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The Commandment #3
The Eighth Commandment
When the Damaretion, the prized Greek coin from Archibald Havistock's collection, disappears and appraiser Mary Lou "Dunk" Bateson comes under suspicion, Bateson, a cop, and an insurance investigator set out to solve the crime. Reissue.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
About the author
Lawrence Sanders
149 books384 followersThere is more than one author with this name
Lawrence Sanders was the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty mystery and suspense novels. The Anderson Tapes, completed when he was fifty years old, received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for best first novel. His prodigious oeuvre encompasses the Edward X. Delaney, Archy McNally, and Timothy Cone series, along with his acclaimed Commandment books. Stand-alone novels include Sullivan's Sting and Caper. Sanders remains one of America’s most popular novelists, with more than fifty million copies of his books in print. Also published as Mark Upton.
Lawrence Sanders was the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty mystery and suspense novels. The Anderson Tapes, completed when he was fifty years old, received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for best first novel. His prodigious oeuvre encompasses the Edward X. Delaney, Archy McNally, and Timothy Cone series, along with his acclaimed Commandment books. Stand-alone novels include Sullivan's Sting and Caper. Sanders remains one of America’s most popular novelists, with more than fifty million copies of his books in print. Also published as Mark Upton.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
March 14, 2013
Back in the day, I would buy any paperback I found by Lawrence Sanders. I did a couple of the "Deadly Sins" series, and some of the "Commandment" series as well. This one was good, although not as engrossing as some of his others. One thing that impressed me when I read this, however, was how well a man could write from the point of view of a woman.
April 27, 2012
Stayed up way too late with this one twice and finally finished it tonight and it was great, loved it as it catches you and intrigues with the quirky narrator tall Mary Lou Bateson or Dunk and keeps your interest throughout..On a side note I found this book in my now dilapidated bookshelf (thanks alot IKEA LOL) so after insisting I read everything I decided to up and read a book I own and this was it--I believe I read it when I was younger but rereading oldies are the best..Okay so back to the story Dunk is a recent hire to a darling coin collector and discovers a passion for coins, auctioning and history..While loving and learning her new profession her boss is uprooted and she stumbles upon a new job in the same field and also her biggest client ever with a rare Greek coin called the Demaretion that Dunk personally and professionally values at $350,000. Psyched and ambitious Dunk insists on being present for the acquisition of the coin and signs her name to the valuable piece and her life is all good-....until the coin goes missing..It all hits the fan after being put on leave without pay and her hellbent on finding out who set her up; so she starts a renagade solo detective mission meeting two charismatic and attractive men directly involved in the investigation: Al, the sweet, sloppy, sensitive police officer and Jack, the handsome, suave and flitty Insurance agent..Romance blooms and the case takes twists and turns, you meet some interesting characters, murder, burglary, parties, sex, and secrets galore with a narrator you can truly see which is weird from a male author but he really draws from real life and makes her believable, a person you probably see every day and you like her..The mystery was drawn out with a lot of unneccessary sideplots true, and the reveal while not too predictable wasnt as POW as I hoped but fun read from the eighties--I actually liked her romantic choice and it was an oldie but goodie, have to donate (tear) to make room for more treasures..Spring cleaning..
March 12, 2012
I started reading this book years ago and got all the way to the last few chapters but never finished it. I found it again and decided to read it from the beginning because I knew the basic story but I wanted to refresh my memory of the details before I found out who stole to coin. By the time I got a little passed part where I had left off, the story started to get a little boring to me. The build of of the story was great though with all the mysteries, twists, and suspects, but the closer to the end it got, I found myself less interested in the unfolding story and more interested in just solving the crime. I just wanted to finish the book. I admit that it was well written and will have the reader guessing the whole way through, but I kind of had already guessed early on who really stole the coin. It was kind of predictable but I liked all the twists the story took you through and had you suspecting everyone. The one thing that I did not like was how Dunk wanted so badly to find the coin and clear her name but she refused to share ALL of the information she had with the detectives which could have helped solve the case sooner. But I guess that's just me thinking logically which she said she did not always do. Overall, even though it kept me coming back to find out what happened next, it was just an ok book for me.
