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Matthew Scudder #8
A Ticket to the Boneyard
Twelve years ago, Matthew Scudder lied to a jury to put James Leo Motley behind bars. Now the ingenious psychopath is free. And the alcoholic ex-cop-turned-p.i. must pay dearly for his sins. Friends and former lovers -- even strangers unfortunate enough to share Scudder's name -- are turning up dead. Because a vengeful maniac is determined not to rest until he's driven his nemesis back to the bottle...and then to the boneyard.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
177 people are currently reading
1231 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Block
767 books2,979 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 292 reviews
June 14, 2019
A sick sonovabitch woman-hating torture-freak like James Leo Motley deserved to be behind bars. That's what NYPD cop Scudder thought twelve years ago when—with the help of two whores' false testimony—he framed him and sent him “up the river” to Dannemora. But now Motley is loose again, one of those whores has been tortured and murdered, and private eye Scudder has begin to fear for every woman he has ever loved.
What I like best about this book is that Motley is so evil, and so gifted in everything evil requires, that he gets under Scudder's skin in a way no bad guy has managed to before. Scudder reveals new levels of vulnerability to us in an adventure that challenges him to his core.
Fans of the series will be pleased. Ex-wife Anita, girlfriend Elaine, Detective Joe Durkin and saloon keeper and criminal Mick Ballou all make their appearances, as well as a “butcher's mass” and copious amounts of alcohol. And most important, there is Scudder's New York City—shabby, compelling, and threateningly real.
May 10, 2022
Scudder has a long running association with a prostitute called Elaine Mardell in this series. The ‘arrangement’ they had whilst he was a cop carried over to a friendship with benefits when he left the force and later matured into a lasting relationship. Here, in the mid-period, they’d been out of contact for a while when she calls him up detailing a concern over the murder of a mutual acquaintance. Elaine is afraid that a dark figure from her past has re-appeared and that this poses a threat to both herself and Matt. As the story plays out this man is to demonstrate what a grim character he truly is.
My re-visits to this series have reminded me just how significant a figure New York City is in these stories. Scudder knows the city well and is inclined to travel on foot to places Block describes in detail, in terms of geography, character and atmosphere. It’s something I always liked about these books, LB really does paint vivid pictures of The City That Never Sleeps. And there is always a somewhat threatening vibe pervading these stories, accentuated here by the misogynistic violence perpetrated by this unwelcome visitor from the past.
Scudder’s working day usually includes the attendance of one or more AA meetings, in various venues dotted around the city. Of course, he is ever tempted by the demon drink and I particularly appreciated one scene in which he gazes at a bottle of Bourbon he’s just picked up from a store. As he muses on his love affair with booze he concludes that a bottle of whiskey is: a filter through which you can safely look upon a reality that is otherwise too vivid for the naked eye.
Another top notch piece of crime fiction, brilliantly written by the grand master of noir.
My re-visits to this series have reminded me just how significant a figure New York City is in these stories. Scudder knows the city well and is inclined to travel on foot to places Block describes in detail, in terms of geography, character and atmosphere. It’s something I always liked about these books, LB really does paint vivid pictures of The City That Never Sleeps. And there is always a somewhat threatening vibe pervading these stories, accentuated here by the misogynistic violence perpetrated by this unwelcome visitor from the past.
Scudder’s working day usually includes the attendance of one or more AA meetings, in various venues dotted around the city. Of course, he is ever tempted by the demon drink and I particularly appreciated one scene in which he gazes at a bottle of Bourbon he’s just picked up from a store. As he muses on his love affair with booze he concludes that a bottle of whiskey is: a filter through which you can safely look upon a reality that is otherwise too vivid for the naked eye.
Another top notch piece of crime fiction, brilliantly written by the grand master of noir.
May 23, 2011
A psychopath Matthew Scudder framed years ago when he was still a cop has gotten out of jail and is looking for revenge, killing Scudder's women friends one by one. Can Scudder stop him before he becomes another of the killer's victims?
Holy crap! James Leo Motley was the scariest villain I've run into a long time, far from a mustache twirling James Bond villain. He's crazy and nigh unstoppable. A few times while I was reading, I had to look over my shoulder and make sure he hadn't slipped into my house.
Aside from a chilling villain, Ticket has a lot going for it. Matthew Scudder is as capable as ever and Block does a good job at conveying his frustration and powerlessness as Motley kills victim after victim. Mick Ballou and Elaine Mardell are developed further as supporting characters, probably to return again. And the ending went down just like I hoped.
A Ticket to the Boneyard is another great entry in the Matthew Scudder series but definitely isn't for the squeamish.
Holy crap! James Leo Motley was the scariest villain I've run into a long time, far from a mustache twirling James Bond villain. He's crazy and nigh unstoppable. A few times while I was reading, I had to look over my shoulder and make sure he hadn't slipped into my house.
Aside from a chilling villain, Ticket has a lot going for it. Matthew Scudder is as capable as ever and Block does a good job at conveying his frustration and powerlessness as Motley kills victim after victim. Mick Ballou and Elaine Mardell are developed further as supporting characters, probably to return again. And the ending went down just like I hoped.
A Ticket to the Boneyard is another great entry in the Matthew Scudder series but definitely isn't for the squeamish.
September 13, 2024
Българските издатели имат в безкрайния си репертоар от некадърни изпълнения един чуден бизнес модел - избират популярна в чужбина поредица и издават първо осмата книга от нея! Продължават след това с разбъркани в подредбата още няколко нейни части и накрая почват да се жалват, как читателите не оценяват труда им и как не купуват продукцията им. Естествено, поредицата бива скоропостижно зарязана. Go figure it out...
Така навремето ми попадна българското издание на "Билет за гробищата" и бях очарован от стила на Лорънс Блок и от житието на неговия герой - Мат Скъдър. Поради споменатата по-горе практика, започнах тази година романите на английски и съм много довлен - кратки, съдържателни и много интересни кримки, написани с голяма обич и респект към Ню Йорк и жителите му.
В този напрегнат криминален роман се сбъдва кошмара на всеки един полицай - безмилостен психопат и убиец е излязъл от затвора и е твърдо решен да си отмъсти на човека вкарал го там. Но освен Мат, Джеймс Лио Мотли се е заклел да убие и всички скъпи нему жени...
Чудесен трилър, препоръчвам!
Така навремето ми попадна българското издание на "Билет за гробищата" и бях очарован от стила на Лорънс Блок и от житието на неговия герой - Мат Скъдър. Поради споменатата по-горе практика, започнах тази година романите на английски и съм много довлен - кратки, съдържателни и много интересни кримки, написани с голяма обич и респект към Ню Йорк и жителите му.
В този напрегнат криминален роман се сбъдва кошмара на всеки един полицай - безмилостен психопат и убиец е излязъл от затвора и е твърдо решен да си отмъсти на човека вкарал го там. Но освен Мат, Джеймс Лио Мотли се е заклел да убие и всички скъпи нему жени...
Чудесен трилър, препоръчвам!
May 23, 2011
Back when Matt Scudder was a hard-drinking New York cop, he had a *ahem* special relationship with a high-class prostitute named Elaine. He helped her out with problems like taking care of a john who had the bad manners to die of a heart attack while in the middle of a transaction. In exchange, Elaine provided services for Matt.
After Elaine was robbed, beaten and raped by a sadistic misogynist named John Leo Motley, she called Matt for help, and Scudder responded by getting Motley sent to prison on a charge that was about half-legitimate and half frame-up. Years later, Matt is a sober private investigator when Elaine calls with news that Motely finally got out of jail. And he’s had a lot of time to plan his revenge.
Up until this point, most of Matt’s villains could have been filed under Evil, Banality of, but Motley is a whole different animal. He’s genuinely creepy and scary without being so over the top that the character becomes unbelievable. He thinks so little of women that he’s sure that Matt was Elaine’s pimp because he can’t conceive of any other reason of why he tried to protect her. Motley’s revenge scheme involves a lot of innocent people getting hurt, leading Matt to feel an enormous burden of guilt for the ones caught in the crossfire. As he puts it at one point in the book, he played God when he framed Motley, and now it seems like he’s paying the price for that.
This was a twist on the Scudder series with the usually calm Matt understandably freaking because a psychopath is out there killing innocent people because of him. This one also brought back Elaine, who was a minor character in some of the early books as well as building the friendship of Matt and Mick Ballou, the charming Irish gangster. In addition to them and an appearance by Danny Boy Bell, this book also introduces another interesting recurring series character in Ray Galindez, a police sketch artist with genuine talent.
This one is the most unsettling and disturbing Scudder novel yet, and it’s another winner from Block.
After Elaine was robbed, beaten and raped by a sadistic misogynist named John Leo Motley, she called Matt for help, and Scudder responded by getting Motley sent to prison on a charge that was about half-legitimate and half frame-up. Years later, Matt is a sober private investigator when Elaine calls with news that Motely finally got out of jail. And he’s had a lot of time to plan his revenge.
Up until this point, most of Matt’s villains could have been filed under Evil, Banality of, but Motley is a whole different animal. He’s genuinely creepy and scary without being so over the top that the character becomes unbelievable. He thinks so little of women that he’s sure that Matt was Elaine’s pimp because he can’t conceive of any other reason of why he tried to protect her. Motley’s revenge scheme involves a lot of innocent people getting hurt, leading Matt to feel an enormous burden of guilt for the ones caught in the crossfire. As he puts it at one point in the book, he played God when he framed Motley, and now it seems like he’s paying the price for that.
This was a twist on the Scudder series with the usually calm Matt understandably freaking because a psychopath is out there killing innocent people because of him. This one also brought back Elaine, who was a minor character in some of the early books as well as building the friendship of Matt and Mick Ballou, the charming Irish gangster. In addition to them and an appearance by Danny Boy Bell, this book also introduces another interesting recurring series character in Ray Galindez, a police sketch artist with genuine talent.
This one is the most unsettling and disturbing Scudder novel yet, and it’s another winner from Block.
May 27, 2021
I am going to part with the majority of reviewers here on #8 of Lawrence Block's Matthew Scudder mysteries and say this was a disappointing departure from any of the previous books. Block in the opening books has Detective Scudder as an anguished, guilt-ridden loner, not a saint but trying very hard to figure out how to do good in the world. Fighting alcoholism. The first 7 books are novels with crime serving the character development.
So, in this book: Twelve years ago, Scudder lied to a jury to put James Leo Motley behind bars, and for good reason. He was being physically abusive to a friend. Now the psychopath is free and wanting revenge, which he intends to enact by killing every woman Scudder has ever known, apparently, and then killing Scudder, finally.
In A Ticket to The Boneyard we substitute a sadistic, psychopathic, revenge-driven monster for character development. It's a cheap trick to--for the first time thus far in the series--crank up the grisly and the terror and torture just for shock value and largely ignore Scudder as a developing human, trying to restore his life. Scudder also makes mistakes he would never have made in the first seven books, falling into the trap of super-villain Motley, such as entering Motley's domain twice even though he could enlist lots of capable help. And why wouldn't Motley just kill Scudder, the first time he sees--and tortures-- him? Well, I hate the revenge-driven end. A lot. I don't really even buy it, though I suppose it is in some sense "satisfying" in some brutal way, finally. But it's not consistent with the guy Scudder has been developing into.
I guess I can say this book might/does appeal to readers of thrillers, in that it has this heart-racing dimension to it, but I thought it was a shift away from the reflective direction I had been enjoying.
What brings this up to a 3 star book for me are some powerful scenes with his old pal Elaine, with an Ohio detective, and (especially) Mick Ballou, an unlikely friend of Scudder's, an Irish mobster, who he ends up confessing to and getting help from. There's fine dialogue here, as always. The scenes with Mick rescue the book for me, basically. Mick, who has a rep as a Very Bad Guy, has a long talk with Scudder, asks him to Mass, and he goes, though when he prays--for Elaine--he is not sure if there is anybody who is listening.
So, in this book: Twelve years ago, Scudder lied to a jury to put James Leo Motley behind bars, and for good reason. He was being physically abusive to a friend. Now the psychopath is free and wanting revenge, which he intends to enact by killing every woman Scudder has ever known, apparently, and then killing Scudder, finally.
In A Ticket to The Boneyard we substitute a sadistic, psychopathic, revenge-driven monster for character development. It's a cheap trick to--for the first time thus far in the series--crank up the grisly and the terror and torture just for shock value and largely ignore Scudder as a developing human, trying to restore his life. Scudder also makes mistakes he would never have made in the first seven books, falling into the trap of super-villain Motley, such as entering Motley's domain twice even though he could enlist lots of capable help. And why wouldn't Motley just kill Scudder, the first time he sees--and tortures-- him? Well, I hate the revenge-driven end. A lot. I don't really even buy it, though I suppose it is in some sense "satisfying" in some brutal way, finally. But it's not consistent with the guy Scudder has been developing into.
I guess I can say this book might/does appeal to readers of thrillers, in that it has this heart-racing dimension to it, but I thought it was a shift away from the reflective direction I had been enjoying.
What brings this up to a 3 star book for me are some powerful scenes with his old pal Elaine, with an Ohio detective, and (especially) Mick Ballou, an unlikely friend of Scudder's, an Irish mobster, who he ends up confessing to and getting help from. There's fine dialogue here, as always. The scenes with Mick rescue the book for me, basically. Mick, who has a rep as a Very Bad Guy, has a long talk with Scudder, asks him to Mass, and he goes, though when he prays--for Elaine--he is not sure if there is anybody who is listening.
