Hope to Die (Matthew Scudder Mysteries) [Large Print] [Paperback]

Lawrence Block (Author)

Book Description

Series: Matthew Scudder Mysteries | Publication Date: October 16, 2001

Twenty-five years ago Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Lawrence Block introduced his acclaimed unlicensed private investigator to the New York crime scene. Today Matthew Scudder remains one of the most complex, richly human protagonists in noir fiction-as he pursues a faceless adversary with a unique talent and taste for murder.

Hope to Die

When Byrne and Susan Hollander are killed in a brutal home invasion, the whole city catches its collective breath. A few days later the killers turn up dead behind a locked door in Brooklyn. One has killed his partner, then himself. The city sighs with relief. The cops close the case.

Matt and Elaine Scudder were in the same room with the Hollanders hours before their deaths. In spite of himself, Scudder is drawn to the Hollander case. The closer he looks, the more he senses the presence of a third man, a puppet master who manipulated his two accomplices, then cut their strings when he was done with them.

The villain who looms in the shadows is one of Block's most inspired creations, cold and diabolical, murdering for pleasure and profit. Nobody but Scudder even suspects he exists-and he's not done killing. He's just getting started....

The prolific author of more than fifty books and numerous short stories, Lawrence Block is a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master, a four-time winner of the Edgar Allan Poe and Shamus Awards, and the recipient of literary prizes from France, Germany, and Japan. Block is a devout New Yorker who spends much of his time traveling.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Unlicensed PI Matthew Scudder returns after a three-year absence to investigate the murder of a wealthy couple savagely slain in their Manhattan townhouse. Matt's now 62, and his age shows in this relatively sedate outing. There's less violence than in many cases past, and the urban melancholy that pervaded his earlier tales has dissipated, replaced by a mature reckoning with the unending cycle of life and death. The mystery elements are strong. To the cops, the case is open-and-shut: the perps have been found dead, murder/suicide, in Brooklyn, with loot from the townhouse in their possession. Matt enters the scene when his assistant, TJ, introduces him to the cousin of the dead couple's daughter; the cousin suspects the daughter of having engineered the killings for the inheritance. At loose ends, Matt digs in, quickly rejecting the daughter as a suspect but uncovering evidence pointing to a mastermind behind the murders. Block sounds numerous obligatory notes from Scudder tales past the AA meetings, the tithing of Matt's income, cameo appearances by Matt's love interest, Elaine, and his friend, Irish mobster Mick Ballou and he adds texture with some familial drama involving Matt's sons and ex-wife. His prose is as smooth as aged whiskey, as always, and the story flows across its pages. It lacks the visceral edge and heightened emotion of many previous Scudders, however, and the ending seems patly aimed at a sequel. This is a solid mystery, a fine Block, but less than exceptional. (Nov.)Forecast: All Blocks sell and Scudder's return will do particularly well, especially with the attendant major ad/promo, including a 17-city author tour. Simultaneous Harper Audio and Harper large print edition.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

First brought to our attention 25 years ago, Matthew Scudder is back at work, investigating the particularly unpleasant murder of a wealthy West Side couple.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: WmMorrow (October 16, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0066214009
• ISBN-13: 978-0066214009
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,546,590 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lawrence Block (b. 1938) is the recipient of a Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America and an internationally renowned bestselling author. His prolific career spans over one hundred books, including four bestselling series as well as dozens of short stories, articles, and books on writing. He has won four Edgar and Shamus Awards, two Falcon Awards from the Maltese Falcon Society of Japan, the Nero and Philip Marlowe Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Cartier Diamond Dagger from the Crime Writers Association of the United Kingdom. In France, he has been awarded the title Grand Maitre du Roman Noir and has twice received the Societe 813 trophy.

Born in Buffalo, New York, Block attended Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Leaving school before graduation, he moved to New York City, a locale that features prominently in most of his works. His earliest published writing appeared in the 1950s, frequently under pseudonyms, and many of these novels are now considered classics of the pulp fiction genre. During his early writing years, Block also worked in the mailroom of a publishing house and reviewed the submission slush pile for a literary agency. He has cited the latter experience as a valuable lesson for a beginning writer.

