When the Sacred Ginmill Closes
When the Sacred Ginmill Closes
Book Brief
Beta272
Novel • Fiction
New York City • 1980s
2000
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
In When the Sacred Ginmill Closes, Lawrence Block follows person-first protagonist Matt Scudder, an unlicensed private investigator navigating 1970s New York City. As Scudder deals with personal challenges, he becomes entangled in cases involving theft and murder, highlighting the themes of morality, redemption, and the complexities of human nature amidst a gritty urban landscape.
Dark
Mysterious
Melancholic
Gritty
Bittersweet
Reviews & Readership
6,510 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
When the Sacred Ginmill Closes by Lawrence Block is praised for its vivid depiction of 1980s New York and its gritty, introspective narrative. Readers appreciate the complex, flawed protagonist, Matt Scudder. Some find its pacing slow, but the novel's engaging writing compensates. The atmospheric setting and realistic character development contribute to its acclaim.
Who Should Read When the Sacred Ginmill Closes?
Readers who enjoy crime fiction with a gritty, noir atmosphere and complex characters will appreciate When the Sacred Ginmill Closes. Fans of Raymond Chandler’s The Long Goodbye or Ross Macdonald’s The Chill will find similar appeal in Block's intricate plotting and exploration of human frailty.
6,510 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
When the Sacred Ginmill Closes is part of the Matt Scudder series, a beloved collection of detective novels by Lawrence Block.
The title When the Sacred Ginmill Closes is a line from Dave Van Ronk's song "Last Call," connecting the novel's themes to a sense of melancholy and nostalgia.
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Lawrence Block, known for his prolific writing career, draws heavily from his own experiences living in New York City to create the vivid settings in the Matt Scudder series.
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272
Novel • Fiction
New York City • 1980s
2000
Adult
18+ years
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