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Matthew Scudder #Short Story
Let's Get Lost: A Matthew Scudder Story
"Years ago, this was. Nixon was president, a couple of years into his first term. I was a detective with the NYPD..."
16 pages, ebook
First published May 10, 2011
2 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Block
744 books3,026 followersLawrence Block has been writing crime, mystery, and suspense fiction for more than half a century. He has published in excess (oh, wretched excess!) of 100 books, and no end of short stories.
Born in Buffalo, N.Y., LB attended Antioch College, but left before completing his studies; school authorities advised him that they felt he’d be happier elsewhere, and he thought this was remarkably perceptive of them.
His earliest work, published pseudonymously in the late 1950s, was mostly in the field of midcentury erotica, an apprenticeship he shared with Donald E. Westlake and Robert Silverberg. The first time Lawrence Block’s name appeared in print was when his short story “You Can’t Lose” was published in the February 1958 issue of Manhunt. The first book published under his own name was Mona (1961); it was reissued several times over the years, once as Sweet Slow Death. In 2005 it became the first offering from Hard Case Crime, and bore for the first time LB’s original title, Grifter’s Game.
LB is best known for his series characters, including cop-turned-private investigator Matthew Scudder, gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanner, and introspective assassin Keller.
Because one name is never enough, LB has also published under pseudonyms including Jill Emerson, John Warren Wells, Lesley Evans, and Anne Campbell Clarke.
LB’s magazine appearances include American Heritage, Redbook, Playboy, Linn’s Stamp News, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and The New York Times. His monthly instructional column ran in Writer’s Digest for 14 years, and led to a string of books for writers, including the classics Telling Lies for Fun & Profit and The Liar’s Bible. He has also written episodic television (Tilt!) and the Wong Kar-wai film, My Blueberry Nights.
Several of LB’s books have been filmed. The latest, A Walk Among the Tombstones, stars Liam Neeson as Matthew Scudder and is scheduled for release in September, 2014.
LB is a Grand Master of Mystery Writers of America, and a past president of MWA and the Private Eye Writers of America. He has won the Edgar and Shamus awards four times each, and the Japanese Maltese Falcon award twice, as well as the Nero Wolfe and Philip Marlowe awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Diamond Dagger for Life Achievement from the Crime Writers Association (UK). He’s also been honored with the Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award from Mystery Ink magazine and the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement in the short story. In France, he has been proclaimed a Grand Maitre du Roman Noir and has twice been awarded the Societe 813 trophy. He has been a guest of honor at Bouchercon and at book fairs and mystery festivals in France, Germany, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Taiwan. As if that were not enough, he was also presented with the key to the city of Muncie, Indiana. (But as soon as he left, they changed the locks.)
LB and his wife Lynne are enthusiastic New Yorkers and relentless world travelers; the two are members of the Travelers Century Club, and have visited around 160 countries.
He is a modest and humble fellow, although you would never guess as much from this biographical note.
Born in Buffalo, N.Y., LB attended Antioch College, but left before completing his studies; school authorities advised him that they felt he’d be happier elsewhere, and he thought this was remarkably perceptive of them.
His earliest work, published pseudonymously in the late 1950s, was mostly in the field of midcentury erotica, an apprenticeship he shared with Donald E. Westlake and Robert Silverberg. The first time Lawrence Block’s name appeared in print was when his short story “You Can’t Lose” was published in the February 1958 issue of Manhunt. The first book published under his own name was Mona (1961); it was reissued several times over the years, once as Sweet Slow Death. In 2005 it became the first offering from Hard Case Crime, and bore for the first time LB’s original title, Grifter’s Game.
LB is best known for his series characters, including cop-turned-private investigator Matthew Scudder, gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanner, and introspective assassin Keller.
Because one name is never enough, LB has also published under pseudonyms including Jill Emerson, John Warren Wells, Lesley Evans, and Anne Campbell Clarke.