Block's first short story, "You Can't Lose," was published in 1957 in Manhunt, the first of dozens of short stories and articles that he would publish over the years in publications including American Heritage, Redbook, Playboy, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and the New York Times. His short fiction has been featured and reprinted in over eleven collections including Enough Rope (2002), which is comprised of eighty-four of his short stories.

In 1966, Block introduced the insomniac protagonist Evan Tanner in the novel The Thief Who Couldn't Sleep. Block's diverse heroes also include the urbane and witty bookseller--and thief-on-the-side--Bernie Rhodenbarr; the gritty recovering alcoholic and private investigator Matthew Scudder; and Chip Harrison, the comical assistant to a private investigator with a Nero Wolfe fixation who appears in No Score, Chip Harrison Scores Again, Make Out with Murder, and The Topless Tulip Caper. Block has also written several short stories and novels featuring Keller, a professional hit man. Block's work is praised for his richly imagined and varied characters and frequent use of humor.

A father of three daughters, Block lives in New York City with his second wife, Lynne. When he isn't touring or attending mystery conventions, he and Lynne are frequent travelers, as members of the Travelers' Century Club for nearly a decade now, and have visited about 150 countries.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Intricate Chess Game, February 2, 2002

By 

Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Hope to Die (Matthew Scudder Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Lawrence Block and Robert Parker are two of my favorite mystery authors, and share many similarities. Their detectives, Matt Scudder and Spenser are 'fixers', rather than pure detectives or simple toughs. They share a taste for wise-cracks and dry wit, have similar relationships with women, and are men of action. Between the two authors, a whole genre exists that no one else has successfully invaded. I sometimes think of it as the tough guy noir cozy. Although that is a bit of an overstatement.

I do like Block's work a little better, though. Primarily because Matt Scudder is the stronger, more finely developed character. I find his progression from alcoholism to sobriety and his attitude about himself refreshing. He does not preach, but he tries his best to live according to his ethics, and succeeds for the most part. The characters that surround him also seem to be a bit more attractive because they reflect the same basic integrity. Block's stories also often have a darker more chilling coloration than Parker's, who sometimes puts more energy into caustic humor than into the plot itself. And sometimes Block's plots take unexpected and satisfying turns into new directions.

'Hope to Die' is such a case in point. When a married couple who happened to attend the same society event as Matt and Elaine Scudder are brutally murdered in a theft, Matt is intrigued. But the case is quickly solved when the thieves are found dead. One killed by the other, and the other a suicide, with the evidence in hand. But the couple's niece and daughter are not completely comfortable with the resolution, and so Scudder finds himself, and his sidekick T.J., drawn into an investigation into an apparently closed case. They carefully pick out the conflicting strands of the web, but everything is circumstantial, requiring an almost Holmesian effort to get glimpses of the truth.

If it was not for the unexpected appearance of narrative from the viewpoint of a killer, the reader would be completely justified in thinking that Scudder's imagination had gotten the better of him. But Block makes such deft use of a sociopathic killer's reflections that the reader is kept completely engaged and rooting for Matt and T.J. as they reconstruct the murders from ghosts and shadows. While we know before Matt does that the original murders were the work of a mastermind, Block manages to give so little away that the suspense and mystery continue right through to the end.

This injection of a second viewpoint is novel in a Matt Scudder novel, but it is done so perfectly if feels like a regular feature. The device works beautifully to keep the plot moving without the fragmentation and confusion that result when multiple viewpoints are poorly used. I don't think I have ever seen it done better in modern detective fiction. Block minimizes all distractions (at the cost of some of his usually exceptional characterizations), keeping the reader focused on the comparative workings of Scudder's own analytical mind and the machinations of his insane opponent.

