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Bernie Rhodenbarr #6
Αγάπη, κάλεσε το διαρρήκτη
Ο Μπέρνι είναι καταρχήν συμπαθής στις γυναίκες. Άγνωστο γιατί, με τα τόσα «μειονεκτήματα» που κουβαλά. Αρρενωπός, λίγο μπλαζέ, παίζει με τη γοητεία του και δε διστάζει να πάρει αυτό που θέλει. Πατά πάνω στις αδυναμίες και τις ελπίδες τους, τις κάνει να ανθήσουν και τότε αποκαλύπτει τον πραγματικό του εαυτό. Δυο γυναίκες θα βρεθούν στο δρόμο του· η μία χαμένη στα μελαγχολικά μονοπάτια της ποίησης και η άλλη, η Ντολ, μια γυναίκα-μυστήριο, θα προσπαθήσει να παίξει μαζί του, όπως η γάτα με το ποντίκι, σκηνοθετώντας το παρελθόν της και το παρόν τους. Μόνο που ο Μπέρνι δε θα συμβιβαστεί με τους όρους της... Ποιός είναι ο θύτης και ποιος το θύμα, είναι ρόλοι που αντιστρέφονται συνεχώς σε μια σκοτεινή ιστορία με διαρρήξεις, εκβιασμούς, άνομους έρωτες και μια δολοφονία. Μπροστά στον έρωτα τιμωρό, ο Μπέρνι, άλλοτε σιωπηλός παρατηρητής και άλλοτε καθοδηγητής των εξελίξεων, περιμένει τη σωστή στιγμή για να σηκώσει την αυλαία.
390 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
136 people are currently reading
706 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Block
761 books3,001 followersLawrence Block has been writing crime, mystery, and suspense fiction for more than half a century. He has published in excess (oh, wretched excess!) of 100 books, and no end of short stories.
Born in Buffalo, N.Y., LB attended Antioch College, but left before completing his studies; school authorities advised him that they felt he’d be happier elsewhere, and he thought this was remarkably perceptive of them.
His earliest work, published pseudonymously in the late 1950s, was mostly in the field of midcentury erotica, an apprenticeship he shared with Donald E. Westlake and Robert Silverberg. The first time Lawrence Block’s name appeared in print was when his short story “You Can’t Lose” was published in the February 1958 issue of Manhunt. The first book published under his own name was Mona (1961); it was reissued several times over the years, once as Sweet Slow Death. In 2005 it became the first offering from Hard Case Crime, and bore for the first time LB’s original title, Grifter’s Game.
LB is best known for his series characters, including cop-turned-private investigator Matthew Scudder, gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanner, and introspective assassin Keller.
Because one name is never enough, LB has also published under pseudonyms including Jill Emerson, John Warren Wells, Lesley Evans, and Anne Campbell Clarke.
LB’s magazine appearances include American Heritage, Redbook, Playboy, Linn’s Stamp News, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and The New York Times. His monthly instructional column ran in Writer’s Digest for 14 years, and led to a string of books for writers, including the classics Telling Lies for Fun & Profit and The Liar’s Bible. He has also written episodic television (Tilt!) and the Wong Kar-wai film, My Blueberry Nights.
Several of LB’s books have been filmed. The latest, A Walk Among the Tombstones, stars Liam Neeson as Matthew Scudder and is scheduled for release in September, 2014.
LB is a Grand Master of Mystery Writers of America, and a past president of MWA and the Private Eye Writers of America. He has won the Edgar and Shamus awards four times each, and the Japanese Maltese Falcon award twice, as well as the Nero Wolfe and Philip Marlowe awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Diamond Dagger for Life Achievement from the Crime Writers Association (UK). He’s also been honored with the Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award from Mystery Ink magazine and the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement in the short story. In France, he has been proclaimed a Grand Maitre du Roman Noir and has twice been awarded the Societe 813 trophy. He has been a guest of honor at Bouchercon and at book fairs and mystery festivals in France, Germany, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Taiwan. As if that were not enough, he was also presented with the key to the city of Muncie, Indiana. (But as soon as he left, they changed the locks.)
LB and his wife Lynne are enthusiastic New Yorkers and relentless world travelers; the two are members of the Travelers Century Club, and have visited around 160 countries.
He is a modest and humble fellow, although you would never guess as much from this biographical note.
Born in Buffalo, N.Y., LB attended Antioch College, but left before completing his studies; school authorities advised him that they felt he’d be happier elsewhere, and he thought this was remarkably perceptive of them.
His earliest work, published pseudonymously in the late 1950s, was mostly in the field of midcentury erotica, an apprenticeship he shared with Donald E. Westlake and Robert Silverberg. The first time Lawrence Block’s name appeared in print was when his short story “You Can’t Lose” was published in the February 1958 issue of Manhunt. The first book published under his own name was Mona (1961); it was reissued several times over the years, once as Sweet Slow Death. In 2005 it became the first offering from Hard Case Crime, and bore for the first time LB’s original title, Grifter’s Game.
LB is best known for his series characters, including cop-turned-private investigator Matthew Scudder, gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanner, and introspective assassin Keller.
Because one name is never enough, LB has also published under pseudonyms including Jill Emerson, John Warren Wells, Lesley Evans, and Anne Campbell Clarke.
LB’s magazine appearances include American Heritage, Redbook, Playboy, Linn’s Stamp News, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and The New York Times. His monthly instructional column ran in Writer’s Digest for 14 years, and led to a string of books for writers, including the classics Telling Lies for Fun & Profit and The Liar’s Bible. He has also written episodic television (Tilt!) and the Wong Kar-wai film, My Blueberry Nights.
Several of LB’s books have been filmed. The latest, A Walk Among the Tombstones, stars Liam Neeson as Matthew Scudder and is scheduled for release in September, 2014.
