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Rating: 
Summary: Decent Hardboiled P.I. Fiction
Review: I am a huge fan of hardboiled P.I. fiction, and this is the first Matthew Scudder book that I've had a chance to read. And while I found the book to be a bit on the slow side in terms of action, the plot was so fascinating that I couldn't put it down. The book's real subject matter is death, and as one character says, man is the only animal who knows he's going to die. He's also the only animal that drinks. Somehow, there must be a connection. Those strictly interested in shoot-'em-ups and continuous action should look elsewhere. Those who like their P.I. stories on the philisophical side will love it. As a character, I found Scudder interesting, especially his background and his continuous battle with alcoholism. Like any good P.I., he inhabits the landscape around him (in this case, Manhattan) so well that he becomes part of the scenery. I also didn't mind the fact that he was involved in a stable relationship (often a weakness in other P.I. serieses. A classic P.I. ought to be a loner). His love interest is just quirky enough to add spice to the story and isn't used merely to give him a contrived vulnerability. Overall, the best compliment I can pay is that I don't expect that this will be my last encounter with Scudder.
Rating:
Summary: too much AA
Review: I had the opposite reaction of a previous reviewer -- I liked the book until the last 100 pages.
It is then that, out of nowhere, Scudder's friend Mick Ballou brings up the Vietnam War Memorial Wall in a conversation. Mick reports that the names are "in no particular order," which isn't true -- they're listed in order of death. Mick says he booked a room in a "hotel across the street from the White House." The only hotel that fits that description is the Hay-Adams, across Lafayette park. Rooms at the luxurious Hay-Adams start at $300 a night -- a bit unusual for Mick Ballou, who is described as a brutal killer, a career criminal, and someone who drinks whiskey like water.
The sudden mention of the Wall is a plot device, of course, and Scudder later travels to Washington to check whether a certain name is on the wall. Of course, Scudder wouldn't have had to travel -- the Wall names are listed on the internet.
The dénouement is even worse. The group of respectable businessmen decides that the answer to their problems is to hold the killer in solitary confinement for life, in their own private jail cell, located on a small island in Lake Huron. The businessmen use the racist assumption that a "family of Cree Indians" who work as caretakers of the island will loyally and mutely participate in their conspiracy to kidnap and isolate the killer for life -- complete with a welded leg shackle.
The book started off well, but it really needs a different ending.
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent Scudder book ...
Review: If you like Scudder, you'll love this one. Lots of twists and turns that you don't expect. I recommend reading all the Scudder books from the beginning chronologically the way they were written by the author. However, this is definitely worth reading even if you're reading out of order or just catching a single Scudder book.
Rating:
Summary: Scudder getting dull with age? Uhh...
Review: Maybe, but the novel is still a wonderful one. Sure, Matt Scudder is getting older, so he's less active (like a dull razor). He's also 10 years sober, so the alcohol battle that put his name on the maps is becoming less of a challenge (and less interesting to read about). His relationship with Elaine is dry, if not at all meaningful, and his network of criminal friends is the same old bull. So what keeps this mystery alive? A solid plot. Interesting, mysterious, and quite a good tale all in all. I hate to see Scudder dwindling away, but I have to say that this book was still a hit.
Rating:
Summary: A hard-boiled puzzle
Review: Multi-award winner Block combines the mystery puzzle format with the gritty style of the American private eye iin this 1994 Matthew Scudder novel.
Scudder himself is a somewhat unsettling character - a forthright, thoughtful recovering alcoholic who lives with an ex-prostitute and claims as his best friend a hard-drinking killer.
The story's premise is instantly tantalizing, bristling with curiosities. Scudder's new client, Lewis Hildebrand, belongs to an unusual club - 31 men who meet annually to reflect on the year's changes in their lives and to take reverent note of those members who have died. Members speak of the club to no one, not even wives.
The last living member chooses 30 new members and the club goes on. That day is quickly approaching.
Hildebrand hires Scudder to investigate the alarming death rate among members. As Scudder looks for a thread linking the disparate accidents, suicides and murders, the questions multiply and the angles proliferate. Motive is baffling and the only suspects are the surviving club members.
As always, Block's writing is excellent with a tight plot, unusual characters and intelligent dialogue. One of Scudder's better outings.
Rating:
Summary: Older Scudder's Still Got It
Review: Scudder has been sober for almost 10 years in this novel, and the trademark battle between himself and the bottle is more or less under control. Needless to say, this makes his character a little less interesting and a bit dull. The novel, however, is great. Scudder picks up a unique case and unravels quite a few secrets along the way, making the novel a classic. Yes, he finally marries Elaine, which really shows that Block is beginning to bring his character to a retiring end. Not the fast-paced, shocking and darkly-humorous tale that made Scudder famous, but it's not all that bad. I liked the book a lot, recommend it to all, but warn that Matt is beginning to slow down in his old age.
Rating:
Summary: A lesser work of a master
Review: The Mathew Scudder novels of Lawrence Block are known for theintensity of both the characters and situations. If any ofyou non-alcoholics want to know what it's like to be an alcoholic, read these books! Thank God I'm not an alcoholic! In most of these novels, the situation is personal with the characters: i.e., the murder personally affects Scudder or his friends (as in "A Ticket to the Boneyard"). This connection makes the book more interesting. In this novel, that's not the case. The plot setup is run-of-the-mill PI fiction, with Scudder being hired out of the blue to solve a murder. What saves this book is the deviousness of the murderer and the superb writing of Block. This isn't the best book of the series, but it is a great introduction and warm up. You'll need it!
Rating:
Summary: explosive and engaging
Review: The premise is unusual - a secret society of businessmen, that started in ancient Babylon and has continued to this day. A set of 31 men, who gather once a year for a dinner, and patiently wait until only one remains, who selects 30 young men to regenerate the process. But somebody has noticed the current crop is dying at a rate well off the life insurance actuarial charts. Several of these deaths are obvious murders, but others that were dismissed as suicides or accidents are now being re-examined. Matt Scudder is employed to found out if there is a sinister plot to thin the ranks, and if so, why. This book was outstanding. I love Lawrence Block's writing style, whether he's writing about Matt Scudder or Bernie Rhodenbarr. Can Matt Scudder uncover a mass murderer who has patiently worked for years before he strikes again? You'll be on the edge of your seat as you read this one.
Rating:
Summary: Tontine Society
Review: There is something appealing (to some people, including me) about a 'secret society' that only meets once a year or so and whose membership is selected with no particular requirements beyond the nomination, even though it is a matter of the whim of the nominator. No dues, no qualifications, no rules (except silence about the club). This one has just 31 members, the last one living selecting the next 30, and has gone on for umpty generations. Now somebody is killing the members -- is it to 'inherit' the chairmanship? Apparently not, since a leading member asks Scudder to investigate. Like Rex Stout's "League of Frightened Men" this is a classic of this sub-category of detective-novel themes. The mystery is intriguing, and I am happy to say that Matt Scudder is selected to become a new member in spite of there being some survivors. He should be very proud to belong to such a society (even though it isn't mentioned in subsequent books, but maybe that's because it's supposed to be a 'secret society' -- in which case why did Scudder write about it? -- oh, well, that's the only way first-person narratives get written in the first place). Great idea for an old-man club, though they start out young. Meet once a year, eat well, and sigh 'well, I'm still here'.
Rating:
Summary: Great Reading.
Review: This is an exemple of how to make a very good book from a good idea. This was my first Scudder's book and still one the very best.
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