March 17, 2014
Savvy readers of my reviews know that I compile a list of "last lines" (see here) as a counter-punch to my first lines (see here) compendium. Secondly, it helps me remember which books I've read and what I thought about them. That being said, today's latest addition is below.
I sighed and went into the bedroom to phone. I had two calls to make. The first to Al Georgio, telling that estimable man that no, I would not marry him. The second to Jack Smack, telling that flighty tap dancer that yes, I would move in with him.
You can be logical about other people’s lives, but never about your own.
It's a slight twist at the end. I expected the protagonist to choose Al. It's fun to see that she didn't.
As I said before (see here) I love Lawrence Sanders' McNally mysteries and I am loving reading his older material even more. There's more seriousness, more gravitas, and the stories are more fleshed out. This was the first I've read of his where he got into the mind of a femme and I have to say I think he did it quite well. I wish he had written more.
I sighed and went into the bedroom to phone. I had two calls to make. The first to Al Georgio, telling that estimable man that no, I would not marry him. The second to Jack Smack, telling that flighty tap dancer that yes, I would move in with him.
You can be logical about other people’s lives, but never about your own.
It's a slight twist at the end. I expected the protagonist to choose Al. It's fun to see that she didn't.
As I said before (see here) I love Lawrence Sanders' McNally mysteries and I am loving reading his older material even more. There's more seriousness, more gravitas, and the stories are more fleshed out. This was the first I've read of his where he got into the mind of a femme and I have to say I think he did it quite well. I wish he had written more.
October 2, 2021
My Favorite Sanders
Lawrence Sanders was, for years, a dependable writer of smooth mystery stories. I've read several, and read this one, in fact, many years ago. But it remains a favorite. I also happen to have a fascination with antique coins, so the central object in the book draws me in. Then the story proceeds with all of the mystery writer's art, the red herrings, the twists and turns, the characters with feet of clay. Sanders's female protagonist is different from the hardboiled investigators, and a wonderful character. Highly recommended!
Lawrence Sanders was, for years, a dependable writer of smooth mystery stories. I've read several, and read this one, in fact, many years ago. But it remains a favorite. I also happen to have a fascination with antique coins, so the central object in the book draws me in. Then the story proceeds with all of the mystery writer's art, the red herrings, the twists and turns, the characters with feet of clay. Sanders's female protagonist is different from the hardboiled investigators, and a wonderful character. Highly recommended!
July 12, 2008
another book i got out of the "free books" box at red hill books. not a bad mystery plot and has funny characters (i can see this as a movie) but men like lawrence should NOT try to write as if they understand the inner workings of women. she essentially gets involved with these two guys who she knows for about 15 hours a piece (i counted) and then makes life changing decisions after sleeping with each three times. just stick to the funny characters and the mystery.
August 23, 2010
One of my favorite "reliable" authors. Sanders is just a joy for me. He has done a few series, stand alones, hard core, agonizing and brutal stories, way out there stuff and then the fun and light stories of Archie McNally. This stand alone is set in New York City and has a female main character, a numismatist. Dunk is thoughtful, caring and is as well equipped to deal with the solving of the stolen coin as the adoration of 2 men. This man knows the city!
August 4, 2018
Delightful Character
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, counting it as one of Mr. Sanders’ best. His “Commandment” series is, in my opinion, his best, even better than McNally. Dunk is my second favorite character, bested only by Joshua Bigg.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, counting it as one of Mr. Sanders’ best. His “Commandment” series is, in my opinion, his best, even better than McNally. Dunk is my second favorite character, bested only by Joshua Bigg.
