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Matthew Scudder #11
The Devil Knows You're Dead
In this city, there is little sense and no rules. Those who fly the highest often come crashing down the hardest -- like successful young Glenn Holtzmann, randomly blown away by a deranged derelict at a corner phone booth on Eleventh Avenue. Unlicensed P.I. Matt Scudder thinks Holtzmann was simply in the wrong place at the worst time. Others think differently -- like Thomas Sadecki, brother of the crazed Vietnam vet accused of the murder, who wants Scudder to prove the madman innocent. But no one is truly innocent in this unmerciful metropolis --including Matther Scudder, whose curiosity and dedication are leading him to dark, unexplored places in his own heart...and to passions and revelations that could destroy everything he loves.
503 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
168 people are currently reading
1021 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Block
757 books3,024 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 - 30 of 199 reviews
December 19, 2020
This is the eleventh entry in Lawrence Block's excellent Matthew Scudder series, and it remains my favorite book in the series. As the story opens, Scudder and his girlfriend, Elaine, are thrown together with a young couple named Glenn and Lisa Holtzmann. Elaine and Lisa are taking a class together; the Holtzmanns live in the same neighborhood as the hotel where Matt lives, and the two couples wind up going out to dinner one night.
Matt is not overly impressed. He and Elaine have little in common with the younger couple and there's something about Glenn that puts Matt off. Given that they're something like neighbors, Matt runs into Holtzmann occasionally on the street and Holtzmann keeps proposing that they get together for lunch. Matt always manages to find a reason for refusing the offer and then, suddenly, he no longer needs one when Holtzmann is gunned down while using a pay phone a couple of blocks from his apartment.
The police immediately charge a street person named George Sadecki with the killing, and the evidence seems overwhelming. The police do not recover the weapon used, but Sadecki, a Vietnam vet, has policed the area and the police find the shell casings in his jacket pocket. Sadecki, who has never been quite "right" mentally, admits that he might have killed Holtzmann, but he doesn't remember one way or the other.
Sadecki's brother, Tom, knows Matt from AA, and doesn't believe that George would have been capable of killing anyone. He knows the odds are long, but he convinces Matt to look into the case in the hope of giving him some sort of closure. Matt agrees, although the case looks open-and-shut, and he warns Tom Sadecki not to expect much.
In a case like this, SOP is to start by investigating the victim to see who, if anyone, might have had cause to wish him harm. On the surface, Glenn Holtzmann appears to be a pretty straightforward yuppie lawyer, but as Scudder begins poking around, he uncovers some secrets about the late Mr. Holtzmann that are troubling, to say the least.
The case itself is intriguing, but what sets this book apart for me, above all the others in the series, is that Scudder is presented with two very critical moral issues that are not really directly related to the case itself. The real strength of this series has always been the development of the characters, Scudder in particular, and it's extremely interesting to watch him wrestle with these two issues.
To describe either dilemma would be to give away too much. Suffice it to say, that neither will be easy, and both will require that Matt look deeply into his own soul in the hope of finding some sort of resolution. Fair warning: watching him do so may well require the reader to examine his or her own conscience as well. This is at least the third time I've read this book, and I'll eagerly look forward to it again as I make my way through this series the next time--one of my favorite crime novels of all.
Matt is not overly impressed. He and Elaine have little in common with the younger couple and there's something about Glenn that puts Matt off. Given that they're something like neighbors, Matt runs into Holtzmann occasionally on the street and Holtzmann keeps proposing that they get together for lunch. Matt always manages to find a reason for refusing the offer and then, suddenly, he no longer needs one when Holtzmann is gunned down while using a pay phone a couple of blocks from his apartment.
The police immediately charge a street person named George Sadecki with the killing, and the evidence seems overwhelming. The police do not recover the weapon used, but Sadecki, a Vietnam vet, has policed the area and the police find the shell casings in his jacket pocket. Sadecki, who has never been quite "right" mentally, admits that he might have killed Holtzmann, but he doesn't remember one way or the other.
Sadecki's brother, Tom, knows Matt from AA, and doesn't believe that George would have been capable of killing anyone. He knows the odds are long, but he convinces Matt to look into the case in the hope of giving him some sort of closure. Matt agrees, although the case looks open-and-shut, and he warns Tom Sadecki not to expect much.
In a case like this, SOP is to start by investigating the victim to see who, if anyone, might have had cause to wish him harm. On the surface, Glenn Holtzmann appears to be a pretty straightforward yuppie lawyer, but as Scudder begins poking around, he uncovers some secrets about the late Mr. Holtzmann that are troubling, to say the least.
The case itself is intriguing, but what sets this book apart for me, above all the others in the series, is that Scudder is presented with two very critical moral issues that are not really directly related to the case itself. The real strength of this series has always been the development of the characters, Scudder in particular, and it's extremely interesting to watch him wrestle with these two issues.
To describe either dilemma would be to give away too much. Suffice it to say, that neither will be easy, and both will require that Matt look deeply into his own soul in the hope of finding some sort of resolution. Fair warning: watching him do so may well require the reader to examine his or her own conscience as well. This is at least the third time I've read this book, and I'll eagerly look forward to it again as I make my way through this series the next time--one of my favorite crime novels of all.
May 23, 2021
This time, a less violent, more melancholic Scudder: less darkness without, more darkness within. It is a welcome change, at least in theory, but I found the resulting plot more meandering than leisurely, the resolution more a slight surprise than a fulfillment.
Matt is hired by the brother of a homeless man held for the murder of a solid citizen, an innocent who was using a neighborhood pay phone when somebody put bullets in head. Although Matt believes the homeless man is probably guilty, he starts to investigation anyway, and soon discovers the citizen in question is not so solid or innocent after all. In addition, Matt has his own questions to answer: his direction in life, his long-standing relationship with Elaine, and another relationship as well.
As always, Block does what he does very well. I just didn’t think this was a compelling book.
June 18, 2021
"May you be in heaven a full half-hour before the devil knows you're dead"—Irish saying.
Lawrence Block’s 11th Matthew Scudder book begins jovially enough, as we see Matt and Elaine are now an even more committed couple, out on the town with another couple, Glenn and Lisa Holtzman, talking about the kind of money Lisa has read one can make without physical commitment from a phone sex job. The other couple doesn’t know Elaine was once a call-girl, but in truth, Elaine actually tried phone sex once and hated it, telling a funny story to Matt about her experience. Block may have been inspired to go a little bit lighter in this offering after three brutally violent books, and because his introduction of a street teen, TJ, in the last couple books managed to produced a few laughs; he says things often in rhyming couplets: It’s the truth, Ruth. Gotta have bread, Ed, things like that. I mention this primarily because the grimly noir Block is not famous for levity, but we know it is just a set-up here, and that things will get grimmer in this story.
But they really don’t get all that bad. Well, there is a murder: Right around the corner from where Matt lives, Holtzman gets shot and killed, a “street-crazy” Vietnam Vet named George gets indicted for the murder and his brother hires Matt to look into it, because he doesn’t believe George is the murdering type. According to the cops it’s an open and shut case, and who cares about street people in Hell’s Kitchen, anyway? But he’s a good, guy, Matt is; he takes this case. More evidence of Matt’s goodness? His old girlfriend Jan meets him to tell him she is dying of pancreatic cancer, and asks him to get a gun for her in case it gets too hard for her. So suddenly everything is about death for Scudder, and he even begins to worry about Elaine dying.
Yet there’s some strain Matt creates in his deepening relationship with Elaine; we know he loves her, but we also know he is no saint. Livin’ in that gray area, Matt is. As you can see, this book again, as in the best of these books, is less about the crime and more about Matt’s soul, and that’s the way I like it. If you like chills and thrills, this is not the book for you, really, but after the last three rough Scudder books, this one was very much for me, a book that goes with a little comedy (with Elaine, with TJ, with a trans woman named April, even with Jan), becomes a meditation about love, and about death—his former girlfriend Jan’s actual death, Elaine’s future death.
This is also one of the more “literary” of Block’s works, meaning that he has Scudder refer to literature in his talk, such as this poem Block includes in its entirety:
In Flanders Fields
John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Here’s Leonard Cohen, reading that poem aloud, oh go ahead, it will only take a minute, and you get to hear that soulful Cohen voice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKoJv...
So I liked this book a lot. Again, I would suggest you read them in order, because in a sense they are all one long story about Matt Scudder.
