A Drop of the Hard Stuff by Lawrence Block

 

If I've ever read a complete novel by Block, I've forgotten it. I feel as though that's probably either an ongoing big mistake or a series of slightly smaller ones. This is not one of his funny novels, but there are moments of wit and sharp turns of phrase; the characters and setting feel well lived-in--there's some neat retro charm about the POV walking around with a pocket full of quarters so he can make phone calls wherever/whenever. The fact the novel centers around alcoholism makes the title resonant; the fact the novel ties specifically to the difficult work of staying sober, and the specifically challenging nature of AA's Ninth Step, makes the title layered. (I have a weakness for clever titles.)