‘The Crime of Our Lives’: Master crime writer takes on crime fiction

In 'The Crime of Our Lives,” acclaimed mystery writer Lawrence Block collects pieces he has written over the years about other writers.

Some were composed as introductions to reissues, others were penned for his Mystery Scene Magazine column 'The Murders in Mystery Lane,” and still others were written to honor writers who had recently died.

Block is generous to each of his subjects, employing his engaging style to consider them not only as writers but, often, as friends and acquaintances.

The book includes some fairly straightforward pieces, including excellent considerations of genre progenitors Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, but many are somewhat cheekier. Into the latter category falls his introduction to a collection of short stories by Cedar Rapids' own Ed Gorman:

'Ed Gorman is a terrific writer, and you're going to have a wonderful time reading these stories … That's 17 words.

Pete Crowther, who asked me to write this introduction, has given me this task to understand that introductions to the volumes he publishes run in the neighborhood of a thousand words. That's not a bad neighborhood - you wouldn't be afraid to wander there after dark, but the 17 words I've written leave me with 887 words to write, and what am I going to write to take up the slack?”

He proceeds to find various tacks to take, delivering along the way many a kind word for Gorman and his work both as a writer and 'as a pure-D champion of the writers and writings he loves.”

Arguably, the latter is the role Block is playing with 'The Crime of Our Lives.” By doing so, he will likely direct his fans to work by others writers - both familiar and obscure - much to the benefit of readers.