Playing Games


 
 
 
 PlayingGames
 
 Edited by
 Lawrence Block
 
 A LAWRENCE BLOCK PRODUCTION
 
 
 
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 More by Lawrence Block
 
 ANTHOLOGIES EDITED
 
 DEATH CRUISE • MASTER’S CHOICE • OPENING SHOTS • MASTER’S CHOICE 2 • SPEAKING OF LUST • OPENING SHOTS 2 • SPEAKING OF GREED • BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS • GANGSTERS, SWINDLERS, KILLERS, & THIEVES • MANHATTAN NOIR • MANHATTAN NOIR 2 • DARK CITY LIGHTS • IN SUNLIGHT OR IN SHADOW • ALIVE IN SHAPE AND COLOR • AT HOME IN THE DARK • FROM SEA TO STORMY SEA • THE DARKLING HALLS OF IVY • COLLECTIBLES • PLAYING GAMES
 
 THE MATTHEW SCUDDER NOVELS
 
 THE SINS OF THE FATHERS • TIME TO MURDER AND CREATE • IN THE MIDST OF DEATH • A STAB IN THE DARK • EIGHT MILLION WAYS TO DIE • WHEN THE SACRED GINMILL CLOSES • OUT ON THE CUTTING EDGE • A TICKET TO THE BONEYARD • A DANCE AT THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE • A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES • THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD • A LONG LINE OF DEAD MEN • EVEN THE WICKED • EVERYBODY DIES • HOPE TO DIE • ALL THE FLOWERS ARE DYING • A DROP OF THE HARD STUFF • THE NIGHT AND THE MUSIC • A TIME TO SCATTER STONES • THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MATTHEW SCUDDER
 
 THE BERNIE RHODENBARR MYSTERIES
 
 BURGLARS CAN’T BE CHOOSERS • THE BURGLAR IN THE CLOSET • THE BURGLAR WHO LIKED TO QUOTE KIPLING • THE BURGLAR WHO STUDIED SPINOZA • THE BURGLAR WHO PAINTED LIKE MONDRIAN • THE BURGLAR WHO TRADED TED WILLIAMS • THE BURGLAR WHO THOUGHT HE WAS BOGART • THE BURGLAR IN THE LIBRARY • THE BURGLAR IN THE RYE • THE BURGLAR ON THE PROWL • THE BURGLAR WHO COUNTED THE SPOONS • THE BURGLAR IN SHORT ORDER • THE BURGLAR WHO MET FREDRIC BROWN
 
 KELLER’S GREATEST HITS
 
 HIT MAN • HIT LIST • HIT PARADE • HIT & RUN • HIT ME • KELLER’S FEDORA
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF EVAN TANNER
 
 THE THIEF WHO COULDN’T SLEEP • THE CANCELED CZECH • TANNER’S TWELVE SWINGERS • TWO FOR TANNER • TANNER’S TIGER • HERE COMES A HERO • ME TANNER, YOU JANE • TANNER ON ICE
 
 THE AFFAIRS OF CHIP HARRISON
 
 NO SCORE • CHIP HARRISON SCORES AGAIN • MAKE OUT WITH MURDER • THE TOPLESS TULIP CAPER
 
 NOVELS
 
 A DIET OF TREACLE • AFTER THE FIRST DEATH • ARIEL • BORDERLINE • BROADWAY CAN BE MURDER • CAMPUS TRAMP • CINDERELLA SIMS • COWARD’S KISS • DEAD GIRL BLUES • DEADLY HONEYMOON • FOUR LIVES AT THE CROSSROADS • GETTING OFF • THE GIRL WITH THE DEEP BLUE EYES • THE GIRL WITH THE LONG GREEN HEART • GRIFTER’S GAME • KILLING CASTRO • LUCKY AT CARDS • NOT COMIN’ HOME TO YOU • RANDOM WALK • RONALD RABBIT IS A DIRTY OLD MAN • SINNER MAN • SMALL TOWN • THE SPECIALISTS • SUCH MEN ARE DANGEROUS • THE TRIUMPH OF EVIL • YOU COULD CALL IT MURDER
 