LB is a Grand Master of Mystery Writers of America, and a past president of MWA and the Private Eye Writers of America. He has won the Edgar and Shamus awards four times each, and the Japanese Maltese Falcon award twice, as well as the Nero Wolfe and Philip Marlowe awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Diamond Dagger for Life Achievement from the Crime Writers Association (UK). He’s also been honored with the Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award from Mystery Ink magazine and the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement in the short story. In France, he has been proclaimed a Grand Maitre du Roman Noir and has twice been awarded the Societe 813 trophy. He has been a guest of honor at Bouchercon and at book fairs and mystery festivals in France, Germany, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Taiwan. As if that were not enough, he was also presented with the key to the city of Muncie, Indiana. (But as soon as he left, they changed the locks.)
LB and his wife Lynne are enthusiastic New Yorkers and relentless world travelers; the two are members of the Travelers Century Club, and have visited around 160 countries.
He is a modest and humble fellow, although you would never guess as much from this biographical note.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
May 3, 2021
Book 6 in the Bernie Rhodenbarr series published 1994.
An entertaining 4 star read.
Another entertaining, humorous whodunit mystery featuring our favourite burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr.
Bernie’s been straight, read law abiding, for the last years but like any addict he’s in need of a fix. When that fix falls into his lap Bernie needs no coaxing to bring out his lock picks and get to work.
Needless to say nothing in Bernie’s life is ever easy. Getting into the flat was no problem, the problems started when Bernie found a naked dead man in a bathroom with a hole in his forehead. The bathroom was locked from the inside with a dead bolt lock. There was no sign of a gun so it could not have been suicide but how could someone else have shoot the victim, taken the gun and left the bathroom door locked from the inside? On the surface this seemed to be impossible. In the end Bernie does the sensible thing and leaves the flat as he found it, including the dead man in the locked bathroom.
The next day the police call on Bernie to charge him with a crime that he didn’t commit, that being the theft of a collection of football cards worth in excess of half a million dollars.
With a few nods and winks in the right places Bernie is soon out on bail. Bernie realise that if someone is smart enough to joins the dots he, Bernie Rhodenbarr, could be in some serious trouble.
Bernie who has no faith in the police whom he considers to be nothing more than a bunch of bent, corrupt thieves knows that if this crime is to be solved and in the process clearing his good name, Bernie the burglar, will need to be the honest detective.
What follows is a tantalising whodunit mystery with lots of lighthearted humour to keep your mind of the dead guy in the locked bathroom.
This is my sixth escapade with Bernie Rhodenbarr and, so far, they have all been vastly entertaining
An entertaining 4 star read.
Another entertaining, humorous whodunit mystery featuring our favourite burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr.
Bernie’s been straight, read law abiding, for the last years but like any addict he’s in need of a fix. When that fix falls into his lap Bernie needs no coaxing to bring out his lock picks and get to work.
Needless to say nothing in Bernie’s life is ever easy. Getting into the flat was no problem, the problems started when Bernie found a naked dead man in a bathroom with a hole in his forehead. The bathroom was locked from the inside with a dead bolt lock. There was no sign of a gun so it could not have been suicide but how could someone else have shoot the victim, taken the gun and left the bathroom door locked from the inside? On the surface this seemed to be impossible. In the end Bernie does the sensible thing and leaves the flat as he found it, including the dead man in the locked bathroom.
The next day the police call on Bernie to charge him with a crime that he didn’t commit, that being the theft of a collection of football cards worth in excess of half a million dollars.
With a few nods and winks in the right places Bernie is soon out on bail. Bernie realise that if someone is smart enough to joins the dots he, Bernie Rhodenbarr, could be in some serious trouble.
Bernie who has no faith in the police whom he considers to be nothing more than a bunch of bent, corrupt thieves knows that if this crime is to be solved and in the process clearing his good name, Bernie the burglar, will need to be the honest detective.
What follows is a tantalising whodunit mystery with lots of lighthearted humour to keep your mind of the dead guy in the locked bathroom.
This is my sixth escapade with Bernie Rhodenbarr and, so far, they have all been vastly entertaining
April 19, 2021
This is another very entertaining entry in Lawrence Block's series featuring Bernie Rhodenbarr, a gentleman burglar and New York City bookseller. As the novel opens, Bernie is determined to go straight and make a living honestly by selling used books at his store, Barnegat Books. He hasn't committed a burglary in over a year, but the itch is still there. For Bernie, the rewards of burglary lie as much in the thrill of the enterprise as it does from the profits, and he's feeling the pain of withdrawal. But he's doing his best to stay on the straight and narrow.
His resolve is threatened when his landlord, an obnoxious jerk who has just bought the building that houses Barnegat Books, shows up to announce that he is raising the rent to an astronomical figure that Bernie could never afford. His aim is to drive Bernie out of the space so that he can rent it out to a more profitable enterprise.
In the midst of this existential crisis, an opportunity to burgle the apartment of a very wealthy couple virtually drops into Bernie's lap and in a moment of weakness he gives into the temptation. Once in the apartment, though, he discovers, along with some cash and other valuables, a room with a locked door and no visible lock that Bernie might pick. Bernie naturally views this as a challenge and spends thirty minutes figuring out how to open the door, only to find that the room is a bathroom and that there's a dead body in the bathtub. He quickly locks the door again, returns the valuables, and erases any trace of his presence in the apartment.
The next day, though, his perpetual nemesis, corrupt police sergeant Ray Kirschmann, shows up at the bookstore and arrests Bernie, accusing him of stealing a valuable collection of baseball cards from the apartment of another wealthy couple. Bernie is actually innocent of the crime but he can hardly offer his alibi which is that he was burgling another apartment at the time the collection was stolen.
Inevitably, of course, in order to save himself Bernie will have to solve the theft of the baseball cards and the murder of the guy in the tub as well. He's assisted along the way by his best friend, Carolyn Kaiser. The whole thing is a lot of fun and very amusing. In particular, Block has a lot of fun riffing on Sue Grafton's mystery series which features Kinsey Millhone. Fans of the series will not want to miss this one.
His resolve is threatened when his landlord, an obnoxious jerk who has just bought the building that houses Barnegat Books, shows up to announce that he is raising the rent to an astronomical figure that Bernie could never afford. His aim is to drive Bernie out of the space so that he can rent it out to a more profitable enterprise.
