Matthew Scudder Books in Order

How to Read the Matthew Scudder Series

Lawrence Block’s Matthew Scudder series is one of the high-water marks of American detective fiction. Over nearly five decades, Scudder evolves in a way few fictional private eyes ever do. He ages in real time, struggles with his demons, and changes his lifestyle, reflecting both his own personal growth and the transformation of his home city, New York. Because of this deep character progression, choosing the right reading order is essential to get the most out of the series.

The Recommended Reading Path: Publication Order

For almost all readers, the best way to experience Matthew Scudder is in publication order. Because Scudder ages, changes, and processes trauma from one book to the next, reading them out of sequence can spoil major character milestones, particularly his journey with alcoholism. If you read the series as Lawrence Block wrote it, you will watch New York transition from the gritty, danger-slicked streets of the mid-1970s to the gentrified metropolis of the 21st century, all through the eyes of a detective who is slowly putting his own broken life back together.

Alternative Starting Points

If you don't want to commit to the entire series from the very first page, there are three primary starting points recommended by long-time fans:

• The True Beginning: The Sins of the Fathers (1976) — This is the first novel. It establishes the classic Scudder setup: he is an ex-NYPD cop who quit the force after a tragic accidental shooting, living in a cheap hotel room in Hell's Kitchen, doing "favors" for cash, and drinking to numb his conscience. It is a slim, fast-paced, and classic hard-boiled mystery.
• The Turning Point: Eight Million Ways to Die (1982) — If you want to jump straight to the book that cemented the series' legendary status, start here. This novel features Scudder hitting rock bottom with his alcoholism. It is a raw, intense masterpiece that culminates in his decision to attend his first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.
• The Fan Favorite: When the Sacred Ginmill Closes (1986) — Lawrence Block has frequently cited this as one of his personal favorites. Set slightly in the past relative to the books surrounding it, it captures the melancholic atmosphere of late-night drinking buddies and bar robberies. It can easily be read as a standalone and represents the absolute peak of Block’s atmospheric prose.

Publication vs. Chronological Order Caveats

For the most part, publication order and chronological order are identical because Scudder ages chronologically throughout the series. However, there are a few notable exceptions that readers should keep in mind:

The Flashback Novels

• A Drop of the Hard Stuff (2011) — Although published near the end of the main run, this novel is framed as a long flashback to Scudder’s first year of sobriety. While it takes place chronologically after Eight Million Ways to Die, it is best read in publication order because Scudder’s retrospective voice relies on the maturity and perspective he has gained over the course of the subsequent novels.
• The Autobiography of Matthew Scudder (2023) — This unique companion book acts as a retrospective memoir written in Scudder's own voice. It covers his childhood, his early career as a clean (and then corrupt) NYPD officer, and his reflections on the cases that defined his life. It should be read last, as a nostalgic farewell to the character.

Integrating the Short Stories

Lawrence Block wrote several short stories and novellas featuring Scudder that were published in various magazines and anthologies over the years. These were eventually collected in the volume The Night and the Music (2011). The local database lists several of these short stories (such as Out the Window, A Moment of Wrong Thinking, Let's Get Lost, and A Candle for the Bag Lady) by their individual release or standalone digital publication years. Here is how they fit chronologically:

• "A Moment of Wrong Thinking" (2002) — Set during Scudder's NYPD days in the 1960s, long before the events of the first novel.
• "Out the Window" (originally 1977, digital release 1997) — Takes place in the early unlicensed era, shortly after the first few novels.
• "Let's Get Lost" (originally 2000, digital release 2011) — A retrospective story looking back at Scudder's police partner and early days.
• "A Candle for the Bag Lady" (originally 1977, digital release 2012) — Set during his early, heavy-drinking years.
• A Time to Scatter Stones (2018) — A late-career novella featuring an elderly, retired Scudder looking back on a case, serving as a late-stage epilogue to the main sequence of novels.

The Complete Matthew Scudder Checklist

Here is the complete list of Matthew Scudder books, including novels, short stories, and novellas, in order of publication and release context:

1. The Sins of the Fathers (1976)
2. Time to Murder and Create (1976)
3. In the Midst of Death (1976)
4. A Stab in the Dark (1981)
5. Eight Million Ways to Die — *Crucial turning point where Scudder enters recovery.* (1982)
6. When the Sacred Ginmill Closes (1986)
7. Out on the Cutting Edge (1989)
8. A Ticket to the Boneyard (1990)
9. A Dance at the Slaughterhouse — *Edgar Award Winner.* (1991)
10. A Walk Among the Tombstones — *Adapted into the 2014 film starring Liam Neeson.* (1992)
11. The Devil Knows You're Dead (1993)
12. A Long Line of Dead Men (1994)
13. Even the Wicked (1996)
14. Out the Window — *Short story.* (1997)
15. Everybody Dies (1998)
16. Hope to Die (2001)
17. A Moment of Wrong Thinking — *Short story.* (2002)
18. All the Flowers are Dying (2005)
19. A Drop of the Hard Stuff — *Flashback novel.* (2011)
20. Let's Get Lost — *Short story.* (2011)
21. A Candle for the Bag Lady — *Short story.* (2012)
22. A Time to Scatter Stones — *Novella.* (2018)
23. The Autobiography of Matthew Scudder — *Companion autobiography.* (2023)

What to Know Before You Start

The Matthew Scudder series is not your typical detective procedural. Before you dive in, keep these aspects of the series in mind:

The Evolution of Sobriety

Scudder’s relationship with alcohol is the spine of the entire series. In the first five books, his heavy drinking is a regular part of his life. After hitting rock bottom in Eight Million Ways to Die, Scudder joins Alcoholics Anonymous. From that point forward, the books deal heavily with the daily reality of recovery, sponsor relationships, and maintaining sobriety in a world filled with triggers. It is widely considered one of the most realistic and respectful depictions of addiction recovery in popular fiction.

An Evolving Cast of Supporting Characters

As the series progresses, Scudder builds a surrogate family. Key figures include TJ, a street-smart kid who becomes Scudder's assistant and sidekick, and Elaine Mardell, a former call girl from Scudder's past who eventually becomes his wife and partner. Watching these relationships develop and grow is one of the most rewarding aspects of reading the books in order.

Cinematic Adaptations

The series has been adapted for the screen twice. The first was the 1986 film adaptation of Eight Million Ways to Die, starring Jeff Bridges. While it has its fans, it departed significantly from the book's tone and moved the setting to Los Angeles. The second was the 2014 film adaptation of A Walk Among the Tombstones, starring Liam Neeson, which stayed much truer to the dark, atmospheric spirit of the books and preserved the gritty New York City backdrop.