February 11, 2014
This was by far my favorite lawrence sanders books
September 30, 2016
Imagine the worst bits of Archie McNally magically transformed into a female--complete with penchant for berets. Now imagine a very thin plot. On top of that, imagine
The writing was passable, but Sanders should NOT write female main characters. It just doesn't work. Matter of fact, this was so weak that I am giving Sanders a rest for a while. Maybe I'll go back to him, maybe I won't. Judging from this last book, it's no biggie if I just forget about him.
The writing was passable, but Sanders should NOT write female main characters. It just doesn't work. Matter of fact, this was so weak that I am giving Sanders a rest for a while. Maybe I'll go back to him, maybe I won't. Judging from this last book, it's no biggie if I just forget about him.
January 27, 2011
The first Lawrence Sanders book I ever read was the First Deadly Sin and I was hooked. There was another Deadly Sin book that I really liked as well. Although this book kept me interested enough while I was on the stationary bike at the gym, the ending was a little disappointing. However, if there are more Dunk books, I would read them.
May 18, 2020
Agatha Christie style whodunnit. Very enjoyable. Cannot believe how much Manhattan has changed from 1985 to 2020 (when I'm reading it). Apparently there were Italians in Little Italy, etc. This is a great beach read.
February 19, 2018
A pleasant read. That is about the best I can say for this book. Overall? Unsatisfying, starting with the ending.
October 15, 2020
Read in 1987. Deliciously dark and wickedly sensual.
February 14, 2024
The Eighth Commandment (Commandment #3) - by Lawrence Sanders
Even though this is the third in a series, this is a stand-alone book.
Mary Lou Bateson (Dunk) is a six-foot-two-tall woman who grew up in Des Moines, IA with three brothers who all played basketball. She got her nickname - Dunk - because she could dunk as well as her brothers. After graduating from Chase College in Iowa, she moved to New York City.
The only employment she was able to find was with Enoch Wottle a seventy-something numismatic dealer on West 57th Street in Manhattan. She learned the trade well, and when Enoch retired to Arizona, he helped her get into a job with Grandby and Sons - a much bigger numismatic shop and auction house on Madison Street. She is placed in an office with Hobart (Hobie) Juliana, a twenty-something gay man who is in charge of stamps, autographs, and historical documents. They immediately bond.
Dunk bids to auction the collection of Archibald Havistock which includes 475 coins including a very rare Demaretion - a very rare Greek coin minted in 480 B.C. of which there are about a dozen coins in the world. The coin was appraised at $175,000 by the insurance company, but it will probably sell for over $350,000 in its present condition.
As Dunk gets the commission, careful arrangements are made to transfer the coin from Mr. Havistock's home to Grandby and Sons's vaults. The coins were stored in 13 wood panels and as all 13 panels arrived at Grandby and Sons - the Demaretion has gone missing.
Dunk comes under suspicion for the theft. She is placed on unpaid leave by Grandby and Sons. Des Moines-bred and as honest as they come, Dunk will go to any length to find the real culprit and clear her name.
Dunk is aided by two fellow investigators who happen to be rivals for her heart - a tough-and-tender cop, Alphonse (Al) Georgio, and a dashing insurance sleuth, John (Jack) Smack. She is also hired By Mabel Havistock, Archibald's wife - to get to the bottom of things. Amazingly, Enoch is also willing to help Dunk, not just because he cares for her, but also because retirement is too boring for him. And then there's Hobie - always willing to help his friend.
As Dunk begins to penetrate the dynasty’s respectable façade, she discovers a jumble of scandal, perversion, and homicidal desperation: bland WASP couples with shocking hobbies; ultrasecret love nests; blackmail victims driven to the brink of violence; pillars of society with backgrounds that would curl your hair; covert swingers, savage sex goddesses, and passion-crazed cuckolds.
As members of the Havistock family start to be murdered, will Dunk be able to uncover the truth, clear her name, and find the killers before she becomes another victim?
