Hope to Die audiobook

At this point Matt Scudder is 62 years old, happily married and semi-retired. But don’t think that he’s content with just hitting the early bird special at the nearest buffet or spending his time arguing with empty chairs. The murder of a wealthy couple shocks New York, and the case catches Matt’s interest because he had attended the same event they were at before they were killed. But the discovery of a murder/suicide of two men leaves a mountain of evidence proving they were the killers so whole thing is wrapped up quickly. After meeting a relative of the couple with a few misgivings about the case, Matt slowly drifts into an informal investigation and finds clues that point to a third man behind it all.As usual there’s a personal subplot with Matt feeling guilty and edgy after a strained encounter with his grown sons at a family funeral. Matt walked out on his boys when they were young and while he supported them financially and tried to be part of their lives, he realizes that he’s never going to be anyone’s nomination for Father-Of-The-Year. Block plays up that angle by using Matt’s young associate TJ a lot in this one and their interactions highlight that while Matt might not have done well by his biological kids, he’s been a good friend and role model to this surrogate son.There’s also a very nasty and creepy villain at work in this one, and I absolutely loved the process by which Matt eventually starts piecing this mystery together. Random personal trivia: I met Lawrence Block when he was on tour for this book back in 2001. He politely answered my question about why in the hell Whoopi Goldberg had been cast as Bernie Rhodenbarr in the Burglar movie even though he had obviously been asked this a couple of thousand times before, and he gave a great reading of the Scudder short story The Night and the Music that I still think about whenever I pick up one of these books.

A robbery turns into a brutal home invasion. Both the suspects are found dead in an open and shut suicide-murder case except Scudder believes there was a third man involved. The biggest change here is every now and then the perspective changes from Scudder to the killer. From the reviews I perused on GR, most fans were not enthused by the decision. It is always jarring when a long running series suddenly changes POV but beyond the initial shock, it worked for me.This series has always been happy to reinvent itself. From novella to novels, gritty mysteries to action thrillers, pre Mick Ballou to post Mick Ballou (when Scudder gets more trigger happy). I thought most of those changes impacted the series much more significantly than the change in POV. The former occasionally changed the type of stories that were being told about Scudder while Hope to Die only changes the storytelling technique. And more crucially Block is brilliant at putting us into the head of a deranged sadist. I have seen him do the same in a couple of his short stories and he replicates it here. The killer initially appears as an egotistical narcissist albeit a competent one. As the narrative progresses, Block shows us how his psyche unravels and he becomes more unhinged.Scudder as a character has not always stayed consistent from one book to the next specially when it came to his views on murder and vigilantism. But in spite of that he had always remained an interesting character, because Block creates such a lived in world for him. His interactions with a variety of supporting characters, both regulars and new ones feel authentic in ways that is not always obvious in crime fiction. The biggest effect being plotlines that scream filler in lesser books actually help to enrich the characters here. For example Scudder's adult sons make their first appearance in the series and their scenes are excellent though they have no bearing over the crime story. I think Block realized that he was almost done with series (2 more books to go) and he dropped some parallels to the way Scudder started off. Scudder starts tithing again and gets back to being an unlicensed PI, similar to the first few books. Like the cyclicity of the whole thing.The only minor problem here is the relative open-ended conclusion. I am not a fan of 'to be continued' storylines. However it answered the relevant mysteries that were set up in the book while keeping the coast clear for a direct sequel. The motivation behind the crime is also absurdly far-fetched. It might he considered a flaw by some but my take is different. It is an intentional plotting decision by Block to show how deluded the killer is.The usual highpoints are present. The mystery is good and Block's dialogue crackles with a dry wit, without getting so cute that it breaks immersion or draws attention to itself. If I am asked to name my top ten crime books, Block's works would not even enter the discussion. But Block himself will always find a place in my list of top ten crime authors. This book perfectly demonstrates why. Block might not ever be brilliant but he is consistently great. Nothing ground breaking here but just a consummate professional dazzling the readers with virtuosity and versatility. Rating - 4/5.

This my fifth book of the seventeen book Mathew Scudder series. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this very enjoyable and entertaining series. To me Lawrence Block is one the greatest writers of crime fiction that I have read!

I'm a long-time fan of PI Matt Scudder, though I tend to favor the older titles than the newer ones. That said, this one I enjoyed. Matt, Elaine, and TJ track a mysterious serial killer who acts "cute" perpetrating his heinous crimes. The nice subplot involves Matt with his two estranged sons who are now very different adults. Solid hardboiled fare, as always.

