To me! Today this book I ordered was delivered.
Famous Author Rob Byrnes sent me the first of Donald E. Westlake’s crime caper novels featuring character John Dortmunder, The Hot Rock, and I really liked it. I even found out Robert Redford starred as Dortmunder in the movie based on the book, so I watched it on Netflix. Very early-1970s vibe, not quite as good as the book, but I’m not one to turn down a Robert Redford movie.
I digress.
I decided to read all the Dortmunder novels. I’ve found a few of them locally and purchased them, but I hope to read them in order. However, some of the older ones are quite pricey when I can find them online. Bank Shot was one of those, until I found it from an online seller at a price so low it felt like I was stealing it. Dortmunder would be proud of me.
So I feel lucky. Luckier than Julius Caesar, at any rate.
Oh wow, thank for this . . . I had no idea Dortmunder appeared in any other books!
You’re right in the the RR film is a ‘classic’ – no matter how many times I watch, there’s always something new to discover!
You’re welcome. I think I remember reading there are fourteen Dortmunder books. Also some short stories. It’s so great to find a new-to-me series, promising me lots of future entertainment.
I haven’t read Westlake in years. Perhaps worth a revisit, methinks.
Actually, he wrote 15 Dortmunders, plus all the other series he wrote under the multitude of other pseudonyms (16 or 17) he used during his long writing career. http://www.donaldwestlake.com/wks_biblio.html
I’ve been reading Westlake since the early 60’s. Once in the 80’s I went into the Mysterious Press Bookshop in NYC and asked the clerk if they had the newest Westlake. He replied, “No, but if you want you can meet the old Westlake.” He actually was in the store working out the details of his signing of the new book. I still have the last Dortmunder sitting on my bookshelf . I’ve been putting off reading it for two years now knowing that once I finish it there will be no more.
Besides Redford, Dortmunder has been played by Paul Le Mat/Jimmy The Kid, George C. Scott/Bank Shot and Eddie Lawrence/What’s The Worse Thing That Could Happen.
Actually, the worse thing that could happen was Eddie Lawrence playing Dortmunder.
hee! I love getting a book in the mail. Even though I own a Kindle, and have digital books on my PC. I like getting new ebooks too. I love reading!
Ditto. I know people who don’t read, but I would be lost without all the wonderful places I’ve visited and people I’ve met and ways my heart has been made to race or my eyes to cry or my lungs to laugh–all without leaving my cozy place to read.