In the midst of this existential crisis, an opportunity to burgle the apartment of a very wealthy couple virtually drops into Bernie's lap and in a moment of weakness he gives into the temptation. Once in the apartment, though, he discovers, along with some cash and other valuables, a room with a locked door and no visible lock that Bernie might pick. Bernie naturally views this as a challenge and spends thirty minutes figuring out how to open the door, only to find that the room is a bathroom and that there's a dead body in the bathtub. He quickly locks the door again, returns the valuables, and erases any trace of his presence in the apartment.
The next day, though, his perpetual nemesis, corrupt police sergeant Ray Kirschmann, shows up at the bookstore and arrests Bernie, accusing him of stealing a valuable collection of baseball cards from the apartment of another wealthy couple. Bernie is actually innocent of the crime but he can hardly offer his alibi which is that he was burgling another apartment at the time the collection was stolen.
Inevitably, of course, in order to save himself Bernie will have to solve the theft of the baseball cards and the murder of the guy in the tub as well. He's assisted along the way by his best friend, Carolyn Kaiser. The whole thing is a lot of fun and very amusing. In particular, Block has a lot of fun riffing on Sue Grafton's mystery series which features Kinsey Millhone. Fans of the series will not want to miss this one.
December 6, 2017
I got to 50% and found myself skimming pages. Time to put it down and find another. The mystery was good, the banter between the characters was weird and never felt believable. It was like some cheesy play, each line felt over rehearsed. The only characters that was working for me was the cat. Well I tried, this garage sale find was a bust.
August 7, 2022
I was looking for a light, funny story that would also have a storyline and this series came to my mind. It was definitely what I needed.
I had read one book in this series before and it was probably better then this one, but this one was fine too. Bernie is an easy to like character and the story has some nice twists. There is also a lot of dialogue, which makes the book really easy and fast to read. I have a great sweet spot for criminals of all kinds, so these thief stories are something I really like.
I liked the caution and cunning of Bernie, who trusts no one. He seems to be such a simple guy, I like that in fact he can think quickly, lie easily and come up with some complicated plans. It's nice to read about Bernie conning some swindlers. You also feel that when it comes to theft, Bernie is a true professional.
The plot was interesting, but rather nothing that I will remember. The whole book is a cross between Ocean's Eleven and Raymond Chandler. It has that specific charm that I needed right now.
It was fun. I have more books in this series on my tbr and I will probably read them soon.
I had read one book in this series before and it was probably better then this one, but this one was fine too. Bernie is an easy to like character and the story has some nice twists. There is also a lot of dialogue, which makes the book really easy and fast to read. I have a great sweet spot for criminals of all kinds, so these thief stories are something I really like.
I liked the caution and cunning of Bernie, who trusts no one. He seems to be such a simple guy, I like that in fact he can think quickly, lie easily and come up with some complicated plans. It's nice to read about Bernie conning some swindlers. You also feel that when it comes to theft, Bernie is a true professional.
The plot was interesting, but rather nothing that I will remember. The whole book is a cross between Ocean's Eleven and Raymond Chandler. It has that specific charm that I needed right now.
It was fun. I have more books in this series on my tbr and I will probably read them soon.
May 26, 2016
Being the sixth confession of career burglar and occasional inadvertent detective Bernard Rhodenbarr, occasionally confused with Whoopie Goldberg
Witty banter expert, reformed burglar, secondhand bookstore proprietor Bernie is back, and so is his lesbian sidekick, pet groomer extraordinaire Carolyn, facing off with grubby little policeman Ray once more, and yes, there is another dead body and yes Bernie is going to do all the work for Ray again. That's the formula folks!
The banter really is witty, Bernie and Carolyn could talk in circles for hours, like a 90s Nick and Norah Charles, only without the alcoholism and the spousal abuse stuff. The magic of Lawrence Block's series is however the way he manages to write a legitimately interesting mystery story and just pepper it with a non-stop barrage of jokes rather than the more obnoxious style of "humourous fiction" that seems to exist as an excuse for the "author" to write a series of silly events and then try to squeeze some form of plot in somewhere.
This time Bernie falls off the wagon, his palms have been itching to burglarise somebody for the past year and its time to get back in to the swing of things. In his own inimitable unreliable narrative voice he plays everyone for suckers, making the most of his opportunities to make a mint, roll around on a blanket in a park with a beautiful young woman and get himself out of any pending jail time. There's some stolen baseball cards and a dead body in a locked room, two cases that eventually come together in a final reveal with all parties present that Marple would have been proud of, if a bit embarrassed by the salacious nature of it all.
Light and enjoyable entertainment once more, Block making the most of every character and scenario for jokes and plot alike. Even with the predictable nature of each burglar confession I don't think I will ever tire of spending time with Bernie.
Witty banter expert, reformed burglar, secondhand bookstore proprietor Bernie is back, and so is his lesbian sidekick, pet groomer extraordinaire Carolyn, facing off with grubby little policeman Ray once more, and yes, there is another dead body and yes Bernie is going to do all the work for Ray again. That's the formula folks!
The banter really is witty, Bernie and Carolyn could talk in circles for hours, like a 90s Nick and Norah Charles, only without the alcoholism and the spousal abuse stuff. The magic of Lawrence Block's series is however the way he manages to write a legitimately interesting mystery story and just pepper it with a non-stop barrage of jokes rather than the more obnoxious style of "humourous fiction" that seems to exist as an excuse for the "author" to write a series of silly events and then try to squeeze some form of plot in somewhere.
This time Bernie falls off the wagon, his palms have been itching to burglarise somebody for the past year and its time to get back in to the swing of things. In his own inimitable unreliable narrative voice he plays everyone for suckers, making the most of his opportunities to make a mint, roll around on a blanket in a park with a beautiful young woman and get himself out of any pending jail time. There's some stolen baseball cards and a dead body in a locked room, two cases that eventually come together in a final reveal with all parties present that Marple would have been proud of, if a bit embarrassed by the salacious nature of it all.