LB’s magazine appearances include American Heritage, Redbook, Playboy, Linn’s Stamp News, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and The New York Times. His monthly instructional column ran in Writer’s Digest for 14 years, and led to a string of books for writers, including the classics Telling Lies for Fun & Profit and The Liar’s Bible. He has also written episodic television (Tilt!) and the Wong Kar-wai film, My Blueberry Nights.
Several of LB’s books have been filmed. The latest, A Walk Among the Tombstones, stars Liam Neeson as Matthew Scudder and is scheduled for release in September, 2014.
LB is a Grand Master of Mystery Writers of America, and a past president of MWA and the Private Eye Writers of America. He has won the Edgar and Shamus awards four times each, and the Japanese Maltese Falcon award twice, as well as the Nero Wolfe and Philip Marlowe awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Diamond Dagger for Life Achievement from the Crime Writers Association (UK). He’s also been honored with the Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award from Mystery Ink magazine and the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement in the short story. In France, he has been proclaimed a Grand Maitre du Roman Noir and has twice been awarded the Societe 813 trophy. He has been a guest of honor at Bouchercon and at book fairs and mystery festivals in France, Germany, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Taiwan. As if that were not enough, he was also presented with the key to the city of Muncie, Indiana. (But as soon as he left, they changed the locks.)
LB and his wife Lynne are enthusiastic New Yorkers and relentless world travelers; the two are members of the Travelers Century Club, and have visited around 160 countries.
He is a modest and humble fellow, although you would never guess as much from this biographical note.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 3, 2024
Working my way through the short story musings of Lawrence Block. reflecting on Matthew Scudder, is increasingly my enjoyment of his popular PI. The first few books I have previous read; now I intend to read all the novels in sequence and so as an impetus and to whet my appetite, I’m looking at these short episodes to get me fully in the mood.
As Block wrote: “Short stories have provided me with the opportunity for a glance back at Scudder's life before the first of the novels, when he was a working member of the NYPD. Let's Get Lost is set at a time when he had his detective's gold shield, and after he'd begun keeping company with Elaine Mardell, while still living in Syosset with his wife, Anita. It concerns a friendly poker game that doesn't stay friendly, and the artful cover-up of a cover-up. And Chet Baker's music, referenced in the title, sets the story's tone.”
I loved the story. The ability to think on his feet and see the whole picture. It is also interesting to see the effects of his drinking and hints at his untangling relationship at home.
I am really enjoying taking this journey and seeing the author’s own comments regarding these stories.
As Block wrote: “Short stories have provided me with the opportunity for a glance back at Scudder's life before the first of the novels, when he was a working member of the NYPD. Let's Get Lost is set at a time when he had his detective's gold shield, and after he'd begun keeping company with Elaine Mardell, while still living in Syosset with his wife, Anita. It concerns a friendly poker game that doesn't stay friendly, and the artful cover-up of a cover-up. And Chet Baker's music, referenced in the title, sets the story's tone.”
I loved the story. The ability to think on his feet and see the whole picture. It is also interesting to see the effects of his drinking and hints at his untangling relationship at home.
I am really enjoying taking this journey and seeing the author’s own comments regarding these stories.
April 4, 2022
⭐️3.5⭐️
September 24, 2020
Wow was this short. But I really liked the story. Reminding me of all the crime dramas I used to read. "loss moral cop, with his own style of justice, doing what he thinks is right, living his best life, and no cares for anyone else".......
April 27, 2022
Spoilers ahead:
This is a pretty interesting short. It's the only one I've read so far that depicts Scudder while he's still married to Anita. Unfortunately she has a very short cameo. In the beginning of the short he gets a call at home and he has to leave. It's supposed to be a business call but actually he's called to his sometime mistress Elaine.
When he gets there she tells him that some of her friends have a problem. They have a dead body on their hands and need his help. When he gets there he finds a dead body at a bachelor pad. 5 men have been playing poker and apparently the dead guy got up to answer the door and was killed by the visitor. The rest of the guys didn't know what to do and called Elaine who called Scudder.
After examining the body and the scene, he deduces that the 4 guys made up the story. He thinks that the dead guy is a card cheat and he was exposed and during the confrontation he killed himself accidentally. Scudder pretends to accept the original lie but tells the 4 that an accidental death is easier to explain away otherwise the police will have to try and find a non-existing murdered. The 4 guys agree and Scudder gets a little something for his help which he shares with Elaine and some of the responding cops.
