Enough Rope

Lawrence Block, a Grand Master of crime fiction, brings together his short stories in this volume, which shows how wide his range is. Readers meet the familiar figures from his series: Matt Scudder, a former police officer; Bernie Rhodenbarr, a burglar who also runs a used bookshop; Chip Harrison and Leo Haig, a partnership that is hard to dislike; Keller, a wistful hit man; and Martin Ehrengraf, a fastidious lawyer who dresses with style. Scudder, Rhodenbarr and Keller also star in full-length novels.

Alongside these regulars, the collection is populated by dozens of other characters, and each story is built on an intricate and inventive plot. Six of Block's stories have been shortlisted for the Edgar Award, and three have won it outright.

The book gathers every story from Block's three earlier collections, along with two dozen new ones. Some will keep readers on the edge of their seats, while others are funny enough to make them laugh out loud. It suits longtime fans of Block's work and also serves as an introduction for readers who are new to him.