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Like a Lamb to Slaughter
They are poor little lambs who have lost their way: a murderous madman feigning madness; a beautiful woman, dangerous to look at and lethal to touch; a shy little boy quietly testing his newfound power to destroy. In this ingenious collection, multiple award-winning mystery author Lawrence Block leads us into dark, unprotected fields, where human sheep gather in terror of predatory wolves. And we follow willingly-through a hayseed's bloody mid-life crisis, into the explosive heart of a vengeful CPA:s account-balancing...and onto the streets with p.i. Matthew Scudder, as he spends an inheritance from a baglady to hunt down the old woman's killer.
254 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
3 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Block
756 books3,000 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.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 10, 2009
Even though I'm a big fan of Lawrence Block, I'd never read any of his short stories. I've really been missing out.
This collection has got a little bit of everything for the crime/mystery fan: Noir type stuff, straight up mysteries, character pieces, really funny dark humor, a Nero Wolfe parody, and even a short featuring Matt Scudder, Block's long-running New York PI character.
All of these are short and sweet, but Block manages to create full characters and stories in all of them. Lots of unexpected twists leave you guessing in most of the stories. A great collection by one of the best modern mystery writers.
This collection has got a little bit of everything for the crime/mystery fan: Noir type stuff, straight up mysteries, character pieces, really funny dark humor, a Nero Wolfe parody, and even a short featuring Matt Scudder, Block's long-running New York PI character.
All of these are short and sweet, but Block manages to create full characters and stories in all of them. Lots of unexpected twists leave you guessing in most of the stories. A great collection by one of the best modern mystery writers.
August 6, 2015
Got this book to read more Matt Scudder stuff, then found out there was only one Scudder story (the baglady inheritance), which I'd already read.
Well, then, since I had the book, and the time (if you got the money, honey), you know, might as well read the others. And then, wow. This is as rich and varied a collection of shorts as I've read in a long long time, tone, style, humor, fantasy, "the final sentence of each tale carries the reader that little bit farther into the bizarre [where] imagination refuses to go unguided" as Joe Gores' intro puts it.
There is the delicious story of the boy who learns to disappear clouds, and bushes, and… well, find out for yourself, will you?
And the gloriously punny Mallory Queen, first published but of course in the rival Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and the bone chilling Hot Eyes, and a score of others.
Including two illustrations of the Ehrengraf Principle, which states that all Ehrengraf clients are innocent, by virtue of not being guilty. It ensues that if you hire Dr Martin Ehrengraf, Esq, you are innocent. Ipso facto. Unfortunately neither you nor a judge and jury will have occasion to admire Ehrengraf's eloquence, as an alternative culprit always conveniently presents itself before any gavel is banged.
I had a ball. Happy reading!
Well, then, since I had the book, and the time (if you got the money, honey), you know, might as well read the others. And then, wow. This is as rich and varied a collection of shorts as I've read in a long long time, tone, style, humor, fantasy, "the final sentence of each tale carries the reader that little bit farther into the bizarre [where] imagination refuses to go unguided" as Joe Gores' intro puts it.
There is the delicious story of the boy who learns to disappear clouds, and bushes, and… well, find out for yourself, will you?
And the gloriously punny Mallory Queen, first published but of course in the rival Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and the bone chilling Hot Eyes, and a score of others.
Including two illustrations of the Ehrengraf Principle, which states that all Ehrengraf clients are innocent, by virtue of not being guilty. It ensues that if you hire Dr Martin Ehrengraf, Esq, you are innocent. Ipso facto. Unfortunately neither you nor a judge and jury will have occasion to admire Ehrengraf's eloquence, as an alternative culprit always conveniently presents itself before any gavel is banged.
I had a ball. Happy reading!
March 18, 2017
The second published short - story anthology from Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Lawrence Block, this book is comprised of stories published in the genre magazines of the 1960s and 1970s. As usual, it's a mixed bag, but all of the stories are engaging, entertaining, and efficiently written. That being said, two stories raise the book far above the usual level: "The Boy who Disappeared Clouds", a chilling hybrid of Fantasy and Crime fiction, and the absolutely superb title story (AKA "A Candle for the Bag Lady"), which features Block's series character Matt Scudder. This latter story, a beautifully crafted modern noir, alone makes the book worth reading. It's THAT good.
March 14, 2014
This was a book of short stories. I like to read shorts. I use to read Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock mystery magazine's that came out once a month. They had short stories and writing contests that I even submitted a short or two. So if you don't like short stories don't bother..
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May 1, 2009Fiction,Short stories
September 28, 2009
AKA: Sheldon Lord, Jill Emerson, Paul Kavanaugh, Chip Harrison, Lawrence Block
October 20, 2010
All pretty short, but good. Great variety of styles. Lots of twists. Enjoyable bites that stand on their own, unlike many short stories that don't seem to go anywhere.
February 25, 2019
These Block short stories are great
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews