When a heroin kingpin's wife is kidnapped by some bad hombres, he haggles over the ransom and receives her back in pieces, leaving Scudder to track down the killers. By the author of A Dance at the Slaughterhouse. Simultaneous.
A Walk Among the Tombstones (Matthew Scudder)
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Despite their dark titles (the words Slaughterhouse and Boneyard figured in the previous two), Block's splendid, award-winning Matt Scudder novels are by no means unrelievedly bleak. His latest-as well as offering the customary skillful plotting, adroit pacing and sure sense of New York character-features a wry humor all its own, along with a particularly ingratiating and convincing pair of computer hackers. The premise is grim, certainly: a pair of men who prey murderously on women progress to kidnapping the womenfolk of drug dealers and demanding huge ransoms. Former alcoholic PI Scudder-now going to more AA meetings than ever-reluctantly agrees to help one dealer, a Lebanese, after his wife is killed by the kidnappers. Slowly and methodically he discerns a pattern in the mayhem. With the help of his erstwhile police colleagues, his black Times Square sidekick TJ and his call-girl sweetheart, Elaine, Scudder tightens the net on the culprits. When they seize the daughter of a Russian dealer, he is ready for the showdown. Block isn't big on action, though when it comes it is swift, vivid and horribly convincing; his Scudder books are built on character, atmosphere, crackling dialogue and a great deal of brooding-the taste for them is addictive. An equal of Elmore Monard and Robert Parker, Block deserves similar acclaim. Author tour.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"A big bruiser of a crime novel...This is no pleasant stroll in the country, but it's some trip." -- The New York Times Book Review
"As good as the crime thriller gets." -- San Diego Union-Tribune
"Wonderful...Everyone who relishes a vicarious walk on the rough side should rejoice!" -- Arizona Daily Star --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
"As good as the crime thriller gets." -- San Diego Union-Tribune
"Wonderful...Everyone who relishes a vicarious walk on the rough side should rejoice!" -- Arizona Daily Star --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
Format:Kindle Edition
Couldn't put this book down! Loved the interaction between TJ and Matt. Hope both characters continue their book life together.
By ensiform
Format:Paperback
A very gritty and black entry into the series of the former alkie but still unlicensed private eye. In this book, Scudder is hired by a drug dealer to find the sadistic spree killers who kidnapped and butchered his wife. With the help of his street connections, Scudder decides to mete out some more of the rough justice that is becoming his trademark. But lest he become a remorseless killing machine, Block allows Scudder to begin to craft some domestic bliss at the end of this saga. It's a fine read, because Block is always entertaining. A few points distract from the story. One is unfortunate timing; the book is dated, with its labyrinthine plot to get ahold of a phone number that today could be obtained by the police without a second thought, and most civilians who have the technology. Block uses a pair of teenage hackers as the tools for this caper, and it seems like Block's stretching, trying to get into the big "thing" of the early '90s. Clearly Block's not on familiar ground, plot- or dialogue-wise. He should stick to cynical thugs and world-weary cops. The other point is that this book has a lot of black humor of the particularly morbid variety. The Scudder that I'm familiar with wouldn't have made a joke about a woman getting her breast cut off (in A Dance At the Slaughterhouse, his reaction to torture was appropriately grim). Maybe now that Scudder's found love, he's light hearted enough tocrack about torture and mutiliation, but I'm not sure I like it.
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This is the first, and only, book I've read by Lawrence Block. I picked it up for a N.Y.-to-L.A. flight. After the reviews here and on the book, I thought it would at the very least be a harmless read that zipped along, but I was disappointed to find out it's a deadly slow and dull affair. Block writes the oddest, most stilted dialogue I've ever read. This novel has no drive whatsoever to it. The cover review speaks of "suspense" that "never lets up." Could have fooled me. (There IS no suspense.) The plot, which is good, is an afterthought. The book is really about AA and dealing with being a former drunk or an addict. This plot about kidnappers/rapists who are snatching up the loved ones of drug dealers is hardly dealt with. Scudder is a lumbering dope who shuffles about without doing much work. For the most part two hackers and a young black kid (who talks like an old white man trying to write slang) do all the work. This business in the book, about getting a number that called a particular phone, seems downright silly today, with Caller ID on every home phone.
Block's prose style is that curt, brisk variety you see in a lot of detective books, and while I enjoy it when it's done right, here it comes off as lazy and half-assed. Like he couldn't be bothered.
You'll find yourself skipping through the pale talk about alcoholics and God. Not because they aren't subjects for discussion, but because Block cannot craft even one realistic line of dialogue.
I would have enjoyed a more detailed look about what is an intriguing idea -- kidnapping from those that can't go to the cops -- but this is clearly a case where an author had an idea and nothing after that.
Want to see more reviews on this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 28 reviews
4.4 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
a headlong ride with no letup
This was the first Scudder novel I tried,and I have since read all of them.The novel is one of the best. Read more
Published on July 16 2001 by Joseph Bernstein
4.0 out of 5 stars
Scudder Takes a Walk
Lawrence Block's amazing Matthew Scudder series maintains a very high level of quality considering the number of novels. Read more
Published on Jun 23 2001 by Brian D. Rubendall
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lawrence Block scores big with this Scudder novel.
I rate this the best of the Scudder novels. I couldn't put this book down. I loved the other characters in it too. Can't wait for the movie to come out. Read more
Published on Oct 3 2000 by Moxie
4.0 out of 5 stars
EXCELLENT BUT STILL LOOKING FOR MY 5 STARS
As good a book as any ive ever read traveling through the city with old school detective mathew scudder ands his underground friends this book makes me wanna go back and read all... Read more
Published on Aug 8 2000 by Greg Maxwell
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kick Ass!
Now, this isn't exactly literature, so I'm not giving this five stars over Dickens or anything, but for hard-boiled, raw, simple prose, Scudder kicks ass, and Block deserves all... Read more
Published on Jun 4 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
Most chilling Scudder novel to date.
Matthew Scudder is Lawrence Block's remarkable private investigator. He's a former NYPD detective who left the force after an accident left a child dead in crossfire. Read more
Published on Dec 2 1998 by Harold L. Laroff
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Scudder Success
Block has created one of the best serial mystery characters with Matt Scudder and this book is no exception to the series success. Read more
Published on Nov 3 1997
5.0 out of 5 stars
Matt Scudder does it again. . .
Strong plot, well-drawn characters. Another terrific
installment in the Scudder series.
installment in the Scudder series.
Published on July 25 1996
5.0 out of 5 stars
Darkly plotted fascinating detective fiction...
Lawrence Block is at the top of his game here. The
plot crackles with moral questions. Make no mistake
about it this is a dark, brooding book but it is
also... Read more
plot crackles with moral questions. Make no mistake
about it this is a dark, brooding book but it is
also... Read more
Published on May 29 1996
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