Light and enjoyable entertainment once more, Block making the most of every character and scenario for jokes and plot alike. Even with the predictable nature of each burglar confession I don't think I will ever tire of spending time with Bernie.
October 24, 2019
Eğlenceli ve de farklı bir hikayeydi.
July 19, 2020
"[...] we were sitting in a Blimpie Base on Broadway, planning the commission of a felony. That set us apart from the other customers, who looked to have gotten well past the planning stage. "
I read Lawrence Block's "Burglar" series only for the wonderful prose and humor. The Burglar Who Traded Ted Williams is not as great as my previous read in the series The Burglar In the Rye but still, I had fun reading this installment of Bernie Rhodenbarr saga and finding many jewels of witty prose. I also think that many readers will appreciate the meta-literary motif of this novel. While in the other novel You-Know-Who was constantly in the background (and in the rye, obviously), here we have recurring allusions to Sue Grafton's series. For instance, how about G is for Spot and D is for Cup?
The story begins when a customer visits Bernie's used book shop to buy Ms. Grafton's B is for Burglar. Yet the customer happens to be Bernie's new landlord, who announces that he is increasing the rent by 1200%. Poor Bernie! How can he get that much money to pay the rent! Wait! After all, Bernie has a real job in addition to being a bookseller! He is so accomplished at it that he could get a PhD in burgling!
Amidst the rent increase trouble, Carolyn, Bernie's best friend, gets him a cat. Bernie hires Raffles as an employee in his bookstore, responsible for rodent control. But where does Ted Williams come in? Well, baseball cards collecting is the other main motif in the novel. We also have a mysterious young woman whom Bernie meets at night and who asks him to walk her home. I will not explain any more of the plot; I could truthfully say that it is too complicated and has too many twists, but the real reason is that I totally don't care about what is happening and it is only the witty prose and instructional descriptions of burgling activities that keep me reading.
The novel ends conventionally, with the horrendous (for me) Wolfean-style gathering of all characters in one place, which allows Bernie to announce the guilty party. Yuck! Also, there is quite a bit less humor in this novel than in Rye, but still, I had lots of fun reading. How can one not smile when reading the phrase coup de foie gras. Or the following cute passage:
Three-and-a-quarter stars.
I read Lawrence Block's "Burglar" series only for the wonderful prose and humor. The Burglar Who Traded Ted Williams is not as great as my previous read in the series The Burglar In the Rye but still, I had fun reading this installment of Bernie Rhodenbarr saga and finding many jewels of witty prose. I also think that many readers will appreciate the meta-literary motif of this novel. While in the other novel You-Know-Who was constantly in the background (and in the rye, obviously), here we have recurring allusions to Sue Grafton's series. For instance, how about G is for Spot and D is for Cup?
The story begins when a customer visits Bernie's used book shop to buy Ms. Grafton's B is for Burglar. Yet the customer happens to be Bernie's new landlord, who announces that he is increasing the rent by 1200%. Poor Bernie! How can he get that much money to pay the rent! Wait! After all, Bernie has a real job in addition to being a bookseller! He is so accomplished at it that he could get a PhD in burgling!
Amidst the rent increase trouble, Carolyn, Bernie's best friend, gets him a cat. Bernie hires Raffles as an employee in his bookstore, responsible for rodent control. But where does Ted Williams come in? Well, baseball cards collecting is the other main motif in the novel. We also have a mysterious young woman whom Bernie meets at night and who asks him to walk her home. I will not explain any more of the plot; I could truthfully say that it is too complicated and has too many twists, but the real reason is that I totally don't care about what is happening and it is only the witty prose and instructional descriptions of burgling activities that keep me reading.
The novel ends conventionally, with the horrendous (for me) Wolfean-style gathering of all characters in one place, which allows Bernie to announce the guilty party. Yuck! Also, there is quite a bit less humor in this novel than in Rye, but still, I had lots of fun reading. How can one not smile when reading the phrase coup de foie gras. Or the following cute passage:
"The dress was a perfect choice; it made her look as respectable as a Junior League luncheon while leaving no doubt whatsoever that she was a female member of her species, and that it was a distinctly mammalian species at that."Also, let me mention that the introduction of Raffles to the cast is not just a random component. The cat plays quite an essential role in helping Bernie solve the case. I don't have the faintest idea who did what in the novel but I certainly liked reading it! Recommended!
Three-and-a-quarter stars.
January 9, 2022
Someday, someone will conduct a study to determine the effect of humorous books on physical and mental health. Lower blood pressure? Decreased stress? Deeper breathing, perhaps. In the meanwhile, I will unscientifically state that they do me a great deal of good. A brief moment of sadness-- unforeseeable by Block when he wrote this thing back in the nineties--when the protagonist and his sidekick discuss Kinsey Millhone and whether she will continue to entertain us once the whole alphabet has been completed. *Sigh* But all told, a very fine romp. And unlike Kinsey, Bernie's series is still alive and kicking. Onward!
April 28, 2012
After reading a later book in the series ("The Burglar Who Thought He Was Bogart"), I decided to read an earlier one. In this case, the low-hanging fruit proved to be one that also set up certain key facts in the life and "career" of the protagonist.
Like the previous sample, I found it to be a fun read. The plot is complex enough but not overly difficult with good side-ventures and the writing is witty and good. Again, I would classify the book as "lighter fiction" one that reads easily and seduces you into reading longer passages than you may have budgeted for. There's certainly nothing wrong with any of that!
As I read this book, I decided it was a lucky coincidence that this was the volume that happened to be on the shelf. As noted above, there are a few major developments in the life and circumstances of our burglar-cum-bookseller. Some he creates on his own, others, as the saying goes, were thrust upon him. Together they establish some of the "rules" by which the later books (as in the Bogart one) must abide. Okay, "should" not "must": like the SCOTUS, an author is not necessarily bound by precedent, but a good one will only bend their universe a few times if they plan to have a long-lived series.
