A Walk Among the Tombstones

I half-closed my eyes during the violent scenes because I'm a real wuss, but they were few and effective. This is the first Block I've read and it won't be my last. It was a really solid read with good characters (I liked spending time with Scudder) and a well worked-out plot. Much of the plot is traditional detective work involving interviews, geography and police file research. He wrote this at the end of the 20th century, a couple of years before 9/11 so pay phones, beepers, and “classic” telephone hackers figure prominently. No google, no easy access via computers to secure files, and almost no mention/use of guns.