The Devil Knows You're...

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Lawrence Block

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The Devil Knows You're Dead (Matthew Scudder #11)

by Lawrence Block (Goodreads Author)

3.94 of 5 stars 3.94 · rating details · 863 ratings · 33 reviews

A deranged derelict, a crazed Vietnam vet, has been arrested for gunning down successful young lawyer Glenn Holtzmann at a corner phone booth on Eleventh Avenue and the suspect's brother wants p.i. 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

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Unknown Binding, 503 pages

Published January 1st 2001 by Thorndike Press (first published 1993)

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Sep 25, 2011 Kemper rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-mystery, detectives, 2011-r, scudder

Just as Babe Ruth couldn’t hit a home run with every at bat or Joe Montana couldn’t throw a touchdown pass on every throw, even Lawrence Block had to eventually produce a Matt Scudder novel that’s just ‘pretty damn good’ instead of ‘freakin’ awesome’.

A yuppie lawyer gets murdered when making a call at a payphone, and everyone thinks that a homeless and disturbed Vietnam veteran was the killer. Even the vet isn’t sure if he did it or not but admits he could have. The vet’s brother asks Matt to ch...more Just as Babe Ruth couldn’t hit a home run with every at bat or Joe Montana couldn’t throw a touchdown pass on every throw, even Lawrence Block had to eventually produce a Matt Scudder novel that’s just ‘pretty damn good’ instead of ‘freakin’ awesome’.

A yuppie lawyer gets murdered when making a call at a payphone, and everyone thinks that a homeless and disturbed Vietnam veteran was the killer. Even the vet isn’t sure if he did it or not but admits he could have. The vet’s brother asks Matt to check it out to make sure his brother isn’t being railroaded. Matt’s a little hesitant because he had actually met the victim a few times, but decides to take the case.

As he looks into the murder, Matt has to make some decisions about his on-going relationship with Elaine. He also gets some bad news from an old friend as well as an unusual request.

There’s nothing really wrong with this book. But after the crazy creative high that Block had been on with Scudder since 8 Million Ways To Die, it was probably inevitable that he’d have to cool off a bit.

Block seemed a bit unfocused and out of sync in this one. He almost always used the parallel stories of Matt working on a case while working through some stuff in his personal life, and this one fits that formula perfectly. There’s just a lack of energy and momentum in this one that was present in the previous books. Part of the issue may be the lack of a strong villain in this, and after the wicked line of bad guys Matt had been dealing with in the previous books, that makes this one seem a bit less urgent and dangerous.

Plus, this has a rare story telling miscue by Block. (view spoiler)

Even though it’s just an average Scudder, an average Scudder is still better than 90% of what you’d find in the mystery section of any bookstore.
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Sep 29, 2012 Carol rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: sophisticated noir

Shelves: awards, mystery, male-lead

This one redeemed the Scudder series for me. I understand why other readers might feel it doesn't compare with its immediate predecessors: very little violence, no emotional attachment to the victim and almost no blood, although Matt does seem to be in several sorts of emotional danger. However, the emotional subplots are the trimmings that elevate the Scudder series above ordinary noir detective or mystery thriller going for the roller-coaster climb, and its why the Scudder series consistently...more This one redeemed the Scudder series for me. I understand why other readers might feel it doesn't compare with its immediate predecessors: very little violence, no emotional attachment to the victim and almost no blood, although Matt does seem to be in several sorts of emotional danger. However, the emotional subplots are the trimmings that elevate the Scudder series above ordinary noir detective or mystery thriller going for the roller-coaster climb, and its why the Scudder series consistently yields such satisfying reads.

Elaine and Scudder are settling into a solid companionship, and she convinces him to go on a couple-date with Lisa, a woman she met in an art class, and her husband, Glenn. While the women hit it off, the men don't, despite Glenn's obvious enthusiasm for Matt's work. In the next few weeks, Glenn runs into Scudder a few times, ostensibly to discuss writing a book. Matt would rather avoid him--there's something sly and sneaky about ol' Glenn. Shockingly, Glenn is gunned down while making a call at a public telephone not long after they meet. Police are certain they have the killer, a homeless guy who is mostly living in the Vietnam war. The suspect's brother and Lisa both entreat Scudder to get involved, and he finds himself unenthusiastically conducting an investigation. An exchange from when Scudder meets up with Durkin perfectly summarizes the police reaction:
"You know what's wrong with the case, Joe?"
"The only thing wrong with it is you're taking an interest. Aside from that it's perfect."