September 3, 2014
Like the previous seven novels in this series, A Ticket to the Boneyard is a great read. Unlike its predecessors, though, this one is more of a thriller than a mystery novel. And unlike the others, in this case Matthew Scudder is effectively his own client.
Twelve years earlier, while Scudder was still a detective in the NYPD, a psycho named James Leo Motley assaulted an escort named Elaine Mardell and insisted that she now belonged to him. Elaine was a friend of Scudder's; the two had been intimate, and Elaine turned to Matt for help. Motley then broke into Elaine's apartment while Scudder was there and threatened both of them while holding Elaine hostage.
Matt realized that Motley was one sick S.O.B. and that arresting him for a simple assault wouldn't put him away for nearly long enough. So Matt planted a gun on Motley and framed him for assaulting a police officer. Motley then went to the Big House, threatening along the way to kill Scudder and "all his women" once he got out.
Twelve years down the road, Elaine calls Matt. They haven't seen each other in years, but Elaine has just hear from Motley who intends to make good on his threat and has already killed a woman once associated with Scudder and Elaine.
From that point on, Scudder and Motley play a hair-raising game of cat and mouse. Motley has vowed to kill Scudder last and as the death toll rises, the cops seem unable to do anything about it. The only man with a chance to get Motley would seem to be someone willing to work outside of the law. Is Scudder willing to go that far? And how many innocent people might have to die in the meantime?
This is another great novel from Lawrence Block that will keep any reader up well into the night. And when it's finally time to go to sleep, you're really not going to want to turn off the light...
Twelve years earlier, while Scudder was still a detective in the NYPD, a psycho named James Leo Motley assaulted an escort named Elaine Mardell and insisted that she now belonged to him. Elaine was a friend of Scudder's; the two had been intimate, and Elaine turned to Matt for help. Motley then broke into Elaine's apartment while Scudder was there and threatened both of them while holding Elaine hostage.
Matt realized that Motley was one sick S.O.B. and that arresting him for a simple assault wouldn't put him away for nearly long enough. So Matt planted a gun on Motley and framed him for assaulting a police officer. Motley then went to the Big House, threatening along the way to kill Scudder and "all his women" once he got out.
Twelve years down the road, Elaine calls Matt. They haven't seen each other in years, but Elaine has just hear from Motley who intends to make good on his threat and has already killed a woman once associated with Scudder and Elaine.
From that point on, Scudder and Motley play a hair-raising game of cat and mouse. Motley has vowed to kill Scudder last and as the death toll rises, the cops seem unable to do anything about it. The only man with a chance to get Motley would seem to be someone willing to work outside of the law. Is Scudder willing to go that far? And how many innocent people might have to die in the meantime?
This is another great novel from Lawrence Block that will keep any reader up well into the night. And when it's finally time to go to sleep, you're really not going to want to turn off the light...
August 27, 2012
I am not the target audience for this book.
1) I'm a chicken when it comes to horror/thriller.
2) In Ticket, Block experiments with a thriller plot of a sadistic freak stalking Scudder and Elaine for revenge. Yes, they set him up, but they were totally justified, because he was stalking prostitutes, assaulting and raping them and trying to use mind Jedi tricks to convince them to let him be their pimp for good. No cop thought the charges would stick because, you know, this is a New York jury: they would have thought the pros totally deserved it, right?
3) Did I mention I am a chicken when it comes to horror? I am.
4) While the stalker-rapist was in jail, he killed at least two people and possibly three more, but the prison authorities couldn't prove anything (cuz he was already in a prison, natch)
5) I made it to about page 50 before I read ahead so I could know who survives.
6) Yes, I know there are like 10 other Scudder books. See #3.
7) Now that I know the ending (roughly; I didn't totally cheat--what do you think I am?? I skimmed it) I'll go back and finish the book.
*********
Alright, plowed through it today. Not out of any great love, mind you, but out of sense of responsibility and completion. The fact that there were some very nicely written sections and several great scenes with Scudder and his retinue (Elaine, Danny Boy, Mick Ballou, a random Ohio detective) were sheer bonus, much like discovering bacon bits on a spinach salad. One of the pleasures remains Scudder's struggles with personal growth. Jim Faber, AA sponsor, recommended he take up The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and Scudder's been meditating on it (and finding it useless, but that's part of the fun). There's a nice bit where dry Scudder feels slightly frustrated by the ghosts of hangovers past: "I like to think I'd given up mornings like this along with the booze. Instead my head ached and my mouth and throat were dry and every minute took three or four minutes to pass." He ends up discussing the experience at an AA meeting, and it's refreshing to see him taking the time to puzzle out his feelings instead of drowning them in Kentucky coffee.
He still makes a stupid mistake or three because he is so very desperate to take down the stalker. Scudder seriously abuses some shoe leather as he knocks on doors (so to speak) and hits just about every flophouse in town. Those parts are believable enough, but I'm surprised his cop friends give him so much grief later in the book about pressing charges for assault. That is less explicable in context of prior books and the old-boys' club, and it feels more like a device to create a feeling of entrapment and futility. I feel like some of the plotting in building the stalker-tension was more forced, less consistent with Scudder and his NYC world. The psychological intimidation on the part of the stalker was enough to put me off, but I'm not sure it squared as well with the addition of the sadistic murdering qualities as well; it was a little too "this is the ultimate bad guy so everything that happens to him is justified." I'm not sure it was psychologically consistent within the criminal personality either--he killed in a multitude of ways, a multitude of people (some not even connected), sodomized, had sex with dead bodies, targeted women, etc. He did everything but abuse puppies and kittens. What Block really does well are nuanced characters--witness Ballou--and this villain didn't play to his strengths. Still, decent enough. Onward!
1) I'm a chicken when it comes to horror/thriller.
2) In Ticket, Block experiments with a thriller plot of a sadistic freak stalking Scudder and Elaine for revenge. Yes, they set him up, but they were totally justified, because he was stalking prostitutes, assaulting and raping them and trying to use mind Jedi tricks to convince them to let him be their pimp for good. No cop thought the charges would stick because, you know, this is a New York jury: they would have thought the pros totally deserved it, right?
3) Did I mention I am a chicken when it comes to horror? I am.
4) While the stalker-rapist was in jail, he killed at least two people and possibly three more, but the prison authorities couldn't prove anything (cuz he was already in a prison, natch)
5) I made it to about page 50 before I read ahead so I could know who survives.
6) Yes, I know there are like 10 other Scudder books. See #3.
7) Now that I know the ending (roughly; I didn't totally cheat--what do you think I am?? I skimmed it) I'll go back and finish the book.
