All the Flowers are Dying by
Lawrence Block
hbk out April 05
Published by Orion
at £12.99
Matt Scudder, ex-cop and alcoholic is set to retire. As a favour to his wife
Elaine, he takes on a final enquiry - looking into the credentials of a man who
is dating Elaine's friend Louise. Louise really likes the guy but he is secretive
- what is he hiding? Meanwhile another friend, Monica, is having a
clandestine affair. She usually brags about her romances but this time she
won't tell Elaine anything about the mystery man. When Monica is found
raped, tortured and killed in her apartment, Elaine is understandably
devastated. As if her friend's brutal death wasn't enough to deal with, it
becomes apparent that this is a serial killer and before long he will strike
again. Block, a Grandmaster of the Mystery Writers of America and winner of
the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger, never fails to deliver a compelling story.
Scudder's life as an alcoholic is at the centre of his stories rather than just
tacked on. As always the city of New York, affectionately and honestly
portrayed, is the location. Like many contemporary writers, Block combines
the first person narrative of the detective's account with sections in the third
person which allows us to follow the killer's movements too and intensifies the
suspense as he draws closer to his next victims.
(
Cath Staincliffe
author of the popular Sal Kilkenny mysteries and the series creator of TV Blue Murder)
All the Flowers are Dying by
Lawrence Block