Scudder's ex, Jan, reappears from the past with some significant life events and blows him into a tailspin. There are some fascinating conversations that sound emotionally authentic around Jan's storyline. However, the whiff of carpe diem has an unanticipated effect on Scudder's decision-making. While I can understand some of his reasoning, I don't respect his behavior. Others may have found their squirm point in prior books; this one had mine. It's a measure of Block's skill as a writer that he can create such conflict in the reader about the justification of Matt's actions. Elaine doesn't even know the half of it when she exclaims, "You've got him buying guns and selling dope and hanging out with transsexuals. You're a wonderful positive influence on the boy."

I love that Block is willing to be judgement-neutral with his characters, whether gender-bending Julia, TJ's fascination with her, or the lawyer Kaplan figuring out how to best serve his client. Almost everyone's a little dirty in this one, except the charming elderly publisher who hired Glenn. Listening to a murderer explain why assisting a suicide is morally wrong was fascinating, and almost understandable. As a by-product, the investigation gives us a little insight into a transsexual's life, and I respect Block for not playing up the freak/shock factor. Likewise, he treats the homeless and mentally ill suspect with a great deal of sensitivity. The suspect's brother perfectly summarizes why the suspect should be free if he isn't guilty:
"I don't want to glamorize the life he leads, make him sound like some kind of Noble Savage. It's a horrible life. He lives like an animal, he lives in fear and torment... I wouldn't live his life for the world, but it's his life, do you follow me? It's his f-ing life so let him f-ing live it."

Levity was added in Block's usual sly asides, including an insult about the Big Book of AA, which Scudder describes as "the sophistication level was that of a Rotary Club Breakfast in a small town in Iowa." Snerk. Then there was the off-handed slap at Block's competitors: "I didn't think there was a policeman or private detective anywhere in New York who wasn't trying to get a book published. Nobody's out looking for criminals these days. They are all looking for agents."

Thankfully, Block found a good one.(less)

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Jul 13, 2012 Alberto rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-mystery

Taking your life is a very grave matter. You're saying you know better than Himself how long you should live. You're saying: "Thanks very much for this gift of life, but why don't You take it an shove it up Your ass?

Although not bad this is the weakest Scudder so far, which speaks good of the series, only one weak title after 10 remarkable ones. But there's no danger, no thrill and the mystery took a third of the book to take off.
The good writing and the greatness of the characters save the book...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Dan Schwent rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-and-mystery, hardcase-writers, 2010, block

An acquaintance of Scudder's is gunned down at a pay phone and it looks like a homeless man is the culprit. The homeless man's brother hires Scudder to clear him. Scudder's investigation takes him through a world populated with transsexuals and blackmail. Also on Scudder's plate are the pancreatic cancer of his ex-girlfriend, his relationship with Elaine, and the affair he's having with the dead man's wife...

The Devil Knows You're Dead wasn't quite up to par with the rest of the Lawrence Black's...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Roy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So far, even the worst Scudder books have been pretty damn good. This was my least favorite in the series so far, but I think that speaks at least as much to the quality of the previous books as it does to the quality of this book. This case finds Scudder trying to figure out whether a man arrested for the murder of a man from the neighborhood is actually guilty of the crime.

