A Stab in the Dark

The earlier Matthew Scudder noves are the best. They are dark, gritty and realistic. In later novels, Block marries off Scudder, why? Marrying the detective off makes him as Mr and Mrs North. Here he is still free to adventure and screw up. Block fleshes out all of the characters and we know them. We may not like them, but we know and understand them. This is one of the best of the series, and I have read them all.

Lawrence Block took his Scudder books to a new level in "Stab in the Dark". The first three books were good enough to keep me reading, but they were not anything special. In the other books the only thing that kept me interested was Block's style and Scudder's character. The mysteries were never that interesting. This book however has a wonderful plot and has a wonderful supporting cast. Everything about this book surpassed the previous entries. While Scudder, himself, has always been a good character this entry allows the reader to probe inside his mind a little more. Hopefully this was Block's stepping stone and the rest of the series is on par with this one. It is a must read for any P.I. lover.

. Matthew Scudder is Lawrence Block's remarkable private investigator. He's a former NYPD detective who left the force after an accident left a child dead in a crossfire. Because he is unlicensed you can't "hire" him. Instead he does you a favor by taking your case and solving the crime. In exchange for the favor the client returns the favor by giving him some cash. Scudder is an alcoholic. Rarely do you find him without a drink in has hand or at one of has favorite watering holes. "A Stab in the Dark" is 4th in the Matthew Scudder series. There are 14 dozen more to read and enjoy. Scudder is hired to solve a nine year murder of a young woman. There had been a series of ice-pick killings. This one doesn't quite match the others. Scudder needs to find the psycho killer who may no longer be in New York. The book is exciting from start to finish. We also find him with female partner who also loves to drink. In Stab in the hard hitting private eye looks towards the possibility of sobriety as he considers AA. An afterthought: Matthew Scudder is a realistic, likeable character. In the early books we find that after he left the NYPD he took up drinking and left his wife and two sons. From time to time she asks Scudder to send more money because "we need it." Scudder generally obliges. Although not living with his family Scudder is not distant from them. He speaks to his boys on the phone and brings them into the city for a ball game. For some reason that Scudder doesn't know finds himself visiting churches and leaving a donation, tithing, ten percent of money recently received from a client. Scudder says Catholic churches receive donations for than others because they are generally open at late hours. Although he's not a religious man he finds peace and solitude in the almost always empty sanctuary he visits.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good thrill Lawrence Block has a style like no one else. It will keep you glued to every page. Needless to say i loved it

Scudder, informal private eye and working drunk is hired to solve a nine year old murder of a young married women. Scudder finds it doesn't quite match a serial killers hits of the same time period but that gives him the clue he needs. Absolutely realistic in people and places the reader feels he is on the street with the detective every moment. Scudder finds a partner in love, and drink, but this turns sour as she decides she needs sobriety more than Scudder. The book ends with Scudder seeing the possiblilities of sobriety himself in AA