*********
Alright, plowed through it today. Not out of any great love, mind you, but out of sense of responsibility and completion. The fact that there were some very nicely written sections and several great scenes with Scudder and his retinue (Elaine, Danny Boy, Mick Ballou, a random Ohio detective) were sheer bonus, much like discovering bacon bits on a spinach salad. One of the pleasures remains Scudder's struggles with personal growth. Jim Faber, AA sponsor, recommended he take up The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and Scudder's been meditating on it (and finding it useless, but that's part of the fun). There's a nice bit where dry Scudder feels slightly frustrated by the ghosts of hangovers past: "I like to think I'd given up mornings like this along with the booze. Instead my head ached and my mouth and throat were dry and every minute took three or four minutes to pass." He ends up discussing the experience at an AA meeting, and it's refreshing to see him taking the time to puzzle out his feelings instead of drowning them in Kentucky coffee.
He still makes a stupid mistake or three because he is so very desperate to take down the stalker. Scudder seriously abuses some shoe leather as he knocks on doors (so to speak) and hits just about every flophouse in town. Those parts are believable enough, but I'm surprised his cop friends give him so much grief later in the book about pressing charges for assault. That is less explicable in context of prior books and the old-boys' club, and it feels more like a device to create a feeling of entrapment and futility. I feel like some of the plotting in building the stalker-tension was more forced, less consistent with Scudder and his NYC world. The psychological intimidation on the part of the stalker was enough to put me off, but I'm not sure it squared as well with the addition of the sadistic murdering qualities as well; it was a little too "this is the ultimate bad guy so everything that happens to him is justified." I'm not sure it was psychologically consistent within the criminal personality either--he killed in a multitude of ways, a multitude of people (some not even connected), sodomized, had sex with dead bodies, targeted women, etc. He did everything but abuse puppies and kittens. What Block really does well are nuanced characters--witness Ballou--and this villain didn't play to his strengths. Still, decent enough. Onward!
May 17, 2023
one of the best scudder novels.
which is probably the most adult and mature series of detective books i’ve encountered so far. lawrence block is such a dependable writer, you can pick up any of his releases and get something out of it.
big recommend.
which is probably the most adult and mature series of detective books i’ve encountered so far. lawrence block is such a dependable writer, you can pick up any of his releases and get something out of it.
big recommend.
January 12, 2016
A Ticket to the Boneyard is a whole new ballgame in the Matt Scudder series. After allowing Matt to confront his alcoholism in
Eight Million Ways to Die
and focusing on him dealing with sobriety in
Out on the Cutting Edge
, author Lawrence Block now has a blank slate and the space to really take Matt's story in any direction. But one would think that after your private detective character sobers up, the stories are in real danger of becoming flat and boring. Not so with Block's series! Because Boneyard is probably the most exciting Scudder book to date. Instead of Matt getting hired to solve a random mystery as with the previous novels, Block makes it personal and brings it close to home, while introducing a truly unsettling villain who proves to be a formidable foe for our hero.
Years back when he was a cop, Matt framed a psycho, woman-hating killer who was raping and terrorizing his special lady-friend Elaine. When James Leo Motley went to prison for 12 years, he vowed to hurt Matt and everyone he loves ( "You and all your women Scudder..." ). Matt thought it was just the usual empty threat that criminals make while in cuffs. But things prove to be different after Motley is released crazier than ever and begins a mission to hurt any woman close to Scudder.
This novel proves to be one of the most engaging of the series so far. While not as emotionally heavy as Eight Million, it is well paced, with the suspense quickly building as the threats to Matt's friends become real, and still packs an emotional punch as we see Matt becoming unhinged, making serious mistakes, blaming himself for these events, and getting dangerously close to falling off the wagon.
Matt's relationship deepens with both Elaine (who's popped up sporadically in previous books), and Mick Ballou (the Irish gangster and butcher that Matt befriended in the last book). The relationships and the personal danger for Matt really make this book shine as Block steps it up another notch in this series.
Years back when he was a cop, Matt framed a psycho, woman-hating killer who was raping and terrorizing his special lady-friend Elaine. When James Leo Motley went to prison for 12 years, he vowed to hurt Matt and everyone he loves ( "You and all your women Scudder..." ). Matt thought it was just the usual empty threat that criminals make while in cuffs. But things prove to be different after Motley is released crazier than ever and begins a mission to hurt any woman close to Scudder.
This novel proves to be one of the most engaging of the series so far. While not as emotionally heavy as Eight Million, it is well paced, with the suspense quickly building as the threats to Matt's friends become real, and still packs an emotional punch as we see Matt becoming unhinged, making serious mistakes, blaming himself for these events, and getting dangerously close to falling off the wagon.
Matt's relationship deepens with both Elaine (who's popped up sporadically in previous books), and Mick Ballou (the Irish gangster and butcher that Matt befriended in the last book). The relationships and the personal danger for Matt really make this book shine as Block steps it up another notch in this series.
Life, I'd heard someone say, is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel. It seemed to me that it was both at once, even for those of us who don't do much of either.
May 19, 2023
"A Ticket To The Boneyard" is the eighth novel in Block's Matthew Scudder series. It is a terrific, page-turning thriller of a novel that can be read as part of the series or on its own as a standalone. I could easily see this one being made into a movie, perhaps costarring Michelle Pfeiffer as Elaine.
This book contains something for everyone. There is the tenacious ex-police officer Scudder doggedly pursuing leads to a killer. There is the tender love story between Scudder and Elaine as they reunite after years of not seeing each other as he tries to protect her from the most vicious psychopath imaginable, one who Scudder can barely hold his own against.
Without giving away the story, Scudder and Elaine met back when he was a cop and she was a high-priced call girl. He took care of her. She took care of him. And, one day when a psychopath terrorized her, Scudder dropped everything else to come to her aid and put the guy away. But, now the psychopath is back. No one knows where he is or where he will pop up and there are no walls and no locks that can seem to bar his way. He's almost hypnotically evil and there has barely ever been a better villain.
This is simply a top-notch novel filled with romance, terror, and dogged determination to survive. There is no possible way to find that this merits anything less than five stars. This is the good stuff.
This book contains something for everyone. There is the tenacious ex-police officer Scudder doggedly pursuing leads to a killer. There is the tender love story between Scudder and Elaine as they reunite after years of not seeing each other as he tries to protect her from the most vicious psychopath imaginable, one who Scudder can barely hold his own against.
Without giving away the story, Scudder and Elaine met back when he was a cop and she was a high-priced call girl. He took care of her. She took care of him. And, one day when a psychopath terrorized her, Scudder dropped everything else to come to her aid and put the guy away. But, now the psychopath is back. No one knows where he is or where he will pop up and there are no walls and no locks that can seem to bar his way. He's almost hypnotically evil and there has barely ever been a better villain.
This is simply a top-notch novel filled with romance, terror, and dogged determination to survive. There is no possible way to find that this merits anything less than five stars. This is the good stuff.