 COLLECTED SHORT STORIES
 
 SOMETIMES THEY BITE • LIKE A LAMB TO SLAUGHTER • SOME DAYS YOU GET THE BEAR • ONE NIGHT STANDS AND LOST WEEKENDS • ENOUGH ROPE • CATCH AND RELEASE • DEFENDER OF THE INNOCENT • RESUME SPEED AND OTHER STORIES
 
 NON-FICTION
 
 STEP BY STEP • GENERALLY SPEAKING • THE CRIME OF OUR LIVES • HUNTING BUFFALO WITH BENT NAILS • AFTERTHOUGHTS 2.0 • A WRITER PREPARES
 
 BOOKS FOR WRITERS
 
 WRITING THE NOVEL FROM PLOT TO PRINT TO PIXEL • TELLING LIES FOR FUN & PROFIT • SPIDER, SPIN ME A WEB • WRITE FOR YOUR LIFE • THE LIAR’S BIBLE • THE LIAR’S COMPANION
 
 WRITTEN FOR PERFORMANCE
 
 TILT! (EPISODIC TELEVISION) • HOW FAR? (ONE-ACT PLAY) • MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS (FILM)
 
 
 
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 PLAYING GAMES
 Copyright © 2023 by Lawrence Block.
 All rights reserved.
 
 “Introduction” Copyright © 2023 by Lawrence Block. All rights reserved.
 “Seek and You Will Find” Copyright © 2023 by Patricia Abbott. All rights reserved.
 “Game Over” Copyright © 2023 by Charles Ardai. All rights reserved.
 “King’s Row” Copyright © 2023 by S. A. Cosby. All rights reserved.
 “The Babysitter” Copyright © 2023 by Gunner Productions, LLC. All rights reserved.
 “Paladin” Copyright © 2023 by Tod Goldberg. All rights reserved.
 “Psychiatrist” Copyright © 2023 by Jane Hamilton. All rights reserved.
 “Knock” Copyright © 2023 by James D. F. Hannah. All rights reserved.
 “With the Right Bait” Copyright © 2023 by Gar Anthony Haywood. All rights reserved.
 “Two Norths, Two Souths, Two East, Two West, Two Reds, Two Whites, and Two Greens” Copyright © 2023 by Elaine Kagan. All rights reserved.
 “A Crokinole Tale” Copyright © 2023 by Avri Klemer. All rights reserved.
 “Red Billie” Copyright © 2023 By Bizarre Hands. All rights reserved.
 “Lightning Round” Copyright © 2023 by Warren Moore. All rights reserved.
 “The Puzzle Master” Copyright © 2023 by David Morrell. All rights reserved.
 “Challenge Cube” Copyright © 2023 by Kevin Quigley. All rights reserved.
 “A Tip on a Turtle” Copyright © 1991 by Agberg, Ltd. All rights reserved.
 “Chance” Copyright © 2023 by Wallace Stroby. All rights reserved.
 “Strangers on a Handball Court” Copyright © 1977 by Lawrence Block. All rights reserved.
 
 Cover illustration Copyright © 2023 by Chuck Pyle.
 All rights reserved.
 
 Production by JW Manus
 
 
 
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 Special thanks and appreciation to Subterranean Press for their permission to use Chuck Pyle’s gorgeous cover art.
 
 
 
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 Table of Contents
 
 Shut Up and Deal (an introduction)
 Lawrence Block
 Seek and You Will Find
 Patricia Abbott
 Game Over
 Charles Ardai
 King’s Row
 S. A. Cosby
 The Babysitter
 Jeffery Deaver
 Paladin
 Tod Goldberg
 Psychiatrist
 Jane Hamilton
 Knock
 James D. F. Hannah
 With the Right Bait
 Gar Anthony Haywood
 Two Norths, Two Souths, Two East, Two West,