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Eight Million Ways to Die

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Eight Million Ways to Die

By: Lawrence Block
Narrated by: Lawrence Block
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About this listen

Battling the bottle one day at a time, ex-cop, sometime PI Matthew Scudder finds that next to staying sober, staying alive seems easy. But in the mean streets of New York City it never is. Not for the prostitute who wanted out and got her beautiful self slashed to ribbons. Not for a pimp named Chance who is betting his life that the broken-down detective can find her murderer. And not for Matthew Scudder - just trying to stay alive in a city that knows nothing better than how to die. Winner of the Shamus Award!

©1982 Lawrence Block; 2012 AudioGO Modern Detectives Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction
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This would have been my 4th Matthew Scudder story, but the narration is appealing. apparently it’s Mr block himself. Tragic. I’d rather read this myself.

Any other voice but this

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Brilliantly narrated by one of the masters. Compelling Harrowing story about a tough and brutal old NYC.

Superb narration.

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I don't love this narrator, no big flaws just OK but the plot and character development just carried him! Best so far. Possibly best overall? I missed bits by dropping off but always went bac so I never missed a bit. When reading a good book I had the weird habit of nipping to the back, oddly the more exciting and intriguing the story the more often I did it. Well I went to the last chapter with about 90 mins to go and... Stopped myself. It was a long habit to break - old now! - but I did. I just took the book everywhere. I didn't want it to end as I was enjoying it so much. I have preferred English authors and female protagonists - often if not always flawed or damaged - but thus book just appealed

Superb

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It all started when a young woman went to meet Matt Scherer in a bar, referee to him by a friend in the same line of work. Kim was a prostitute and wanted out. But afraid to tell her pimp, she wanted Matt to do it for her. Short of money and offered a thousand dollars for this service, Matt agrees. An ex cop, he is not a licenced private eye but 'does favours for friends' for money. so first he must find the elusive Chance to tell him of Kim's decision.
Far more than just another murder mystery, Eight Million Ways to Die let's the reader live inside Matt Scudder's head as he battles with his own demons, including alcohol and guilt, whilst searching for a vicious killer who seems to have left no traces behind. All of the characters are so vividly portrayed they could be sitting right there, real and recognisable, with dialogue so true to life. The author paints a brilliant picture, a slice of life, of place and time.The

Lawrence Block also narrates his story, fully taking on the Scudder personality. And again he is superb. I'm rarely in favour of author's reading their own books but I certainly make an exception in his case even if the performance is at times down beat: it is Matt Scudder's life made real. I am, and have for many years, been a fan of Block's writing: great stories and characterisation, good, often witty, dialogue and very visual, atmospheric, noir. But in this novel he has excelled.

My thanks to the Audible Plus programme for making this excellent book freely available to download. Go get it now!
Very highly recommended.

"One day at a time."

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Have you listened to any of Lawrence Block’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Great book, and well read. I'm a fan of Block and the Scudder series. This is the first book of the Scudder series that breaks away from the formula of boozing-detective, as Scudder realises he has a drinking problem and exerts as much effort fighting his urge to drink as he does solving the mystery. So well written and crafted, all the story holds up except perhaps for the ending which was a bit 80s-B-movie for me, but considering this was written in 1982, is holds up amazingly well. I didn't read/ listen to this for a long time as I'd seen an awful film version, but the plot had been changed and has nothing to do with the plot of the novel (funny how Hollywood does that). Highly recommended

Brilliant noir

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