RATING: 4.25It’s an eerie feeling to know that you may have had an association with someone right before they die. That’s exactly what happens when Matt Scudder learns that Byrne and Susan Hollander are murdered after attending a reception and concert at Lincoln Center in New York. Matt and his wife Elaine had also attended that reception, which causes Scudder to wonder if he had talked to the Hollanders, if perhaps they had shared some interest. Or were they merely people in the same room at the same time? He also wonders about that fateful evening and how events transpired for the Hollanders. Block very skillfully builds a possible scenario, and the reader isn’t really sure what occurred until a final brutal unveiling at the end of Chapter 1. We only know that something bad has happened, and the actual revelation of the details is quite jolting.The Hollanders lived in an expensive brownstone in the Village, and it appears that the motive for their murder may have been robbery. That is reinforced when the burglars dies in a subsequent murder/suicide and the Hollanders’ belongings are found in their hands. The case is officially closed, but Scudder has a sense that the resolution is too “cute”, too neat, and that possibly a third person has manipulated the chain of events. When more killings occur, Scudder’s suspicions seem validated. That early sense of connection to the Hollanders leads Matt to look in more detail at the sequence of events.Scudder has surrendered his PI license in an earlier situation and so is only investigating unofficially. He is hired first by a niece of the victims and then by their daughter, who is under suspicion as the estate she stands to inherit is quite sizable. Scudder is ably assisted by a young streetwise man by the name of TJ, who is one of my favorite characters in the series. The contrast between the Luddite Scudder who refuses to join the modern world of cell phones and computers and the cocky young man makes for some humorous yet warm moments. The addition of TJ to the team allows him to face some of the more physical dangers that would not be credible if handled by a 62-year-old man.Hope to Die is the 15th book in the Matt Scudder series. It’s been 25 years since the first Scudder book, The Sins of the Father, was published (in 1976). The character of Scudder has aged well over that period of time. His life is more balanced; he faithfully attends AA meetings (18 years sober!) and has a great marital relationship. There are still vestiges of the Scudder of yore—he still gives part of his income to charity and accepts payment in the form of a monetary gift rather than a set fee. And there are some interesting interactions with his sons as they meet after the death of his ex-wife of cancer, some connections made and some torn asunder.This is a series that doesn’t show any signs of losing its edge. In fact, Block has tried some different approaches in this book. One of the most successful is in changing points of view from Scudder to the villain. Most of the book is narrated by Scudder, and that allows us to form an intimacy with the lead character. It feels as though he is having a conversation with the reader. As the book progresses, Block devotes several chapters to the villain and we switch to third person point of view. Seeing into the mind of this individual is truly terrifying. The device serves to build tension, as we become aware of events of which Scudder knows nothing. In a nod to today’s world, the killer is involved in an online newsgroup where he watches his actions being discussed. And as the book progresses, his mental state deteriorates before our eyes, making for some very compelling reading. From the cleverly constructed opening to the pitch perfect ending, this is a book to enjoy and savor. The investigation is complex and followed in real time, and there are absolutely no false notes, no amazing coincidences, no easy answers handed to Scudder on a platter. Block does a masterful job, and I highly recommend this book.

Matt Scudder is now 62 with 18 years of sobriety under his belt. His personal life brings a funeral, that of his ex-wife, and brief encounters with his grown sons. He and his wife Elaine enjoy a variety of concerts and find their lives intersect with attendance at the same events that were the last enjoyed by the Hollanders, a couple brutally murdered shortly after arriving home from a concert. With TJ attending a class on the French Revolution, he meets a fellow student, a relative of the slain couple who questions who may have been the responsible party for the murder/robbery. Matt takes a meeting with her and begins his usual methodical and thorough-going investigation. This is a serial-killer book and the characters populating the pages hold the interest even though I do try to avoid creepy thought processes of serial killers. Scudder is just a well developed character one likes to spend time with.

I don't know if authors read everything people write about their books, but in the event Lawrence Block should stumble onto this review, I have a message for him:Mr. Block, please write more Matthew Scudder books. I really like the sober, middle-aged Scudder, who seems to have matured along with his author. TJ, the street kid whose mind moves like a breakdancer, is absolutely delightful. And other, often tough-as-nails characters you invent along the way--such as the antique dealer in Hope to Die--are sometimes heart-breakingly real.Bernie Rhondenbarr, the gentleman burglar, has been fun, but he doesn't grow and his tricks are getting old. I haven't been able to work up a whole lot of empathy for Tanner or Keller. Reading about a guy who can't sleep makes me tired, and I just can't buy into the notion of a sensitive, self-reflective hit man. But I miss Scudder during the five or six years' hiatus between installments.Oh, and thanks for the nonfiction books about writing. Aren't we about due for another?Respectfully yours,DB

The fifteenth Matt Scudder novel is an example of Lawrence Block at his best. The murder of a lawyer and his novelist wife at the hands of a pair of lowlifes whose post-murder and robbery falling out leads to their murder-suicide leads to a quick police case. Things seem clear, but not to Matt Scudder or to the couple's surviving daughter. How Scudder, TJ, and a sympathetic cop uncover what really happened makes for a good book. It also raises the specter of some kind of follow-up that's not another book in the series, though I haven't encountered it if it was written.

