When a married couple is found brutally murdered in their own home, the two scum bags thought responsible are found dead in their own apartment of an apparent murder suicide. While the NYPD feels confident in closing the case, the niece of the deceased does not. She mentions this in passing to TJ who in…
“The most successful war seldom pays for its losses.” –Thomas Jefferson Lawrence Block’s fourteenth entry in his long running Matt Scudder series is by far the most tragic. The loss of life within these pages is astounding and there came a time near the end where I thought very few would make it out alive.…
I wonder if Juarez and El Paso were inspirations for George Lucas when he created the town of Mos Eisley as the two border towns are both wretched hives of scum and villainy. Seeing the public eye for the first time in over fifty years, and released through renowned publisher Hard Case Crime, Borderline (originally…
At the urging of an opinion piece, a vigilante takes to the streets of New York knocking off an accused child molester who up until now, has escaped the hand of justice. Succeeding in his mission, he dubs himself “The Will of the People” (or “Will” for short). Shortly after, he writes into a…
Over the last few years, I’ve been making my way through Lawrence Block’s Matt Scudder series. I’ve also branched out into his novels with Hardcase Crime as well as his Bernie Rhodenbarr series with last year’s self-published release, The Burglar Who Counted The Spoons. As you could probably guess, Block has emerged as one of my…
Unlicensed detective Matt Scudder is hired by a member of a secret group of men who meet once a year to discuss progress made in their lives. In 1961, the group started out strong with thirty-one members and now, some thirty years later, they’re down to fourteen. It doesn’t seem uncommon – people die all…
A man is gunned down and the person deemed responsible is caught red handed at the scene of the crime. While the accused’s brother realizes that the evidence is damning, he cannot imagine his brother committing such a horrible act. He remembered meeting a man who identified himself as a detective during an AA meeting…
After doing a stretch in San Quentin, Johnny Hayden decides to commit to a quiet life in middle management. While saving up to buy a local motel and quietly completing a correspondence course in hospitality, Johnny is approached by an old friend with a con to end all cons. Reluctant at first, Johnny eventually caves…