September 15, 2024
Meditative Scudder
Review of the LB Productions eBook (September 26, 2020) of the original William Morrow & Co. hardcover (1990).
Book #8 in the Matthew Scudder series has the informal private detective having to save himself and occasional girlfriend Elaine from the murderous revenge of a psychopath who had been framed by them both and sent to prison for a extended sentence from back in the days when Scudder was still in the NYPD.
Front cover of the original 1990 William Morrow & Co. hardcover edition. Image sourced from Goodreads.
James Leo Motley is out of prison and has vowed revenge on Scudder and "all his women." One friend of Elaine's from back in the day has already been found dead with her entire family. Scudder attempts to take precautions by having his ex-wife and others take vacations out of town. With Elaine they make security arrangements at her apartment building. Motley is crazed and relentless though and it all comes down to a showdown in the end.
Along the way, Scudder is reading the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and pondering the inevitability of what is to come. He continues his now regular cycle of attending AA meetings and keeping his sobriety a day at a time. Of the extended Scudder series cast, Irish American gangster / bar owner Mick Ballou is on hand to provide an unregistered firearm when called upon.
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 that have otherwise gone out of print, using his own LB Productions imprint such as this current eBook edition for A Ticket to the Boneyard.
Review of the LB Productions eBook (September 26, 2020) of the original William Morrow & Co. hardcover (1990).
Life, I'd heard someone say, is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel. It seemed to me that it was both at once, even for those of us who don't do much of either.
Book #8 in the Matthew Scudder series has the informal private detective having to save himself and occasional girlfriend Elaine from the murderous revenge of a psychopath who had been framed by them both and sent to prison for a extended sentence from back in the days when Scudder was still in the NYPD.
Front cover of the original 1990 William Morrow & Co. hardcover edition. Image sourced from Goodreads.
James Leo Motley is out of prison and has vowed revenge on Scudder and "all his women." One friend of Elaine's from back in the day has already been found dead with her entire family. Scudder attempts to take precautions by having his ex-wife and others take vacations out of town. With Elaine they make security arrangements at her apartment building. Motley is crazed and relentless though and it all comes down to a showdown in the end.
Along the way, Scudder is reading the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and pondering the inevitability of what is to come. He continues his now regular cycle of attending AA meetings and keeping his sobriety a day at a time. Of the extended Scudder series cast, Irish American gangster / bar owner Mick Ballou is on hand to provide an unregistered firearm when called upon.
I said, “My name is Matt and I’m an alcoholic, and my hangovers used to be bad, too. I figured I was done with them in sobriety, so I felt a little resentful when I woke up with one this morning. It didn’t seem fair, and I started off the day with a pretty good resentment. Then I reminded myself that I used to feel that way every morning of my life, and that I took it for granted, I didn’t even object to it very strongly. My God, a normal person who woke up feeling like that would have gone to a hospital, and I would just pull up my socks and go work.”
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 that have otherwise gone out of print, using his own LB Productions imprint such as this current eBook edition for A Ticket to the Boneyard.
September 13, 2014
Back when
Matthew Scudder
was still officially with the fuzz, he wasn’t exactly a stickler for the official rules. He did, however, have a set of his own, including the notion that if someone offers to buy you “a new hat,” you accept.* Officer Scudder wasn’t above keeping company with women in the oldest profession, and one in particular,
Elaine
.
Friends of Matt S. (since he’s working the steps, I’ll use the program’s preferred nomenclature) likely know from previous volumes, that Scudder-brand justice doesn’t always align with that of the American legal system. Both, however, have certain shortcomings. For Scudder, this may have included a little bit of staging in order to get a sadistic sociopath, John Motley , without compromising Elaine’s operation.
Motley may be confused about Matt’s role in this all, but that doesn’t stop him from seeking vengeance upon exit from the big house. And Motley is one scary dude. I don’t know if he was trained in Krav Maga or what, but Motley’s mitts are akin to those of a stevedore who lost his hand in a stevedoring accident and then got a hand transplant from an actual bear! Remind you of anyone?
I don’t know how, or why I strayed from my man Scudder for so long, but (shoutout to Peaches & Herb) being reunited feels so good.
____________________________________________
* For those of you out there still living Scudderless lives, this translates to roughly $25.
Friends of Matt S. (since he’s working the steps, I’ll use the program’s preferred nomenclature) likely know from previous volumes, that Scudder-brand justice doesn’t always align with that of the American legal system. Both, however, have certain shortcomings. For Scudder, this may have included a little bit of staging in order to get a sadistic sociopath, John Motley , without compromising Elaine’s operation.
Motley may be confused about Matt’s role in this all, but that doesn’t stop him from seeking vengeance upon exit from the big house. And Motley is one scary dude. I don’t know if he was trained in Krav Maga or what, but Motley’s mitts are akin to those of a stevedore who lost his hand in a stevedoring accident and then got a hand transplant from an actual bear! Remind you of anyone?
I don’t know how, or why I strayed from my man Scudder for so long, but (shoutout to Peaches & Herb) being reunited feels so good.
____________________________________________
* For those of you out there still living Scudderless lives, this translates to roughly $25.
January 22, 2020
An excellent Matt Scudder novel, I would rate this 4.5 stars if I could. Matt tries to protect himself and others from a psychopath that he helped imprison 12 years earlier. To me, Block has never been more brutal or harrowing than this. Not to be missed. Highly recommended.
November 5, 2017
Cartoon Clown Super-Villain. The whole book is a giant, insulting cliché.
Block manipulates Scudder ruthlessly in this book, turning him into a bumbling idiot, trapped by outrageous plotting and apparently unable to avoid all the rabbits Block magically pulls from a hat.
I hate this book in 100 ways. It's hard to believe this is the same author who wrote the masterpiece 8 Million Ways to Die.
Warning: There is mention and very brief description of the murder of children in this book.
There are some unpleasant graphic scenes in the book, including rape, sodomy and the murder of children. You can skim this without losing any of the absurd plotting.
Very repetitive in many parts... Even the "famous Block dialogue" in this book is padded excessively. Go on, check back to see how lazy this writing is, how many ideas and explanations are repeated 2, 3 or even 4 times.
And did I mention that the few women characters in the book are merely cardboard cutouts? Even the lovely Elaine is reduced to a plot appendage.
Mick Ballou has the manpower and resources to track and end Motley (and save all those innocent lives) within the first quarter of this book. Block wants us to believe Matt is too stupid to get his help until the last 1/4 of the book.
Then we are to believe Matt's testosterone addled brain . Honestly, it's insulting to the reader.
A cartoon ending to a cartoon book.
Truly awful.
.
Block manipulates Scudder ruthlessly in this book, turning him into a bumbling idiot, trapped by outrageous plotting and apparently unable to avoid all the rabbits Block magically pulls from a hat.
