Lawrence Block has been writing
and selling novels since 1958, and he’s still at it. I can’t think of any
living author who’s been producing at such a high level for so long. His latest
novel is DEAD GIRL BLUES, which is something of a departure for him but also
shares some of the strengths that have run through his entire career.
It starts out as the story of a young man calling himself Buddy (because that’s the name stitched onto the work shirt he was given when he took his current job), who, on a whim, commits a terrible crime, including murder, and gets away with it. Buddy feels the need to repeat the experience, so what it looks like we’re going to get is a deep dive into the mind of a sociopathic serial killer, since Buddy is also the narrator of this tale.
But then, with no warning, DEAD GIRL BLUES turns out to be something completely different. It’s still a deep dive, because this is novel driven almost solely by characterization rather than plot, but it’s not what I was expecting. And I certainly didn’t expect to feel about the characters like I did by the time I finished the book. Everything is just off-kilter enough that by the later stages of the book, I didn’t know what to expect. That’s not bad, because usually, even in the best books, I have some idea what’s going to happen.
I believe it was Ed Gorman who said that Block writes the best sentences in the business. That’s still true. His style isn’t flashy, but it sure makes you want to keep reading. That’s certainly true of DEAD GIRL BLUES. This is a book that may not be for everybody, since it’s a little squirm-inducing in places, but it’s also heartwarming at times, in its own oddball way. I really liked it, and if you’re a Lawrence Block fan, you’ll want to read it.
It starts out as the story of a young man calling himself Buddy (because that’s the name stitched onto the work shirt he was given when he took his current job), who, on a whim, commits a terrible crime, including murder, and gets away with it. Buddy feels the need to repeat the experience, so what it looks like we’re going to get is a deep dive into the mind of a sociopathic serial killer, since Buddy is also the narrator of this tale.
But then, with no warning, DEAD GIRL BLUES turns out to be something completely different. It’s still a deep dive, because this is novel driven almost solely by characterization rather than plot, but it’s not what I was expecting. And I certainly didn’t expect to feel about the characters like I did by the time I finished the book. Everything is just off-kilter enough that by the later stages of the book, I didn’t know what to expect. That’s not bad, because usually, even in the best books, I have some idea what’s going to happen.
I believe it was Ed Gorman who said that Block writes the best sentences in the business. That’s still true. His style isn’t flashy, but it sure makes you want to keep reading. That’s certainly true of DEAD GIRL BLUES. This is a book that may not be for everybody, since it’s a little squirm-inducing in places, but it’s also heartwarming at times, in its own oddball way. I really liked it, and if you’re a Lawrence Block fan, you’ll want to read it.
2 comments:
I've seen comparisons of this one to THE GIRL WITH THE DEEP BLUE EYES, which was one of the few Block novels I didn't care for. What are your thoughts on how alike they are?
I have to agree with you and Ed Gorman. Block is one of the best in the business. I might read this one even if it is like DEEP BLUE EYES so we can discuss it the next time our paths cross.
I'd say this one is probably even more difficult to like, although despite his crimes, I found the protagonist more sympathetic than the one in THE GIRL WITH THE DEEP BLUE EYES.
Post a Comment