Lawrence Block’s 11th Matthew Scudder book begins jovially enough, as we see Matt and Elaine are now an even more committed couple, out on the town with another couple, Glenn and Lisa Holtzman, talking about the kind of money Lisa has read one can make without physical commitment from a phone sex job. The other couple doesn’t know Elaine was once a call-girl, but in truth, Elaine actually tried phone sex once and hated it, telling a funny story to Matt about her experience. Block may have been inspired to go a little bit lighter in this offering after three brutally violent books, and because his introduction of a street teen, TJ, in the last couple books managed to produced a few laughs; he says things often in rhyming couplets: It’s the truth, Ruth. Gotta have bread, Ed, things like that. I mention this primarily because the grimly noir Block is not famous for levity, but we know it is just a set-up here, and that things will get grimmer in this story.
But they really don’t get all that bad. Well, there is a murder: Right around the corner from where Matt lives, Holtzman gets shot and killed, a “street-crazy” Vietnam Vet named George gets indicted for the murder and his brother hires Matt to look into it, because he doesn’t believe George is the murdering type. According to the cops it’s an open and shut case, and who cares about street people in Hell’s Kitchen, anyway? But he’s a good, guy, Matt is; he takes this case. More evidence of Matt’s goodness? His old girlfriend Jan meets him to tell him she is dying of pancreatic cancer, and asks him to get a gun for her in case it gets too hard for her. So suddenly everything is about death for Scudder, and he even begins to worry about Elaine dying.
Yet there’s some strain Matt creates in his deepening relationship with Elaine; we know he loves her, but we also know he is no saint. Livin’ in that gray area, Matt is. As you can see, this book again, as in the best of these books, is less about the crime and more about Matt’s soul, and that’s the way I like it. If you like chills and thrills, this is not the book for you, really, but after the last three rough Scudder books, this one was very much for me, a book that goes with a little comedy (with Elaine, with TJ, with a trans woman named April, even with Jan), becomes a meditation about love, and about death—his former girlfriend Jan’s actual death, Elaine’s future death.
This is also one of the more “literary” of Block’s works, meaning that he has Scudder refer to literature in his talk, such as this poem Block includes in its entirety:
In Flanders Fields
John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Here’s Leonard Cohen, reading that poem aloud, oh go ahead, it will only take a minute, and you get to hear that soulful Cohen voice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKoJv...
So I liked this book a lot. Again, I would suggest you read them in order, because in a sense they are all one long story about Matt Scudder.
May 7, 2015
After the high-octane thrills of the last three Matthew Scudder novels--which found our ex-cop, ex-alcoholic PI immersed in mysteries which pitted him against a series of pathetic yet ultra-dangerous freaks--The Devil Knows Your Dead is a return to the banal murder mysteries of the first few entries in this series that could almost be sold as pitch-black tragicomedies if there wasn't the fact that we had to watch Matthew squirm through several hundred pages of personal dilemmas. In a lot of ways, this is Block's most deliberate attempt to date at this brand of literary novel masquerading as a grocery-store mystery. (I meant that as a compliment even if it sounds like mean kidding.)
This time around the mystery which serves as a vehicle for the reader to hop into the mind of our (sometimes) hero involves a skeevy yuppie that gets shot to shit while making a late night payphone call in a part of the Alphabet City that he has no business being in. When a derelict Vietnam veteran gets tagged as the killer, the suspect's brother hires Matthew to figure out whether or not his brother is getting railroaded by the police force. To make matters worse, Matthew kind of knew but didn't like the victim, and is also hired by the victim's wife to look into her husband's increasingly sketchy personal affairs.
In a lot of ways this book feels like Block wanted to give the expectations and conventions of the genre a hearty "fuck you," and for the most part this aspect of the novel goes off like gangbusters. As Matthew finds himself getting into a very serious relationship with his girlfriend of the last few novels (an ex-call girl who Matthew has shared a various of relationships with: friend, client, business partner, protector and, finally, lover), he begins to grow increasingly restless. It doesn't help matters when an old flame calls up Matthew to tell him that she is dying from cancer and wants to know if he can do her a bitch of a favor. Add in an outrageous transsexual, a few late-nite rap sessions with BFF Mick "The Butcher" Ballou, some inventive uses of rhyme from Matthew's sidekick, the young street hustler TJ, and the over-all result is an entertaining but gloomy and paced and digressing and morally dense meditation on what it means to truly know and trust another person and how most of us fuck it up every time it really counts.
This time around the mystery which serves as a vehicle for the reader to hop into the mind of our (sometimes) hero involves a skeevy yuppie that gets shot to shit while making a late night payphone call in a part of the Alphabet City that he has no business being in. When a derelict Vietnam veteran gets tagged as the killer, the suspect's brother hires Matthew to figure out whether or not his brother is getting railroaded by the police force. To make matters worse, Matthew kind of knew but didn't like the victim, and is also hired by the victim's wife to look into her husband's increasingly sketchy personal affairs.
In a lot of ways this book feels like Block wanted to give the expectations and conventions of the genre a hearty "fuck you," and for the most part this aspect of the novel goes off like gangbusters. As Matthew finds himself getting into a very serious relationship with his girlfriend of the last few novels (an ex-call girl who Matthew has shared a various of relationships with: friend, client, business partner, protector and, finally, lover), he begins to grow increasingly restless. It doesn't help matters when an old flame calls up Matthew to tell him that she is dying from cancer and wants to know if he can do her a bitch of a favor. Add in an outrageous transsexual, a few late-nite rap sessions with BFF Mick "The Butcher" Ballou, some inventive uses of rhyme from Matthew's sidekick, the young street hustler TJ, and the over-all result is an entertaining but gloomy and paced and digressing and morally dense meditation on what it means to truly know and trust another person and how most of us fuck it up every time it really counts.
September 30, 2012
This one redeemed the Scudder series for me. I understand why other readers might feel it doesn't compare with its immediate predecessors: very little violence, no emotional attachment to the victim and almost no blood, although Matt does seem to be in several sorts of emotional danger. However, the emotional subplots are the trimmings that elevate the Scudder series above ordinary noir detective or mystery thriller going for the roller-coaster climb, and its why the Scudder series consistently yields such satisfying reads.
Elaine and Scudder are settling into a solid companionship, and she convinces him to go on a couple-date with Lisa, a woman she met in an art class, and her husband, Glenn. While the women hit it off, the men don't, despite Glenn's obvious enthusiasm for Matt's work. In the next few weeks, Glenn runs into Scudder a few times, ostensibly to discuss writing a book. Matt would rather avoid him--there's something sly and sneaky about ol' Glenn. Shockingly, Glenn is gunned down while making a call at a public telephone not long after they meet. Police are certain they have the killer, a homeless guy who is mostly living in the Vietnam war. The suspect's brother and Lisa both entreat Scudder to get involved, and he finds himself unenthusiastically conducting an investigation. An exchange from when Scudder meets up with Durkin perfectly summarizes the police reaction:
"You know what's wrong with the case, Joe?"
"The only thing wrong with it is you're taking an interest. Aside from that it's perfect."
Scudder's ex, Jan, reappears from the past with some significant life events and blows him into a tailspin. There are some fascinating conversations that sound emotionally authentic around Jan's storyline. However, the whiff of carpe diem has an unanticipated effect on Scudder's decision-making. While I can understand some of his reasoning, I don't respect his behavior. Others may have found their squirm point in prior books; this one had mine. It's a measure of Block's skill as a writer that he can create such conflict in the reader about the justification of Matt's actions. Elaine doesn't even know the half of it when she exclaims, "You've got him buying guns and selling dope and hanging out with transsexuals. You're a wonderful positive influence on the boy."
I love that Block is willing to be judgement-neutral with his characters, whether gender-bending Julia, TJ's fascination with her, or the lawyer Kaplan figuring out how to best serve his client. Almost everyone's a little dirty in this one, except the charming elderly publisher who hired Glenn. Listening to a murderer explain why assisting a suicide is morally wrong was fascinating, and almost understandable. As a by-product, the investigation gives us a little insight into a transsexual's life, and I respect Block for not playing up the freak/shock factor. Likewise, he treats the homeless and mentally ill suspect with a great deal of sensitivity. The suspect's brother perfectly summarizes why the suspect should be free if he isn't guilty:
"I don't want to glamorize the life he leads, make him sound like some kind of Noble Savage. It's a horrible life. He lives like an animal, he lives in fear and torment... I wouldn't live his life for the world, but it's his life, do you follow me? It's his f-ing life so let him f-ing live it."
Levity was added in Block's usual sly asides, including an insult about the Big Book of AA, which Scudder describes as "the sophistication level was that of a Rotary Club Breakfast in a small town in Iowa." Snerk. Then there was the off-handed slap at Block's competitors: "I didn't think there was a policeman or private detective anywhere in New York who wasn't trying to get a book published. Nobody's out looking for criminals these days. They are all looking for agents."
