Scan barcode
zmull's review against another edition
3.0
A fun caper novel. A beach read that I enjoyed at the beach.
mehitabels's review against another edition
5.0
hilarious. mopey thief, vengeful victim, endless back and forth.
fantastic.
fantastic.
blueberry's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
jandi's review
4.0
After a millionaire thwarts a burglar's attempt to rob his property, and dares steal the burglar's ring, luck reverses as he tries to get his ring back. Very funny and quirky read, not sure I would follow the entire series, but I did greatly enjoyed the book. I could not put the book down while reading through the last stunt.
jmeston's review against another edition
4.0
What a breath of fresh air. Dortmunder the thief is a delightfully limited character. I am so glad to have found this series.
psalmcat's review against another edition
4.0
I always forget how good a writer Westlake is. His characters are always engaging and his plots are clever. This particular book revolves around Dortmunder, a petty thief who is caught in the act robbing the home of Max Fairbanks, a mega-millionnaire. Fairbanks turns the tables as the police prepare to take the burglar away and says that the only thing stolen was the ring on Dortmunder's hand. In spite of his protests, the police take the ring off Dortmunder's finger and 'return' it to the Fairbanks.
This annoys Dortmunder, and he is a very single-minded person. He escapes from police custody, returns home, and calls in his friends who proceed to not only beard the lion (Fairbanks) in his den once, but three times! Once at home in New York, once at the Watergate in D.C. (heh), and finally in Las Vegas. Dortmunder is truly only in it for the ring, but the robberies are so spectacularly successful that he ends up with a nice little nest egg, insurance in case he has a few lean months. Well, lean years, really.
Fun caper novel. Reminded me a great deal of Ocean's 11 et al. Funny in a very dry and ironic way.
This annoys Dortmunder, and he is a very single-minded person. He escapes from police custody, returns home, and calls in his friends who proceed to not only beard the lion (Fairbanks) in his den once, but three times! Once at home in New York, once at the Watergate in D.C. (heh), and finally in Las Vegas. Dortmunder is truly only in it for the ring, but the robberies are so spectacularly successful that he ends up with a nice little nest egg, insurance in case he has a few lean months. Well, lean years, really.
Fun caper novel. Reminded me a great deal of Ocean's 11 et al. Funny in a very dry and ironic way.
isovector's review
4.0
This is the best Dortmunder book so far --- he's actually useful in making a plan, and all of the characters are likeable, and it's much less formulaic than most of the books, AND it's not way too long like Drowned Hopes!
ericwelch's review
3.0
Dortmunder is another fine creation of Donald Westlake. He occasionally appears in the Parker stories, but this one is devoted to Dortmunder himself. Things always seem to go wrong and the beginning is no exception. They attempt to burgle a house on Long Island that’s supposed to be empty but it’s a house being used as a trysting place for Fairbanks (pun perhaps?) a thieving executive millionaire and his mistress. He calls the cops and then has the temerity to steal a “lucky” ring off Dortmunder’s finger before he gets hauled off to jail. Dortmunder escapes the police car (a humorous event in itself) and vows to get the ring back and make the guy sorry for his humiliation.
The plot then revolves around Dortmunders extraordinary capers to get the ring back. And in the process, they decide to rob a Las Vegas casino. After conducting a little third-rate burglary at the Watergate. A little third-rate burglary at the Watergate?” Andy said, “I already tried that on him, and it didn’t work. John isn’t much of a history buff.”... Herman paused to take a roll of duct tape from inside his tuxedo jacket, tear off a length, and attach it to the edge of the door over the striker to keep it from locking. Spies, political agents, and other amateurs put such tape on a door horizontally, so that it shows on both front and back, and can be noticed by a passing security person. (There is a risk here that anyone under the age of forty will not get this reference at all.)
What makes these books are the little side comments Westlake throws in a social criticism. For example: “On the TV, people covered with blood were being carried to ambulances. Wherever it was, it looked like a real mess. Then, as Dortmunder watched, the people and the ambulances faded away and some candy bars began to dance.” and “The thing is,” Andy explained, “when I feel I need a car, good transportation, something very special, I look for a vehicle with MD plates. This is one place where you can trust doctors. They understand discomfort, and they understand comfort, and they got the money to back up their opinions.”
The plot then revolves around Dortmunders extraordinary capers to get the ring back. And in the process, they decide to rob a Las Vegas casino. After conducting a little third-rate burglary at the Watergate. A little third-rate burglary at the Watergate?” Andy said, “I already tried that on him, and it didn’t work. John isn’t much of a history buff.”... Herman paused to take a roll of duct tape from inside his tuxedo jacket, tear off a length, and attach it to the edge of the door over the striker to keep it from locking. Spies, political agents, and other amateurs put such tape on a door horizontally, so that it shows on both front and back, and can be noticed by a passing security person. (There is a risk here that anyone under the age of forty will not get this reference at all.)
What makes these books are the little side comments Westlake throws in a social criticism. For example: “On the TV, people covered with blood were being carried to ambulances. Wherever it was, it looked like a real mess. Then, as Dortmunder watched, the people and the ambulances faded away and some candy bars began to dance.” and “The thing is,” Andy explained, “when I feel I need a car, good transportation, something very special, I look for a vehicle with MD plates. This is one place where you can trust doctors. They understand discomfort, and they understand comfort, and they got the money to back up their opinions.”