Enough Rope

By Lawrence Block

Book Overview

Lawrence Block's novels win awards, grace bestseller lists, and get made into films. His short fiction is every bit as outstanding, and this complete collection of his short stories establishes the extraordinary skill, power, and versatility of this contemporary Grand Master. Block's beloved series characters are on hand, including ex-cop Matt Scudder, bookselling burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, and the disarming duo of Chip Harrison and Leo Haig. Here, too, are Keller, the wistful hit man, and the natty attorney Martin Ehrengraf, who takes criminal cases on a contingency basis and whose clients always turn out to be innocent. Keeping them company are dozens of other refugees from Block's dazzling imagination -- all caught up in more ingenious plots than you can shake a blunt instrument at. Half a dozen of Block's stories have been shortlisted for the Edgar Award, and three have won it outright. Other stories have been read aloud on BBC Radio, dramatized on American and British television, and adapted for the stage and screen. All the tales in Block's three previous collections are here, along with two dozen new stories. Some will keep you on the edge of the chair. Others will make you roll on the floor laughing. And more than a few of them will give you something to think about. Enough Rope is an essential volume for Lawrence Block fans, and a dazzling introduction for others to the wonderful world of ... Block magic

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060188901
• ISBN13: 9780060188900
• Release Date: August 2002
• Publisher: William Morrow
• Length: 896 Pages
• Weight: 3.19 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.9" x 6.1"

Customer Reviews

Solid building Block

883 pages is a lot of book, or as Block says in the introduction (attributing to a friend, but we know better after reading the book!), 84 stories isn't a book, it's a skyscraper. This book merits its 5-star Rating based on a straight-through reading forced by a three-week, no-renewal new-book policy at the library, but would be even better sitting on the shelf for reading in smaller chunks. The stories cover several different character-based series, and collections of old and new stories arranged randomly--alphabetically by title, which as Block explains and becomes obvious to the reader by book's end, is a most effective method of creating apparent order in the midst of meaningless chaos. The stories are seldom straight standard detective fiction, often taking on a psychological Twilight Zone thriller feel, with subtle shifts of setting, meaning, and perspective keeping the reader off guard and guessing--and usually shaking his head with a gentle ironic grin at the end. Not to pick out any favorites of a consistently quality collection, a couple of particularly strong series are based on Martin Ehrengraf, a criminal lawyer who only represents innocent clients and only collects a fee if the client never faces trial (after all, Ehrengraf tells one client, do you really want to put your life in the hands of 12 people who aren't smart enough to get out of jury duty?), and always ensures that he collects through means legal, illegal, or other; and Keller, a killer-for-hire with a strong sense of justice, a Gemini if not gentle sensitivity, and a June 19th birthday, a fact that (even though I know it affected me more than most readers purely by chance) practically lifted me out of my seat.

Block Fans Rejoice! How Can You Go Wrong for $10?

Those of us who have followed the redemption of Matt Scudder, the moral musings of post modern hit man Keller, and the hapless Bernie Rodenbhar series, know the letdown you feel when you have read them all, and must wait till the next new release! Well, here is a great sampler of many new, and many classic short stories about the quirky continuing characters of Lawrence Block that you probably haven't read yet. . Just the right length for a quick fix of Block irony, and arranged by character, this is a great beach book or airport companion. You may have read a few of these, but I found some new stuff well worth the price...I consider it the canon of an earlier Block and a whale of a paperback!

Bargain price, bundle of brilliant stories...

I discovered Lawrence Block when he was writing a monthly column for "Writer's Digest" magazine back in the late 70's. His contribution was always the highlight of each issue, so I began reading his novels and short stories. Now almost all of his shorter pieces, over a 40-year career, are in this volume...885 pages worth. For the price, you can't get another book that will give you as much enjoyment as this one, and teach you about well-crafted writing to boot. All his tales have a twist, and he wastes no words. Block is as good in his own way as Dick Francis and Robert B. Parker are in theirs. I had read many of these older stories in the 80's, but forgot the details until encountering them again in this volume. He'll occasionally make you laugh, more often give you a shiver, but always, his people resonate, even the darkest characters. If you know Block's work from his mystery/detective/humor series, you already know that you want to own this. If you haven't started the LB habit yet, this is "Enough Rope" to tie you up in him for years.

Enough already ? buy this book!

Fans of Block's series characters will find plenty to enjoy here, including nine Matt Scudder stories, three featuring burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, and five with hit man Keller. They have all appeared elsewhere at one time or another, but unless you're a Block completist, you're unlikely to have seen several of them before. Even if you have read some of them, this book is still an invaluable addition to your collection, as it includes all of the stories and presents them in chronological order, something impossible to find prior to this.Perhaps the best thing about "Enough Rope," though, is the inclusion of a dozen new works, most of them fairly lengthy for short stories, all of them superbly crafted and delightful little reads. A few in particular, like "Almost Perfect" (about a murderous baseball game) and "Points" (about a father and son) stand out for their quality and inventiveness. Even after half a decade of writing short fiction, Block is still trying, and succeeding at, new things. (For historical value, if nothing else, the author's first published story is included as well.)"Enough Rope" is a hefty book, containing eighty-three stories that run almost 900 pages. That represents virtually every published story by this prolific writer. It is a testimony to the popularity of Block and the quality of his writing that his publisher would take such a gamble and produce such a large, handsome volume. "Enough Rope" is a real treat.Reviewed by David Montgomery, MysteryInkOnline.com