I hate this book in 100 ways. It's hard to believe this is the same author who wrote the masterpiece 8 Million Ways to Die.
Warning: There is mention and very brief description of the murder of children in this book.
There are some unpleasant graphic scenes in the book, including rape, sodomy and the murder of children. You can skim this without losing any of the absurd plotting.
Very repetitive in many parts... Even the "famous Block dialogue" in this book is padded excessively. Go on, check back to see how lazy this writing is, how many ideas and explanations are repeated 2, 3 or even 4 times.
And did I mention that the few women characters in the book are merely cardboard cutouts? Even the lovely Elaine is reduced to a plot appendage.
Mick Ballou has the manpower and resources to track and end Motley (and save all those innocent lives) within the first quarter of this book. Block wants us to believe Matt is too stupid to get his help until the last 1/4 of the book.
Then we are to believe Matt's testosterone addled brain . Honestly, it's insulting to the reader.
A cartoon ending to a cartoon book.
Truly awful.
.
December 2, 2016
Matt Scudder stands against a sadist that is too dark to describe. Block's writing style is really perfect for a nerve-wracking thriller. He describes everything in Scudder's life with the same reporterly tone; the reader supplies the emotion. Maybe it's a trick to make the fiction seem real, but it sure works for me. Great series.
November 1, 2011
Wow!
This was less of a Matt Scudder mystery and more of a Matt Scudder thriller! James Leo Motley plays the first truly aggressive adversary he's ever faced, almost like an insane arch-nemeses in a way. This guy really hates Scudder, to the point where he wants to kill him and everyone he cares about. Talk about a grudge!
The whole thing dates back to a situation where Motley had been harassing Scudder's on again-off again call-girl/girlfriend, Elaine, a few years back. The only way that Scudder could stop the endless torture was to frame him, putting him in jail for the foreseeable future. When Motley finally found his way out of the big house, he decided to exact this revenge against the one who took him off the street.
Within these pages, Block stretches Scudder to the limit. Nearly pushing him back into the world of alcohol, Scudder instead turns to the newest recurring character, Mick Ballou. While Block begins to build what is due to become a satisfying relationship, Ballou gives Scudder the guidance he needs. I'm growing very fond of ol' Mick and I can't wait to read more about him.
A Ticket to the Boneyard is the best book since 8 Million Ways to Die and shows that this series is in no way showing signs of fatigue.
This was less of a Matt Scudder mystery and more of a Matt Scudder thriller! James Leo Motley plays the first truly aggressive adversary he's ever faced, almost like an insane arch-nemeses in a way. This guy really hates Scudder, to the point where he wants to kill him and everyone he cares about. Talk about a grudge!
The whole thing dates back to a situation where Motley had been harassing Scudder's on again-off again call-girl/girlfriend, Elaine, a few years back. The only way that Scudder could stop the endless torture was to frame him, putting him in jail for the foreseeable future. When Motley finally found his way out of the big house, he decided to exact this revenge against the one who took him off the street.
Within these pages, Block stretches Scudder to the limit. Nearly pushing him back into the world of alcohol, Scudder instead turns to the newest recurring character, Mick Ballou. While Block begins to build what is due to become a satisfying relationship, Ballou gives Scudder the guidance he needs. I'm growing very fond of ol' Mick and I can't wait to read more about him.
A Ticket to the Boneyard is the best book since 8 Million Ways to Die and shows that this series is in no way showing signs of fatigue.
September 30, 2018
9/10
When I started this audiobook my first thought was, “for God’s sake, not another narrator!” this being the 7th book I’ve listened to in the series and the 4th narrator. This soon passed though as the narrator really gelled with the story and characters and, to date, is my favourite narrator for this series.
This is easily the best story in the series for me so far. It’s hard to say why too, it’s not all that different in style or mystery to the others in the series but something really clicked and I couldn’t get enough of listening to it. The characters are as interesting as ever and complex, I found the struggle Matt had with alcohol in this one all the more intriguing due to what other things were happening around him at the time. Don’t do it Matt!!
I think this series is really good, it’s up there with Bosch as my favourite crime series but they are like chalk and cheese or rather vodka and whiskey. I can’t wait to get into the next one!
When I started this audiobook my first thought was, “for God’s sake, not another narrator!” this being the 7th book I’ve listened to in the series and the 4th narrator. This soon passed though as the narrator really gelled with the story and characters and, to date, is my favourite narrator for this series.
This is easily the best story in the series for me so far. It’s hard to say why too, it’s not all that different in style or mystery to the others in the series but something really clicked and I couldn’t get enough of listening to it. The characters are as interesting as ever and complex, I found the struggle Matt had with alcohol in this one all the more intriguing due to what other things were happening around him at the time. Don’t do it Matt!!
I think this series is really good, it’s up there with Bosch as my favourite crime series but they are like chalk and cheese or rather vodka and whiskey. I can’t wait to get into the next one!
October 11, 2023
This might be the most intense Matt Scudder book yet!
Block kept up the tension by putting his main character at risk. That's something you can't do in every book, not in a detective series, and still maintain realistic integrity. But slid it in now and then and, wow, does it heighten the suspense!
Creating a thoroughly despicable and tenacious villain is helpful, too. It's been a while since I've hated a character quite as much as James Leo Motley.
An almost perfect balance is struck between Scudder's professional and personal life. When Block allows his main character to breathe it makes sense and paces the book quite well.
A Ticket to the Boneyard continues Block's Scudder series in great style!
Block kept up the tension by putting his main character at risk. That's something you can't do in every book, not in a detective series, and still maintain realistic integrity. But slid it in now and then and, wow, does it heighten the suspense!
Creating a thoroughly despicable and tenacious villain is helpful, too. It's been a while since I've hated a character quite as much as James Leo Motley.
An almost perfect balance is struck between Scudder's professional and personal life. When Block allows his main character to breathe it makes sense and paces the book quite well.
A Ticket to the Boneyard continues Block's Scudder series in great style!
July 24, 2014
Scudder vs the psychotic serial killer AKA Ticket to the Boneyard is Lawrence Block's take on the highly popular James Patterson-esque cat and mouse sub-genre of crime fiction. Because it's Block you know straight off that it's not going to be the same simple structure and the same definitions of good and evil will not apply for his characters, especially Matt Scudder, former cop turned unofficial private eye.
JL Motley is a son of a bitch of the highest order, misogynist in the extreme and incredibly violent to boot and as he gets out of prison after 12 years his sole aim is to wreak vengeance upon Matthew Scudder "and all his women." I don't get off on this sub-genre, detailed descriptions of the violence done to innocents are not for me, blow by blow accounts of their stalking and plotting bore me, and no amount of holy shit did that just happen endings can make up for it.