I must admit that in the matter of titles, Mr. Block has gone two-for-two. Personally I think the Ted Williams hook made me think about it more, as many people (guys especially identify with Bogart's film persona.) Williams was an icon of equal if not greater stature. Not only was he the "Splendid Splinter" (the last ballplayer to hit at or above .400 for a season), but he was also a genuine "hero". He was a fighter pilot not only during World War II (which was not so remarkable when you consider all the other figures that served), but he also suspended his baseball career and flew again during the Korean Conflict (which puts him in very rare company versus other "stars".) Who can tell what records he might have set had he played all those years during his prime physical skills and prowess.
Enough about a personal favorite - back to the book. After reading these two samples, I am definitely planning to peruse the rest of the series. If you enjoy reading decent mysteries with unusual characters (and their odd personal lives), then I strongly suggest you read this and the other "The Burglar Who..." books.
Like the previous sample, I found it to be a fun read. The plot is complex enough but not overly difficult with good side-ventures and the writing is witty and good. Again, I would classify the book as "lighter fiction" one that reads easily and seduces you into reading longer passages than you may have budgeted for. There's certainly nothing wrong with any of that!
As I read this book, I decided it was a lucky coincidence that this was the volume that happened to be on the shelf. As noted above, there are a few major developments in the life and circumstances of our burglar-cum-bookseller. Some he creates on his own, others, as the saying goes, were thrust upon him. Together they establish some of the "rules" by which the later books (as in the Bogart one) must abide. Okay, "should" not "must": like the SCOTUS, an author is not necessarily bound by precedent, but a good one will only bend their universe a few times if they plan to have a long-lived series.
I must admit that in the matter of titles, Mr. Block has gone two-for-two. Personally I think the Ted Williams hook made me think about it more, as many people (guys especially identify with Bogart's film persona.) Williams was an icon of equal if not greater stature. Not only was he the "Splendid Splinter" (the last ballplayer to hit at or above .400 for a season), but he was also a genuine "hero". He was a fighter pilot not only during World War II (which was not so remarkable when you consider all the other figures that served), but he also suspended his baseball career and flew again during the Korean Conflict (which puts him in very rare company versus other "stars".) Who can tell what records he might have set had he played all those years during his prime physical skills and prowess.
Enough about a personal favorite - back to the book. After reading these two samples, I am definitely planning to peruse the rest of the series. If you enjoy reading decent mysteries with unusual characters (and their odd personal lives), then I strongly suggest you read this and the other "The Burglar Who..." books.
June 9, 2023
'Polisiye Romanlar Okuyan Hırsız' Bernie Rhodenbarr serisinin genelindeki seviyeyi tutturan başarılı bir polisiye.
Bernie bu defa bir kilitli oda muammasını çözüyor. Kilitli oda polisiyelerinde kurban içeriden kilitlenmiş bir odada bulunur. Haliyle katil oraya nasıl girdi, girdiyse nasıl çıktı, girmediyse maktulü nasıl öldürdü gibi zor sorular söz konusudur. Bu yüzden genelde polisiyenin en zor türü kabul edilir.
Baştan başlayalım. Bernie bir yıldır hırsızlık yapmamaktadır. Derken kitapçı dükkanının yeni sahibi gelir ve kirayı muazzam ölçüde artırır. Bernie de mecburen sahalara geri döner. Girdiği evde mücevherleri aldıktan sonra kapısında anahtar deliği olmayan, içeriden sürgülenmiş kapalı bir oda fark eder ve merakına yenilir. Uzun uğraşlarla kapıyı açan Bernie banyo olduğu anlaşılan odada kafasından vurulmuş çıplak bir erkek cesediyle karşılaşır. Hemen kapıyı eski haline getirir, çaldığı mücevherleri bırakır, evi hiç girilmemiş gibi bırakıp gider. Ne var ki garip tesadüflerle bu gizemli cinayeti çözmek zorunda kalır.
Lawrence Block, kilitli odadaki cinayete basit ama gerçekçi ve tatmin edici bir çözüm getirmiş. Romandaki diğer ayrıntılar da güzeldi. Keyifle okudum.
Bernie bu defa bir kilitli oda muammasını çözüyor. Kilitli oda polisiyelerinde kurban içeriden kilitlenmiş bir odada bulunur. Haliyle katil oraya nasıl girdi, girdiyse nasıl çıktı, girmediyse maktulü nasıl öldürdü gibi zor sorular söz konusudur. Bu yüzden genelde polisiyenin en zor türü kabul edilir.
Baştan başlayalım. Bernie bir yıldır hırsızlık yapmamaktadır. Derken kitapçı dükkanının yeni sahibi gelir ve kirayı muazzam ölçüde artırır. Bernie de mecburen sahalara geri döner. Girdiği evde mücevherleri aldıktan sonra kapısında anahtar deliği olmayan, içeriden sürgülenmiş kapalı bir oda fark eder ve merakına yenilir. Uzun uğraşlarla kapıyı açan Bernie banyo olduğu anlaşılan odada kafasından vurulmuş çıplak bir erkek cesediyle karşılaşır. Hemen kapıyı eski haline getirir, çaldığı mücevherleri bırakır, evi hiç girilmemiş gibi bırakıp gider. Ne var ki garip tesadüflerle bu gizemli cinayeti çözmek zorunda kalır.
Lawrence Block, kilitli odadaki cinayete basit ama gerçekçi ve tatmin edici bir çözüm getirmiş. Romandaki diğer ayrıntılar da güzeldi. Keyifle okudum.
January 10, 2015
No review, but I will say that when I moved from Calif. to Hawaii, I was limited as to how many books I could bring with me; only those I loved, that spoke to me, that I would read again. "The Burglar Who Traded Ted Williams" survived the long sea journey, and is now living happily with me in Honolulu. It is a gem! I laughed until I cried over the description of a "cat lady." Bravo, Lawrence Block!
January 28, 2018
A while since I read the previous book and it was great to catch up with Bernie and Carolyn, his best friend. As usual, a very complex plot which only Bernie can unwind, and a lot of humour in the banter. Enjoyed it.
