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All The Flowers Are Dying

by Lawrence Block

Lawrence Block needs no introduction. Mr. Block is a very prolific writer, author not only of All The Flowers Are Dying and this Matthew Scudder series, but also writing about Bernie Rhodenbarr, Evan Tanner and Chip Harrison. In addition to all his series novels, Lawrence Block has penned a number of other volumes as well as short stories, how-to books for writers, and anthologies. Matthew Scudder, like the author himself, has grown and aged with each succeeding book, but Mr. Block's imagination keeps him active and emeshed in the most difficult of circumstances for any reader's delight.

In All The Flowers Are Dying, Matthew Scudder (a former drunk as well as a former NYPD cop) frequently attends AA meetings. Matthew is married to Elaine, and retired, although he still takes on private investigations from time to time. A murderer on Death Row is mentioned in a bar before one such AA meeting – a murderer who had raped three innocent boys somewhere down south, tortured and killed them. The evidence against him was inconvertible. Matthew and his friend both agree the man should die. The world is well rid of such people.

Preston Applewhite is the convicted killer waiting for the inevitable needle in the Greensville Correctional Center. He still claims, against all odds, that he's innocent, and that the evidence was planted, although he can give no reason why. A psychologist, Arne Bodinson, believes his innocence, and visits him in prison. Preston finally invites him to witness his death.

Louise, the friend of a friend, hires Matthew to look into David Anderson, a man she's met over the Internet. She wants to assure herself that he's OK and not an axe murderer or anything. Matthew agrees to suss him out. Meanwhile Monica, Elaine's best friend, is
murdered, after being raped and tortured. And Elaine realizes it was she herself who sold the killer his weapon from her antique shop.

It doesn't take Matthew long to realize that the killer of the three boys in Virginia is either being copied or that the wrong man was convicted. But he's too late to save Preston Applewhite, who dies on the prison gurney still protesting his innocence - watched by Dr, Bodinson.

Matthew and Elaine discover that they themselves are the ultimate targets of the consciousless killer; so while Matthew is busy collecting what evidence he can he must also watch out for himself - and especially Elaine.

Although we're privy to the cold-blooded murderer's icy thoughts and plans, author Lawrence Block only gradually reveals who he is and why he seeks revenge on Matthew Scudder, then Elaine, who remembers his appearance from the sale at her shop. The ultimate scene at the Scudder apartment keeps the reader on the edge of the seat, and even after the murderer is himself killed, you're kept in suspense about the fate of Matthew himself. Is this to be the final book of the Matthew Scudder series? You'll have to read All The Flowers Are Dying to find out!

Lawrence Block maintains his usual top form in this novel, once again creating the city of New York with startling reality and creating both human and inhuman characters with finesse. If you're a connoisseur of crime fiction, you can't go wrong with a Lawrence Block creation.

Alan Paul Curtis

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