Narrated from Dunk's first-person point of view, this is what I would call a beach read. It's very fluffy, with caricatures instead of characters - none of which I cared for - but it has a plot that is interesting enough to make it worth reading. It's a fast read, although I would have edited the book to make it shorter. It tends to repeat things a lot with plenty of flashbacks to distract you from the case. The narrator likes to talk to the reader - something I've never cared for.
Read at your discretion.
Even though this is the third in a series, this is a stand-alone book.
Mary Lou Bateson (Dunk) is a six-foot-two-tall woman who grew up in Des Moines, IA with three brothers who all played basketball. She got her nickname - Dunk - because she could dunk as well as her brothers. After graduating from Chase College in Iowa, she moved to New York City.
The only employment she was able to find was with Enoch Wottle a seventy-something numismatic dealer on West 57th Street in Manhattan. She learned the trade well, and when Enoch retired to Arizona, he helped her get into a job with Grandby and Sons - a much bigger numismatic shop and auction house on Madison Street. She is placed in an office with Hobart (Hobie) Juliana, a twenty-something gay man who is in charge of stamps, autographs, and historical documents. They immediately bond.
Dunk bids to auction the collection of Archibald Havistock which includes 475 coins including a very rare Demaretion - a very rare Greek coin minted in 480 B.C. of which there are about a dozen coins in the world. The coin was appraised at $175,000 by the insurance company, but it will probably sell for over $350,000 in its present condition.
As Dunk gets the commission, careful arrangements are made to transfer the coin from Mr. Havistock's home to Grandby and Sons's vaults. The coins were stored in 13 wood panels and as all 13 panels arrived at Grandby and Sons - the Demaretion has gone missing.
Dunk comes under suspicion for the theft. She is placed on unpaid leave by Grandby and Sons. Des Moines-bred and as honest as they come, Dunk will go to any length to find the real culprit and clear her name.
Dunk is aided by two fellow investigators who happen to be rivals for her heart - a tough-and-tender cop, Alphonse (Al) Georgio, and a dashing insurance sleuth, John (Jack) Smack. She is also hired By Mabel Havistock, Archibald's wife - to get to the bottom of things. Amazingly, Enoch is also willing to help Dunk, not just because he cares for her, but also because retirement is too boring for him. And then there's Hobie - always willing to help his friend.
As Dunk begins to penetrate the dynasty’s respectable façade, she discovers a jumble of scandal, perversion, and homicidal desperation: bland WASP couples with shocking hobbies; ultrasecret love nests; blackmail victims driven to the brink of violence; pillars of society with backgrounds that would curl your hair; covert swingers, savage sex goddesses, and passion-crazed cuckolds.
As members of the Havistock family start to be murdered, will Dunk be able to uncover the truth, clear her name, and find the killers before she becomes another victim?
Narrated from Dunk's first-person point of view, this is what I would call a beach read. It's very fluffy, with caricatures instead of characters - none of which I cared for - but it has a plot that is interesting enough to make it worth reading. It's a fast read, although I would have edited the book to make it shorter. It tends to repeat things a lot with plenty of flashbacks to distract you from the case. The narrator likes to talk to the reader - something I've never cared for.
Read at your discretion.
June 8, 2021
Mary Lou ("Dunk") Bateson is 6 feet 2 inches tall, comes from Des Moines, Iowa, and moves to New York City to find work. She settles for a job with a coin collector and learns much about them. Her next job is with an auction house where she is their expert on rare coins. A total collection of these coins is to be auctioned, Dunk is the main person responsible for them, and the most valuable coin goes missing. She teams up with a police detective and an insurance investigator to figure out what happened and to hopefully recover the coin. Romance follows, there are a number of suspects, and no easy way to figure out who was responsible.
I always like detective mysteries that have some humor and interesting characters, and this one fills the bill for me. There is also no clear idea of who actually stole the coin until the very end. As you might also expect, there are a few sex scenes as Dunk is "courted" by the other two on her "team." And this is just part of how we learn about the characters. I enjoyed reading this book in Sanders' Commandment series.
