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Overview
A philosophical yet practical gentleman, Bernie Rhodenbarr possesses many admirable qualities: charm, intelligence, sparkling wit, and unwavering loyalty. Of course, he also has this special talent and a taste for life's finer things. So he's more than willing to perform some vengeful larceny for a friend — ripping off a smarmy, particularly deserving plastic surgeon — for fun and a very tidy profit.
But during a practice run at another address, Bernie's forced to hide under a bed when the lady of the house returns unexpectedly with the worst kind of blind date in tow. In no time, Bernie's up to his burgling neck in big trouble. Again. And this time it includes his arrest, no less than four murders, and more outrageous coincidences than any self-preserving felon should ever be required to tie together.
Synopsis
A philosophical yet practical gentleman, Bernie Rhodenbarr possesses many admirable qualities: charm, intelligence, sparkling wit, and unwavering loyalty. Of course, he also has this special talent and a taste for life's finer things. So he's more than willing to perform some vengeful larceny for a friend — ripping off a smarmy, particularly deserving plastic surgeon — for fun and a very tidy profit.
But during a practice run at another address, Bernie's forced to hide under a bed when the lady of the house returns unexpectedly with the worst kind of blind date in tow. In no time, Bernie's up to his burgling neck in big trouble. Again. And this time it includes his arrest, no less than four murders, and more outrageous coincidences than any self-preserving felon should ever be required to tie together.
The New York Times
It takes an agile brain and a devilish wit to pull off this farcical self-satire; but 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. — Marilyn Stasio
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
The Barnes & Noble ReviewBurglar and bookseller Bernie Rhodenbarr is back in this captivating new hardcover by New York Timesbestselling author Lawrence Block. Bernie's been in trouble with the law before, and he's the first to admit that it taught him an important lesson. Unfortunately for his victims (and fortunately for mystery readers like us), that lesson wasn't "Thou Shalt Not Steal." In Burglar on the Prowl, Bernie's old friend and occasional co-conspirator, Marty Gilmartin, wants to get even with the slightly shady plastic surgeon who stole his girlfriend -- a lovely (though perhaps questionably talented) aspiring actress. Getting into the wall safe at Marty's rival's house should be no problem for Bernie. After years of honing his skills, there's not much that's out of his reach. Still, such elegantly executed excursions take time to plan, in accordance with Bernie's one rule of burglary: "Don't get caught!" Unfortunately, while waiting for the perfect time to execute his perfect plan for Marty, Bernie gets an irresistible urge to go on the prowl. To a burglar, that means improvising. An old pro like Bernie knows it's courting disaster -- fun, but rarely worth the risk. And this time Bernie's luck may have finally run out. It seems there's evidence that contradicts the story he fed the cops to cover the time he was on the prowl -- evidence that puts him in the wrong place at just the right time. Now he's accused of being an accomplice in a deadly break-in and burglary he didn't commit…and that means Bernie must catch the real villains before he ends up doing time for their crimes. This series has a quirky charm all its own that'll make you eager to steal time for it from your schedule, no matter how busy you are. Sue Stone