Thankfully, Block found a good one.
Elaine and Scudder are settling into a solid companionship, and she convinces him to go on a couple-date with Lisa, a woman she met in an art class, and her husband, Glenn. While the women hit it off, the men don't, despite Glenn's obvious enthusiasm for Matt's work. In the next few weeks, Glenn runs into Scudder a few times, ostensibly to discuss writing a book. Matt would rather avoid him--there's something sly and sneaky about ol' Glenn. Shockingly, Glenn is gunned down while making a call at a public telephone not long after they meet. Police are certain they have the killer, a homeless guy who is mostly living in the Vietnam war. The suspect's brother and Lisa both entreat Scudder to get involved, and he finds himself unenthusiastically conducting an investigation. An exchange from when Scudder meets up with Durkin perfectly summarizes the police reaction:
"You know what's wrong with the case, Joe?"
"The only thing wrong with it is you're taking an interest. Aside from that it's perfect."
Scudder's ex, Jan, reappears from the past with some significant life events and blows him into a tailspin. There are some fascinating conversations that sound emotionally authentic around Jan's storyline. However, the whiff of carpe diem has an unanticipated effect on Scudder's decision-making. While I can understand some of his reasoning, I don't respect his behavior. Others may have found their squirm point in prior books; this one had mine. It's a measure of Block's skill as a writer that he can create such conflict in the reader about the justification of Matt's actions. Elaine doesn't even know the half of it when she exclaims, "You've got him buying guns and selling dope and hanging out with transsexuals. You're a wonderful positive influence on the boy."
I love that Block is willing to be judgement-neutral with his characters, whether gender-bending Julia, TJ's fascination with her, or the lawyer Kaplan figuring out how to best serve his client. Almost everyone's a little dirty in this one, except the charming elderly publisher who hired Glenn. Listening to a murderer explain why assisting a suicide is morally wrong was fascinating, and almost understandable. As a by-product, the investigation gives us a little insight into a transsexual's life, and I respect Block for not playing up the freak/shock factor. Likewise, he treats the homeless and mentally ill suspect with a great deal of sensitivity. The suspect's brother perfectly summarizes why the suspect should be free if he isn't guilty:
"I don't want to glamorize the life he leads, make him sound like some kind of Noble Savage. It's a horrible life. He lives like an animal, he lives in fear and torment... I wouldn't live his life for the world, but it's his life, do you follow me? It's his f-ing life so let him f-ing live it."
Levity was added in Block's usual sly asides, including an insult about the Big Book of AA, which Scudder describes as "the sophistication level was that of a Rotary Club Breakfast in a small town in Iowa." Snerk. Then there was the off-handed slap at Block's competitors: "I didn't think there was a policeman or private detective anywhere in New York who wasn't trying to get a book published. Nobody's out looking for criminals these days. They are all looking for agents."
Thankfully, Block found a good one.
September 25, 2011
Just as Babe Ruth couldn’t hit a home run with every at bat or Joe Montana couldn’t throw a touchdown pass on every throw, even Lawrence Block had to eventually produce a Matt Scudder novel that’s just ‘pretty damn good’ instead of ‘freakin’ awesome’.
A yuppie lawyer gets murdered when making a call at a payphone, and everyone thinks that a homeless and disturbed Vietnam veteran was the killer. Even the vet isn’t sure if he did it or not but admits he could have. The vet’s brother asks Matt to check it out to make sure his brother isn’t being railroaded. Matt’s a little hesitant because he had actually met the victim a few times, but decides to take the case.
As he looks into the murder, Matt has to make some decisions about his on-going relationship with Elaine. He also gets some bad news from an old friend as well as an unusual request.
There’s nothing really wrong with this book. But after the crazy creative high that Block had been on with Scudder since 8 Million Ways To Die, it was probably inevitable that he’d have to cool off a bit.
Block seemed a bit unfocused and out of sync in this one. He almost always used the parallel stories of Matt working on a case while working through some stuff in his personal life, and this one fits that formula perfectly. There’s just a lack of energy and momentum in this one that was present in the previous books. Part of the issue may be the lack of a strong villain in this, and after the wicked line of bad guys Matt had been dealing with in the previous books, that makes this one seem a bit less urgent and dangerous.
Plus, this has a rare story telling miscue by Block.
Even though it’s just an average Scudder, an average Scudder is still better than 90% of what you’d find in the mystery section of any bookstore.
A yuppie lawyer gets murdered when making a call at a payphone, and everyone thinks that a homeless and disturbed Vietnam veteran was the killer. Even the vet isn’t sure if he did it or not but admits he could have. The vet’s brother asks Matt to check it out to make sure his brother isn’t being railroaded. Matt’s a little hesitant because he had actually met the victim a few times, but decides to take the case.
As he looks into the murder, Matt has to make some decisions about his on-going relationship with Elaine. He also gets some bad news from an old friend as well as an unusual request.
There’s nothing really wrong with this book. But after the crazy creative high that Block had been on with Scudder since 8 Million Ways To Die, it was probably inevitable that he’d have to cool off a bit.
Block seemed a bit unfocused and out of sync in this one. He almost always used the parallel stories of Matt working on a case while working through some stuff in his personal life, and this one fits that formula perfectly. There’s just a lack of energy and momentum in this one that was present in the previous books. Part of the issue may be the lack of a strong villain in this, and after the wicked line of bad guys Matt had been dealing with in the previous books, that makes this one seem a bit less urgent and dangerous.
Plus, this has a rare story telling miscue by Block.
Even though it’s just an average Scudder, an average Scudder is still better than 90% of what you’d find in the mystery section of any bookstore.
June 11, 2022
10/6/22
In my revisit, some some eleven years on, I initially had some doubts as to whether this actually is one of his best books, as I originally opined - the storyline is actually substantially weaker than some of the earlier episodes. What saves this one is the continuing exploration of Matthew Scudder the man, his weaknesses and his doubts particularly. The dialogue here is also brilliant - it always is, but it’s the outstanding element this time around. Adding complexity to Matt’s life is an attraction he develops to the widow of a man whose murder he is hired to investigate. This is to fully test his ongoing relationship with girlfriend Elaine.
The usual cast of carry over characters are here and, as recently has been the case, Matt attends a good number of AA meetings - along the way he teaching us quite a bit about how such gatherings are structured. In fact the case he’s investigating is often pushed to the background here. So how to sum this one up? Well, I do think it’s a strong book but for different reasons this time around: Scudder is definitely one of the most interesting fictional characters I’ve come across and I believe this episode will draw readers back, anxious to see how his life plays out from this point. There are stronger storylines to come, but I believe this book is probably the one that cemented my interest in the fate of MS.
——————————————————————
5/8/11
Block is one of the very best crime writers. Ever! And this is one of his best books. I’ll not go into the detail partly because it’ll spoil the read for others but also if you’ve read any of the Scudder series you’ll pretty much know how it works (ex-drunk policeman, lots of AA meetings, plenty of PI leg work around NYC). If you’re not an existing Scudder (or Block) fan then don’t let my description put you off; trust me, it’s much better than I make it sound. The story bounces along and the characters leap off the page. I was really sad when I reached the end, I could have happily carried on for another two hundred pages.
In my revisit, some some eleven years on, I initially had some doubts as to whether this actually is one of his best books, as I originally opined - the storyline is actually substantially weaker than some of the earlier episodes. What saves this one is the continuing exploration of Matthew Scudder the man, his weaknesses and his doubts particularly. The dialogue here is also brilliant - it always is, but it’s the outstanding element this time around. Adding complexity to Matt’s life is an attraction he develops to the widow of a man whose murder he is hired to investigate. This is to fully test his ongoing relationship with girlfriend Elaine.
The usual cast of carry over characters are here and, as recently has been the case, Matt attends a good number of AA meetings - along the way he teaching us quite a bit about how such gatherings are structured. In fact the case he’s investigating is often pushed to the background here. So how to sum this one up? Well, I do think it’s a strong book but for different reasons this time around: Scudder is definitely one of the most interesting fictional characters I’ve come across and I believe this episode will draw readers back, anxious to see how his life plays out from this point. There are stronger storylines to come, but I believe this book is probably the one that cemented my interest in the fate of MS.