I always like detective mysteries that have some humor and interesting characters, and this one fills the bill for me. There is also no clear idea of who actually stole the coin until the very end. As you might also expect, there are a few sex scenes as Dunk is "courted" by the other two on her "team." And this is just part of how we learn about the characters. I enjoyed reading this book in Sanders' Commandment series.
March 7, 2023
Auction house numismatist Mary Lou Bateson, nickname Dunk, finds herself the primary suspect in the theft of an ancient valuable Greek coin. Aside from gaining two attentive lovers, she is also hired by coin owner Archibald Havistock to investigate if it was an inside job, leading her to uncover plenty of shenanigans in the Havistock family: a hippy daughter with a shady boyfriend, a femme fatale daughter in law with an emotionally unstable husband, a couple with dubious parties, and a lecherous secretary. This is the remaining book in the Commandment series that I haven't read, and boy, did I enjoy it. Dunk's voice is so distinctive, and I loved reading about her investigation and her love life, like I did with Bigg inThe Tenth Commandment. Funny thing, it almost feels like a cozy, as all the suspects and even the goons are courteous and cooperative.
October 4, 2020
Six foot two Mary Lou Bateson, nicknamed Dunk, has a been learning about valuing coins and lands a great job, with a great firm where she is asked to assess the very valuable coin collection of a private collector who is considering various firms to sell his coins. Dunk secures the collection for her firm and pretty quickly thereafter things go all sorts of awry. Not wanting to give away too much, all I can say is that the story unfolds with suspense, murder, shady characters, and a very wealthy family whose housekeeper is convinced the family has evil befalling them due to the evil way they live their lives. This is the first time (hard to believe) that I have read a book by best-selling author Lawrence Sanders and I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the story. The book was written in 1986 but may as well have been set in 2020; it's a great tale well written.
February 6, 2023
See Monique's review.
Don't think I have read anything by L. Sanders, but he is good. I, also, am impressed by how well he writes from a women's standpoint.
Tall, Mary Lou Bateson ("Dunk") is hired by Felecia Dodat to appraise coins, for a prestigious firm in New York. She shares a minuscule office with gay Hobart Julianna ("Hobie") who becomes one of her cheering sections. She formerly worked for Ermest Wottle, who is a great contact. She dearly loves coins and antiquities.
Then the Demaretion coin, for which she is mostly responsible, disappears enroute from one place to another and it becomes a mystery which no one seems to be able to solve. Her job and reputation is on the line. Through convoluted circumstances and help from her two cheerleaders, she solves it. There is a murder . . . She gets a boyfriend in the bargain.
Don't think I have read anything by L. Sanders, but he is good. I, also, am impressed by how well he writes from a women's standpoint.
Tall, Mary Lou Bateson ("Dunk") is hired by Felecia Dodat to appraise coins, for a prestigious firm in New York. She shares a minuscule office with gay Hobart Julianna ("Hobie") who becomes one of her cheering sections. She formerly worked for Ermest Wottle, who is a great contact. She dearly loves coins and antiquities.
Then the Demaretion coin, for which she is mostly responsible, disappears enroute from one place to another and it becomes a mystery which no one seems to be able to solve. Her job and reputation is on the line. Through convoluted circumstances and help from her two cheerleaders, she solves it. There is a murder . . . She gets a boyfriend in the bargain.
July 7, 2021
Este libro me ha gustado mu ho. Lo he disfrutado bastante porque se ha adentrado en un mundo que no sabía nada de él. La protagonista me ha gustado mucho. Una mujer que va página a página descubriendo ese mundo tan misterioso para mi, pues ni la numismática ni las casas de subastas me eran conocidas.
La trama me ha encantado, lo que sí es verdad es que la protagonista la han pintado como a una persona que cada vez que la conoce algún hombre, tiene deseos de,estar con ella. Me pareció un poco irreal.
El final no me lo esperaba. Bueno, tanto el final del misterio como el sentimental no me lo esperaba. Lo recomiendo. 07/07/2021
La trama me ha encantado, lo que sí es verdad es que la protagonista la han pintado como a una persona que cada vez que la conoce algún hombre, tiene deseos de,estar con ella. Me pareció un poco irreal.
