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Eight Million Ways to Die  By  cover art

Eight Million Ways to Die

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

Battling the bottle one day at a time, ex-cop, sometime PI Matthew Scudder finds that next to staying sober, staying alive seems easy. But in the mean streets of New York City it never is. Not for the prostitute who wanted out and got her beautiful self slashed to ribbons. Not for a pimp named Chance who is betting his life that the broken-down detective can find her murderer. And not for Matthew Scudder - just trying to stay alive in a city that knows nothing better than how to die. Winner of the Shamus Award!

©1982 Lawrence Block; 2012 AudioGO

What listeners say about Eight Million Ways to Die

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
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    4 out of 5 stars

Blocks performance is great

Reading some of the reviews I was ready for a terrible reading of a great novel. For the first few minutes, I was in total agreement of the negative reviews of Blocks reading... then, for me, he became Matt. Within an hour I was completely into the story and Blocks voice became Matt Scudder. A story less about the mystery and more about the way the words and thoughts come together. The best in the series so far.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

great detective story

it turns out Lawrence Block is a far better writer than he is a reader . I expected the author would present the characters best. But, Alan Sklar's interpretation in books 1 through 3 is much better. It's difficult to tell Block's characters apart. This book has great characters, great dialogue, good scenes, and good ending. the main character's inner dialogue is casually profound but matter of fact and honest, even about his character flaws.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Another great one!

I have always enjoyed the Matthew Scudder series! With Lawrence Block narrating, I feel like I'm at the bar listening to Matt talking to me!!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Author should not narrate his own books

Fortunately, the story line is great. If is wasn't, I might have returned it. There are so many excellent narrators. They don't write, and writers shouldn't narrate.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Narrator terrible

Interesting story. Block needs to get out of the reading business and concentrate on writing. I've listened to more than a hundred books and this was the worst reading of all. But the story was good so I plowed through.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Recovery begins

Great storyline and kept me listening and anxious for the next move. Really enjoyed the truth in the recovery references.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Block nearly ruined it

This book is a very good mystery and a fair and accurate treatment of AA (I’m 30 years sober), but someone should have stopped Block from narrating. He was the worst i have ever experienced and i have listened to more than a thousand titles. I hung in and tried to ignore and embellish his droning failure.

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Much deeper than most detective fiction

Very good entry in the Scudder series. Lawrence Block is a better writer than narrator; he's an odd choice to play his hard boiled narrator. He reads almost everything in the same monotone drawl. Yet he can be strangely endearing after a while, too. The story itself needs no qualifications. It's at times sordid, at times depressing, and at times uplifting or at least hopeful. Scudder's battle with alcoholism plays at least as important role as the murder mystery. Deep and moving stuff.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Too Much AA

A great story but too much AA. Can believe Block narrated the book,grid a outstanding job.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A1

Block is simple the best in this genre. Listener’s will not be disappointed. Great series.

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