——————————————————————
5/8/11
Block is one of the very best crime writers. Ever! And this is one of his best books. I’ll not go into the detail partly because it’ll spoil the read for others but also if you’ve read any of the Scudder series you’ll pretty much know how it works (ex-drunk policeman, lots of AA meetings, plenty of PI leg work around NYC). If you’re not an existing Scudder (or Block) fan then don’t let my description put you off; trust me, it’s much better than I make it sound. The story bounces along and the characters leap off the page. I was really sad when I reached the end, I could have happily carried on for another two hundred pages.
September 20, 2011
An acquaintance of Scudder's is gunned down at a pay phone and it looks like a homeless man is the culprit. The homeless man's brother hires Scudder to clear him. Scudder's investigation takes him through a world populated with transsexuals and blackmail. Also on Scudder's plate are the pancreatic cancer of his ex-girlfriend, his relationship with Elaine, and the affair he's having with the dead man's wife...
The Devil Knows You're Dead wasn't quite up to par with the rest of the Lawrence Black's Matthew Scudder series. It wasn't a bad book but the plot meandered and the resolution of the case felt tacked on.
Scudder and his supporting cast continued to grow. The character pieces were the saving grace of the book, particularly Jan's predicament and TJ's reaction to the trannies.
To sum it up, TDKYD was worth a read but it wasn't the greatest of the Scudder books by any means.
The Devil Knows You're Dead wasn't quite up to par with the rest of the Lawrence Black's Matthew Scudder series. It wasn't a bad book but the plot meandered and the resolution of the case felt tacked on.
Scudder and his supporting cast continued to grow. The character pieces were the saving grace of the book, particularly Jan's predicament and TJ's reaction to the trannies.
To sum it up, TDKYD was worth a read but it wasn't the greatest of the Scudder books by any means.
January 15, 2024
"Дяволът знае, че си мъртъв" е 11-тия подред роман за нелицензирания частен детектив Мат Скъдър.
Започна доста обещаващо, но някъде към средата му позагубих интерес към случващото се. Развръзката все пак бе прилична, има развитие и в личния живот на героите от поредицата.
Млад и относително заможен мъж е разстрелян пред уличен телефон. За убийството бързо е арестуван местен клошар, но дали той го е извършил?
Мат Скъдър трябва да се разрови дълбоко из потайностите на Ню Йорк, в опит да разкрие престъплението...
Започна доста обещаващо, но някъде към средата му позагубих интерес към случващото се. Развръзката все пак бе прилична, има развитие и в личния живот на героите от поредицата.
Млад и относително заможен мъж е разстрелян пред уличен телефон. За убийството бързо е арестуван местен клошар, но дали той го е извършил?
Мат Скъдър трябва да се разрови дълбоко из потайностите на Ню Йорк, в опит да разкрие престъплението...
October 21, 2020
Perhaps The Devil Knows You're Dead isn't "the best" book of the Matt Scudder series, but imo it's another great addition to these detective novels set in NYC.
There's almost no "live" action, but the mystery of whodunnit was enough to keep me flipping pages. The real draw here is that Matt becomes yet another layer of complicated. Perhaps two more actually! I can't say much more without giving away major storylines, which Block delivers to his readers with the same surprise as happening upon a dead body.
While Scudder evolves as a person, so do his relationships with the growing cast of side characters. They themselves are developing into "real" people, if you will, and I love that. These books for me have always been just as much about character as they are about the murder mystery aspect, so I was not let down by The Devil Knows You're Dead as some were. I guess its slower pace garnered it some slightly lower reviews. I get that, but as far as I'm concerned, this is good stuff!
There's almost no "live" action, but the mystery of whodunnit was enough to keep me flipping pages. The real draw here is that Matt becomes yet another layer of complicated. Perhaps two more actually! I can't say much more without giving away major storylines, which Block delivers to his readers with the same surprise as happening upon a dead body.
While Scudder evolves as a person, so do his relationships with the growing cast of side characters. They themselves are developing into "real" people, if you will, and I love that. These books for me have always been just as much about character as they are about the murder mystery aspect, so I was not let down by The Devil Knows You're Dead as some were. I guess its slower pace garnered it some slightly lower reviews. I get that, but as far as I'm concerned, this is good stuff!
September 17, 2022
When a young yuppie lawyer named Glenn Holtzmann is gunned down in a phone booth in Hell's Kitchen, the police arrest a derelict Vietnam vet who's a local fixture on the street, known for strange and somewhat menacing behavior. An eyewitness saw him picking up the shell casings immediately after the shooting, after all, and they were later found in his jacket pocket. George Sadecki is the vet's name, and his brother hires Matt to figure out if there's any chance George didn't do it (George himself being unsure- he hasn't been right since the war). Matt takes the man's money while cautioning him that he's probably wasting it, then goes to see his friend Joe Durkin at the precinct, who as usual subjects Matt to some authentically un-PC, native-New York-style verbal abuse for poking around and trying to complicate an airtight case. The poor bastard just picked the wrong phone booth to make a call in. And the other poor bastard probably thought he was walking point in the Mekong Delta, Matt- okay?
The eleventh Scudder mystery is moodier, quieter and less dramatic than the previous few. But a case that doesn't appear at first glance to plunge Matt into the depths of human depravity, or even to put him in any personal jeopardy, actually makes for a nice change of pace. The stakes are less obvious this time, though when we eventually discover what the mystery man at the heart of this story was up to (), I somehow liked him less than all of the psychotic murderers of the last few books combined.
I wouldn't recommend this as anyone's first Scudder novel, but I enjoyed it. There's an interesting duality between the two strangers whose lives intersect fatefully- the yuppie from the 28th floor and the veteran who lives in a basement apartment. As a chess-player Matt encounters in a nearby park tells him, gesturing up at the building where the yuppie lived, "that's another country." It's Clinton, to be specific, the anodyne and less-threatening name for the neighborhood better-known as Hell's Kitchen. George lived in Hell's Kitchen while Glenn lived in Clinton. Except that maybe Glenn blinked, and found himself in Hell's Kitchen after all. One of the themes of the story, summarized in a (probably unnecessary) op-ed that Matt reads in the paper, seems to be that any status or sense of identity is tenuous and provisional, a theme that Block animates not just on an existential level, but on a social and economic one as well.
The last couple of books have also dealt with themes of mortality, but The Devil Knows You're Dead is especially melancholy. There's an autumnal feeling to this story- most of it literally takes place in October, for one thing, but death also feels like more of a reality in Matt's life. An old friend of his turns out to have pancreatic cancer (which is scarier to me than reading about any serial killer) and asks if he can get her a gun, a proposition that shocks Matt's best friend, the cold-blooded killer (but still somehow devoutly Catholic) Mick Ballou. Matt meanwhile spends more time with Glenn the lawyer's widow Lisa than would seem strictly necessary, despite the fact that he's been seeing Elaine for a few years at this point, but there doesn't seem to be much happiness in the relationship; and Mick offers a sharp insight about this behavior, connecting it with Matt's sobriety. The red of the cover seems to emphasize the autumnal theme as well.
The case is more-or-less resolved with about 70 pages to go this time, but I've been enjoying these extended epilogues, where certain plot threads are tied up and certain ambiguities are sharpened. It's more of the latter in this case, the novel even ending with a question mark.
November 20, 2017
A good beginning, and a superb and satisfying ending, both for the mystery and especially for the personal lives of Matt and Elaine.
Unfortunately, most of Block's books are 150 page novellas, padded with maddeningly repetitive, dull subpar dialogue and incessant descriptions of clothing and streets and dull, dull minutiae of Matt's sad life. I blame his publisher.
Of course, 8 Million Ways to Die (my review) and Out on the Cutting Edge (my review) are the brilliant exceptions. It's been 17 years since Sins of the Fathers, and Block was 55 years old when he wrote "Devil..." and perhaps his publisher is just too pushy about the number of pages it takes to make a profit in the business.... Whatever the reason, his books are mostly padded with crap.
There is, however, a lovely small subplot with the beautiful Jan, and how she copes with her terminal cancer. I have cancer, too, and I know some of what this is like. Mine appears to be suspended for now. God bless the UK National Health Service and all the extraordinary people who sail in her.
Block has famously never talked of his possible AA membership, but I would strongly suggest that every book he wrote after Matt (Block) goes sober is a "virtual AA meeting" for Block. They start out fine, you fall asleep in the too-dull middle, and then wake up for a rousing coffee/shootup at the end. Yes?
So I'm going to take a break from Block for a while, unless someone convinces me there is another unpadded masterpiece from him ahead, just awaiting my discovery.
Notes:
8.0% .... this starts out well. Good pacing and some nice dialogue with Elaine.
15.0% .... * sighs *.... dialogue constipation again. Around and around we go, with the same things repeated 5 different ways.
