16 stories and one stage play in this collection.
The title story is really good and really creepy! “Clean Slate” is too! And "Speaking of Greed" and "Speaking of Lust" are a nice one-two punch with the same four storytellers (the policeman, the priest, the soldier, and the doctor), and the same old man dozing in the corner, releasing his flatulence form time-to-time. An overall fun bunch of stories to read, some not for the faint-of-heart!

“And the old man went on dozing by the fire.” ( )

Short story collections, even by the best authors, can range from crap to greatness. Sometimes, such collections are ego-driven collections of stuff no one would ever publish. Sometimes they are collections of an author's early work. Once in a while, a well-known author actually publishes a collection of short stories that is the literary equivalent of hitting it out of the ballpark. With Catch and Release, Lawrence Block's latest short story collection, published in 2013, he has, indeed, launched a ball so high, so far, so deep, that I can fully recommend it for your reading enjoyment.

Catch And Release is, of course, the title story for this volume and, as such, is worthy of a review entirely of its own. Jim Morrison once explained that, The hitchhiker stood by the side of the road and leveled his thumb in the calm, cool, calculus of reason. This book about the joys of hitchhiking and the joys of flyfishing is just terrific. It is told in such a routine, matter-of-fact yarn-spinning manner that it almost deceptive in the twisted sickness found in the narrator himself. He is a loner who likes to pick up hitchhikers, especially young, cute hitchhikers in short cut-offs and scooping tops. He does offer sage advice to the young lady he drops off at her parents' home, explaining that he is a catch-and-release fisherman, but not everybody is a catch- and-release fisherman. She has no clue what he is talking about, but any reader of dark mysteries and noir literature does. Sometimes a fish is allowed to wriggle off the line and flop back into the water. Often, they do not know how lucky they are.

Clean Slate is a lengthy novella-type story from the Kit Tolliver collection. Block also offers it separately as a single. If you like this (and warning: not everyone will), I suggest you run out and grab whatever copy is remaining of "Getting Off," Block's full-length book featuring all of his Kit Tolliver stories. I highly recommend it. "Clean Slate" offers a real peek at Kit Tolliver's background and gives the reader an understanding of how she set out on her path, criss-crossing America and donning different identities in different cities. Kit is a knockout. She has a list and, yes, she is checking it twice. She has a list of men who could sit around a campfire and brag about how they had her. She is going to do something about that list, something about whittling that list down. Kit is no angel. She engages in all kinds of conduct, not all of which is legal. Somehow, Block has crafted this story which includes all kinds of violence and matricide and identity theft and makes the reader want to follow along.

I found all of these to be top-notch stories with a special mention going out to Speaking of Greed and Speaking of Lust, bawdy tales of sex, violence, avarice, love, and betrayal, told by a doctor, a policeman, a priest, and an elderly man while sitting around after a poker game.

WARNING: this collection is for mature audiences only as it contains sexual situations, violence, cruelty, and cuss words.

Do I need to conclude by explaining that I think this is a fantastic, mind-blowingly good collection that it is well worth your time. Scratch under the surface of our society and it is not all clean and neat and ordered. This is greed, lust, larceny, and revenge percolating out there. I can't say enough good things about this collection. Enjoy! ( )

My kind of sleazy trash! This was my first experience with Lawrence Block who, as I understand, is a crime and mystery writer of no small acclaim. This volume of previously-published-but-uncollected short fiction proved to be a great introduction. I'm not sure if most of his work is more genteel or pedestrian than this, but I certainly hope not!

Most of these tales were written from the POV of their nefarious lead characters. Stalkers, serial killers, gamblers, thieves, black widows, kidnappers, professional hitmen, rapists...this Rogues Gallery runs the gamut. All told in what I take to be Block's signature, brusque style, the stories herein are tight, compelling, and sinister. I've seen several reviews here that gave negative marks for sleazily drawing the reader into the web of stomach-churning nastiness, but that's all part of this charm for this old grognard.

Of course, your mileage may vary. There's a lot of intensity here amidst the crisp writing and it may delve a bit too deeply into the pathology of the darker side for some readers to be comfortable with. But it was firmly in my wheelhouse and a truly pleasurable, if simple, read. ( )

Stories from various stages in Block's career. They vary in quality but overall good reading.