A subplot about the sudden death of Scudder's ex-wife and his relationships with his sons is introduced and allowed to run its course, but seems purely peripheral to the main plot. This and a few other threads lead me to believe that this tale is not completely done and that we can expect a continuation. If so it will be another unexpected deviation from formula. If Block has set out to prove that he can still be fresh after 25 years of writing the stories of Matthew Scudder, he has done an admirable job. I think even the most jaded fans will enjoy this book. Newcomers need have no fear. Block has a talent for providing just enough background to prevent any significant discomfort from starting a series at its latest volume.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Bizarre entry in the Scudder series..., October 27, 2001

By 

Prago "bored & on the net" (Newark, DE United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hope to Die (Matthew Scudder Mysteries) (Hardcover)

First off, let me say that the Matt Scudder series are my favorite detective series here (8 Million Ways To Die and Walk Among the Tombstones tie for my all time favorite). So, when Lawrence Block came out with Hope To Die, I immediately snatched it up.

In the beginning of the book, I felt I was in classic Scudder territory. The elements were there. A double murder of an upper class family that appears to be an open and shut case, but of course it isn't. The personal drama of Scudder in that he is moving ahead with his life (with the support of AA, his wife Elaine, best friend Mick and sidekick/surrogate son TJ) but yet dealing with his past (in this case, his first wife has passed away and he has to reconcile with his sons).

However, midway through the book, Block abandons Scudder. The series up to Hope To Die has been written from Scudder's point of view, but now Block gives up chapters of just the killer and his point of view. He comes back to Scudder every now and then, but starts spending more time with the killer as the book progresses. The killer is given more vivid description and persona that by the end of the book, it becomes more his story than Scudder's. Block also diverts from the Scudder formula by having a "sequel" ending (something the series never had).

I will admit I was entertained with the "killer" chapters, but it also made me feel that Hope To Die was a mystery that didn't need Matt Scudder. Block could have sent Scudder home, the killer could have become the protagnoist and the book wouldn't have really lost anything. So while I was entertained by the book and enjoyed it as a quick, light read, I have to dock it a star down. You don't take a great detective character and put him in a story where he isn't needed.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Faint Hope, October 22, 2001

By 

Mark Hammermeister (Taylor, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hope to Die (Matthew Scudder Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Lawrence Block has long been my very favorite mystery writer, above James Lee Burke, James Crumley, Dennis Lehane and others on my list of faves. Block isn't the prose stylist that the aforementioned writers are, but he's far and away the most natural storyteller, with an uncanny gift for creating fascinating characters and sounds-like-real-people dialogue. Of all his creations (Burglar/Detective Bernie Rhodenbarr, ersatz spy Tanner, low-key hit man Keller), Block has always done his best work with his series of mysteries featuring the recovering alcoholic ex-cop Matthew Scudder. All of which is to say that when a new Scudder mystery came out, I pounced on it like a lion taking down a gazelle. Sadly, by the time I finished "Hope to Die," I came away from the experience feeling a little disappointed. Scudder's search for a budding serial killer who murders a wealthy couple comes off feeling a little thin in the plot department. Scudder's first-person narrative is interspersed with chapters told from the killer's point of view and for the most part these chapters don't add much to the story. Take them out entirely and you can still easily follow what's happening, making these chapters appear superfluous. Of course, taking them out would have also made the book pretty darn short, too. On the plus side, it's always nice to drop in on Scudder's life and see what's going on with him. There's a great subplot involving the death of Scudder's ex-wife, finally allowing the reader a chance to meet his oft-mentioned but never seen estranged sons. The reader also gets a chance to catch up with Scudder's terrific cast of secondary characters--his wife Elaine, his streetwise helper TJ, Irish gangster Mick Ballou--characters who are always a lot of fun to read about. But overall, "Hope to Die" just doesn't stack up to the best in the Scudder series (Everybody Dies, When the Sacred Ginmill Closes, The Devil Knows You're Dead, Eight Million Ways to Die). Mind you, I didn't dislike the book. It just left me wanting more. I look forward to the next book in the series, and considering how the reader is left hanging at the end, the sequel seems inevitable.