28.0% .... dull dialogue
31.0% ... infinite recaps of every previous book and story. Boring. Every single book now covers all the same old stories.
48.0% .... gah! Tons of prose that goes nowhere. It's as if every chapter has only one sentence that advances the plot!
49.0% ....
“That’s remarkable,” she said. “I didn’t think there was a policeman or private detective anywhere in New York who wasn’t trying to get a book published. Nobody’s out looking for criminals these days. They’re all looking for an agent.”
53.0% .... terribly clumsy scene with Matt and Elaine. I feel manipulated.
56.0% .... nice dialogue in the interview with Julia.
71.0% ... Half this book is stupid, dull trivia of Matt's sad daily life. Shameful padding for higher book price. Which streets Matt uses, ad infinitum. What clothes people are wearing, ad infinitum. Previous book plots and characters, ad infinitum. Considering a new area to live, ad infinitum. Conversations about conversations about stuff that's been said three times before.
76.0% ... yet another rundown of part of the plot. First, Matt figures it out, then he explains it to the lawyer, then he explains it to Elaine, then he explains it to Lisa, then to Mick, etc etc. Lazy crappy writing.
84.0% ... omg, a nice quote.
I looked down into my glass. It held club soda, but the way I was gazing into it you’d have thought it was filled with something stronger. I used to stare like that into glasses of whiskey, as if they contained coded answers. All they did was dissolve the questions, but there was a time when that was enough."
85.0% "... omg Another good quote!
“You don’t drink.” As if that explained everything.
“So?”
“So a man has to do something, some fucking thing or other.” He turned the key in the ignition, fed gas to the big engine. “It’s nature,” he said.
86.0% ... a lovely, thoughtful and important chat with the wonderful Jan. Poignant and full of personal truths. I can't believe half of every Block book is so full of crap now, when he clearly has the power to write these heartfelt and humane insights into who we are.
91.0% .... Info-dump to Elaine of the whole plot/crime... What we just learned in the preceding pages just before.
94.0% .... I have loved Bartok since I was in college in the 1970s.
“There are a couple of apartments for sale in the Parc Vendôme,” I said, “and I’m sure there are others available in buildings all along West Fifty-seventh. I know you’ve always liked the one on the next block with the Art Deco lobby.”
“And the one with the plaque that says Bela Bartok used to live there.”
And here's the statue in London, that I pass often during my many cancer treatments at the superb Royal Marsden Hospital. God bless the National Health Service.
.
Unfortunately, most of Block's books are 150 page novellas, padded with maddeningly repetitive, dull subpar dialogue and incessant descriptions of clothing and streets and dull, dull minutiae of Matt's sad life. I blame his publisher.
Of course, 8 Million Ways to Die (my review) and Out on the Cutting Edge (my review) are the brilliant exceptions. It's been 17 years since Sins of the Fathers, and Block was 55 years old when he wrote "Devil..." and perhaps his publisher is just too pushy about the number of pages it takes to make a profit in the business.... Whatever the reason, his books are mostly padded with crap.
There is, however, a lovely small subplot with the beautiful Jan, and how she copes with her terminal cancer. I have cancer, too, and I know some of what this is like. Mine appears to be suspended for now. God bless the UK National Health Service and all the extraordinary people who sail in her.
Block has famously never talked of his possible AA membership, but I would strongly suggest that every book he wrote after Matt (Block) goes sober is a "virtual AA meeting" for Block. They start out fine, you fall asleep in the too-dull middle, and then wake up for a rousing coffee/shootup at the end. Yes?
So I'm going to take a break from Block for a while, unless someone convinces me there is another unpadded masterpiece from him ahead, just awaiting my discovery.
Notes:
8.0% .... this starts out well. Good pacing and some nice dialogue with Elaine.
15.0% .... * sighs *.... dialogue constipation again. Around and around we go, with the same things repeated 5 different ways.
28.0% .... dull dialogue
31.0% ... infinite recaps of every previous book and story. Boring. Every single book now covers all the same old stories.
48.0% .... gah! Tons of prose that goes nowhere. It's as if every chapter has only one sentence that advances the plot!
49.0% ....
“That’s remarkable,” she said. “I didn’t think there was a policeman or private detective anywhere in New York who wasn’t trying to get a book published. Nobody’s out looking for criminals these days. They’re all looking for an agent.”
53.0% .... terribly clumsy scene with Matt and Elaine. I feel manipulated.
56.0% .... nice dialogue in the interview with Julia.
71.0% ... Half this book is stupid, dull trivia of Matt's sad daily life. Shameful padding for higher book price. Which streets Matt uses, ad infinitum. What clothes people are wearing, ad infinitum. Previous book plots and characters, ad infinitum. Considering a new area to live, ad infinitum. Conversations about conversations about stuff that's been said three times before.
76.0% ... yet another rundown of part of the plot. First, Matt figures it out, then he explains it to the lawyer, then he explains it to Elaine, then he explains it to Lisa, then to Mick, etc etc. Lazy crappy writing.
84.0% ... omg, a nice quote.
I looked down into my glass. It held club soda, but the way I was gazing into it you’d have thought it was filled with something stronger. I used to stare like that into glasses of whiskey, as if they contained coded answers. All they did was dissolve the questions, but there was a time when that was enough."
85.0% "... omg Another good quote!
“You don’t drink.” As if that explained everything.
“So?”
“So a man has to do something, some fucking thing or other.” He turned the key in the ignition, fed gas to the big engine. “It’s nature,” he said.
86.0% ... a lovely, thoughtful and important chat with the wonderful Jan. Poignant and full of personal truths. I can't believe half of every Block book is so full of crap now, when he clearly has the power to write these heartfelt and humane insights into who we are.
91.0% .... Info-dump to Elaine of the whole plot/crime... What we just learned in the preceding pages just before.
94.0% .... I have loved Bartok since I was in college in the 1970s.
“There are a couple of apartments for sale in the Parc Vendôme,” I said, “and I’m sure there are others available in buildings all along West Fifty-seventh. I know you’ve always liked the one on the next block with the Art Deco lobby.”
“And the one with the plaque that says Bela Bartok used to live there.”
And here's the statue in London, that I pass often during my many cancer treatments at the superb Royal Marsden Hospital. God bless the National Health Service.
.
June 5, 2014
A man is gunned down and the person deemed responsible is caught red handed at the scene of the crime. While the accused’s brother realizes that the evidence is damning, he cannot imagine his brother committing such a horrible act. He remembered meeting a man who identified himself as a detective during an AA meeting and reaches out for his help. The man in question is Matt Scudder and he agrees to take the case even though he has his doubts he’ll make a difference.
As with all the books in Block’s Scudder series, one of the most important characters is New York City itself. Whether he’s writing about dingy bars like the infamous Grogen’s or the folks that live in the city’s high-end condos, Block finds away to let the Big Apple play a central role in all of Matt’s cases. While talking with a homeless man about the shooting, the man tells Scudder that even though he shares the same neighborhood as the deceased, they couldn't be further apart.
The Devil Knows You’re Dead is seemingly about Matt wandering through different worlds without ever leaving New York City. However, I suppose that’s life in and of itself. No one carries the exact same experiences that make up a life and because of this, everyone seemingly exists within a different world. With Scudder being a detective, he finds himself drifting in and out of the lives of others, trying to see the world from their eyes while absorbing as much as possible.
Of course while the crime plays an important part in this novel, it’s what Matt experiences in the course of the investigation that gives the story its legs. Whether he’s exposing his sometimes sidekick TJ to questionable situations, comforting an old friend who has received devastating news or figuring out where his relationship with his girlfriend Elaine stands, The Devil Knows You’re Dead is a very important novel for the character of Matt Scudder.
As with all the books in Block’s Scudder series, one of the most important characters is New York City itself. Whether he’s writing about dingy bars like the infamous Grogen’s or the folks that live in the city’s high-end condos, Block finds away to let the Big Apple play a central role in all of Matt’s cases. While talking with a homeless man about the shooting, the man tells Scudder that even though he shares the same neighborhood as the deceased, they couldn't be further apart.
"Man, how would they know him? He didn’t live here."
"Of course he did," I said. "You can see his building from here."
He made a show of following my finger as I pointed at the top floors of Holtzmann’s apartment building. "Right," he said. "That’s where he lived, up on the fortieth floor."
The twenty-eighth, I thought.
"That’s another country up there," he said. "Man commuted from the fortieth floor over there to some other fortieth floor where his office is at. Where you and me are is the street. Man like that, the street’s just a place he’s got to pass through twice a day, getting from one fortieth floor to another."
