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Author Lawrence Block has already written eighteen Matthew Scudder mystery novels. In A Drop of the Hard Stuff, though, he introduces readers to his beloved private detective all over again, circling back to Scudder’s first year as a detective. And let me tell you: it’s a tough one.
A recovering alcoholic, Scudder spends a lot of time in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, hoping to keep the demon known as alcohol at bay. He’s coming up on his first year of sobriety when he runs into an old friend from childhood, Jack Ellery. Ellery has been sober for two years, and Scudder hopes to reach that level, so he can move forward with his life—but he has to do it one day at a time.
Ellery spent most of his life as a criminal until AA turned him around. Now he’s excited about conquering the eighth step, in which he seeks out those he harmed when he drank to excess to apologize—and hopefully receive forgiveness. Ellery seeks to atone for past sins, but someone else wants him to keep his mouth shut—and they make sure of that by putting a bullet through him.
Scudder attempts to figure out who murdered Jack, but the only thing he’s got to go on is a list of the people Jack wronged. As the list of suspects dwindles, Scudder realizes that he may become a target if he doesn’t drop the case.
A Drop of the Hard Stuff is the story of a man who’s struggling to overcome an addiction while trying to solve a case. In addition to the mystery of Ellery’s death, Scudder’s internal battle will draw your interest, and you’ll find yourself holding your breath as you wonder whether he’ll take that one drink and undo all that he’s accomplished in a year.
Scudder could wallow in his misery and give up when things get too tough—but he doesn’t, which shows a depth of character, along with tons of courage and personal restraint. You’ll see him as an admirable man who doesn’t whine and complain. Though he has a heavy burden on his shoulders, he’s doing all he can to find his friend’s killer.
Like most detective/police procedurals, A Drop of the Hard Stuff moves at a slower pace. But the trick to making a slow-moving plot like this one appealing is to fill it with interesting characters that you’ll grow to care about—and that’s exactly what Block has done here. The leisurely speed of A Drop of the Hard Stuff allows you to become engaged with Matthew Scudder’s personality, to the point where you’ll care whether he’s able to solve Ellery’s murder.
Evocative and brilliant, A Drop of the Hard Stuff, pulls readers into the dark world of alcoholism and wraps it in a dramatic mystery, where one man’s path to recovery leads to death. Mystery lovers should not miss this one.
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