The usual Scudder soul searching, his interactions with people, his internal struggles are all there in spades and they make for an entertaining and quick read that helped me plough through the bad times featuring the nut job and boy that denouement is gonna mess with his head in future episodes. It's something that only Lawrence Block could write and something only a character like Matt Scudder could do and have you believe it as an organic plot development, not some meaningless shock tactic by an author desperate for attention. It's moments like that that make you come back to the series time and time again, assured that you're in the hands of a master.
JL Motley is a son of a bitch of the highest order, misogynist in the extreme and incredibly violent to boot and as he gets out of prison after 12 years his sole aim is to wreak vengeance upon Matthew Scudder "and all his women." I don't get off on this sub-genre, detailed descriptions of the violence done to innocents are not for me, blow by blow accounts of their stalking and plotting bore me, and no amount of holy shit did that just happen endings can make up for it.
The usual Scudder soul searching, his interactions with people, his internal struggles are all there in spades and they make for an entertaining and quick read that helped me plough through the bad times featuring the nut job and boy that denouement is gonna mess with his head in future episodes. It's something that only Lawrence Block could write and something only a character like Matt Scudder could do and have you believe it as an organic plot development, not some meaningless shock tactic by an author desperate for attention. It's moments like that that make you come back to the series time and time again, assured that you're in the hands of a master.
April 19, 2016
Scudder's past as a cop comes back to haunt him in this very dark entry in the series, which also features the reappearance of Elaine Mardell, who originally appeared in Book 1. There is also a welcome return for the character of Mickey Ballou.
The plot involves a decidedly unpleasant character called Motley, released from prison after 12 years, who has sworn vengeance on Scudder for framing him for the crime for which he was sent down. Scudder framed Motley because he knew him to be a murderer and a serial rapist, but was unsure about a conviction for reasons explained in the book.
This book is different from others in the series. Previous novels generally consist of Scudder plodding around the city gradually collecting evidence, but this is an actual thriller where Scudder and those around him are under threat. Having read all 7 previous novels I am wholly engaged with the main characters and was completely swept up in the plot of this one.
Throughout the novel Scudder carries around a copy of Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations", and periodically thinks about the implications of some of the passages he reads. He also ponders on how his decision to frame Motley may have saved some people but has adversely affected others. Morality and mortality are both therefore themes of the novel. Personally I think of Scudder as a highly moral character. It's just that he has his own standards, and they aren't always conventional.
One of the best of an excellent series.
The plot involves a decidedly unpleasant character called Motley, released from prison after 12 years, who has sworn vengeance on Scudder for framing him for the crime for which he was sent down. Scudder framed Motley because he knew him to be a murderer and a serial rapist, but was unsure about a conviction for reasons explained in the book.
This book is different from others in the series. Previous novels generally consist of Scudder plodding around the city gradually collecting evidence, but this is an actual thriller where Scudder and those around him are under threat. Having read all 7 previous novels I am wholly engaged with the main characters and was completely swept up in the plot of this one.
Throughout the novel Scudder carries around a copy of Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations", and periodically thinks about the implications of some of the passages he reads. He also ponders on how his decision to frame Motley may have saved some people but has adversely affected others. Morality and mortality are both therefore themes of the novel. Personally I think of Scudder as a highly moral character. It's just that he has his own standards, and they aren't always conventional.
One of the best of an excellent series.
August 3, 2011
This is the most chilling, unsettling Scudder novel so far.
Motley is a creepy villain and still plausible, normaly i dislike the sick serial killer type villain.
Block brought back in the story the high-class prostitute named Elaine that Scudder use to be close with. That along with Scudder's new friendship with Mick Ballou, an Irish gangster made the story extra interesting and Matt less of depressing loner. Scudder in this series destroys the cool lone wolf type hero. He is a depressing loner that lost everyone close to him years before when he was a terrible drinker. As he says sometimes not drinking anymore didnt change his life much.
Really i cant say more of this book because i have simply run out of ways to write rave reviews about every book i read in this series.
Motley is a creepy villain and still plausible, normaly i dislike the sick serial killer type villain.
Block brought back in the story the high-class prostitute named Elaine that Scudder use to be close with. That along with Scudder's new friendship with Mick Ballou, an Irish gangster made the story extra interesting and Matt less of depressing loner. Scudder in this series destroys the cool lone wolf type hero. He is a depressing loner that lost everyone close to him years before when he was a terrible drinker. As he says sometimes not drinking anymore didnt change his life much.
Really i cant say more of this book because i have simply run out of ways to write rave reviews about every book i read in this series.
June 9, 2018
Wow, this one was intense! I think one of this series’ most potent strengths is the understated nature of the writing and the main character. Scudder has kind of an emotionally detached narration and the slow-burn, dialogue-heavy nature of the myriad plots so far has hardly made these nail-biting thrillers. Even the entry the publishers seemed to push as the most white-knuckled (A Stab in the Dark) turned out to be, again, mostly dialogue and ultimately another “banality of evil” situation that just makes you shake your head at how petty and violent people can be. Well, this one was truly a fucking paranoia-raising, heart-rate-increasing, loud-gulp-inducing thriller.
As some other reviewers have pointed out, while this one does have a couple mysteries it’s more of a “how the fuck is Matt gonna get out of this one” rather than a “how the fuck is Matt gonna figure out whodunnit” type situation. It seems back in his NYPD days Matt framed a certain charmer named James Leo Motley to ensure he goes away for a long time. It sounds kind of fucked up and corrupt, and it is; but we already knew Matt was corrupt, and it’s for a good cause. His buddy Elaine Mardell is being assaulted and stalked by said charmer and dude is fucking majorly cruel and creepy, like I challenge any even semi-normal human being to spend a couple pages with this dude or someone even just talking about him and not get fucking seriously worried by guy.
Anyways, turns out that said charmer is out of jail after twelve years. Matt notices that dude’s stayed way longer in prison than he was supposed to which is kind of a bad sign. Shit just spirals way out of control from there and leads to this amazing book. Block’s NYC has always been vivid and populated with interesting characters but in this one the plot lends it a horrible claustrophobic and dangerous atmosphere. Obviously I loved this one, Block is a goddamn grand master of crime writing. You really can’t beat an ending like the one in Eight Million Ways to Die but this one might be in the same ballpark. Amazing series!
As some other reviewers have pointed out, while this one does have a couple mysteries it’s more of a “how the fuck is Matt gonna get out of this one” rather than a “how the fuck is Matt gonna figure out whodunnit” type situation. It seems back in his NYPD days Matt framed a certain charmer named James Leo Motley to ensure he goes away for a long time. It sounds kind of fucked up and corrupt, and it is; but we already knew Matt was corrupt, and it’s for a good cause. His buddy Elaine Mardell is being assaulted and stalked by said charmer and dude is fucking majorly cruel and creepy, like I challenge any even semi-normal human being to spend a couple pages with this dude or someone even just talking about him and not get fucking seriously worried by guy.
