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Everybody Dies  By  cover art

Everybody Dies

By: Lawrence Block
Narrated by: Mark Hammer
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Publisher's summary

Best-selling author Lawrence Block transports you to New York City to walk the shadowy back streets with P.I. Matt Scudder, ex-cop and recovering alcoholic.

In Everybody Dies, Matt is finally leading a comfortable, almost respectable life - until he helps an unlikely friend uncover a nameless enemy. The Big Apple seems to be mellowing, now that the crime rate is down and gentrification is sweeping the old neighborhoods. But when a hoodlum buddy from the past asks Matt to investigate the murders of two employees, the spruced-up sidewalks seem as mean as ever.

Suddenly, Matt finds himself in a world where every step leads him through a mine field, and no man's survival can be taken for granted.

Well-crafted characters, action-packed plots, and gritty, realistic settings have earned Lawrence Block multiple Edgar and Shamus Awards. With his dramatic performance, narrator Mark Hammer expertly captures all the restless rhythms and street-smart language.

More mayhem? Listen to another Matt Scudder mystery.
©2007 Lawrence Block (P)2007 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

Block's seamless weave of thought and action, and his matchless gift for dialogue that is true, funny and revealing, have seldom been on more effective display. The pages leading up to the climax have an almost Shakespearean feel for human resignation in the face of mortality. ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Everybody Dies

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

I had a hard time taking pauses in listening to this book. Good story and excellent narration.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Ruined by the NARRATOR!

I have read every Matthew Scudder book prior to this one and loved them all. Lawrence Block knows NYC and he knows his character. This series is character driven. You keep reading because you come to relate to the character and you want to know what happens next in his life.

This narrator makes Scudder sound like a doddering old drunk working on his 10th bourbon and trying to keep his face from hitting the bar when he passes out. He does NOT sound like the man who lives with the beautiful, sexy Elaine, or who can talk his way in and out of so many situations. He sounds BORING, befuddled and banal. He puts me to sleep.

And when I first heard Mark Hammer's version of TJ, I almost cried. This smart, savy, cool street kid, struggling to make himself better, sounds like a dumb white-boy cartoon version of a young, hip, black man. It's disgraceful.

I am NOT finishing this download, but I AM racing to buy the book and go back to reading the Matthew Scudder I know and love.

I gave this a 3 star Overall and Story because I KNOW Lawrence Block writes great books and couldn't stand to rate him any lower. If I had listened to this never having read the previous books in the series, I would have thought it was all 1 star drivel!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Matt Scudder is a modern Philip Marlowe !

The story is somber, witty , hardboiled. Lawrence Block is a great and probably understated writer ; his characters are powerful and captivating and the New York "ambiance" absolutely faboulous.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Mark Hammer narration ruins this book.

While one could certainly criticize the story arc of the later Matt Scudder novels, that pales in comparison to the awful narration by Mr. Hammer. He’s too old warbler voice is such a distraction that I fast forwarded through much of the book. I’ll stop my complaining here. Many have said much the same as myself. Buyer, definitely beware of this one. Darn it.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Story, Terrible Narrator

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Yes. The narrator. I'd listened to several Matt Scudder novels with Joe Barrett as the narrator, and the experience was so enjoyable, it became nearly addictive. I bought audible book after another. But then when I ran out of Scudder-voiced-by-Barrett books, I tried a different narrator. What a let down. Even though Scudder is in recovery, Mark Hammer's gravely voice makes him sound like he's a continually hungover. Second, Hammer can't capture the voices of characters. Elaine sounds like a drag queen. TJ like some redneck barroom imitation of an African-American. And don't get me started with what Hammer does to Irish voices. I will continue to listen to hear how the story turns out, but with little enjoyment in listening to it.

What did you like best about this story?

I love the Matt Scudder series.

Would you be willing to try another one of Mark Hammer’s performances?

No.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

GENERALLY POSITIVE REVIEW

Would you listen to Everybody Dies again? Why?

YES, IN FACT, I HAVE DONE SO.

What other book might you compare Everybody Dies to and why?

ANY OF THE OTHER LAWRENCE BLOCK, SCUDDER, NOVELS. I WOULD ALSO CATEGORIZE IT FAVORABLY AGAINST THE JOHN SANDFORD, DAVENPORT NOVELS.

Which character – as performed by Mark Hammer – was your favorite?

I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HIS OTHER WORK. HOWEVER, I THINK HE HANDLED THE VARIOUS VOICE CHARACTERIZATIONS FAIRLY WELL. I THINK I AM A BIT MORE INCLINED TO REGARD THE KEN HOWARD VOICES AS BETTER, THOUGH. IT COULD BE THAT I AM JUST USED TO HIS READING OF THE MATERIAL FOR LAWRENCE BLOCK.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I GUESS IT WOULD HAVE TO BE WHEN THE CHARACTERS FIRST REALIZED THEY ARE UP AGAINST A HIDDEN, IMPLACABLE ENEMY. IT IS ALWAYS AT THIS MOMENT, AT LEAST IN THE SCUDDER NOVELS, WHEN ALL THE MANY OTHER SMALLER EVENTS SEEM TO CRYSTALIZE INTO A SINGLE MOVEMENT THAT HAS BEEN IN MOTION ALL ALONG.

Any additional comments?

I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS BOOK FOR QUITE A WHILE. IT HAS BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITES SINCE I FIRST LISTENED TO IT. I LOST ONE OF MY ORIGINAL CASSETTES. I TOOK MY PLACE APART IN AN EFFORT TO FIND IT. IT WAS NEVER AT THE BOOKSTORES, EITHER, WELL, I AM SURE GLAD I FOUND IT, AGAIN.

MOST OF HIS BOOKS ARE PRETTY DARNED GOOD. I WOULD PASS ON THE ONE "WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES". I THINK THAT IS THE NAME. IT IS LONG ON GORE AND SHORT ON FIGURING THINGS OUT. YOU REALLY CAN'T GO WRONG WITH BLOCK. EVEN THE OLDER STUFF IS STILL GREAT LISTENING.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best ever

Greatest Scudder novel. The story line is riveting. Hammer did an outstanding job of pulling me into the story. I like mark Hammer narrating the Mathew Scudder stories.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Terrible Narration

This guy was terrible. Pure monotone! Have enjoyed other novels read by other people from this author but this one was crap.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Blockbuster

One of my favorite Scudder novels,which I've read twice and once a BOT, before this Audible version. Mark Hammer does a great job as well.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Quintessential Scudder

Enjoyable read. Dark and full of lots of introspection. Great performance from Mark Hammer. ok

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