Time to Murder and Create

By: Lawrence Block

Narrated by: Alan Sklar

Small-time stoolie Jake "The Spinner" Jablon made a lot of new enemies when he switched careers from informer to blackmailer. And the more "clients," he figured, the more money - and the more people eager to see him dead. So he's greedy but scared, and he turns to his old acquaintance Matthew Scudder, who used to pay him for information back in Scudder's days as a cop. Scudder's his insurance policy - if anything happens to "The Spinner," Scudder can check up on the people who wanted him dead. No one is too surprised when the pigeon is found floating in the East River with his skull bashed in. Blackmail's a dangerous business. What's worse, no one cares - except Matthew Scudder. The unofficial private eye is no conscientious avenging angel. But he's willing to risk his own life and limb to confront Spinner's most murderously aggressive marks. A job's a job, after all, and Scudder's been paid to find a killer - by the victim…in advance.

©1976 Lawrence Block. All rights reserved. (P)2011 AudioGo

Can't get enough of this author and narrator!

Just put your headphones on, sit back and be ready to be entertained. I love how these books have guts, grit, and a flawed protagonist. Ready for my next one!

Another good Matt Scudder novel....

Where does Time to Murder and Create rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

In the golden circle of the thrillers ... Matt Scudder's novels are the type of books where the journey is more important than the destination. Is more about characters, atmosphere , good dialogue than plots. All in all very enjoyable

Who was your favorite character and why?

Matt Scudder

What does Alan Sklar bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Good reading , that suits well the main character

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Murder in New York...

Any additional comments?

I'd like to see more more Matt Scudder's audiobooks offered by Audible...

Solid but dark story

Lawrence Block always delivers a great story and this Matthew Scudder novel is no exception. I am going back to the beginning of the series because I love the later stories so much.

Death by Three

Scudder is the perfect P.I., unlicensed and willing to bend the rules. When a blackmailer is murdered, Scudder has three potential suspects and they have his number too. This is the kind of story you finish in one sitting and beg for more.

great detective story

this book has great characters, great dialogue, and good scenes. the main character's inner dialogue is casually profound but matter of fact and honest about his character flaws.

Enjoying this series

What did you love best about Time to Murder and Create?

Lawrence Block gets you involved in the story line right from the beginning... enough twists to keep it interesting without feeling that the results are not possible or, the reverse, too easy to figure out.

What does Alan Sklar bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He does a very good job of relating the story... he is not the best at changing the voices but good enough, but keeps the story going well... one is able to forget he is reading it and get immersed.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It keeps you interested, although not on the edge of the seat, but surely, towards the end you want to complete the tale.

Any additional comments?

We enjoy listening to audiobooks during a 2.5 hour ride we take frequently, and first chose this series due to the length of the book, but found it very enjoyable and as mentioned, the storyline gets one involved right from the start, and keeps one interested throughout.
The protagonist is an interesting character, and we are looking forward to hearing more of his stories.

Complications

Nothing is simple. He always has a dozen things going on in the background. I know I cannot figure them out. That’s why he writes and I read.

Two steps forward one step back

Would you listen to Time to Murder and Create again? Why?

I think I would. If I ever give the series a listen again. This was a lot better than book two in the series and about on par with book one. The only issue is that the story can feel a little loose in this one. At worst it can feel meandering. It does a lot to establish Scudder as a character, but I found myself caring less and less about the plot.

Would you be willing to try another book from Lawrence Block? Why or why not?

Yes, I plan on going through the entire Scudder series.

What about Alan Sklar’s performance did you like?

Sklar has a great voice for this kind of novel. He doesn't go straight to cliche like a lot of narrators.

Any additional comments?

I'd like to point out that I've finished the fourth book before I wrote this review and it's a big step up. If you're wondering when the series hits it's stride then book four is your answer.

Story and narration came up short.

I’ve read this story and 8,000,000 ways…. I didn’t like either one. Comparing them to Bosch they came up short. A washed up cop with a drinking problem. Not my cup of tea. Keep the author as narrator.

Story sorta blows

Kinda didn’t care after awhile.

Narrator is still top shelf tho.

There are worse ways you can spend your time?