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"You'd think that Block, with more than 50 books to his credit, would run out of ideas, but as this 10th in his Burglar series shows (after 1999's The Burglar in the Rye, he's as fresh, witty and inventive as ever. The author builds his plot on stupefying coincidences, but not to worry--everything eventually meshes. A friend asks Bernie Rhodenbarr, confirmed New Yorker, used-book dealer and gentleman burglar, to rob a mob-connected plastic surgeon who stole the friend's mistress. He agrees, and cases the doctor's house in Riverdale, the Bronx. But Bernie is restive and, uncharacteristically (because he plans carefully), he breaks into a Manhattan apartment on a whim and almost gets caught, hiding under the bed while a woman is date-raped.
Next day a customer is shot near his bookstore, a mysterious émigré
couple is murdered, a former Latvian war criminal is reported in New
York and Bernie's apartment is ransacked. These crimes seem
unrelated in such a large city, but Bernie finds a common thread. In
the end, Bernie assembles 22 people (including lawmen) in the
surgeon's living room and, Charlie Chan style, explains each
participant's role and, where appropriate, crime. Lesser hands would
not bring off this breathtaking performance, but in Block's it's
seamless and hilarious. Quirky characters like Bernie's pals Carolyn
Kaiser, the dog groomer, and cop Ray Kirschmann; an insider's love
of New York; and a slew of wonderful puns add to the fun."
"It takes an agile brain and a devilish wit
... Block not only has what it takes, he also has Bernie, whose
elastic ethics and pride in his work ("It is, I blush to admit, a
gift," he says of his skills) are the key to his raffish charm."
"Bernie is back! To devoted followers of
genre stalwart Block's comic series starring Bernie Rhodenbarr, the
dry-witted bookseller-thief, a new adventure reads like a treasured
stand-up routine. . . By the last chapter, Bernie gets to say his
favorite line, the one we wait for the longest: "I suppose you're
all wondering why I summoned you here." No, Bernie, I know full
well: to enjoy superb light entertainment, to cackle at your
devilish wit, and to relish the glee with which your creator
constructs his confoundingly clever, coincidence-cluttered plots." "There are reasons why Lawrence Block is
called "grand master." For starters, the Mystery Writers of America
gave him that title in 1994. "This is one of the best in Block's 10-book
"Burglar" series. He weaves together seemingly unrelated
events--okay, the laundry list of coincidences can verge on
absurd--so that Bernie can explain all in an ending worthy of the
best of Miss Marple or Charlie Chan." "Lawrence Block is one of those
writers who must wake up every morning with ideas simply
overflowing. No one does either a caper comedy or a mystery story
quite like he does. Coincidence piles upon coincidence and subplot
intertwines with subplot until you think that he'll never, never in
a million years pull this on off. But he does, of course, with
considerable panache. Let's just hope that it's not another five
years we have to wait for the next installment in this perfectly
executed, witty and perfectly delightful series." "Just in time for Spring Break-ins, that
endearing heist-meister Bernie Rhodenbarr is back in action. As
always, Block's recipe of suspense and laughter steals the show once
again. BURGLAR ON THE PROWL is a grand dessert!" Site contents copyright
2006 Lawrence Block
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