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adamcagey's review against another edition
4.0
I started re-reading the Matthew Scudder books last year and haven't made a lot of progress, unfortunately. Like al of my favorite mystery novels, Block's books are less concerned with solving a murder than they are showing us the inner workings of the main character. And what a main character. Scudder's development mirrors that of his writer in a lot of ways. When the series begins, they were both alcoholics struggling to make it through the day. We get to watch them make the first tentative steps toward recovery and then (not without some backsliding, give up drink entirely. It all plays out in one of the meaner portrayals of New York I've read. I really think that the development of the Scudder character will be counted as a significant literary achievement. Block just needs some critics to "discover" him the way the New Wave "discovered" Hitchcock.
dantastic's review against another edition
5.0
When call girl is murdered and her roommate/killer hangs himself in prison, the girl's wealthy stepfather hires Matthew Scudder to investigate the girl's past and find out why her life ended the way it did. Scudder's investigations lead him through a web of sex and lies...
Wow. Lawrence Block always keeps me entertained but this was one hell of a read. It's less than 200 pages but one of the more powerful pieces of detective fiction I've read in years. I figured Scudder would unearth some bad things in his quest. Come on, how can you not unearth bad things when you're investigating the death of a call girl? Still, I was surprised by all the twists.
Scudder himself is a great character. He left the police force after a ricocheting bullet of his killed an innocent girl and has been operating as something of a PI ever since. He tithes to the church and drinks a lot. He has a sense of law and order and justice about him that keeps him interesting. For instance, he tells the story of setting up a guy he knew was a rapist by planting heroin in his apartment while he was gone and then informing on him. This is the first Scudder book and I think I'll be picking up the others as I find them.
For fans of noir, you can't go wrong picking up this book.
Wow. Lawrence Block always keeps me entertained but this was one hell of a read. It's less than 200 pages but one of the more powerful pieces of detective fiction I've read in years. I figured Scudder would unearth some bad things in his quest. Come on, how can you not unearth bad things when you're investigating the death of a call girl? Still, I was surprised by all the twists.
Scudder himself is a great character. He left the police force after a ricocheting bullet of his killed an innocent girl and has been operating as something of a PI ever since. He tithes to the church and drinks a lot. He has a sense of law and order and justice about him that keeps him interesting. For instance, he tells the story of setting up a guy he knew was a rapist by planting heroin in his apartment while he was gone and then informing on him. This is the first Scudder book and I think I'll be picking up the others as I find them.
For fans of noir, you can't go wrong picking up this book.
zorc_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Sexual violence, Homophobia, and Incest
CW: pop psychology from the 70s.ericbuscemi's review against another edition
4.0
I picked up the Kindle version of this for 99c (all of Lawrence Block's back catalog is on sale on Amazon.com).
As for my review: I liked it a great deal. It was a quick, compelling read. The main character was a likable rogue, the mystery was complex without being too convoluted, and the solution had some nice twists to it.
My only issue is with the title. The Sins of the Fathers. Now, if you hadn't read this yet, like I hadn't, wouldn't you think you knew who the killer was?
Well, you would be correct. It was. He may as well title his next novel The Butler Did It for all the suspense this title gave the story.
However, having now read the novel, I like the title more, despite that it gives away the killer, because it also points out the sins the other fathers are guilty of, which gave the title, and the novel, some added depth.
As for my review: I liked it a great deal. It was a quick, compelling read. The main character was a likable rogue, the mystery was complex without being too convoluted, and the solution had some nice twists to it.
My only issue is with the title. The Sins of the Fathers. Now, if you hadn't read this yet, like I hadn't, wouldn't you think you knew who the killer was?
Well, you would be correct. It was
Spoiler
the minister that was the father of the suicide victimHowever, having now read the novel, I like the title more, despite that it gives away the killer, because it also points out the sins the other fathers are guilty of, which gave the title, and the novel, some added depth.
feanor451's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
thejoeyharris's review against another edition
5.0
Great starT to a series.
This was a good beginning to the series. Not as long as some of his later novels, but the core of the character is already there.
This was a good beginning to the series. Not as long as some of his later novels, but the core of the character is already there.
mickeymole's review against another edition
4.0
Three for the story. Five for the character of Scudder.
robint1981's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book, need to pick up the other books in the series.
mschlat's review against another edition
4.0
Yep, I will keep on reading these. This is focused, dark, violent detective fiction with ex-cop protagonist Matthew Scudder. He isn't a licensed PI, just someone who does favors for those who are looking for some answers. This storyline was heavily psychological (both a whodunit and a whydunit) --- it almost verged too much into the "pop psychology" realm, but that's something I can forgive from a 1970's novel.
I picked this up hoping for something that would scratch the itch of Richard Stark's Parker novels and Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' Criminal series. It does, albeit more on the side of the angels than the devils.
I picked this up hoping for something that would scratch the itch of Richard Stark's Parker novels and Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' Criminal series. It does, albeit more on the side of the angels than the devils.