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A Stab in the Dark: A Matthew Scudder Novel Audiobook
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(3.01) - 1,252 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Nine long years have passed since the killer last struck—nine years since eight helpless young women were brutally slaughtered by an icepick-wielding maniac. The trail grew cold, and the book was unofficially closed on a serial killer who stopped killing. But now the "Icepick Prowler" has confessed—but only to seven of the killings. Not only does he deny the eighth but he also has an airtight alibi.
Barbara Ettinger's family had almost come to accept that the young woman was the victim of a random killing. Now they must grapple with the shocking revelation that not only was her death disguised to look like the serial killer's work but her murderer may have been someone she knew and trusted.
Matthew Scudder has been hired to finally bring her slayer to justice, setting the relentless detective on the trail of a death almost a decade old, searching for a vicious murderer who is either long gone, long dead—or patiently waiting to kill again.
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"Another in the Matthew Scudder series, this is about Matt investigating the murder of a woman killed years earlier. Her death was thought to be the work of a serial killer but when the killer is caught, it turns out he couldn't have done it, so the woman's father hires Matt to find who really killed her. It is an engrossing mystery, I thought I had who did it but I was wrong. I also think the series is getting stronger, letting more of Matt and his past in, and delving deeper into his alcoholism."
— Theresa (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Lawrence Block is a master…The Matthew Scudder novels are among the finest detective books penned in this century.”
— Jonathan Kellerman -
“Among the virtues of the book is its complete lack of sentimentality. The author is a deft surgeon, spare and economical, with no wasted motion, sure and precise in his technique.”
— New York Times -
“This is a Scudder mystery, and listeners will enjoy his relentless investigation into the brutal nine-year-old murder of a pregnant woman. The novel is early in the Scudder series, by the way, and an important stepping-stone on his way to sobriety.”
— AudioFile -
“The more interesting aspect of the work is Scudder’s alcoholism. Not yet bottomed out, he engages in morning eye-openers and all-day benders…Though his lover enters Alcoholics Anonymous at the end of the work, Scudder continues his heavy drinking. William Roberts’s reading of the story is quite good. A required purchase for all detective story collections.”
— Library Journal
Awards
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Winner of the 1982 Shamus Award
A Stab in the Dark Listener Reviews
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" Unlicensed PI Mathew Scudder is asked to find out who killed a woman 9 years ago. The assumed killer was recently caught and confessed to all the "Ice Pick Killings" except this one. "
— Joyce, 2/20/2014 -
" What I love about these books is that they are so raw! Although Matt Scudder seems very detached this also makes him very deep. Now reading the next one, which is somewhat longer "
— Keiran, 2/3/2014 -
" Matthew Scudder 4. Very strong story, excellent characterizations. "
— Kevin, 1/26/2014 -
" Another cold blast from Matt Scudder's drunk days. Again, it's so striking how messed up the guy was in the early books. It's almost like, as NYC goes, so goes Matt Scudder. This one takes place in '81, when the city was still basically a hellhole, though it was a blast reading about Cobble and Boerum Hills being on the up-and-coming track. Ha! Mystery was, like, whatever, but it's really about spending time with Scudder - - wearing his skin - - indulging in his habits - - for a little while. "
— THOMAS, 1/20/2014 -
" If you love a simply good mystery, you'll love this one by Lawrence Block. In the fourth installment of the Matthew Scudder series, Matt Scudder is assigned a 9-year-old cold case murder of Barbara Ettinger from her father, Charles London. Scudder, ex-cop and an alcoholic, is on the case, and talked to the people involved in the case, including her family. One by one, he's building up facts and compiling theories, while people tried to scare him off. He didn't phase him. He kept on talking to people and revisiting the clues, until he solved it right into the end. A good quick read. "
— Kristen, 1/17/2014 -
" Matthew Scudder has a problem, and to keep from dwelling on it he takes on an almost impossible task: find out who performed a copycat murder nine years ago. But along the way, he finds his situation reflected in other folks' lives, and sooner or later he will have to make decisions. A great read. "
— Steve, 1/15/2014 -
" Another great Scudder book - very clever ending. "
— Stephen, 1/8/2014 -
" Another great Scudder book by Block, highly recommend to lovers of mysteries. "
— David, 12/23/2013 -
" I enjoyed this a lot. A quick read adn with a surprisingly amount of character work along with a pretty good mystery. "
— Charles, 11/29/2013 -
" Scudder is still drinking; he's hired to find out who killed Barbara Ettinger with an icepick. "
— Rusty, 11/10/2013 -
" As more than once has been said, the P.I. thing is second to the real interesting stuff: the Matt Scudder whatabouts. "
— Alberto, 10/24/2013 -
" Just as good as the rest! "
— Djdee, 11/4/2012 -
" Great characters. Master of dialogue. "
— Bruce, 8/1/2012 -
" Very Good; Continuing character: Matt Scudder; ex-cop fights booze while finding out who performed copycat icepick murder of young woman. "
— Joe, 7/31/2012 -
" My favorite Matt Scudder novel. If someone asked me for a great mystery novel, this is the one I would hand them. "
— Dave, 1/27/2012
About Lawrence Block
Lawrence Block is the recipient of a Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America and a New York Times bestselling author. His prolific career spans over one hundred books, including four bestselling series and dozens of short stories and articles. He has won multiple Edgar, and Shamus awards, two Falcon Awards from the Maltese Falcon Society of Japan, the Nero and Philip Marlowe Awards, the Cartier Diamond Dagger from the Crime Writers Association of America, and many others. Aside from being a mystery writer, he has also written a number of episodes for television, including two episodes of the ESPN series Tilt; he also cowrote the screenplay for the film My Blueberry Nights, starring Norah Jones. Block currently lives in New York City with his wife, Lynne.
About William Roberts
William Roberts’ theater appearances include Of Mice and Men and To Kill a Mockingbird. Among his films are Cold Mountain and Death Wish III, while he has been seen on television in Martin Chuzzlewit and The Old Devils. An accomplished voice artist, he is a frequent narrator of audiobooks and has received an AudioFile Earphones Award.