This is the classic that introduced John Archibald Dortmunder, the thief whose capers never quite come off, as he and his convict friends plot to steal the fabulous Balaboma Emerald. They almost carry it off, but then the guy carrying the stone is picked up by the cops. . ..
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This is the classic that introduced John Archibald Dortmunder, the thief whose capers never quite come off, as he and his convict friends plot to steal the fabulous Balaboma Emerald. They almost carry it off, but then the guy carrying the stone is picked up by the cops. . ..
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Add this copy of The Hot Rock (a Dortmunder Novel) to cart. $16.77, fair condition, Sold by Second Look Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Harrisburg, NC, UNITED STATES, published 1987 by The Mysterious Press.
Add this copy of The Hot Rock (a Dortmunder Novel) to cart. $21.59, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 1987 by The Mysterious Press.
Add this copy of The Hot Rock (a Dortmunder Novel) to cart. $21.59, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austell, GA, UNITED STATES, published 1987 by The Mysterious Press.
Add this copy of The Hot Rock (a Dortmunder Novel) to cart. $21.59, fair condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austell, GA, UNITED STATES, published 1987 by The Mysterious Press.
Add this copy of The Hot Rock (a Dortmunder Novel) to cart. $24.21, very good condition, Sold by Basement Seller 101 rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Cincinnati, OH, UNITED STATES, published 1987 by The Mysterious Press.
Add this copy of The Hot Rock (a Dortmunder Novel) to cart. $28.39, fair condition, Sold by BookDrop rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Phoenix, AZ, UNITED STATES, published 1987 by The Mysterious Press.
Add this copy of The Hot Rock (a Dortmunder Novel) to cart. $59.70, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hialeah, FL, UNITED STATES, published 1987 by The Mysterious Press.
This a delightful book, with a very likable crook as its anti-hero. I kept pulling for the bad guys. The only difficulty in reading this book is that one laughs so much it becomes hard to see.
Sleuth
Apr 3, 2007
What a Gem
Within a few hours of being released on parole, John Dortmunder, a small-time thief and con artist is embroiled in a new caper. He has been commissioned to steal a valuable emerald for a newly-formed small African nation. John handpicks the men who will assist him in this heist, each of whom brings their special skills to the job at hand and their off-center behavioral traits.
This is not exactly your gang that couldn't shoot straight. Rather, these misfits just seem to be the victims of events often beyond their control. No matter how much inventive planning goes into each robbery, they never seem to walk away with the prize. It is constantly back to the drawing board for Dortmunder and each robbery calls for more innovative and daring methods.
At times, the dialogue reads like the old "who's on first, what's on second" routine made famous by Abbott and Costello. At other times, the humor is much more subtle. Either way, you will find yourself chuckling or, if you are in the safety of your own home, laughing out loud.
Living in New York, I was amazed at how well Mr. Westlake knows the city and the outer boroughs. Having grown up in a rather obscure part of one of these boroughs, I think that unbeknownst to me, Mr. Westlake must have lived next door to me. He can describe stores and houses on the smallest side street with pinpoint accuracy.
This is not the type of book that I would normally seek out. However, I had recently read a short story by Mr. Westlake that caught my fancy. I liked the style of writing so much that I decided to try one of his books.
If you like a well written action caper that will have you laughing throughout, I suggest you pick up a copy of "The Hot Rock." As for me, I am going to order the next few books in the Dortmunder series as soon as I submit this review.
