A major, stand-alone thriller from Mystery Writers of America Grandmaster Lawrence Block, author of the acclaimed Matt Scudder books.
A beautiful young woman called Marilyn picks up a stranger in a bar and takes him home to her Manhattan apartment. The next morning her housekeeper discovers Marilyn's body.
Marilyn's life and death have far-reaching effects on others, even people she has never met: a charismatic former police commissioner on the verge of a breakdown; a struggling writer; a folk art dealer plumbing the depths of her own fierce sexuality; a lawyer who prefers murder trials because there's one witness fewer. And in a city reeling from 9/11, an unlikely mass murderer wages a one-man war against everyone.
In this gripping, multi-faceted story, Block not only brings to life in brilliant detail the city of New York, but proves he is one of the most talented, innovative and surprising crime writers in the business.
**
Amazon.com Review
A solid craftsman with five bestselling series under his belt as well as numerous standalone mysteries and short-story collections to his credit, Lawrence Block breaks new ground with a resonant, compelling thriller about one man's response to the Twin Towers tragedy--an insane yet totally comprehensible, seemingly unconnected string of serial murders, or, as the killer calls them, "sacrifices" to the city he believes will be reborn out of the ashes of destruction. Block, a New Yorker born and bred, has penned a paean to the Manhattan he knows and loves, and created a cast of fascinating characters whose lives are touched by the killings. Among the most interesting are a woman whose sexual obsessions ensnare a former police commissioner who's being groomed for higher political office, a crime novelist uncertain about his own culpability in the so-called Carpenter Killings, and a gay housecleaner whose clients keep ending up dead. This may be Block's best novel to date--it's certainly his most erotic and astonishing one, and it will keep you going until the last extraordinary page. A mesmerizing take on New York after 9/11, this solidly paced, brilliantly executed thriller deserves all the attention it will surely receive. --Jane Adams
From Publishers Weekly
Block (The Burglar in the Library; Eight Million Ways to Die; etc.) is one of today's most well-established mystery and thriller writers, but his gift for crafting compelling narratives does not, unfortunately, translate to a knack for narration. For one, his voice is the nasal half-whine of a New Yorker at its most pronounced. While this might not necessarily be a bad thing-especially since the book deals so intimately with the city and its ways-when coupled with a stilted reading style and a refusal to attempt even the slightest nuance for individual characters, it becomes a distraction rather than an asset. Particularly problematic for this production are the numerous explicit sex scenes. When Susan Pomerance, a beautiful art dealer whose instinct for sexual exploration is awakened by a murder central to the story, is in the throes of ecstasy, Block's reading sounds no different than when detectives are interviewing a subject or patrons are ordering a beer at the local watering hole. The scenes, then, are not only not erotic, but also almost laughable-only slightly less titillating than if read by Andy Rooney. The rest of the story offers a mix of Block's signature street smarts and intrigue, but fans would do well to stick with the book and avoid this disappointing recording.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Description:
A major, stand-alone thriller from Mystery Writers of America Grandmaster Lawrence Block, author of the acclaimed Matt Scudder books. A beautiful young woman called Marilyn picks up a stranger in a bar and takes him home to her Manhattan apartment. The next morning her housekeeper discovers Marilyn's body. Marilyn's life and death have far-reaching effects on others, even people she has never met: a charismatic former police commissioner on the verge of a breakdown; a struggling writer; a folk art dealer plumbing the depths of her own fierce sexuality; a lawyer who prefers murder trials because there's one witness fewer. And in a city reeling from 9/11, an unlikely mass murderer wages a one-man war against everyone. In this gripping, multi-faceted story, Block not only brings to life in brilliant detail the city of New York, but proves he is one of the most talented, innovative and surprising crime writers in the business. **
Amazon.com Review
A solid craftsman with five bestselling series under his belt as well as numerous standalone mysteries and short-story collections to his credit, Lawrence Block breaks new ground with a resonant, compelling thriller about one man's response to the Twin Towers tragedy--an insane yet totally comprehensible, seemingly unconnected string of serial murders, or, as the killer calls them, "sacrifices" to the city he believes will be reborn out of the ashes of destruction. Block, a New Yorker born and bred, has penned a paean to the Manhattan he knows and loves, and created a cast of fascinating characters whose lives are touched by the killings. Among the most interesting are a woman whose sexual obsessions ensnare a former police commissioner who's being groomed for higher political office, a crime novelist uncertain about his own culpability in the so-called Carpenter Killings, and a gay housecleaner whose clients keep ending up dead. This may be Block's best novel to date--it's certainly his most erotic and astonishing one, and it will keep you going until the last extraordinary page. A mesmerizing take on New York after 9/11, this solidly paced, brilliantly executed thriller deserves all the attention it will surely receive. --Jane Adams
From Publishers Weekly
Block (The Burglar in the Library; Eight Million Ways to Die; etc.) is one of today's most well-established mystery and thriller writers, but his gift for crafting compelling narratives does not, unfortunately, translate to a knack for narration. For one, his voice is the nasal half-whine of a New Yorker at its most pronounced. While this might not necessarily be a bad thing-especially since the book deals so intimately with the city and its ways-when coupled with a stilted reading style and a refusal to attempt even the slightest nuance for individual characters, it becomes a distraction rather than an asset. Particularly problematic for this production are the numerous explicit sex scenes. When Susan Pomerance, a beautiful art dealer whose instinct for sexual exploration is awakened by a murder central to the story, is in the throes of ecstasy, Block's reading sounds no different than when detectives are interviewing a subject or patrons are ordering a beer at the local watering hole. The scenes, then, are not only not erotic, but also almost laughable-only slightly less titillating than if read by Andy Rooney. The rest of the story offers a mix of Block's signature street smarts and intrigue, but fans would do well to stick with the book and avoid this disappointing recording.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.