A Stab in the Dark

Digital audiobook read by William Roberts


Matthew Scudder series, number four. Scudder is a former NYPD detective who now free-lances as a detective on seemingly impossible cases. He doesn’t have an office, or business cards, and takes only those cases that interest him and that he feels he may be able to help. Definitely unconventional

This time out he’s approached by a man who wants answers on his daughter’s murder some nine years previous. Her killing was attributed to the Ice Pick Killer, a serial killer who recently confessed to a series of murders. But he could not possibly have murdered Barbara Ettinger; he was hospitalized at the time of her death. So who did it?

Block writes a tight, fast-moving, noir police-procedural. show more Scudder is something of a mystery himself. Oh, we know why he left the force and we’re privy to his demons, but he plays his cards close to the vest. Watching him ferret out the truth is engaging and fascinating.

William Roberts does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. He sets a good pace and brings Scudder (and the other characters) to life. show less

This is by far, my favorite of the Scudder books at this point. Once again, I am presented with the 5 star problem. With the other 3 getting the same rating, how do I differentiate between the installments? I don't have an answer for that. Stop making me feel bad!

I really wanted to open this review with the line, "My favorite part was when Scudder drinks coffee with bourbon" (get it? 'cause that's like 90% of the novel) but I thought better of it. Scudder's boozing is totally out of control in A Stab In The Dark. He recognizes that he has a problem but he's under the impression that he can stop at any point. It appears that he's in denial but I guess I'll find that out shortly as it looks like it's starting to replace water as his main show more source of hydration - someone can only do that for so long.

Considering that Scudder is given a case that's 9 years old with the victim being "buried so goddamn deep", Block shows the true range of Scudder's talent. Block has true writing chops. The fact that he can have Scudder solve a crime of that age under those circumstances AND make it seem plausible is pretty damn impressive.

About halfway through, I thought I had it all figured out but once again, Block turned the tables and shocked me. Don't even get me started on another big reveal at the end which I also didn't clue in on (but I'd be shocked to know of anyone who did).

Once again, I'll finish with how excited I am to continue this series. Picked up 8 Million Ways to Die last night and started it right away. I'll be a very sad Brandon when I finish this series. show less

Matt Scudder is a former NY cop whose life has fallen apart. After quitting the force, separating from his wife and moving into a hotel, he spends his days in bars "maintenance drinking". That's where his detective buddy sends a man named London to find Scudder. London's daughter was murdered by The Icepick Slasher nine years before, but the recent arrest of the slasher, and his admission to all the murders except London's daughter, sends the father to Scudder, a drunk who isn't in any business now, but whose tenacity and financial need makes him take the offer.
I've yet to be disappointed by Block. This is a good hardboiled, with murder, dames and lots of drinking.

A lightweight read at only 156 pages. Good suspense and interesting mystery.

In this one, a serial killer is caught by police. The catch? He only confesses to seven of the murders and has an airtight alibi for the eighth. The father of the eighth victim realizes he needs a new kind of closure and hires Scudder to investigate. He pursues it like a terrier; hanging on, chasing down leads from nine years ago, drinking his way through the city. After he interviews the remarried husband and his new wife, he looks up the owner of the daycare center where the victim worked. She's now a sculptor in the Village and struggling with alcohol as well. Personal collides with professional. Eventually, the client makes a feeble effort to call Scudder show more off, but like the terrier down the rat hole, he won't let up.

This one is notable for Scudder's drinking picking up pace, clearly speeding him along to rock bottom. Slowly, it dawned on me as I read that Scudder's drinking was out of control. There's a few moments when he realizes it and pulls back, but never for long. It's interesting the way Block writes it; the murders capture the reader's attention while Scudder slowly slides off the bar stool in the background.

Definitely a likeable read, with a surprise ending to the murder that I'm not entirely sure was believable. show less

Scudder's Cold Case
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 show more 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.

See cover at https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/...
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 Eight Million Ways to Die (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. show less

Much better than the other Lawrence Block I read this year (The Specialist). Matthew Scudder is a long running series. The classic book in the series is the 5th, Six Million Ways To Die where Scudder comes to grips with his growing alcoholism. Six Million Ways To Die was made into a horrible movie starring Jeff Bridges. Don't watch it. A Stab in the Dark is the 4th book. Scudder is investigating the 9-year old murder of a young woman. This murder was one of a string perpetrated by the so-called ice-pick prowler who had never been captured. Now the murderer has been caught and has admitted to all the killings except for this one. Scudder takes on the investigation at the bequest of the girl's father. An undercurrent to the story is show more Scudder's near constant drinking and his weaker and weaker defense to himself that he can handle it. show less

These early Matthew Scudder books, written in the late 70s and early 80s, feel like a window into another world. Scudder isn’t so much a private investigator as he is 'a guy who does favors and sometimes takes some money in exchange for them'. He solves his mysteries without the aid of computers and databases and cell phones — his tools of the trade are footwork, conversation, and public libraries. He spends a lot of time knocking on doors and dropping dimes(!) into pay phones. Unfortunately, he also spends a lot of time in the bottle, a trait that follows him through the series. In this book, a man has been arrested for a series of murders several years earlier. The problem is, he couldn’t have killed the final victim. That show more victim’s father is looking for answers, and Scudder is going to try to find them. I enjoy these books because they’re short, gritty, and to the point. show less