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A review by saareman
A Stab in the Dark: Matthew Scudder #4 by Lawrence Block, Lawrence Block
4.0
Scudder's Cold Case
Review of the LB Productions eBook (September 26, 2020) of the original Arbor House hardcover (1981).
Ex-cop/unofficial private investigator Matthew Scudder takes on a cold case when the father of a girl murdered years ago learns that his daughter, alone among the several victims of a now confessed serial killer, was in fact the victim of an apparent copycat.
Scudder persists despite the apparent impossibility of tracking down the unknown assailant after many years and without having any official status. Inconsistencies in the manner of the copycat begin to lead to a solution. Bribery and corruption continue as a regular subplot in these early books of the series.
Front cover of the original 1981 Arbor House hardcover edition. Image sourced from Goodreads.
This novel continues the story of Scudder's alcoholism which doesn't turn around until book #5 [b:Eight Million Ways to Die|76758|Eight Million Ways to Die (Matthew Scudder, #5)|Lawrence Block|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1366669683l/76758._SY75_.jpg|2905875] (1982) when he begins to attend AA meetings. It is also the first of the Scudder hardcovers. The first trilogy of novels were all first published as pulp paperbacks by Dell Publishing.
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 Stab in the Dark.
Review of the LB Productions eBook (September 26, 2020) of the original Arbor House hardcover (1981).
“Somebody killed your daughter and got away with it and it galls you. Won’t it be more frustrating if you know who it is and there’s nothing you can do about it?”
“I still want to know.”
“You might learn things you won’t like. You said it yourself—somebody probably killed her for a reason. You might be happier not knowing the reason.”
“It’s possible.”
“But you’ll run that risk.”
“Yes.”
Ex-cop/unofficial private investigator Matthew Scudder takes on a cold case when the father of a girl murdered years ago learns that his daughter, alone among the several victims of a now confessed serial killer, was in fact the victim of an apparent copycat.
Scudder persists despite the apparent impossibility of tracking down the unknown assailant after many years and without having any official status. Inconsistencies in the manner of the copycat begin to lead to a solution. Bribery and corruption continue as a regular subplot in these early books of the series.
Front cover of the original 1981 Arbor House hardcover edition. Image sourced from Goodreads.
This novel continues the story of Scudder's alcoholism which doesn't turn around until book #5 [b:Eight Million Ways to Die|76758|Eight Million Ways to Die (Matthew Scudder, #5)|Lawrence Block|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1366669683l/76758._SY75_.jpg|2905875] (1982) when he begins to attend AA meetings. It is also the first of the Scudder hardcovers. The first trilogy of novels were all first published as pulp paperbacks by Dell Publishing.
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 Stab in the Dark.