Second omnibus of Matt Scudder Mysteries brings the complete backlist into print - from a Grand Master of the Mystery Writers of America. Matt Scudder is an ex-cop, ex-alcoholic who does favours for friends - he is nota private detective, you need a licence for that kind of thing. But doing favours for the kinds of friends Matt has - a smattering of high - and low-classcall girls, bent coppers, and gay bar owners means digging into the murky underworld of New York City is inevitable. The fourth, fifth and sixth Scudder stories are gritty, urban nightmares featuring a man with a sound heart and a weary smile, trying his best to keep off the booze and right injustice when he when he finds it. Some of the finest detective novels penned in this century Jonathan Kellerman.