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  • The Sins of the Fathers

  • By: Lawrence Block
  • Narrated by: Alan Sklar
  • Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (245 ratings)

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The Sins of the Fathers

By: Lawrence Block
Narrated by: Alan Sklar
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Summary

The hooker was young, pretty...and dead, butchered in a Greenwich Village apartment. The prime suspect, a minister's son, was also dead, the victim of a jailhouse suicide. The case is closed, as far as the NYPD is concerned. Now the murdered prostitute's father wants it opened again--that's where Matthew Scudder comes in. But this assignment carries the unmistakable stench of sleaze and perversion, luring Scudder into a sordid world of phony religion and murderous lust where children must die for their parents' most unspeakable sins.

©1976 Lawrence Block (P)2011 AudioGo
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What listeners say about The Sins of the Fathers

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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The Sins of the Father

I’ve listened to this novel twice now and thoroughly enjoyed it both times. Good story, well narrated. I haven’t read any of Lawrence Block’s novels before but will certainly look for more of his books

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Alan Sklar captured the voice perfectly

I’ve read these books and loved them. The audio books give a new dimension. The narrator captures Scudder’s voice perfectly, cynical, calm but with a hint of anger and hopelessness.

Lawrence Block really captures New York of the late 70s and early 80s perfectly. The corruption the crimes.

I enjoyed reading this as a great detective book. But I also found it interesting at how the themes of being born outside marriage was seen as something bad. And homosexuality was seen as something to hide. Nowadays kids being born outside marriage is not even anything anyone blinks over and homosexuality is full of pride (as it should be, to the counterweight of the shame being gay used to be).

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Keeping it in the family

Excellent narration of gripping grim noir tale. A fine drama investigation, so well staged and scripted. WELL WORTH THE TIME

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Atmospheric

Really enjoyed. I like Matthew Scudder and the seedy and colourful New York bar scene. Worked out who had done it midway through, though this did not distract from the my enjoyment of the book. Only criticism is the story seemed rushed in its conclusion.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A fine and unique piece of storytelling

Came back to this author after more than 30 years. I'd completely forgotten what a fine writer he is and this audio version is brilliantly told. A great example of the "hard-boiled" thriller.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent

Lawrence Block at his best and well read by Alan Sklar. I have read a good number of Matt Skudder novels before but this was this was the first time I’ve listen to one and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Sins of the father

I don't know how I feel about the story, I guess it was interesting in a way, but the reason I kept listening was the narrator's voice.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

not for me !

The narration was so off putting, skipped to the end after a couple of chapters.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Unusual flawed narrator seeks truth beyond easy evidence

Scudded is conflicted, he has moral precepts and tithes his payment so that he does good via the poor box but his life is not clearly moral, he buys information, has reasons for his guilt and has taken himself out of his family life. The murder of a girl and the immediate arrest of her boyfriend followed by his suicide are events Scudder trawls till he catches the truth and then he twists what he knows to pursue justice, his justice. A great read and a fabulously slow but persistent tone in the reader’s telling which suits Scudder perfectly. First of many, read them!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Dark themes

First time with a Lawrence Block story.Suprised by the mixture of Poetry and Hard boiled storytelling.Not for the faint hearted, this is dark themed stuff.No concession to the romanticism often associated with the private eye genre.Even to the extent of making the central protagonist a non legal investigator who receives presents for work taken on. There is no black or white here but multi faceted shades of grey and boy are there a lot of Shades.Top drawer.

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