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A review by saareman
A Dance at the Slaughterhouse by Lawrence Block
3.0
Murderous Scudder
Review of the LB Productions eBook (October 4, 2020) of the original William Morrow & Co. hardcover (1991).
I'm just past the midpoint in my re-survey of Lawrence Block's Matt Scudder series and now I remember that this one was the noirest of them all. A disturbing descent into the world of underground snuff films where Scudder become judge, jury and executioner. The quality of the writing is as compelling as ever, but the content comes with a warning.
Of greater interest was the building of the increased cast of Scudder associates with the addition of street smart kid TJ to the mix who plays only a minor role, but will continue to return. Meanwhile albino informant Danny Boy Bell, criminal bar owner Mick Ballou and girlfriend Elaine make their regular appearances. Scudder continues to maintain his sobriety with regular AA meetings. Mick Ballou with his father's butcher's apron and his regular attendance at the morning butcher's mass leaves an indelible impression.
Front cover of the original 1991 William Morrow & Co. hardcover edition. Image sourced from Goodreads.
Footnote
* Can't be sure if it is the 1962 paperback that Scudder has in hand, but if so the full title would be "The Newgate Calendar or Malefactors' Bloody Register containing: Genuine and Circumstantial Narrative of the lives and transactions, various exploits and Dying Speeches of the Most Notorious Criminals of both sexes who suffered Death Punishment in Gt. Britain and Ireland for High Treason, Petty Treason, Murder, Piracy, Felony, Thieving, Highway Robberies, Forgery, Rapes, Bigamy, Burglaries, Riots, and various other horrid crimes and misdemeanours on a plan entirely new, wherein will be fully displayed the regular progress from virtue to vice interspersed with striking reflexions on the conduct of those unhappy wretches who have fallen a sacrifice to the laws of their country." Various anthology editions of The Newgate Calendar (c. 1750-onwards) exist which collect the original monthly bulletins.
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 Dance at the Slaughterhouse.
Review of the LB Productions eBook (October 4, 2020) of the original William Morrow & Co. hardcover (1991).
Someone had passed along a paperback volume called [b:The Newgate Calendar 1|8436217|The Newgate Calendar 1|George Theodore Wilkinson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1276258057l/8436217._SY75_.jpg|1786725]*, a case-by-case report on British crimes of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. I’d had it around for a month or so, and at night I would read a few pages before I went to sleep. It was mostly interesting, although some cases were more interesting than others. What got to me some nights, though, was the way nothing changed. People back then killed each other for every reason and for no reason, and they did it with every means at their disposal and all the ingenuity they could bring to bear.
I'm just past the midpoint in my re-survey of Lawrence Block's Matt Scudder series and now I remember that this one was the noirest of them all. A disturbing descent into the world of underground snuff films where Scudder become judge, jury and executioner. The quality of the writing is as compelling as ever, but the content comes with a warning.
Of greater interest was the building of the increased cast of Scudder associates with the addition of street smart kid TJ to the mix who plays only a minor role, but will continue to return. Meanwhile albino informant Danny Boy Bell, criminal bar owner Mick Ballou and girlfriend Elaine make their regular appearances. Scudder continues to maintain his sobriety with regular AA meetings. Mick Ballou with his father's butcher's apron and his regular attendance at the morning butcher's mass leaves an indelible impression.
Front cover of the original 1991 William Morrow & Co. hardcover edition. Image sourced from Goodreads.
Footnote
* Can't be sure if it is the 1962 paperback that Scudder has in hand, but if so the full title would be "The Newgate Calendar or Malefactors' Bloody Register containing: Genuine and Circumstantial Narrative of the lives and transactions, various exploits and Dying Speeches of the Most Notorious Criminals of both sexes who suffered Death Punishment in Gt. Britain and Ireland for High Treason, Petty Treason, Murder, Piracy, Felony, Thieving, Highway Robberies, Forgery, Rapes, Bigamy, Burglaries, Riots, and various other horrid crimes and misdemeanours on a plan entirely new, wherein will be fully displayed the regular progress from virtue to vice interspersed with striking reflexions on the conduct of those unhappy wretches who have fallen a sacrifice to the laws of their country." Various anthology editions of The Newgate Calendar (c. 1750-onwards) exist which collect the original monthly bulletins.
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 Dance at the Slaughterhouse.