The latest book from author Lawrence Block titled Catch And Release: 17 Stories is an enjoyable grab bag of tales. Short tales, long tales, and a play are present here where those involved almost always offer a philosophy on life and their role in the world. As such, this is a thinking reader’s book and not a light weight read where the characters just run around shooting people and killing folks for the heck of it. Everything that happens, or does not happen, is because a character made a conscious decision based on his or her philosophy of life and his or her role in it and the word as a whole.

The book opens with “A Burglar’s-Eye View of Greed” where the narrator goes to see his favorite bookseller, Bernie Rhodenbarr. Fortunately for Bernie he doesn’t have to sell books to survive. He very well may be the last of the gentlemen burglars.

All you want when you have had losing hands all night is “A Chance To Get Even.” Richard Krale is having a bad night and wants his chance to finally settle up. Not just for the bad night of poker, but for other matters as well.

“A Vision in white” comes next and is a story that is nearly impossible to discuss at all without ruining it for the reader. As you read it, the tale should make things abundantly clear where the inspiration came from in the sports world.

The signature story of the book “Catch and Release” (previously available as a solo short story confusing some readers) follows where the water is on not at all involved except a metaphorical level. He has his methods and his fantasies in a tale that plays with the reader right to the end.

Katherine “Kit” Tolliver had a mission when she arrived in Toledo, Ohio, in “Clean Slate.” Like the main character of the proceeding story, Kit has a plan to balance things out.

In what has to be the most flat out disturbing story in the book (though “Catch and Release” comes close) hoarding is just part of the issue in “Dolly’s Trash and Treasure.” It begins with a visit by child protective services and Mrs. Saugerties has some very strange answers.

Next is a one act play tilted “How Far.” Dorothy Morgan has a problem and Billy may or may not help her. One doesn’t really know until the end.

The end of the TV show the Sopranos annoyed many of us. It annoyed Mick Ballou as well. In “Mick Ballou Looks at the Blank Screen” he ponders what was meant by that ending and more. He’s doing all this thinking for a good reason.

As the years pass, the familiar often has to make way for something new. That idea is a small part of the tale “One Last Night at Grogan’s.” Mick Ballou, the major character of the proceeding tale, is the primary focus here as well in another good read.

Walters stole some very valuable information and Jondahl wants him stopped and the information retrieved in “Part of the Job.” The history of the tale is almost as interesting and explained in the attached piece titled “The Story About The Story . . .”

Like several of the previous characters, the main character in “Scenarios” has twisted fantasies. It ends where and when it ends.

An elderly man helps with an oral history project in “See the Woman.” Doing so stirs up for more than just memories.

Numerous stories within the main story is the author technique at work in the next two long stories. The backdrop is a poker game where a variety of characters from various walks of life discuss sins, philosophy, and much more in “Speaking of Greed” and “Speaking of Lust.”

Routine is important to Kramer in “Welcome to the Real World.” Kramer likes things the way they are and isn’t ready to change. Yet a former coworker seems intent on helping Kramer change-- one way or another.

Colliard didn’t really want the coffee, but, he had to do something with his hands in “Who Knows Where It Goes.” Life wasn’t supposed to work out this way, but it has, and the options are few.

“Without a Body” is the last story of the book and features a narrator where one isn’t sure if one is dead or alive.

Explanations of the various stories and their history are provided in “Story Notes.” A short author bio and ads for other books bring the book to an end.

Catch And Release: 17 Stories features characters that over their philosophy on crime, life, and more. What happens, or does not happen, in these tales is because the main character has made a conscious decision based on his or her philosophy of life and his or her role in it and the word as a whole. The tales are complicated with twists that make the reader pay attention and think. The book is also very good.

Catch and Release: 17 Stories
Lawrence Block
http://www.lawrenceblock.wordpress.com
September 2013
ASIN: B00F9HZF6I
E-book (294 pages)
$9.99

Material supplied by the author in exchange for my objective review. Print versions of the book are available from Subterranean Press and Hard Case Crime.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2013 ( )