The Sins Of The Fathers By Lawrence Block - Blast From The Past Book Review

          It was a long time since I read a Lawrence Block book. The only book that I read by him was A Walk Along The Tombstones, a book that I enjoyed reading. I also enjoyed seeing the movie 8 Million Ways To Die. 

           After finishing The Sins of the Fathers, I guess the feeling I had that I had was that it lacked suspense. I think part of it was the premise. Scudder is hired by the father to look not into the death of her daughter because that was an open and shut case. Instead, the father wanted to know more about his daughter and why this happened. 

             This is the first book by Lawrence Block and the introduction to Matt Scudder,.  I'm not aware that he's an alcoholic yet.  He's not the most likeable character in the world but you would have sympathy for him especially in the way he left the police force.   I think  it adds to his character in the book since he is determined to solve cases because of it.  

            Scudder goes through the motions of questioning everyone and at one point, he seems to have the answers that the father wanted. Of course, things aren’t as they seem and I have to say that I was surprised with what happened next and I have to say that the ending was a big surprise to me. If there was a little more suspense during the questioning of the various people and suspects, then I would have enjoyed this book more. 

            Some of the people who reviewed this book thought that Block was playing judge, executioner, and the jury and that they were put off by the ending.  Not sure I could agree in either case on this since all he was doing was determining who the murder is.   I like the way he is able to make it to the end and tell the murderer that I know you did it.  It's kind of a catchphrase in his other books as well.               

             As it is, I give it three stars because of a good ending which will make me continue to read other books by Lawrence Block.

Ron Hummer