A nice little story.
This is a pretty interesting short. It's the only one I've read so far that depicts Scudder while he's still married to Anita. Unfortunately she has a very short cameo. In the beginning of the short he gets a call at home and he has to leave. It's supposed to be a business call but actually he's called to his sometime mistress Elaine.
When he gets there she tells him that some of her friends have a problem. They have a dead body on their hands and need his help. When he gets there he finds a dead body at a bachelor pad. 5 men have been playing poker and apparently the dead guy got up to answer the door and was killed by the visitor. The rest of the guys didn't know what to do and called Elaine who called Scudder.
After examining the body and the scene, he deduces that the 4 guys made up the story. He thinks that the dead guy is a card cheat and he was exposed and during the confrontation he killed himself accidentally. Scudder pretends to accept the original lie but tells the 4 that an accidental death is easier to explain away otherwise the police will have to try and find a non-existing murdered. The 4 guys agree and Scudder gets a little something for his help which he shares with Elaine and some of the responding cops.
A nice little story.
March 5, 2022
Cover-up!
This is a very short story about how Matt Scudder covers up a cover-up. It is set early in Scudder's career as a police detective, and before he has stopped drinking. Richard Nixon is President of the United States. Scudder's friend, future wife, and call girl Elaine Mardell calls Matt to ask for a favor. Some of her clients need help with a problem.
When Matt arrives at the apartment where the assistance is needed, he finds a dead man with a stiletto protruding from his chest. What happened? Matt is able to figure it out in short order, synthesizing a cover-up story that everybody will believe, including the police and the courts. There is a twist, of course, and I will leave it to you to discover it by reading the story.
This is a very short story about how Matt Scudder covers up a cover-up. It is set early in Scudder's career as a police detective, and before he has stopped drinking. Richard Nixon is President of the United States. Scudder's friend, future wife, and call girl Elaine Mardell calls Matt to ask for a favor. Some of her clients need help with a problem.
When Matt arrives at the apartment where the assistance is needed, he finds a dead man with a stiletto protruding from his chest. What happened? Matt is able to figure it out in short order, synthesizing a cover-up story that everybody will believe, including the police and the courts. There is a twist, of course, and I will leave it to you to discover it by reading the story.
June 29, 2022
( Format : Audiobook )
"I always remembered what I was drinking."
So much contained in so short a story, but that it the mastery of Lawrence Block. Some years before whilst still with the NYPD, Scudder was informed of a death scene not yet called in. A stabbing, and something is wrong.
Read with a slow, lugubrious lope, Block instilled in his narration a world weary contemplation of the past.
Brilliant.
"I always remembered what I was drinking."
So much contained in so short a story, but that it the mastery of Lawrence Block. Some years before whilst still with the NYPD, Scudder was informed of a death scene not yet called in. A stabbing, and something is wrong.
Read with a slow, lugubrious lope, Block instilled in his narration a world weary contemplation of the past.
Brilliant.
May 29, 2021
A bit of whimsy
What to say this is a very short story , but it was fun reading it. Matt Scudder can sense something is right when he goes on a call to help a friend. I can't tell you what happens, but I can say this one gave me a chuckle. Well worth reading so check it out.
What to say this is a very short story , but it was fun reading it. Matt Scudder can sense something is right when he goes on a call to help a friend. I can't tell you what happens, but I can say this one gave me a chuckle. Well worth reading so check it out.
May 21, 2017
Too short
Story too short, was looking for a whole book to get into. Not much meat at all for the price.
Story too short, was looking for a whole book to get into. Not much meat at all for the price.
March 30, 2023
24 Very short but has eased me back into the Scudder world. Dirty cops are not unusual but of course offset by a heart of gold. Out of habit, I stood to the side when I knocked.
June 28, 2023
Una nueva historia con scudder como protagonista.
December 8, 2023
Matt recalls an incident from his NYPD career
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews