Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Throughout Generations

A Long Line of Dead Men by Lawrence Block

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It took me twelve books total to realize how much I love the Matthew Scudder series. But I do. I’m so glad I re-discovered this in the last few months. The early books were just simple whodunnits, no more no less. Competently written yet not necessarily worth the time and effort to invest in the whole series. Yet my thirst for gritty New York tales is almost impossible to slake, so I kept coming back to these. Slowly but surely, Block continued to improve as […]

…And the Streets Are Mean

The Devil Knows You're Dead by Lawrence Block

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I wanna start backwards and focus on the end of this book, even though I won’t spoil anything. I’m appreciative of Lawrence Block’s ability to always give the Matthew Scudder novels a fresh, unique ending. Each one has its own twist that I didn’t see coming or, while I may have guessed what exactly was coming, still surprised me with its execution. That’s a big reason why I’ve come to love these books, along with the great New York atmosphere, and the genuine complexity of […]

Telephone!

A Walk Among the Tombstones by Lawrence Block

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One thing I’ve come to appreciate about Lawrence Block’s Matthew Scudder series the further I get into it is how unique each book feels. Sure, as with any writer one reads a lot of, I’m used to Block’s rhythms and characters but every plot and finale feels fresh. I’m ten books into this series and it’s remarkable that he can keep such a streak going. There are other series I like more than this one but I can’t say the same about them. Block is […]

Home Videos

A Dance at the Slaughterhouse by Lawrence Block

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I’m a mystery book lover and I’ve read plenty of Edgar Award recipients. For the life of me, I don’t know why they pick some of the ones they do. Margaret Millar’s Beast in View is fine but it in no way should be considered better than Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley. Some of the other winners I’ve not been impressed with either, especially ones by Stephen King and Noah Hawley. Occasionally, they do get it right. The Laughing Policeman, Briarpatch and The Spy That Came In From the Cold are a […]

Dad Energy

A Ticket to the Boneyard by Lawrence Block

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I try hard to avoid books that are marketed specifically for older white guys. You know the type because they’re everywhere: lone wolf alpha male, usually with some military or police background, goes on the prowl in a specific terrain to vanquish the bad guy in defense of someone, most commonly a woman. Basically, they’re westerns with different topographies. While I’ve occasionally enjoyed the works of authors such as Lee Child, these books really aren’t my thing. Lawrence Block’s Matthew Scudder series fits the mold […]

Checking In

Out On the Cutting Edge by Lawrence Block

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Although there is a mystery at the heart of the novel, eventually growing to encompass two mysteries, this feels like more of a hangout tale. Apparently, Lawrence Block never meant for his star character Matthew Scudder to go beyond four or five books but after writing a flashback tale in When the Sacred Ginmill Closes, he decided to expand the series to Scudder’s life post-alcohol. Out on the Cutting Edge, book seven in the series, is the first of those efforts and it feels like Block […]



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