El final no me lo esperaba. Bueno, tanto el final del misterio como el sentimental no me lo esperaba. Lo recomiendo. 07/07/2021
August 7, 2021
The Best Sleuthing Ever
The Eighth Commandment by Lawerence Sanders is an intriguing tale of clever sleuthing. Mary Lou Bateson called "Dunk" because of her height becomes instrumental in solving the mystery of a very valuable ancient Greek coin, the Damareton. Through careful questioning and after several murders Mary Lou solves the mystery and presents the coin to Grandby and Sons Auction House.
The Eighth Commandment by Lawerence Sanders is an intriguing tale of clever sleuthing. Mary Lou Bateson called "Dunk" because of her height becomes instrumental in solving the mystery of a very valuable ancient Greek coin, the Damareton. Through careful questioning and after several murders Mary Lou solves the mystery and presents the coin to Grandby and Sons Auction House.
January 20, 2022
I confess I'm a huge Sanders fan so I may be a bit bias when I give this book a 4. This was a very enjoyable read as most of Sanders books are. This time you meet Dunk, an over six foot female numismatist who has to solve a mystery about a lost coin. The only problem with this book is that like all other of the Commandment books is that the main character never appears in other Sanders books. Highly recommended.
April 20, 2022
Here Lawrence Sanders has written himself into the book. He is Hobart Juliana. And the symbology of a coin points to Hobart’s relationship with the main character and how they mesh. Both are characters are inverses of the other. Even the amount of space devoted to each of them in the book is diagonally opposed. The masterpiece aspect comes from the turns of plot and the mnemonics. He keeps the focus on the coin thereby increasing coin fetishes worldwide. This book is a must have.
May 31, 2022
Engrossing but light enough for a beach read. Great trip through numismatic history, skill set, and lore. Neat 'book end' to 'The Lost Jewels' in terms of tracing key objects through history. Nice puzzle made up of mostly nasty people. Didn't love the pacing at the ending; mystery reveal is quite drawn out & personal decision is delivered in a pat rush. The main character's story and voice are fun foils to the more typical voices of other key characters.
August 30, 2020
A young woman who works at an auction house investigates the theft of a rare coin under her care. In her investigation, she discovers the depravity of the wealthy family that owned the coins to be auctioned, and gets involved with both the cop and the insurance investigator also looking into the coin’s disappearance. Not deep or thought-provoking—just fun.
June 9, 2021
YOU SHALL NOT STEAL
I liked the story a lot. I couldn’t stop reading, but I was disappointed in the ending. I thought the guilty person should pay for his sins. However, I realized it was all circumstantial. The police got what they wanted, and the guilty man’s life was destroyed.
I liked the story a lot. I couldn’t stop reading, but I was disappointed in the ending. I thought the guilty person should pay for his sins. However, I realized it was all circumstantial. The police got what they wanted, and the guilty man’s life was destroyed.
September 9, 2019
I liked the case enough not to give up reading this book but I didn't like how the female character was portrayed. I'm not saying there isn't a woman like Dunk out there, I don't know any, though, and after reading this book I'm not even sure this author knows any woman at all.
April 23, 2021
Enjoyable read. Flows nicely.
Clever whodunnit. Well-defined characters with interesting twists and turns. Flows nicely to a surprise ending. Not quite up to a 5-star rating, but good bedtime reading.
Clever whodunnit. Well-defined characters with interesting twists and turns. Flows nicely to a surprise ending. Not quite up to a 5-star rating, but good bedtime reading.
June 22, 2026
Lo más divertido es la ambientación en Nueva York, esos años 80, esas dinámicas hombre-mujer, formas de pensar diferentes a las actuales… más allá, no es una historia que te atrape. Lo mejor, la frase final.
May 29, 2017
Great and interesting novel
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews