Scan barcode
A review by saareman
In the Midst of Death by Lawrence Block
4.0
Scudder's Serpico
Review of the LB Productions eBook (September 26, 2020) of the original Dell paperback (1976).
Unofficial detective Matt Scudder takes the case of Jerry Broadfield who appears to have been set up on a murder charge. Following the continuing thread of police bribery and corruption in the early Scudder novels, Broadfield was turning informant and becoming a witness for a Federal prosecutor looking to expose police corruption. The novel thus seems to have been inspired by the real-life case of Frank [b:Serpico|55521|Serpico|Peter Maas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388358021l/55521._SY75_.jpg|230620].
The fictional Broadfield was corrupt himself and regularly took money. He has no friends left in the Police and now even the prosecutors doubt his innocence. But Scudder actually believes in his client and takes the case regardless. Other innocents will die along the way before the truth is revealed.
Front cover of the original 1976 Dell paperback edition. Image sourced from Goodreads.
This novel continues the story of Scudder's alcoholism which doesn't begin to 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 last of the original Scudder pulp paperbacks, all issued by Dell in 1976 & 1977. With book #4 [b:A Stab in the Dark|76765|A Stab in the Dark (Matthew Scudder, #4)|Lawrence Block|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1316037636l/76765._SY75_.jpg|74253] (1980) the novels began to appear in original hardcovers.
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 In the Midst of Death.
Review of the LB Productions eBook (September 26, 2020) of the original Dell paperback (1976).
One man, with not even a junior G-man badge to convince people they ought to talk to him, would not even begin to accomplish anything that way. Especially when the police would not even cooperate with him in the first place. Especially when they were opposed to any investigation that might get Broadfield out of the hot seat.
Unofficial detective Matt Scudder takes the case of Jerry Broadfield who appears to have been set up on a murder charge. Following the continuing thread of police bribery and corruption in the early Scudder novels, Broadfield was turning informant and becoming a witness for a Federal prosecutor looking to expose police corruption. The novel thus seems to have been inspired by the real-life case of Frank [b:Serpico|55521|Serpico|Peter Maas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388358021l/55521._SY75_.jpg|230620].
The fictional Broadfield was corrupt himself and regularly took money. He has no friends left in the Police and now even the prosecutors doubt his innocence. But Scudder actually believes in his client and takes the case regardless. Other innocents will die along the way before the truth is revealed.
Front cover of the original 1976 Dell paperback edition. Image sourced from Goodreads.
This novel continues the story of Scudder's alcoholism which doesn't begin to 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 last of the original Scudder pulp paperbacks, all issued by Dell in 1976 & 1977. With book #4 [b:A Stab in the Dark|76765|A Stab in the Dark (Matthew Scudder, #4)|Lawrence Block|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1316037636l/76765._SY75_.jpg|74253] (1980) the novels began to appear in original hardcovers.
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 In the Midst of Death.