A Stab In The Dark
By Lawrence Block

Louis Pinell, the recently apprehended "Icepick Prowler," freely admits to having slain seven young women nine years ago -- but be swears it was a copycat who killed an eighth victim attributed to him. The relentless detective Matthew Scudder believes him and, at the behest of the victim's family, searches for a vicious murderer who's either long gone, long dead … or patiently waiting to kill again.

About Scudder: Matt Scudder -- ex-cop, unlicensed private eye, sober alcoholic -- is an unusual hero. Consorting with cops and criminals alike, Scudder's a man who believes in justice, but who knows that no one is innocent. He is the complex and intriguing hero of a classic contemporary noir series by Grand Master of Mystery Lawrence Block.