Much of this book seems to be at least as much about changing the status quo of Scudder's life as it does having him tack...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Cliff rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novels

Matt and Elaine live in New York City. They live apart but usually spend their evenings together, eating takeaway and watching television or rented videos. They don't seem to have many friends and this is not hard to understand because both are monumental bores. Matt is a reformed alcoholic and his main topic of conversation is the procedural formalities of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Elaine has made enough after twenty years working as a prostitute to buy a few apartments and live off the re...more

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Apr 18, 2010 Eric_W rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries-and-thrillers

One thing about the Matt Scudder books is that you'll learn a lot about AA and the relationship between an alcoholic and his mentor. This one in particular seems to have more about the different types of meetings, what transpires, and the sub-culture of alcoholics working to stay sober. Now, I'm not a drinker, being overly concerned with control, never wanting to cede what little gray matter I have to some external drug, so I have no way of knowing how accurate or what Block's history with AA mi...more One thing about the Matt Scudder books is that you'll learn a lot about AA and the relationship between an alcoholic and his mentor. This one in particular seems to have more about the different types of meetings, what transpires, and the sub-culture of alcoholics working to stay sober. Now, I'm not a drinker, being overly concerned with control, never wanting to cede what little gray matter I have to some external drug, so I have no way of knowing how accurate or what Block's history with AA might be, but it certainly rings true.

In this novel, our relationship to death also plays a significant role. Jan, an old friend of Matt's, has asked him to get her an untraceable gun so she can kill herself. She has pancreatic cancer and has been given less than a year to live and she doesn't want to go through the decline and pain of the illness. This leads to a long discussion between Matt and his mentor about death as another of God's design flaws.

The Scudder novels differ greatly from other PI novels where the hero can consume copious quantities of straight scotch and then thread a needle with great precision, a la Spenser (not true of Parker's Jesse Stone, however, whose career in L.A. homicide is destroyed by alcohol.) The true demon in the Scudder series is alcohol and Matt's constant battle with that scourge. Self-denial becomes a huge backdrop to his other actions when he falls off the wagon (A Stab in the Dark,) "maintenance drinking," he called it. By A Devil Knows You're Dead, Scudder is still wrestling with those temptations, and trying to deal with the death of his friend, but more successfully. It's noteworthy that his girlfriend, Elaine, is a hooker, another of society's outcasts, but who seems to have a more perspicacious view of the world than most others. Block has said in an interview that he wanted to see how Scudder would develop as a character if he stopped drinking. The Scudder series, I think, is his best in dealing with the dark impulses and pressures of society.

I've read a smattering of his other series: Ehrengraf is good if more light-hearted but consciously amoral; Keller is lots of fun but decidedly even more amoral; the Chip Harrison series never grabbed me, and Tanner often gets a little ridiculous even as he pokes fun at society. I love the Bernie Rhodenbarr series; they are quite amusing. How Block manages to juggle all these characters is marvelous and astonishing.
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Feb 23, 2012 Larou added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-02, crime, fiction

A large part of the appeal of Lawrence Block’s Matthew Scudder series has always (or at least from about the third novel onwards) been to follow the fate of its protagonist, his trying to survive without a regular job, his trying to come to terms with his past as a police officer, and chiefly his struggle with (and quite often succumbing to) his alcoholism.

But this is how it goes – you creat a recurring protagonist for your novels, give him a backstory, and, as no man is an island, some friends,...more A large part of the appeal of Lawrence Block’s Matthew Scudder series has always (or at least from about the third novel onwards) been to follow the fate of its protagonist, his trying to survive without a regular job, his trying to come to terms with his past as a police officer, and chiefly his struggle with (and quite often succumbing to) his alcoholism.

But this is how it goes – you creat a recurring protagonist for your novels, give him a backstory, and, as no man is an island, some friends, some acquaintances and maybe an enemy or two. Then, likely a few novels into your series now, you have to show how your hero copes with history, how his past influences his present, maybe show he overcomes it. You have to keep track of what his friends and acquaintances are doing, maybe have an old enemy return. And as your hero keeps working on cases, there are new friends, new acquaintances, new enemies, all of which have to kept track of, too, while your hero continues to develop, maybe enters a relationship, wonders whether it might be something serious. You have a fairly long series now, ten, maybe eleven volumes, and as you write your most recent one you suddenly notice how your protagonist’s ongoing private life has so encroached on what was supposed to be the plot of your novel that it is taking up most of the space and the attention.

