Lawrence Block - The Burglar on the Prowl (2004)
Lawrence Block is such an old pro that he can juggle several long-running series, award-winning stand-alones, short stories, novellas, and just about everything else while maintaining the quality and energy of a writer half his age.
The Burglar on the Prowl, the latest entry in the 20-year-old Bernie Rhodenbarr series, not only continues the excellence of most of Block's work but is one of the best in the collection.
Bernie spends his days running a used bookstore, but he spends his nights breaking into other people's homes and stealing their goodies. Although he's a thief, he also is charming and likable.
Late one evening, the burglar decides to go "on the prowl" -- looking for something random to steal -- and ends up not only making a little dough but acquiring a new girlfriend.
The characteristic humor and wit of the Burglar books is on full display here, perhaps best demonstrated by Bernie's reading of the latest book in another long-running mystery series: the apocryphal Lettuce Prey of John Sandford. Just about everything Block writes is recommended and this one is no exception. Steal it if you have to.
Posted by David J. Montgomery in Book Reviews | Permalink
