8 Million Ways to Die

From AudioFile

In this hard-boiled detective novel, a hooker hires P.I. Matthew Scudder to convince her pimp to let her leave "the life." Scudder, himself a recovering alcoholic and sardonic observer, tells of her subsequent murder and the investigation that nearly costs him his life. The author's gifts lie more in writing, which he accomplishes with aplomb, than narrating, which he accomplishes with a high baritone that quavers as if he could break out weeping any moment. But he never does. In fact, once you get used to him, he's pretty entertaining. A nerdy sort of tough shamus. By the end of the last tape, you can't imagine anyone else impersonating Scudder. Y.R. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Book Description

Nobody knows better than Matthew Scudder how far down a person can sink in this city. A young prostitute named Kim knew it also -- and she wanted out. Maybe Kim didn't deserve the life fate had dealt her. She surely didn't deserve her death. The alcoholic ex-cop turned p.i. was supposed to protect her, but someone slashed her to ribbons on a crumbling New York City waterfront pier. Now finding Kim's killer will be Scudder's penance. But there are lethal secrets hiding in the slain hooker's past that are far dirtier than her trade. And there are many ways of dying in this cruel and dangerous town -- some quick and brutal... and some agonizingly slow.