Even the Wicked

By: Lawrence Block

Narrated by: Mark Hammer

Length: 12 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

In his popular Matt Scudder mystery series, Edgar and Shamus Award-winner Lawrence Block creates riveting stories set on the hardened streets of New York City. His suspenseful tale Even the Wicked portrays recovering alcoholic P.I. Matt Scudder, who is hot on the trail of a theatrical and twisted criminal.

A demented serial killer, who calls himself "The Will of the People", has gained a wide audience by sending warning letters to the Daily News. When "Will" names a prominent criminal defense attorney as his next victim, Matt suddenly finds himself protecting an old associate.

Matching his wits against the wily murderer, Matt must race to uncover "Will's" identity before he loses his lawyer friend.

Proclaimed a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America, Lawrence Block skillfully captures the street-smart language and lifestyles of his home city. Narrator Mark Hammer provides the perfect voices for eccentric characters and evil-minded lawbreakers.

More mayhem? Listen to another Matt Scudder mystery.

©2007 Lawrence Block (P)2007 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"An ingenious whodunit that's also, in Block's recent manner, a provoking meditation on mortality - with a particularly strong supporting role for the City of New York, which turns in its finest performance since Ellery Queen's Cat of Many Tails." (Kirkus Reviews)

Excellent

Another excellent book by L Block..The plot is intriguing and the characters captivating . With Matt Scudder's stories, Lawrence Block follows the tradition of the best , hard-boiled detective books : a pleasure not to miss !

Great plot, horrible narrator.

Story line was great and intriguing. Mark Hammer made it almost unbearable. Please do not let him narrate anymore books.

A true Scudder fan

A little rambling but.. one of my favorite Scudder stories. Thank you Lawrence, you keep me entertained.

Long and entertaining, even if fkawed

This wasn't my favorite Scudder; A Long Line of Dead Men was a hard act to follow. But that didn't warrant a full star off. 4.5 would have been about right. There were lot of storylines to keep the reader occupied, and hence value for the buck, even if it didn't always cohere perfectly.

The primary story line was too easy to guess, but the book was only 1/3 over when it was resolved. Block still had other fish to fry. Some of what followed felt like different stories altogether, but that's OK.

Mark Hammer did his usual, droll good job of narration.

Engrossing,original and touching

Very good mixture of characters and plot plus subplots woven together in surprising ways. Mark Hammer was super as narrator. A very engrossing performance of this crime novel

Not the best of Matthew Skudder

But a wonderful storyteller. I like slow stories as well as fast ones. The reader fits very well to Block's style.

Great Storytelling

Big Matthew Scudder fan and this one did not disappoint. Riveting and could not stop listening.

Too Long; Good Wit

I had not read anything by this author before and bought this during a sale as I do enjoy mysteries. The story was interesting although at times crude - but that isn't surprising for a crime story set in New York. I liked the dry wit and rhyming jive. I also liked the narrator. My problem was that at about 7-8 hours I was ready for the end. I can't imagine I would have made it through reading a book that dragged on and on like this. Perhaps it could have made up two separate stories as it did cover more than one crime investigation. Even though there was some intertwining in the tales, it just got too long. Maybe a skillful abridgment would have helped.

Outstanding.

I love all the Skudder books but this one is extra good. I thought the subplot about the life insurance deal was unnecessary but it was interesting and didn’t really mess up the flow. The main story was excellent, and well performed by Hammer. I’m not crazy about how he voices TJ’s dialect. The only reader that seems to do it with any real nuance is Block, when he himself narrates. But Hammer does okay here, and the whole TJ storyline is a wonderful aspect of the book. Hammer does an incredible job with the several other distinctive characters, adding a level of character and personality that really elevates the experience. Of course the writing of the dialogue makes that possible. It’s amazing how good Block is, so consistently. Highly recommended.

One of Mr. Block's best, which is saying something

Even the wicked has one of the best plot lines that Mr. Block has ever written. Truly. A mysterious man who calls himself "Will of the People" has begun killing victims in New York. He writes letters to a columnist for the Post, teasing readers with who the next victim will be and how/when Will will strike. Some of the murders are truly mind-blowing. Naturally Matt gets himself deeply involved in the drama, with no regard whatsoever for his own safety or for Elaine's. The twists and turns keep you glued to your ear phones. Mark Hammer does his usual excellent work. He has begun to sound like a junior George Guidall, certainly a fine fine thing. His voice is more gravelly and full of nuance. The political ambitions of various law enforcement personnel get caught up with Will's machinations. City and Federal officers get all twisted around trying to be the hero who saves NYC and makes the city breathe a sigh of relief. Meanwhile Matt's usual sojourn through his sobriety and his loving relationship with Elaine and also his paternal-like interactions with TJ: all of these make for interesting reading, even if they are beginning to become a bit repetitive. Matt's interactions with Anita, his ex-wife, and their two sons could be excised from the book. I just don't see what purpose they serve in the novel. Yes, Matt is morose. We see why he poured himself into the bottle for decades. However, people do get better! Take heart, all ye Friends of Bill. A normal life is attainable, one day at a time.