm happy to say that this book was pretty darned good!! Matt Scudder is a retired police detective, a recovering alcoholic, and an unlicensed private investigator. He is an eminently flawed character, which makes him absolutely real. I'm not saying I'd like to hang out with him - he's a little too glum for me - but he makes for great reading. In A long Line of Dead Men, there is a club formed of 31 gentlemen, and the whole purpose of the club is too meet one day each year and remember those members who have passed. When there is only one member remaining, he selects 30 new members from a younger generation, and the whole thing starts anew. One day, one of the club's members approaches Matt with some concerns. It seems that the current roster of members is dying off at an alarming rate - some homicides, some suicides, some accidents - and Matt is tasked with determining if there is something sinister in the works. This is a fabulous vehicle for character studies - 30 men who really don't know each other all that well, and they must face the possibility that one of them is much more than what he seems. I'm afraid I figured out what was going on before Matt did, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. It posed an interesting conundrum: how to resolve the situation. And I'll admit that I didn't see the resolution coming. This is a mystery of the best kind - not a silly cozy, not a gory thriller - it's a combination whodunnit/whydunnit. It's crafty and detailed, engaging and thought-provoking. That's a LOT to ask from a mystery novel. Recommended.
This is the 12th book in Block's Matt Scudder series. I have read all of the previous eleven books and I'll be looking forward to finishing the series. This is one of my favorite crime series...Matthew Scudder is a former cop who quit the force when a young girl was killed accidentally by his bullet during a gun fight. He becomes an unlicensed private investigator and has fought for years to stay sober by attending AA meetings religiously. In this novel, he is asked to investigate whether the deaths in a group of 31 men may not all be according to the laws of probability. The group is a supposed ancient brotherhood of 31 prosperous men who meet once a year to discuss the life happenings of each member. The current group was formed in the 60s and when there is only one survivor, a new group will be formed. But the death rate among the group seems extremely high with only fourteen remaining after thirty years. Could someone be killing the group members? But if so, what is the motive and why have the deaths been stretched out over thirty years. Scudder agrees to look into the case and finds that some of the deaths do indeed look questionable.
This was an unusual case for Scudder. It doesn't really involve any of the usual down and outs or the dregs of New York that he mostly gets involved with but it was still a very good novel in the series. Matt is still with Elaine, a former prostitute, but he is also seeing someone on the side. And then there are also the other wonderfully portrayed supporting characters including TJ, a young black street person who helps Matt with his cases, and Mick Ballou, a bar owner and mobster who Matt goes to for advice and long conversations. Great series that I recommend highly!
Lawrence Block writes as well as anybody. Another great Matthew Scudder novel.
Paul H. (fox20000) reviewed A Long Line of Dead Men (Matthew Scudder, Bk 12) on + 6 more book reviews 
