When the Hollanders returned home, it is assumed they surprised burglars in the act of relieving them of some of their more portable valuables. The thieves killed both husband and wife before making off with a pillowcase each filled with goods. A relatively small amount of loot was taken, and Susan Hollander was raped before having her throat slit. Not the usual method of operation for thieves looking for merchandise to fence for drug money. Of course, it could have been a “home invasion,” the term used to describe the situation in which the thief is looking for a confrontation, but it still looks odd to Scudder.

An eyewitness quickly leads police to Cobey Island Avenue in Midwood. Two men purported to be responsible for the crimes are found dead in a ramshackle house. One of the men is directly linked to the murder scene via fingerprints and DNA evidence. Since two men had been seen carrying pillowcases near the Hollander home, and two pillowcases are found in the home with the dead men, the case is closed. There is no need for a trial because the perpetrators are dead. To Matt Scudder, the solution is too convenient. A newly installed locked bolt in the house on Coney Island Avenue looks out of place. He decides to investigate further.

Lawrence Block is the true grand master of the crime novel. Whether it be Matt Scudder, Bernie Rhodenbarr, Evan Tanner, or his newish creation, Keller, Block’s technique is flawless. Hope to Die is no exception. The plot is unique and well thought out. There are no loose end or awkward situations. No clues that Scudder “just happens” to stumble over. It is not at all obvious who is responsible for the crimes until late in the novel, and even then the motive still remains obscure. The reader still has a bit of thinking left to do.

As a hero Matt Scudder is near perfect - because he isn’t - perfect, that is. He has his own host of demons with which to do battle. He is a recovering alcoholic. As he readily admits, no alcoholic is ever recovered because the temptation to drink is always there even if it isn’t realized. He regrets his actions of his past life. His former wife, mother of his two sons, dies, leaving him guilty that he hadn’t been a better husband for her and hadn’t known how ill she has been recently. He regrets not being a better father to his now grown sons, especially the younger son who seems headed for disaster.

Perhaps the hallmark of all Mr. Block’s books is his command of the English language. Hope to Die is told from Matt Scudder’s point of view. As Matt reconstructs possible scenarios that culminate in the deaths of the Hollanders, he recounts the importance of imagination for both a writer and policeman. Indeed, Mr. Block seems to follow such advice. Each sentence is carefully crafted. One would be hard pressed to express any thought in the novel in better words than the author has chosen. In fact, one could easily confine one’s reading to Mr. Block’s work. He is prolific, being the author of well over fifty books, and diverse. He educates readers in different areas depending on the series character, or stand alone work. Matt Scudder provides insight into the work of the police and private detectives, Bernie Rhodenbarr teaches various aspects of the used book trade, and Evan Tanner, the man who never sleeps, astounds one with his remarkable memory.

If you are ever stranded on a desert island and can have only the works of one author, Lawrence Block would be a good choice.

--Andy Plonka