The Devil Knows You're Dead

A Matthew Scudder Crime Novel, Book 11

By: Lawrence Block

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

In New York City, there is little sense and no rules, and those who fly the highest often come crashing down the hardest.

A deranged, derelict, crazed Vietnam vet has been arrested for gunning down successful young lawyer Glenn Holtzmann at a corner phone booth on 11th Avenue—and the suspect's brother wants unlicensed private investigator Matthew Scudder to prove the madman innocent. But Scudder's curiosity and dedication are leading him to dark, unexplored places in his own heart…and to passions and secrets that could destroy everything he loves.

In this unmerciful metropolis, no one is truly innocent—including Matthew Scudder.

©2009 Lawrence Block (P)2014 Blackstone Audiobooks

A journey between murder and melancholy

Matthew Scudder’ s books are not the typical detective story where a detective -the good guy- solves a mystery of a murder and gets the bad guy behind the bars and where suspense, violence and intensity are the basic ingredients of the plot. There is a bit (at times a lot) of all this in Scudder’s stories, but there is much more. Scudder is continuously in a soul-searching mode, engaged in a journey towards redemption from his demons (alcohol, bad memories, life failures). He does all this without rhetoric or drama; he is a man with a natural sense of self-reflection combined with a self-deprecating sense of humour. He is also smart, though when needed and a great at reading people behaviours.
In this particular book Scudder is asked to help solve the mystery of the death of a prosperous lawyer; a presumed killer is caught by the police, but …. Other more personal events cross Matt’s journey toward the truth and allow different levels of reflection, which the standards detective books do not usually do.
New York provides a fantastic background to the story and Joe Barret is as good as it gets.

as usual Lawrence Block provides a unusual story

I love Matt Scutter stories, excellent dialogue and great returning characters. Good read, great series

Mistaken Identity

Great characters mixing it up in the story. To prove an apparently guilty man innocent, Scudder stumbles upon a federal snitch and a murderous pimp.

Profoundly affected my attitude

Wow what a wonderful rediscovery!
I am listening to the Scudder series in order they were written. This the best so far...thank you Lawerence Block❤️

Drags a little

Joe Barret is a great reader for this genre.

The story drags a bit here and there compared to other Scudder novels like When the Sacred Ginmill Closes but finishes very strong. It seems like Block is most compelling when Scudder is miserable.