Anyways, turns out that said charmer is out of jail after twelve years. Matt notices that dude’s stayed way longer in prison than he was supposed to which is kind of a bad sign. Shit just spirals way out of control from there and leads to this amazing book. Block’s NYC has always been vivid and populated with interesting characters but in this one the plot lends it a horrible claustrophobic and dangerous atmosphere. Obviously I loved this one, Block is a goddamn grand master of crime writing. You really can’t beat an ending like the one in Eight Million Ways to Die but this one might be in the same ballpark. Amazing series!
August 31, 2022
I could barely put this book down, but I think I can understand why my buddy Kareem gave this eighth Matt Scudder mystery (p. 1990) only three stars, after having awarded a steady run of fours. It is, after all, the first of the Scudder mysteries that- well- it isn't really a mystery. It's a thriller. And there's something a little cliched and cartoonishly sadistic in the premise of a madman from Scudder's past turning up to terrorize everyone he cares about and destroy his life before (inevitably) killing him- a premise that from what I remember was in vogue in the early 90s, right around the time Scorcese's remake of Cape Fear came out.
That said, Motely is a memorable villain. Block captures the feeling of having a nemesis, someone who poses a genuine danger but to whom you are also (perhaps because of a mistake in your past) deeply connected, and the tale takes on a particularly claustrophobic and feverish atmosphere. Block also, as usual, devotes time to deepening and complicating Matt's relationships, which have become one of my favorite parts of the series; I particularly liked the all-night council of war with Mickey Ballou. It furthermore bears reiterating that I was glued to the pages for the first 2/3 or so; but it was right around that point that I knew exactly how it was going to end, and this is the first Scudder novel I can say that about. It didn't leave a great aftertaste.
June 11, 2018
Scudder must face a psychopathic killer he framed years ago, who vowed to get even with him “and all your women.” The bodies start to pile up before Scudder, outmatched in strength and perhaps in wiles, can get together a defense.
This might be the best Scudder yet. Compared to the adolescent fantasies of Spenser, the characters are gritty, believable and fleshed out. This in turn helps the drama. While you know Spenser will outmatch everyone (yawn), Scudder, an Everyman struggling with his demons, must find the solution we all might grope for with our backs to the wall: an ambush, framing, murder. And now, so far into the series, the books are populated with these characters: the Irish mobster who’s taken a shine to Scudder, the ex-pimp, his old girlfriends... It’s all very real, very exciting, very thrilling. Great stuff.
[Read three times: 7/26/02, 11/25/05, 3/18/10]
This might be the best Scudder yet. Compared to the adolescent fantasies of Spenser, the characters are gritty, believable and fleshed out. This in turn helps the drama. While you know Spenser will outmatch everyone (yawn), Scudder, an Everyman struggling with his demons, must find the solution we all might grope for with our backs to the wall: an ambush, framing, murder. And now, so far into the series, the books are populated with these characters: the Irish mobster who’s taken a shine to Scudder, the ex-pimp, his old girlfriends... It’s all very real, very exciting, very thrilling. Great stuff.
[Read three times: 7/26/02, 11/25/05, 3/18/10]
April 3, 2018
Lawrence Block is the grand master of "same, but different".
A TICKET TO THE BONEYARD is entirely different from its predecessor OUT ON THE CUTTING EDGE, yet offers a powerful new chapter in Matthew Scudder's evolution. What makes this Scudder novel stand out is how it discusses abuse and what kind of person perpetuates it. The antagonist James Leo Motley is sneaky, cold blooded, manupulative and obsessed. He's not even on the page for most of the novel and yet he shapes and informs the story.
Another awesome Scudder novel.
A TICKET TO THE BONEYARD is entirely different from its predecessor OUT ON THE CUTTING EDGE, yet offers a powerful new chapter in Matthew Scudder's evolution. What makes this Scudder novel stand out is how it discusses abuse and what kind of person perpetuates it. The antagonist James Leo Motley is sneaky, cold blooded, manupulative and obsessed. He's not even on the page for most of the novel and yet he shapes and informs the story.
Another awesome Scudder novel.
March 21, 2013
My favourite so far of this great series.
Lots of unexpected turns in the plot and a very satisfactory ending and most importantly, the scariest psychopathic bad guy ever !
Like the way that Scudder's character has developed throughout the series and enjoyed this one all the more for having read the previous 7 books but if you were to read just one of the series, this would be the one that I would recommend.
Completely unputdownable at times - almost missed my bus stop and ended up at the airport yesterday while I was in the midst of a crucial part and had a couple of very late nights with this book plus a whisky. That alone is reason enough to give it 5 stars.
Lots of unexpected turns in the plot and a very satisfactory ending and most importantly, the scariest psychopathic bad guy ever !
Like the way that Scudder's character has developed throughout the series and enjoyed this one all the more for having read the previous 7 books but if you were to read just one of the series, this would be the one that I would recommend.
Completely unputdownable at times - almost missed my bus stop and ended up at the airport yesterday while I was in the midst of a crucial part and had a couple of very late nights with this book plus a whisky. That alone is reason enough to give it 5 stars.
September 4, 2023
Сносна кримка от автор, който определено умее да борави с думите. Матю Скъдър е какъвто си го знаем от другите романи - лочи тонове кафе, сода и кока кола, редовно посещава сбирките на Анонимните Алкохолици, а междувременно се разправя с лошите по единствения възможен начин. Тук не ми допадна само финалната сцена - прекалено лесно стана всичко и изобщо не усетих нагнетяване на напрежението преди развръзката.
May 13, 2024
“Thank you for everything just as it is.”
This was more of a thriller than I was expecting! Eeek. Nail biter.
James was a truly evil person and Scudder put him away but he comes back with vengeance on his mind. There are some seriously brutal scenes in this installment! Very dark. I hate when little kids are murdered and 3 of them died in this one.
Scudder gets James in the end. Tbh it was a bit anticlimactic. Scudder battled his sobriety and his own conscience in this book. Mickey is a nice addition to the character rotation and Elaine survives to make it into another Scudder story.
Lucky 🍀her 😬
This was more of a thriller than I was expecting! Eeek. Nail biter.
James was a truly evil person and Scudder put him away but he comes back with vengeance on his mind. There are some seriously brutal scenes in this installment! Very dark. I hate when little kids are murdered and 3 of them died in this one.
Scudder gets James in the end. Tbh it was a bit anticlimactic. Scudder battled his sobriety and his own conscience in this book. Mickey is a nice addition to the character rotation and Elaine survives to make it into another Scudder story.
Lucky 🍀her 😬
February 2, 2025
Matthew’s past comes back to haunt him in this novel. Really well done as is Matthew’s struggle with the bottle.
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