This was the first Scudder book I ever read (jumped into the pool a little late at #15 in the series) but it's one of my favourites and pits our hero against one of his most devious, chilling foes.

The 15th entry in the Matt Scudder series is not as intense, as personal, or as ambitious in scope as its predecessor Everybody Dies. However, it is still a strong mystery novel in its own right. A wealthy middle-class Manhattan couple is murdered in their home, and then the apparent killers are found dead in Brooklyn a few days later. What seems like an open-and-shut case to the police feels like a well-coordinated frame-up job to Scudder.One of my favorite passages occurs in the first few chapters as Scudder finds himself drawn to the case without really understanding why. He ambles aimlessly for a while knocking on doors and asking questions. There is a lot of emphasis in the text on the various subway routes and taxicabs he takes around town. I thought it was an odd choice for the author to focus on this. Then, Scudder realizes what has been bothering him: How could the murderers get from the crime scene to their hideout covered in blood and carrying pillow cases full of stolen loot? The subways and taxis would have been too dangerous. The answer: there must have been a 3rd man driving a getaway car. And so, we’re off to the races... Block’s textual emphasis on getting around the city sets up the reader’s mind perfectly to prepare for this epiphany.Block varies things up a bit in this book. For the first time I can recall in this series, he presents chapters written from the killer’s point of view, and he ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. The next volume All the Flowers Are Dying serves as a direct sequel/continuation. Also, Hope to Die seemed less noir than some of the other books. While not exactly light-hearted, it was sprinkled liberally with tongue-in-cheek jabs at many genre staples—serial killers, computer technology, and psychoanalysis, in particular.One of the great things about this series is that Block has been writing it since the mid-70’s, and he allows his characters to age in real time. Since New York is such an integral part of the fabric of these stories, we get to watch the city change and grow over 40 years as well. Hope to Die captures NYC in early 2001 just prior to 9/11. People are still learning to embrace the internet, AOL, and newsgroups. Cell phones have just begun to supplant pay phones and beepers. Smartphones, tablets, GPS, and Google have all yet to emerge into the national consciousness. Scudder is, to say the least, a late-adopter, but he finds himself faced with new technology at every turn.There’s a nice subplot involving Scudder’s middle-aged sons, in which he tries to own up to mistakes he made much earlier in the series. It is not germane to the main thrust of the narrative, but it is a nice touch for long-term readers who have been wondering how the boys turned out.If you have not discovered Scudder yet, and maybe you don't want to start in the mid-1970's with Sins of the Father, this would also be a good entry point.

Another excellent Matt Scudder novel, number 16 in the Series. This time involves Scudder & TJ looking into a seemingly closed case..more excellent interaction between the lead characters with some welcome additions. This is another quick & fast flowing thriller. Will miss this series when I finish it !

This book took me so long to read. I had surgery in the middle of it and it took a while to get back to reading it. I had read that some think it was the best Matthew Scudder. It was good but not even close to the best. I gave it 4 atars.

Each Matthew Scudder book offers a different sub-genre to the crime/hardboiled category of fiction. This makes each entry fresh, unique, and at times surprising. With Hope to Die, Scudder encounters a deranged, over-the-top serial killer who leaves a very cold trail with his victims. Now, for those who have read up to the this point, you may be thinking "Block's been there and done that with Ticket to the Boneyard." Trust me, this one is different. This entry is very similar to the Sanford-esque type of thriller in which we not only get a heinous villain, but also a glimpse into his psyche through a shared narrative. It works, too. This one is far from the best Scudder adventure. There are times when it seems like Block is just going through the motions, but what can the reader expect from the character at this point? He's in his 60s by now and retired from full-time investigations. "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in." Like many sequels in the fiction and movie worlds, there are a lot of side attractions in Hope to Die which in my opinion, make for a solid entry considering its place in the series. Figuratively speaking, there is still some bourbon left in the bottle. Block and Scudder haven't run dry at 15.

Block and Scudder at their best. Fast-paced and intriguing, Block once again builds intriguing ancillary characters, while drawing in recurring characters. Reading this was like sitting at Grogan's listening to the tale late into the night . . . . with only a trip to the Butcher's Mass missing for us.