This is what I think happened to the Matthew Scudder series in its eleventh volume The Devil Knows You’re Dead – in all ten novels before this one, the crime plot was always placed firmly centre stage, with Scudder’s private life in the background, enhancing the main plot with depth and emotional resonance. In contrast, The Devil Knows You’re Dead is first and foremost about Matthew Scudder the man and his personal history, and as his job is working as an unlicenced private detective, there is some crime here, but it’s only taking place in the periphery – while you usually have a detective because a crime has been comitted, here you have a crime because the book happens to be about an detective.

Such a reversal of emphasis might have been a sure recipe for a boring, uninteresting novel – but Scudder is a fascinating character (and readers who have followed him through the series will have quite an emotional investment in him by now) and Block is an excellent writer who manages to pull this off with apparent effortlessness and keeps us interested^, making us care more about how things between Elaine and Scudder will turn out and what he will do about Jan than in who did or did not kill Glenn Holtzmann.

Block’s regard is as unflinching when it is directed on Scudder’s private life as when it is on the more public sphere of crime and punishment – not satisfied with his usual shorcomings – his alcoholism, his befriending a known and ruthless criminal, his dithering in his relationship with Elaine – Scudder in this volume adds infidelity to the list when begins an affair with a crime victim’s widow. Still, the reader (this reader at least) can’t help but like Scudder, for aren’t we all flawed somehow, and we’ve been together with him through so much, one can’t help but hope that he’ll get a grip on himself and do right by Elaine. And of course read the next book in the series, to find out whether he does.(less)

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Dec 23, 2011 Ensiform rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, mystery

The clean and ostensibly happily domesticated Scudder is hired by a vagrant’s brother to clear the vagrant of a shooting. The victim happens to be a distant acquaintance of Scudder’s, and though Matt didn’t like the guy much, he ends up having a desultory kind of affair with his widow. Meanwhile the accused killer is himself killed in prison, leaving a stubborn Scudder to attack the closed case (or as his cop friend puts it, “trying to give a dead horse mouth-to-mouth resuscitation”).

This is onl...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Tony McFadden rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this book a long time ago. It was the last Lawrenve Block book I read.

I believe the paperback may still be in orbit, I threw it so hard. As this was only my second Block book and he has legions of fans, perhaps I judged his work too harshly (not *this* work though - 2 stars is generous). While I would advise any reader of mysteries and thrillers to run from this one as fast as you can, I may pick up another of his books and give his life's work another chance.

Would appreciate some recomm...more

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Jan 22, 2010 Marti rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

this is a rather good matthew scudder book from 1993. In it, he is involved with an old girlfriend who has pancreatic cancer, the woman he calls the love of his life, and a young widow, whom he comforts in her bed, as well as doing some detective work for her. there are other interesting characters such as a young black informant and a friend of his, a lovely transsexual. lawrence block paints the settings so that you can easily picture them. it is a tour of manhattan without having to pay the e...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Mark Robertson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Set in the early 1990s as Hell's Kitchen was being rebranded as Clinton, this is a classic tale of a PI battling - or at least meditating on - his inner demons while coming to the aid of a beautiful woman. AA member Scudder deals with semi-homeless denizens in the neighborhood as well as a pre-op transgender as he unravels the mystery of a seemingly senseless gangland style execution just blocks away from the victim's tony aerie on West 57th Street. Well worth the read.

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Feb 03, 2013 Katherine Clark rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I liked this book though it seemed draggy. That was ok to me though because the previous book was so dark and so violent. I didn't like Matt's character for two reasons in this book, but at the same time, I like the honesty of Block in letting us see terrible flaws in Matt's character. I really do find it interesting how much back peddaling there is in this book compared to the two previous ones. Much less violent and much less crude. I'm glad and hope it keeps up.

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Nov 20, 2009 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Matthew Scudderm ex-cop, ex-alcoholoc, ex-husband, AA attender and private eye takes on a case already apparently solved. A young lawyer was shot in a phone booth by a street person. But, naturally, there's more here than meets the eye. Matthew has a lot of other ex-s to deal with as well. There's his ex-girlfriend who is also an ex-drinker, the ex-wife of the lawyer, and his current girlfriend who's an ex-hooker.