December 28, 2013
In the genre of cozy mysteries, Block is the master. My favorite line: Bernie is talking about the phenomena of depression in women poets and he calls it "Edna St. Vincent Malaise." I laughed out loud. Some of the witty banter became a little too much at times, but overall a fun read and Block accomplishes what the book sets out to do: tickle the funny bone while delivering a light mystery; it's chewing gum for the mind.
February 7, 2017
I laughed myself silly over the mangling of Sue Grafton titles! Bernie really tried not to go back to burglary, but it happened anyway. And I got to learn more about used book pricing and the insane prices of some vintage baseball cards. The publisher's blurb gives hints and there is no need for spoilers, just enjoy the unraveling of the mystery!
Richard Ferrone continues to be perfect as narrator for this series.
Richard Ferrone continues to be perfect as narrator for this series.
February 27, 2018
I needed an audiobook to accompany my quilting project and this was available to download from the library. What a delightful caper! Richard Ferrone's narration is expressive and familiar.
Particularly poignant: references to Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone At the time this book was written that series was up to G or H. Author Block and character Bernie have great fun with made-up "A is for..." titles. "What will Sue Grafton do after Z?" They speculate: "'AA is for Drunks,' 'BB is for Guns,' and eventually 'AAA is for Cars.'" The reader/listener will enjoy the inside joke, though sadly we know that Grafton's recent death means that the series will end at Y.
Particularly poignant: references to Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone At the time this book was written that series was up to G or H. Author Block and character Bernie have great fun with made-up "A is for..." titles. "What will Sue Grafton do after Z?" They speculate: "'AA is for Drunks,' 'BB is for Guns,' and eventually 'AAA is for Cars.'" The reader/listener will enjoy the inside joke, though sadly we know that Grafton's recent death means that the series will end at Y.
May 3, 2024
This was another great installment of Bernie Rhodenbarr the bad-luck burglar.
These are just excellent stories if a bit cliche at times. I like that about them—the occasional breaking of the fourth wall is a fun little device.
I have already jumped into the next one.
These are just excellent stories if a bit cliche at times. I like that about them—the occasional breaking of the fourth wall is a fun little device.
I have already jumped into the next one.
December 8, 2020
Block sticks to his Bernie formula in this novel, but its still an entertaining mystery.
March 10, 2017
It's been a while since I picked up a Bernie Rhodenbarr mystery, but the gentleman burglar never disappoints. This one is particularly packed with high-stakes intrigue and low-brow comedy. The running-gag about Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone/Alphabet series is particularly entertaining (I mean, come one, how do you not laugh at "D is for Cup"?)
May 14, 2018
Actually DNF. Too much like the Mondrian book before it. Formula writing with lots of name dropping. Lost interest quickly.
May 21, 2020
Six-word Review: Bernie returns in a gripping who-dunnit.
Since I read the book in 2020, I didn't realize until later that, even though the copyright is 1994, this was the first Bernie Rhodenbarr book in ten years. Block wrote the noir-like Matt Scudder series in the meanwhile. These two protagonists could not be more unlike.
Bernie is still running his used bookstore in Greenwich Village and he still hangs out with his lesbian buddy Carolyn, a nearby pet groomer. He is visited by his new landlord who wants to increase his rent from $875 to $10,500 a month. In addition, the greedy guy buys a used Sue Grafton book for $100 that's worth $500 and immediately brags about it.
Bernie has been fighting the compulsion to burgle for a year but finally gives in when he is presented with some information he can't ignore and discovers a nude dead body in the process. The story moves on from there with many complications involving insurance fraud, attractive female villains, crooked cops, unlikely connections, etc. all revolving around a set of Ted Williams baseball cards worth a lot of money.
In a scene worthy of Agatha Christie, Bernie brings the case to a close in a meeting at the apartment he burgled days earlier, a very satisfying conclusion to a totally fun read.
Since I read the book in 2020, I didn't realize until later that, even though the copyright is 1994, this was the first Bernie Rhodenbarr book in ten years. Block wrote the noir-like Matt Scudder series in the meanwhile. These two protagonists could not be more unlike.
Bernie is still running his used bookstore in Greenwich Village and he still hangs out with his lesbian buddy Carolyn, a nearby pet groomer. He is visited by his new landlord who wants to increase his rent from $875 to $10,500 a month. In addition, the greedy guy buys a used Sue Grafton book for $100 that's worth $500 and immediately brags about it.
Bernie has been fighting the compulsion to burgle for a year but finally gives in when he is presented with some information he can't ignore and discovers a nude dead body in the process. The story moves on from there with many complications involving insurance fraud, attractive female villains, crooked cops, unlikely connections, etc. all revolving around a set of Ted Williams baseball cards worth a lot of money.
In a scene worthy of Agatha Christie, Bernie brings the case to a close in a meeting at the apartment he burgled days earlier, a very satisfying conclusion to a totally fun read.
April 16, 2022
Block, Lawrence. The Burglar Who Traded Ted Williams. 1994. Bernie Rhodenbarr No. 6. HarperTorch, 2005.
It has been a year since Bernie has done any burgling, but now his bookstore needs an infusion of cash. While he is burgling one apartment, a murder is being committed in another, and to make matters worse, he is accused of stealing some valuable baseball cards he didn’t touch. Coincidences like this seem to dog his career in crime. As usual with Lawrence Block, the plot is constructed well, and the dialogue is sharp and breezy. If you need some beach reads this summer, take along a stack of Burglar Who books. 4 stars.
It has been a year since Bernie has done any burgling, but now his bookstore needs an infusion of cash. While he is burgling one apartment, a murder is being committed in another, and to make matters worse, he is accused of stealing some valuable baseball cards he didn’t touch. Coincidences like this seem to dog his career in crime. As usual with Lawrence Block, the plot is constructed well, and the dialogue is sharp and breezy. If you need some beach reads this summer, take along a stack of Burglar Who books. 4 stars.
February 22, 2014
Yes, the formula is the same: New York bookstore owner and more-than-occasional burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr plies his usually nighttime trade, finds a dead body. Bernie gets accused of break-in and murder. Bernie (with some help from pet groomer-friend Carolyn and, this time, his bookstore cat Raffles), is forced to solve the murder to keep himself out of jail.
