Character · Scudder’s New York · 17 books
Matthew Scudder
Matthew Scudder is a former New York police detective who left the force after a fatal mistake, and works as an unlicensed private investigator while fighting his drinking.
Spoiler-free profile written for The Recurring Cast.
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Character facts
- First appearance
- The Sins of the Fathers (1976)
- Latest appearance
- A Drop of the Hard Stuff (2011)
- Books
- 17 (17 as lead)
- Series
- Matthew Scudder
- Author
- Lawrence Block
- Circle
- Scudder’s New York
Where to meet Matthew Scudder
Matthew Scudder first appears in The Sins of the Fathers (1976), as the lead, book 1 of the Matthew Scudder series.
Every book with Matthew Scudder
In publication order, with the size of their role in each.
- 1976LThe Sins of the Fatherslead · Matthew ScudderBuy
- 1976LIn the Midst of Deathlead · Matthew ScudderBuy
- 1977LTime to Murder and Createlead · Matthew ScudderBuy
- 1981LA Stab in the Darklead · Matthew ScudderBuy
- 1982LEight Million Ways to Dielead · Matthew ScudderBuy
- 1986LWhen the Sacred Ginmill Closeslead · Matthew ScudderLooks back to his drinking daysBuy
- 1989LOut on the Cutting Edgelead · Matthew ScudderBuy
- 1990LA Ticket to the Boneyardlead · Matthew ScudderBuy
- 1991LA Dance at the Slaughterhouselead · Matthew ScudderBuy
- 1992LA Walk Among the Tombstoneslead · Matthew ScudderBuy
- 1993LThe Devil Knows You’re Deadlead · Matthew ScudderBuy
- 1994LA Long Line of Dead Menlead · Matthew ScudderBuy
- 1997LEven the Wickedlead · Matthew ScudderBuy
- 1998LEverybody Dieslead · Matthew ScudderBuy
- 2001LHope to Dielead · Matthew ScudderBuy
- 2005LAll the Flowers Are Dyinglead · Matthew ScudderBuy
- 2011LA Drop of the Hard Stufflead · Matthew ScudderAn early case from his first year soberBuy
Appears most often with
| Character | Books together |
|---|---|
| Elaine MardellFormer call girl, Scudder’s partner and later wife | 11 |
| Mick BallouIrish gangster and Scudder’s unlikely friend | 11 |
| Jim FaberScudder’s AA sponsor | 8 |
| TJStreet kid who becomes Scudder’s assistant | 8 |