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Catch and Release Kindle Edition

4.2 out of 5 stars (99)

The Master Returns--With Never-Before-Collected Tales of Murder and Desire

One of the most highly acclaimed novelists in the crime genre, Lawrence Block is also a master of the short story, with award-winning work ranging from the macabre to the slyly comic, from heart-stopping tales of revenge to memorable explorations of lust and greed, all told in Block's unforgettable style. The sixteen stories (and one stage play!) collected here feature appearances by some of Block s most famous characters, including gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr and alcoholic private detective Matt Scudder, as well as glimpses into the minds of a rogue's gallery of frightening killers, dangerous sociopaths, crooked cops, and lost souls whose only chance to find themselves may be on the wrong side of a gun.

You'll meet a compulsive hoarder whose towering piles of trash and treasures hide disturbing secrets...a beautiful young tennis star with a rather too possessive secret admirer...a dealer in stolen art who is unwilling to part with his most prized possession at any price...poker players with agendas that have nothing to do with the cards in their hands...and a catch-and-release fisherman whose preferred catch walks on two legs.

Terror and passion, cruelty and vindication--it's all here, in a collection that will thrill you, scare you, and remind you why Lawrence Block is still the best there is at what he does.

Product description

Review

*Starred Review* Among a roomful of awards, Block was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America in 1994. He's written more than 50 novels, and among his series characters are Matt Scudder, a recovering-alcoholic private eye; Bernie Rhodenbarr, a gentleman thief; and Keller, a thoughtful hit man. The 16 stories collected here are augmented by a short stage play. Rhodenbarr makes a brief appearance and ruminates on the nature of greed. Scudder spends a melancholy, nostalgic night at Grogan's, his old watering hole, the night before it closes forever. In Dolly's Trash and Treasures, a hoarder collects more than trash. Catch and Release is a very creepy visit with a serial killer, who adapts a fishing technique to his hobby with disturbing results. There's a tennis fan who drifts from an intelligent critique of the modern game to a variation on stalk-the-mouse. See the Woman is a brief memoir by a dirty cop reflecting on his dark deeds and the dark future that awaits. Block's short stories are intelligent and respectful of the reader yet often take an unexpected turn. He plays fair. If you reread the story, you'll find that he left you little clues about the final destination but didn't connect the dots. Block is a master of the long-form mystery, and this collection proves he's got the short form locked down as well. --Wes Lukowsky, Booklist

From the Inside Flap

The Master Returns With Never-Before-Collected Tales of Murder and Desire One of the most highly acclaimed novelists in the crime genre, Lawrence Block is also a master of the short story, with award-winning work ranging from the macabre to the slyly comic, from heart-stopping tales of revenge to memorable explorations of lust and greed, all told in Block's unforgettable style. The sixteen stories (and one stage play!) collected here feature appearances by some of Block's most famous characters, including gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr and alcoholic private detective Matt Scudder, as well as glimpses into the minds of a rogue's gallery of frightening killers, dangerous sociopaths, crooked cops, and lost souls whose only chance to find themselves may be on the wrong side of a gun.You'll meet a compulsive hoarder whose towering piles of trash and treasures hide disturbing secrets a beautiful young tennis star with a rather too possessive secret admirer a dealer in stolen art who is unwilling to part with his most prized possession at any price poker players with agendas that have nothing to do with the cards in their hands and a catch-and-release fisherman whose preferred catch walks on two legs. Terror and passion, cruelty and vindication it's all here, in a collection that will thrill you, scare you, and remind you why Lawrence Block is still the best there is at what he does.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00F9HZF6I
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lawrence Block
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 16 Sept. 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.2 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 294 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Best Sellers Rank: 1,237,795 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
  • Customer reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars (99)

About the author

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Lawrence Block
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Lawrence Block has been writing crime, mystery, and suspense fiction for more than half a century. He has published more than 100 books, and no end of short stories.

LB is best known for his series characters, including Matthew Scudder, Bernie Rhodenbarr, Evan Tanner, and Keller. LB has also published under pseudonyms including Jill Emerson, John Warren Wells, Lesley Evans, and Anne Campbell Clarke.

His monthly instructional column ran in Writer’s Digest for 14 years and led to a series of books for writers. He has also written television and film screenplays. Several of LB’s books have been filmed, including A Walk Among the Tombstones.

LB is a Grand Master of Mystery Writers of America. He has won multiple Edgar and Shamus awards, the Japanese Maltese Falcon award, the Nero Wolfe and Philip Marlowe awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Diamond Dagger for Life Achievement from the Crime Writers Association of the UK, been proclaimed a Grand Maitre du Roman Noir, and has been awarded the Société 813 trophy.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
99 global ratings

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 March 2015
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Lawrence Block is the daddy. Not so keen on his rather whimsical 'comedy' style in some of his work but the air of menace and danger and sinister foreboding is palpable. Block knows people and writes about the shadow like no other author - loved this collection
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 March 2014
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    In common with a lot of Lawrence Block's short story collections, some of these have appeared elsewhere, either as stand alone stories or in other collections. It is this latter that rather bugs me as I think it is fair enough if stories get written for magazines or as Kindle editions, but when they are collected I think they should go in one volume and that's it. That gripe aside this volume is still worth getting as the stories are the usual Block fare of humorous, sometimes quite frankly ridiculous situations that get out of hand and are only sometimes resolved. Taut as a bow string (cliche!) they entertain without causing you to think too hard. These are for entertainment and you will be entertained, just be careful you haven't read the stories before
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 March 2017
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Lawrence Block presents a selection of his many short stories. All interesting and different. Well worth a read all for a bargain price.

Top reviews from other countries

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  • don22754
    5.0 out of 5 stars Read the first story.
    Reviewed in Australia on 8 July 2014
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Some menacing writing by this famous, and famously patchy author. Living with the task of writing does call for frequent breaks to retain sanity and balance, and it's impossible to always get it right. Catch and Release is tautly written, and eerily plausible.
  • kosar34
    5.0 out of 5 stars Alles 👍🏻.
    Reviewed in Germany on 11 September 2020
    Alles super gelaufen. 👍🏻
    Report
  • grandpapa
    4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Block
    Reviewed in Canada on 21 October 2013
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    LB just provides constant change. Always a fun read. The only way he could improve is to send me money for great reviews. lol
  • J. Fields
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hell Yes
    Reviewed in the United States on 8 September 2011
    For my money, the best of the short story offerings from Mr. Block so far on Amazon. What's beautiful about this story is the solely unique concept of the main character in regards to his two hobbies. You haven't seen a story like this before, written like this before. How often can you say that?

    Bloody, tense, unforgiving, fascinating and a reminder that when the story needs it, Block has a vast array of sharp edges at his disposal and he's not afraid to use them.

    I almost want this to be a fully realized novel. But maybe I don't. It's so perfect as it is, I just have no idea what could make it better. I know that when it ends, you wish it hadn't ended.

    Read Catch & Release. You probably won't find a better more original story in this vein in any format this year.
  • William
    4.0 out of 5 stars not for the easily offended. Have read some of Mr
    Reviewed in the United States on 30 January 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Short story collection. Some strange plots, not for the easily offended. Have read some of Mr. Block's other books. The guy's a good story teller and great writer.

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