In this one, he's also trying to keep his bookstore intact; his landlord, it seems, is threatening to raise the rent so high that Bernie will have to find another place (a virtual impossibility) or return to a life of regular burglaries in order to keep the business in its present, and perfect, location. When he's accused of stealing a valuable collection of baseball cards seemingly unrelated to the murder, he can't come up with a good alibi since at the time of that theft he was elsewhere with that dead body.
As is true of all the books in this wonderful series, it turns out everything is connected. Also as usual, there are plenty of chuckles throughout - and even a few out-loud guffaws when Bernie and Carolyn argue over the sexual preference of Kinsey Milhone, the lead character in Sue Grafton's popular "Alphabet" series, and later, whether Raffles' behavior provided clues to whodunit much like Ko-Ko, one of the two Siamese cats in the late Lilian Jackson Braun's popular "Cat Who" series (I grant you, though, both situations are funnier if you've read and loved all those books as I have).
In any event, Block has another winner on his hands with this one and, as always, I'm looking forward to the next one.
In this one, he's also trying to keep his bookstore intact; his landlord, it seems, is threatening to raise the rent so high that Bernie will have to find another place (a virtual impossibility) or return to a life of regular burglaries in order to keep the business in its present, and perfect, location. When he's accused of stealing a valuable collection of baseball cards seemingly unrelated to the murder, he can't come up with a good alibi since at the time of that theft he was elsewhere with that dead body.
As is true of all the books in this wonderful series, it turns out everything is connected. Also as usual, there are plenty of chuckles throughout - and even a few out-loud guffaws when Bernie and Carolyn argue over the sexual preference of Kinsey Milhone, the lead character in Sue Grafton's popular "Alphabet" series, and later, whether Raffles' behavior provided clues to whodunit much like Ko-Ko, one of the two Siamese cats in the late Lilian Jackson Braun's popular "Cat Who" series (I grant you, though, both situations are funnier if you've read and loved all those books as I have).
In any event, Block has another winner on his hands with this one and, as always, I'm looking forward to the next one.
January 5, 2017
I wish I had given the previous Bernie book 2.5 stars instead of 2, so I could give this one two stars and not worry that folks will think one's as good as the other. Cause they're not. Mondrian is an okay book, but Ted Williams suffers from too much of the same-old same-old, and rests on its own laurels, and is too confusing and convenient.
Too many coincidences, distracting me the whole time, and I was just waiting for it all to explained to me at the end. And when the big explanation does come, it's so meager and phoned-in. And then a room full of people hear a man confess to murder and they don't care? Not even the side-character who had nothing to do with the plot whatsoever?
This one was water-thin. Nothing happens in half the book. I mean nothing. I mean there are chapters (plural) with Bernie and Carolyn getting drunk and doing nothing. If it's supposed to be symbolic of something, fine, but maybe keep it to a few pages, not a quarter of the book.
On the flip side, we only get a few pages dedicated to an idea that could be the basis for a whole novel. It's just slipped in there, like the writer thought of it at the last second but by then just needed to finish the darn thing and tie up a few loose ends.
Who knows, maybe all of this is because there's an 11 year-gap between this one and the previous ones. Maybe the next will be better. I sure hope so.
Too many coincidences, distracting me the whole time, and I was just waiting for it all to explained to me at the end. And when the big explanation does come, it's so meager and phoned-in. And then a room full of people hear a man confess to murder and they don't care? Not even the side-character who had nothing to do with the plot whatsoever?
This one was water-thin. Nothing happens in half the book. I mean nothing. I mean there are chapters (plural) with Bernie and Carolyn getting drunk and doing nothing. If it's supposed to be symbolic of something, fine, but maybe keep it to a few pages, not a quarter of the book.
On the flip side, we only get a few pages dedicated to an idea that could be the basis for a whole novel. It's just slipped in there, like the writer thought of it at the last second but by then just needed to finish the darn thing and tie up a few loose ends.
Who knows, maybe all of this is because there's an 11 year-gap between this one and the previous ones. Maybe the next will be better. I sure hope so.
May 19, 2014
This was a reread. A many many times reread. The Burglar Who books are comfort reads for me, something to read while I'm eating or just want something fun and a little light.
Which is not to dismiss the series - the mysteries are solid, the writing good and occasionally great. Lawrence Block is a master of the mystery, and I do enjoy this lighter series more than the gritty Matthew Scudder series. (The few he has that are more or less a spoof of the Nero Wolfe books are also very fun.)
In this one, Bernie is accused of a robbery. For a change, it's not actually a robbery he committed. But that puts him in the sphere of corrupt cop Ray Kirschman, who is absolutely determined to split the money Bernie made from fencing those baseball cards. That he never stole. To make matters worse, his new landlord desperately wants the Ted Williams Chalmers Mustard series of cards from the same collection. Or he'll raise the rent 1000%.
Can Bernie steal himself solvent? Can he figure out who actually did steal the baseball cards? And what about the naked dead guy behind a locked door in a completely unrelated apartment?
This book also marks the introduction of Raffles, store cat.
Which is not to dismiss the series - the mysteries are solid, the writing good and occasionally great. Lawrence Block is a master of the mystery, and I do enjoy this lighter series more than the gritty Matthew Scudder series. (The few he has that are more or less a spoof of the Nero Wolfe books are also very fun.)
In this one, Bernie is accused of a robbery. For a change, it's not actually a robbery he committed. But that puts him in the sphere of corrupt cop Ray Kirschman, who is absolutely determined to split the money Bernie made from fencing those baseball cards. That he never stole. To make matters worse, his new landlord desperately wants the Ted Williams Chalmers Mustard series of cards from the same collection. Or he'll raise the rent 1000%.
Can Bernie steal himself solvent? Can he figure out who actually did steal the baseball cards? And what about the naked dead guy behind a locked door in a completely unrelated apartment?
This book also marks the introduction of Raffles, store cat.
May 29, 2023
2023: Okay--rereading this four times in eleven years pushes it over into the Essential for Life category. Happily ever now.