The Devil Knows You’re Dead is seemingly about Matt wandering through different worlds without ever leaving New York City. However, I suppose that’s life in and of itself. No one carries the exact same experiences that make up a life and because of this, everyone seemingly exists within a different world. With Scudder being a detective, he finds himself drifting in and out of the lives of others, trying to see the world from their eyes while absorbing as much as possible.
Of course while the crime plays an important part in this novel, it’s what Matt experiences in the course of the investigation that gives the story its legs. Whether he’s exposing his sometimes sidekick TJ to questionable situations, comforting an old friend who has received devastating news or figuring out where his relationship with his girlfriend Elaine stands, The Devil Knows You’re Dead is a very important novel for the character of Matt Scudder.
June 16, 2015
This novel about Matthew Scudder is quite an interesting one. It starts with the death of a fellow who is known to Scudder but he does not rate too much stock in the gents person. Anyhow the guy is death and the police find a homeless man who was present at the crime-scene with the bullets of the gun in his pocket, an easy solution.
First Scudder gets approached by the brother of the "so-called" killer to find out if he was the killer as it is so out of character.
Secondly the widow has some questions about some money found in her apartment for which seems to be no logic reason.
Thirdly an old flame of Scudder contacts him because she needs a favor.
All three story-lines make a very coherent tale that keeps you guessing up till the end about what happened and is going to happen. Scudder gets into trouble with Elaine because she feels shut out as he has not explained anything about certain aspects of the three matters at hand.
The solutions in this book are both original as insightful in the third case. Mr Block does write a very humane story about living and dying in the beautiful portrayal of New York in all of its aspects.
A must read in the genre.
First Scudder gets approached by the brother of the "so-called" killer to find out if he was the killer as it is so out of character.
Secondly the widow has some questions about some money found in her apartment for which seems to be no logic reason.
Thirdly an old flame of Scudder contacts him because she needs a favor.
All three story-lines make a very coherent tale that keeps you guessing up till the end about what happened and is going to happen. Scudder gets into trouble with Elaine because she feels shut out as he has not explained anything about certain aspects of the three matters at hand.
The solutions in this book are both original as insightful in the third case. Mr Block does write a very humane story about living and dying in the beautiful portrayal of New York in all of its aspects.
A must read in the genre.
October 11, 2024
Scudder Astray
A review of the LB Productions eBook (October 4, 2020) of the original William Morrow & Co. hardcover (1993).
The case seems almost beside the point in this 11th Matthew Scudder investigation. A lawyer is mysteriously shot while making a call in a phone booth. A mentally troubled man is arrested for the crime due to being in the vicinity and even confesses to the crime. His brother hires Scudder to attempt to prove his innocence. Scudder meets with the widow and even begins an affair with her.
As with most in the latter parts of this series, Scudder's continued AA attendance and meetings with his sponsor take up a lot of the proceedings. His relationship with girlfriend Elaine seems to be rocky as he hovers over commitment. Ex-girlfriend Jan has a fatal medical diagnosis and asks Scudder to help her commit suicide. Scudder continues to tempt fate and regularly sits with Irish gangster friend Mick Ballou in overnight sessions (although only drinking coffee or soda) in Ballou's bar before attending the butcher's mass in the early morning.
The investigation resolves in an odd way and proves to have been a case of mistaken identity, adding to the haphazard nihilistic aura. But Scudder continues to fascinate as a character and I continue to enjoy these re-reads 30+ years later.
The front cover of the original 1993 William Morrow & Co. hardcover edition. Image sourced from Goodreads.
Trivia and Links
I read a considerable number of Lawrence Block books in my pre-GR and pre-reviewing days. Probably 40 or so out of the 100+ that are available. That included all of the Matt Scudder books, several of the Bernie Rhodenbarrs, several of the Evan Tanners, several of the John Kellers, a dozen or so standalones and some of the memoirs. There were even a few of the earlier pulp novels which were originally published under pseudonyms. This re-read is a look back at some of those.
Lawrence Block (June 24, 1938 - ) considers himself retired these days, but still maintains an occasional newsletter with the latest issued in August 2024. He self-publishes some of his earlier works which have otherwise gone out of print, using his own LB Productions imprint. This current eBook edition of The Devil Knows You're Dead is one of those.
A review of the LB Productions eBook (October 4, 2020) of the original William Morrow & Co. hardcover (1993).
May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May you be in heaven an hour before
The Devil knows you're dead. - An Irish Blessing, the epigraph used for "The Devil Knows You're Dead."
The case seems almost beside the point in this 11th Matthew Scudder investigation. A lawyer is mysteriously shot while making a call in a phone booth. A mentally troubled man is arrested for the crime due to being in the vicinity and even confesses to the crime. His brother hires Scudder to attempt to prove his innocence. Scudder meets with the widow and even begins an affair with her.
As with most in the latter parts of this series, Scudder's continued AA attendance and meetings with his sponsor take up a lot of the proceedings. His relationship with girlfriend Elaine seems to be rocky as he hovers over commitment. Ex-girlfriend Jan has a fatal medical diagnosis and asks Scudder to help her commit suicide. Scudder continues to tempt fate and regularly sits with Irish gangster friend Mick Ballou in overnight sessions (although only drinking coffee or soda) in Ballou's bar before attending the butcher's mass in the early morning.
The investigation resolves in an odd way and proves to have been a case of mistaken identity, adding to the haphazard nihilistic aura. But Scudder continues to fascinate as a character and I continue to enjoy these re-reads 30+ years later.
He wasn’t hitting the Jameson bottle very hard, just topping up his glass often enough to keep from losing that edge. It was maintenance drinking, and I remembered it well; I had done my own share of it, until life took me to a point where maintaining was no longer possible because the traitorous booze would get me drunk before it would let me get comfortable.
The front cover of the original 1993 William Morrow & Co. hardcover edition. Image sourced from Goodreads.
Trivia and Links
I read a considerable number of Lawrence Block books in my pre-GR and pre-reviewing days. Probably 40 or so out of the 100+ that are available. That included all of the Matt Scudder books, several of the Bernie Rhodenbarrs, several of the Evan Tanners, several of the John Kellers, a dozen or so standalones and some of the memoirs. There were even a few of the earlier pulp novels which were originally published under pseudonyms. This re-read is a look back at some of those.
Lawrence Block (June 24, 1938 - ) considers himself retired these days, but still maintains an occasional newsletter with the latest issued in August 2024. He self-publishes some of his earlier works which have otherwise gone out of print, using his own LB Productions imprint. This current eBook edition of The Devil Knows You're Dead is one of those.
June 13, 2019
This hardcover is signed by Lawrence Block.
June 18, 2017
An acquaintance of Matthew Scudder's is murdered in a park. The deceased was an attorney for a printing press who also had an interest in Scudder's choice of work. He left behind a curious amount of funds to his pretty young wife. Scudder's mission is to unravel the mysterious aura surrounding the dead man's character while considering where his own life is headed...and who will accompany him along that journey.
I feel obligated to give a brief synopsis for these books before going into my thoughts. In the above description, most of what you read is filler whereas the heart of The Devil Knows You're Dead is in the second half of the last sentence. In this entry we delve deep into Scudder's thoughts on his life including his sobriety, love life, personal motivations, and individual code. Some of these are explicitly described by Block through Matt's inner narration while the others are revealed through the events in the book. The heavy emphasis on character study may sound like a bore at first but, trust me my friends, it slightly departs from the crime genre in a manner that is interesting, compelling, and profound.
At this stage in his life Matt is in limbo. Sober with a serious girlfriend, he still finds himself detached from the things that most people care about. I've always like this about our main character: his flaws. Matt is not what one would call honorable nor is he particularly deviant. He is human. And his human characteristics are where the surprises come into play, not only in this entry but in the other books as well. For instance, when a colleague inquires about the sexual habits of a transsexual prostitute, Scudder shrugs and states that it would simply make a man feel good. He lets a youth deal drugs and buy guns to progress his own motives. What is interesting is that he does not exactly condone this behavior as he understands that people must do tasks which are not agreeable to a worldly view. This is not lawful but Matt probably considers these ideals just. Just like in previous novels, when he used violence as a means of justice and retribution, his reasoning and instincts in The Devil Knows You're Dead make the reader cringe while acknowledging that they might have done the same thing under similar circumstances.
