How does the author create suspense in the novel, Eight Million Ways to Die?

The novel employs an interesting variation on a traditional means for creating and sustaining suspense. Traditional hardboiled detective stories often present the hero menaced by the villains who want to kill him to prevent his bringing them to justice. Eight Million Ways to Die uses the familiar device. Scudder is warned through the grapevine to forget trying to find Kim's killer. The unknown killer may strike at any moment, and at the end of the novel Scudder makes himself a target to lure the killer out into the open by announcing publicly that he knows the killer's identity. The novel creates more suspense, however, when Scudder finds a car climbing the curb, seemingly ready to run him down, a car that he is sure must belong to the killer, and Scudder is unable to fire his gun at him. The car holds relatively harmless drunks, but the question is raised whether Scudder can and will defend himself. A further element of suspense is added with the detective's acute alcoholic condition. Scudder seems likely to fulfill the doctor's prediction that he will kill himself with drink fairly soon.