P.S. In my review of Death of Jezebel, I listed my top 10 mystery writers. My second ten (in roughly this order) are: Arthur Conan Doyle, Josephine Tey, Lawrence Block, Ross Macdonald, Michael Gilbert, Michael Innes, Ngaio Marsh, Raymond Chandler, Tony Hillerman, and Dashiell Hammett.
2020: Who am I kidding? I must really like it if I read it three times in eight years. Lots of fun.
2015: Still a very pleasant diversion. Saw it sitting there while on vacation and decided I could do worse. And I was right--very sunshiny, very worthwhile once again.
2012: Arcadian bliss. Not my favorite of the series (that would be The Burglar in the Library or The Burglar in the Rye), but fine, featuring the debut of Raffles the cat, a clever locked-room mystery, and the Edna St. Vincent Malaise.
P.S. In my review of Death of Jezebel, I listed my top 10 mystery writers. My second ten (in roughly this order) are: Arthur Conan Doyle, Josephine Tey, Lawrence Block, Ross Macdonald, Michael Gilbert, Michael Innes, Ngaio Marsh, Raymond Chandler, Tony Hillerman, and Dashiell Hammett.
2020: Who am I kidding? I must really like it if I read it three times in eight years. Lots of fun.
2015: Still a very pleasant diversion. Saw it sitting there while on vacation and decided I could do worse. And I was right--very sunshiny, very worthwhile once again.
2012: Arcadian bliss. Not my favorite of the series (that would be The Burglar in the Library or The Burglar in the Rye), but fine, featuring the debut of Raffles the cat, a clever locked-room mystery, and the Edna St. Vincent Malaise.
June 9, 2023
Bernie Rhodenbarr is a bookseller. But he is also a burglar in his spare time. Unfortunately he has a habit of triping over a previous crime. Fortunately, he not only has an uncanny talent with lock picks, but also a talent at solving crimes. The formula would get old except for Block's witty writing. In this case Bernie has had realized that he has been on the straight and narrow for around a year and resists temptation when an opportunity falls in his lap, only to be arrested for the very burglary he decided NOT to commit. The plot is convoluted as usual. But Bernie's constant smart speck remarks are always delightful. In this novel there is a fantastic running gag with imaginary about Sue Grafton novels. For the uninitiated, Grafton was the author of the Kinsey Milhoun "Alphabet Series" But Bernie's buddy Carolyn describes the plot of a recent ( nonexistent) novel and He supplies a title such as "D is for cup".
I enjoyed many books in this series when they came out. Now decades later, they are still a joy. This one is definitely worth rereading g.
I enjoyed many books in this series when they came out. Now decades later, they are still a joy. This one is definitely worth rereading g.
May 1, 2013
I might as well confess now. I have a weakness for 'series'... esp characters who are butting into other people's businesses reluctantly! So by the same logic I love Lincoln Rhymes, Ms Braun's Koko etc etc. But This was my first of Rhodenbarr's and I think might be adding to my list of series. I picked on a whim, looking for something light and quick, a snack of a book, and it dint disappoint me one bit. No nasty after taste. And I love the wry tone and the snide side observations and of course, plenty of literary references all over the place. I mean the man owns a second hand book store; how will I ever resist that? It's perfect for the junk food reading that we all need once in a while ;)
March 14, 2016
#6 in the Bernie Rhodenbarr series.
Burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr series - The amiably larcenous Bernie has been trying his best to reform, living the quiet life of a Greenwich Village bookseller. But now his new landlord has jacked up the rent, and Bernie, hoping to avoid eviction, figures one more burglary might just do the trick. Opportunity comes knocking, and Bernie walks in, after picking the lock, of course; it looks like a piece of cake until he finds a dead body in the bathroom. Meanwhile, across town, somebody is stealing a baseball-card collection worth a cool million, and the cops are convinced it was Bernie. His alibi--that he was breaking into a different apartment at the time (and finding a stiff)--is problematic. Best to find the ball cards and set matters right.
Burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr series - The amiably larcenous Bernie has been trying his best to reform, living the quiet life of a Greenwich Village bookseller. But now his new landlord has jacked up the rent, and Bernie, hoping to avoid eviction, figures one more burglary might just do the trick. Opportunity comes knocking, and Bernie walks in, after picking the lock, of course; it looks like a piece of cake until he finds a dead body in the bathroom. Meanwhile, across town, somebody is stealing a baseball-card collection worth a cool million, and the cops are convinced it was Bernie. His alibi--that he was breaking into a different apartment at the time (and finding a stiff)--is problematic. Best to find the ball cards and set matters right.
July 27, 2009
As usual, I enjoy these books for the humor, characters, and burglarizing aspects as much as for the overall story. The core story itself may not have been the strongest in the series but it was still highly entertaining. There was lots of fun with plays on the titles of Sue Grafton's most popular series and speculation (mostly by Bernie's gal pal) as to whether or not Grafton's heroine Kinsey is "hopefully" a lesbian (Block partially dedicated the book to Grafton).
This book bridges Bernie's life for a few books to come as it deals with the fate of his bookstore and the meeting of a new business-in-burglary partner. All and all, it's a bridge worth crossing.
This book bridges Bernie's life for a few books to come as it deals with the fate of his bookstore and the meeting of a new business-in-burglary partner. All and all, it's a bridge worth crossing.
June 22, 2012
Lawrence Block never disappoints. This guy writes in a variety of genres under various names. His main lines of work are the hard-boiled Matt Scudder detective novels (literary, serious, violent) and the flip side--the Bernie Rhodenbarr "burglar" series (light-hearted, funny, ingenious.) Both series are equally good--beautifully worked out plots that surprise and (in the case of "burglar") delight, memorable characters, literary resonance.
This one has to do with a naked body found in a locked bathroom, stolen baseball cards, and a lot of teasing jokes about Kinsey Millhone. Extremely enjoyable and smart book, as always.
This one has to do with a naked body found in a locked bathroom, stolen baseball cards, and a lot of teasing jokes about Kinsey Millhone. Extremely enjoyable and smart book, as always.
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