The co-characters are even more interesting than in previous novels. Especially regarding TJ. TJ is a little more street savvy and edgy in this book whereas he was an urban teenage caricature before. We get a better handle on how dangerous his life is and how he is able to come up with the information for Scudder. Elaine and Mick are wonderful as always but reader beware...they are eclipsed by a familiar face from other novels. The dimensions that this character brings to the plot are worth the price of the dust cover. This oddball assortment of derelicts make a great supporting cast for our (anti?) hero as he seems to only relate to those who are just as (if not more) screwed up than he is.
If you've read this far in sequence then be prepared for some twists. The surprises aren't exactly of the smoking gun, red herring type but result from our character's self doubts, revelations, and flaws. Those that enjoy the character are in for a treat.
I feel obligated to give a brief synopsis for these books before going into my thoughts. In the above description, most of what you read is filler whereas the heart of The Devil Knows You're Dead is in the second half of the last sentence. In this entry we delve deep into Scudder's thoughts on his life including his sobriety, love life, personal motivations, and individual code. Some of these are explicitly described by Block through Matt's inner narration while the others are revealed through the events in the book. The heavy emphasis on character study may sound like a bore at first but, trust me my friends, it slightly departs from the crime genre in a manner that is interesting, compelling, and profound.
At this stage in his life Matt is in limbo. Sober with a serious girlfriend, he still finds himself detached from the things that most people care about. I've always like this about our main character: his flaws. Matt is not what one would call honorable nor is he particularly deviant. He is human. And his human characteristics are where the surprises come into play, not only in this entry but in the other books as well. For instance, when a colleague inquires about the sexual habits of a transsexual prostitute, Scudder shrugs and states that it would simply make a man feel good. He lets a youth deal drugs and buy guns to progress his own motives. What is interesting is that he does not exactly condone this behavior as he understands that people must do tasks which are not agreeable to a worldly view. This is not lawful but Matt probably considers these ideals just. Just like in previous novels, when he used violence as a means of justice and retribution, his reasoning and instincts in The Devil Knows You're Dead make the reader cringe while acknowledging that they might have done the same thing under similar circumstances.
The co-characters are even more interesting than in previous novels. Especially regarding TJ. TJ is a little more street savvy and edgy in this book whereas he was an urban teenage caricature before. We get a better handle on how dangerous his life is and how he is able to come up with the information for Scudder. Elaine and Mick are wonderful as always but reader beware...they are eclipsed by a familiar face from other novels. The dimensions that this character brings to the plot are worth the price of the dust cover. This oddball assortment of derelicts make a great supporting cast for our (anti?) hero as he seems to only relate to those who are just as (if not more) screwed up than he is.
If you've read this far in sequence then be prepared for some twists. The surprises aren't exactly of the smoking gun, red herring type but result from our character's self doubts, revelations, and flaws. Those that enjoy the character are in for a treat.
May 10, 2020
This one was tough to get into ‘cause I lost the paperback twice, which was irritating. Eventually the finished it on kindle and the drama in Matt’s social/love life is the big story here, even though there’s great case stuff (of course.)
May 2, 2017
Wonderful to read as always with strong recurring characters. Big changes at the end.
March 23, 2017
This is the only Matt Scudder book I have read, and considering this was number 11 out of 17 I have my work cut out for me if I wish to read more. I will keep it in my back pocket for those times when I have a problem finding something to read that is well written. It should be of particular interest to AA people as well as fans of New York cops (though he is retired and working as a p.i.). It is also pretty much a "man's man" kind of book... so I may not rush to the book stall for more Scudder. There is no magic in his sidewalk investigation style, but Scudder does have a reliable, precise memory that helps him get to the truth in the end.
A clip re: the AA theme is about as wry as the humour gets, but getting it requires AA knowledge: "I don't think I ever saw him at a meeting. I guess we can call his life unmanageable. His dress and grooming might pass for eccentricities, but when you gun down strangers on the street it tends to suggest that something's not working."
A clip re: the AA theme is about as wry as the humour gets, but getting it requires AA knowledge: "I don't think I ever saw him at a meeting. I guess we can call his life unmanageable. His dress and grooming might pass for eccentricities, but when you gun down strangers on the street it tends to suggest that something's not working."
April 13, 2015
Another fun episode in the Matthew Scudder series. At first, I was disappointed in the mystery. It seemed like such a let down. But, Lawrence Block twisted the ending and left me with the fun surprise I have come to love with his writing. I also loved the twists and turns in Matthew's personal life in this episode. I liked the way that part of the story ended as well.
September 23, 2016
PROTAGONIST: Matt Scudder, PI
SETTING: New York
SERIES: #11 OF 18
RATING: 4.25
WHY: Matt Scudder's significant other, Elaine, has an acquaintance named Lisa Holtzmann. She and Matt get together with Lisa and her husband, Glenn. Matt doesn't care for Glenn at all. Shortly thereafter, Glenn is shot to death while making a phone call in a dicey part of town. The main suspect is a homeless man named George Sadecki. Matt is hired by George's brother, Tom, to see if he was innocent, as he believes. The plot was nicely complex. I liked the fact that Block didn't feel the need to resolve threads that weren't all that important. Scudder, always working on his sobriety, faces some challenges. This book marks a defined change in his life.
SETTING: New York
SERIES: #11 OF 18
RATING: 4.25
WHY: Matt Scudder's significant other, Elaine, has an acquaintance named Lisa Holtzmann. She and Matt get together with Lisa and her husband, Glenn. Matt doesn't care for Glenn at all. Shortly thereafter, Glenn is shot to death while making a phone call in a dicey part of town. The main suspect is a homeless man named George Sadecki. Matt is hired by George's brother, Tom, to see if he was innocent, as he believes. The plot was nicely complex. I liked the fact that Block didn't feel the need to resolve threads that weren't all that important. Scudder, always working on his sobriety, faces some challenges. This book marks a defined change in his life.
February 21, 2017
In terms of the plot, this eleventh book in the series seems like something of a return to the earliest novels. Its predecessor was written very much as a thriller (and a darned good one too), but in this novel Scudder goes back to slowly piecing together the solution to the case, without facing any high drama. One feature of this particular novel is that Scudder has an unusual number of personal issues to deal with, and the moral ambiguities in his lifestyle and relationships are more noticeable than ever. We are invited to consider his influence on TJ, (Scudder’s own Baker Street Irregular), and there are other moral complexities that I can’t go into without giving away spoilers. Not as gripping as “A Walk Among the Tombstones”, but still another solid entry in the series.
July 10, 2021
"Around ten-thirty the doorman called upstairs to tell her that there was a police officer on his way up. [...] He wouldn't say anything until they were inside the apartment, but by then she already knew. The look on his face said it all."
Lawrence Block's The Devil Knows You're Dead (1993) is the eleventh novel in the Matthew Scudder series, and the sixth one that I am reviewing here on Goodreads. The readers who are into conceptual continuity of Matthew Scudder's life story will appreciate the book even more than I do. There are three main threads in the novel: the criminal plot, the thread focusing on Matt's sobriety, the AA meetings, and his daily struggles, as well the storyline about the women in his life, Elaine and others. I have the feeling that the emphasis on the two "personal" threads is more pronounced than in other novels in the series. Anyway, back to the plot.
A man leaves the luxury apartment in the evening to take care of something, promising his wife to come back soon, and then... The wife learns that he has been killed in an apparently random attack. The Holtzmanns were acquaintances of Matthew Scudder and his significant other, Elaine. A near-homeless Vietnam veteran is charged with the murder; all circumstances of the attack point to him. Yet his brother does not believe he is the killer and hires Matt Scudder to find out the truth. The plot is quite plausible and devoid of ridiculous twists and clichés, perhaps except one: the author resorts to a common literary gimmick:
On the negative side, despite my supposed wisdom accumulated with old age, I have never been able to understand the author's fascination with Mick Ballou, a recurring character in many Scudder novels and "a boring, stupid creep," to borrow language from Gen Z: Sure, people like this exist and need to appear in fiction, but why come back to the same person time and time again?
Three-and-a-half stars.
Lawrence Block's The Devil Knows You're Dead (1993) is the eleventh novel in the Matthew Scudder series, and the sixth one that I am reviewing here on Goodreads. The readers who are into conceptual continuity of Matthew Scudder's life story will appreciate the book even more than I do. There are three main threads in the novel: the criminal plot, the thread focusing on Matt's sobriety, the AA meetings, and his daily struggles, as well the storyline about the women in his life, Elaine and others. I have the feeling that the emphasis on the two "personal" threads is more pronounced than in other novels in the series. Anyway, back to the plot.