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Aug 22, 2011 Andrew Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Block is one of the very best crime writers. Ever! And this is one of his best books. I’ll not go into the detail partly because it’ll spoil the read for others but also if you’ve read any of the Scudder series you’ll pretty much know how it works (ex-drunk policeman, lots of AA meetings, plenty of PI leg work around NYC). If you’re not an existing Scudder (or Block) fan then don’t let my description put you off; trust me, it’s much better than I make it sound. The story bounces along and the ch...more

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Sep 06, 2010 Ed rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another first-rate title in the PI Matt Scudder series, one of my favorite detective books. This time out, Matt takes on clearing a homeless man who's shot by an assassin while using a public pay phone. Matt is a brooder and still flawed and conflicted enough to carry the hardboiled label. Then there's the seamless, effortless prose. Hammett would be proud of Mr. Block.

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Jan 09, 2012 Djdee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love this series so enjoyable and hard to put down. Each one in series feels different not predictable. Pleasure to read. I want to instantly pick up next one in series but am trying to pace myself!

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Oct 28, 2012 Leonard rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Enjoyable read. Recovering alcoholic, working his program and figuring out who done it. A newlywed guy is shot at a phone booth. He has a past that does not quite add up. Interesting read,

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Nov 27, 2012 Joe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Really enjoyable and well written Matt Scudder number 11, the series gets better and better in my opinion. Slight shift with note details around Scudders personal life which is excellent in addition to well crafted plot. Already looking forward to next instalment of the series. Highly recommended.

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Jun 05, 2011 Peg rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Entertaining mystery with a good cast of returning characters - not a boffo ending but likable enough to want to read more stories - from the beginning.

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Apr 01, 2010 James Thane rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the eleventh entry in Lawrence Block's excellent Matthew Scudder series. For anyone who might be interested, I've posted an essay on Block and Scudder on my blog, www.jameslthane.blogspot.com

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Sep 27, 2009 Denise M. marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: block-lawrence

AKA: Sheldon Lord, Jill Emerson, Paul Kavanaugh, Chip Harrison, Lawrence Block

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Jul 13, 2010 Brendan added it · review of another edition

I refuse to rate Block. But not his best.

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Dec 30, 2008 Mikel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Classic Scudder mystery. Very good.

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Sep 03, 2011 Kevin Connery rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

Matthew Scudder 11. This was the first Scudder novel I read, and I didn’t bother checking the others for a while. Scudder is at his least likeable here, and the mysteries aren’t as good as the earlier ones or the later ones. It’s not bad, but it lacks the spark of most of the rest of the series.

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Jan 08, 2010 Lynn Calvin added it · review of another edition

ereader ebook

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May 01, 2009 Tommyb added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 11-21-2007, 6-00

Fiction

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Jan 03, 2010 Glenn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries-and-thrillers

3.5 stars

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Apr 24, 2013 Eddy Allen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-and-suspense

The police think yuppie lawyer Glenn Holtzmann was randomly blown away by a deranged derelict. The accused's brother thinks otherwise-and hires Matt Scudder to prove the crazed Vietnam vet innocent. But Scudder's investigation is leading the tormented p.i. into the darkest corners of his own soul. And it threatens to destory everything he believes in... and everyone he loves.

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Apr 27, 2012 Jeffrey Hammerhead rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: shamus-winner

A great story that takes us on a tour of people's dark sides.

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About Lawrence Block

Received the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 2002.

From his web site:

I'm told every good author website needs a bio, so here's mine:

"Lawrence Block's novels range from the urban noir of Matthew Scudder (A Drop of the Hard Stuff) to the urbane effervescence of Bernie Rhodenbarr (The Burglar on the Prowl), while other characters include the globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanne...more

More about Lawrence Block...

Books by Lawrence Block

The Sins of the Fathers (Matthew Scudder, #1)

Eight Million Ways to Die (Matthew Scudder, #5)

When the Sacred Ginmill Closes (Matthew Scudder, #6)

Burglars Can't Be Choosers (Rhodenbarr, #1)

More…

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The Devil Knows You're Dead (Matthew Scudder #11)

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