Scan barcode
A review by ericbuscemi
The Burglar Who Counted the Spoons by Lawrence Block
4.0
This book sauntered along at its own leisurely pace, despite a plot that had Bernie performing multiple jobs in succession while puzzling out the truth of a curious death. But things did eventually accelerate and come together, and the ending was punctuated by an excellent, if not original, summation gathering.
There was a bit of burgling at the beginning, with Carolyn assisting no less, but that was followed by a lull in the middle of the book filled with a number of meandering conversations between Bernie and a number of people -- including an invitation for assistance from police officer and former nemesis Ray Kirschman, a flirtation with the hostess at an Asian restaurant Bernie and Carolyn order from, a historical lesson on early American silver from a wealthy shut-in who has an item Bernie fancies, and a fascinating look at collecting from Bernie's button-hoarding client. There were also nods to other crime authors and a few sexual interludes. While this may not sound like the meatiest content for a book about a part-time burglar and accidental amateur sleuth, these languid moments in between the jobs and the reveals are what humanizes Bernie, making him so tangible and real, despite how stylized the New York City he lives in is.
As with most things Lawrence Block, I highly recommend this quick, light read. Also, note that Amazon Prime members can borrow this from the Kindle Lending Library for free, making it just that much more compelling.
There was a bit of burgling at the beginning, with Carolyn assisting no less, but that was followed by a lull in the middle of the book filled with a number of meandering conversations between Bernie and a number of people -- including an invitation for assistance from police officer and former nemesis Ray Kirschman, a flirtation with the hostess at an Asian restaurant Bernie and Carolyn order from, a historical lesson on early American silver from a wealthy shut-in who has an item Bernie fancies, and a fascinating look at collecting from Bernie's button-hoarding client. There were also nods to other crime authors and a few sexual interludes. While this may not sound like the meatiest content for a book about a part-time burglar and accidental amateur sleuth, these languid moments in between the jobs and the reveals are what humanizes Bernie, making him so tangible and real, despite how stylized the New York City he lives in is.
As with most things Lawrence Block, I highly recommend this quick, light read. Also, note that Amazon Prime members can borrow this from the Kindle Lending Library for free, making it just that much more compelling.