A man leaves the luxury apartment in the evening to take care of something, promising his wife to come back soon, and then... The wife learns that he has been killed in an apparently random attack. The Holtzmanns were acquaintances of Matthew Scudder and his significant other, Elaine. A near-homeless Vietnam veteran is charged with the murder; all circumstances of the attack point to him. Yet his brother does not believe he is the killer and hires Matt Scudder to find out the truth. The plot is quite plausible and devoid of ridiculous twists and clichés, perhaps except one: the author resorts to a common literary gimmick:
"Something was playing hide-and-seek in my memory, something I'd heard or read in the past day or two. But I couldn't quite manage to grab on to it..."To me, the best thing in the novel are three conversations that Matt has with various people. The first one, with the victim's boss, touches on various extraneous topics, such as publishing business and office politics; yes, it could be cut out, yet I learned a lot reading it. The conversation between Matt, the victim's wife, and Matt's lawyer is hilarious: it illustrates various clever ways of making obviously illegal activities appear legal. And, to me, the highpoint of the novel is when Matt's ex-lover explains her decision in the closing section of the story - a desperately sad, yet somehow uplifting paragraph.
On the negative side, despite my supposed wisdom accumulated with old age, I have never been able to understand the author's fascination with Mick Ballou, a recurring character in many Scudder novels and "a boring, stupid creep," to borrow language from Gen Z: Sure, people like this exist and need to appear in fiction, but why come back to the same person time and time again?
Three-and-a-half stars.
January 26, 2019
A middling book to start off a new year The Devil Knows You're Dead is the most underwhelming entry in the Scudder series so far. The series was stagnating before it was revitalized by a change in approach at book #8. Meandering mysteries gave way to suspenseful thrillers as Block even picked up his only best novel Edgar award during that phase. This is a reversion to the older days - a much slower whodunnit that doesn't really work.
The main problem is when the series started, Block wrote 200 page mystery novellas with just a hint of characterization to stand out amidst competition. But this book is a 350 page slice of life story set in New York with just a hint of mystery to keep the fans appeased. And this simply has not got enough going for itself to work as a character piece. The main plot has a random murder, another random coincidence to solve it and a belaboured resolution about which no one seems particularly bothered. The series always had unheralded yet strong plots, so it is surprising the main plot is so bare bones.
There is neither any character growth nor much dramatic conflict to speak of. Scudder's ex wants his help to euthanize herself while Scudder also cheats on his girlfriend. So Block had ample opportunity to provide the necessary tension but he is content setting up interesting boobytraps without ever really springing them. The problem is Block's writing is greater than the sum of it's parts. When the characterization is an added bonus on the mystery, it seems low key yet subtle. When the characters become the selling point almost every one other than Scudder seems half baked. Block's characterization just proves the adage less is more.
The usual flashes of Block's wry humor is present so it is not a chore to read even though nothing interesting really happens for the most part. But at the end of the day it is undeniably regressive and not recommended to anyone but author/series fans. Rating - 3/5
The main problem is when the series started, Block wrote 200 page mystery novellas with just a hint of characterization to stand out amidst competition. But this book is a 350 page slice of life story set in New York with just a hint of mystery to keep the fans appeased. And this simply has not got enough going for itself to work as a character piece. The main plot has a random murder, another random coincidence to solve it and a belaboured resolution about which no one seems particularly bothered. The series always had unheralded yet strong plots, so it is surprising the main plot is so bare bones.
There is neither any character growth nor much dramatic conflict to speak of. Scudder's ex wants his help to euthanize herself while Scudder also cheats on his girlfriend. So Block had ample opportunity to provide the necessary tension but he is content setting up interesting boobytraps without ever really springing them. The problem is Block's writing is greater than the sum of it's parts. When the characterization is an added bonus on the mystery, it seems low key yet subtle. When the characters become the selling point almost every one other than Scudder seems half baked. Block's characterization just proves the adage less is more.
The usual flashes of Block's wry humor is present so it is not a chore to read even though nothing interesting really happens for the most part. But at the end of the day it is undeniably regressive and not recommended to anyone but author/series fans. Rating - 3/5
November 21, 2018
To read this book, I had to break my rules: "You only get to read a mystery AFTER you have read FOUR literary works." I broke down. Having just read "The Great Agnostic" about Robert Ingersoll, I NEEDED just a mystery, please.
At age 79, my reading time is short and my list of UNREAD books is LOOOONG. So, I'm being selective. This book by Lawrence Block won him the 1994 Shamus Award for the "Best Private Eye Hardcover."
I understand why. While it is pretty thin on the "mystery" side of things, it is a classic on the development of the private eye character, in this case, his famous detective, Matthew Scudder. By the end of the book, you no longer care about the guy who got murdered (and it seems neither did Block), but you REALLY want to know what is going to happen to Matt Scudder. Is he going to fall off the wagon and start drinking again? is he going to leave Elaine and go live with "the widow?" Will Jan die of cancer or will it go into remission?
If you think I'm going to give you answers, think again. GO READ IT YOURSELF.
At age 79, my reading time is short and my list of UNREAD books is LOOOONG. So, I'm being selective. This book by Lawrence Block won him the 1994 Shamus Award for the "Best Private Eye Hardcover."
I understand why. While it is pretty thin on the "mystery" side of things, it is a classic on the development of the private eye character, in this case, his famous detective, Matthew Scudder. By the end of the book, you no longer care about the guy who got murdered (and it seems neither did Block), but you REALLY want to know what is going to happen to Matt Scudder. Is he going to fall off the wagon and start drinking again? is he going to leave Elaine and go live with "the widow?" Will Jan die of cancer or will it go into remission?
If you think I'm going to give you answers, think again. GO READ IT YOURSELF.
February 25, 2022
After the last several books which have been a parade of psychopaths and sexual sadists it was downright refreshing for Matt to grab a case featuring a murdered young professional with hidden secrets. Secrets that had nothing to do with sexual sadism (Woot! Woot!)
Unfortunately the whole thing wraps up to be a big ol' nothing burger. I was really interested in what our murdered man's secrets were, and what they entailed, only to get to the denouement which was about as captivating as the air being let out of a balloon.
Also, for the love of God Matt - learn to keep it in your pants.
Unfortunately the whole thing wraps up to be a big ol' nothing burger. I was really interested in what our murdered man's secrets were, and what they entailed, only to get to the denouement which was about as captivating as the air being let out of a balloon.
Also, for the love of God Matt - learn to keep it in your pants.
December 20, 2017
I’ve read a half dozen of the Matthew Scudder series (out of order) and this is my least favorite by far. It’s only 335 pages but it feels so much longer. Block keeps wandering away from the crime to be solved and there is no narrative drive. I’m always going to be interested in Scudder, who is a good character, but Block skips over the mystery part of this mystery novel, and that’s a mistake.
April 7, 2020
Compelling as usual but rather dated, sections with a trans girl seem awkward and patronizing;
big change occurs as Matt proposes to Elaine, marries, and they move to a new apartment. He has an affair with a customer Lisa before they marry but doesn’t tell Elaine; as a member of AA who’s charged with rigorous honesty, I suspect that will come up in the next book or be an awkward loose thread here.
This series features an ensemble of complicated characters who weave in and out of these mysteries. It’s a strong, gratifying element, akin to seeing an old friend again, and adds a layer of enjoyment to each novel.
big change occurs as Matt proposes to Elaine, marries, and they move to a new apartment. He has an affair with a customer Lisa before they marry but doesn’t tell Elaine; as a member of AA who’s charged with rigorous honesty, I suspect that will come up in the next book or be an awkward loose thread here.
This series features an ensemble of complicated characters who weave in and out of these mysteries. It’s a strong, gratifying element, akin to seeing an old friend again, and adds a layer of enjoyment to each novel.
October 4, 2014
Another good entry in the Matthew Scudder series. This one is a lot less hard-core than the previous book A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES, but it is a satisfying read nonetheless. In this one, Scudder tries to clear a Vietnam vet from a murder charge he may not have committed. The vet is a street person with severe mental issues who is charged with shooting an acquaintance of Scudder's who was making a call on a public phone in a somewhat questionable area of town. At first, Scudder feels the vet is guilty but as he digs into the case, he finds the victim definitely has something to hide -- his wife finds a stongbox full of cash in their closet plus it is unknown how the vic was able to pay for a high-priced condo. Along the way, Scudder meets with a dying ex-girl friend who wants him to provide a gun so she can commit suicide if things get too bad, and he has an affair with the wife of the murder victim! At the end, he is still with his ex-hooker girlfriend, Elaine, but his actions in this book make you wonder how long it will last. I guess I need to continue with the series to find out. Overall, I would recommend this one but it does not have the action and it does not include the wacked out psycho-killers of some of the previous books such as TOMBSTONES.
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