Another enjoyable entry in the Dortmunder series by Westlake. I've read a few others in this series and always enjoy them. Westlake has an uncanny knack for blending a good caper novel with comedy and wit. I've also read some other Westlake novels that are straight forward crime novels which he also does very well.
Anyway, in this one Dortmunder agrees upon a plan put forth by one of his crew, Kelp, and Kelp's nephew Victor, to rob a bank. But this is not any bank...the bank is actually a mobile home that is being temporarily used as a bank while a new building is constructed. So what's the plan? To hook up a truck to the mobile bank and steal the whole structure! So can this be achieved? Well of course Dortmunder is convinced it can along with the help of Murch, his car driver, and Murch's mother. But what about a lockman to break into the bank's vault? The person they normally use is unavailable so someone named Herman X is recruited for the task. Herman who is black, normally works for a black cause where he usually ends up with no money of his own for his work so he definitely needs the cash. And Victor, who came up with the idea, is an ex-FBI man who was fired because he wanted the FBI men to use a secret handshake! So they hook up the bank to a semitruck and off they go...but nothing is ever easy for Dortmunder and his crew and if something could go wrong, it usually does.
I enjoyed this one as usual and will be looking forward to reading more in the series.
Anyway, in this one Dortmunder agrees upon a plan put forth by one of his crew, Kelp, and Kelp's nephew Victor, to rob a bank. But this is not any bank...the bank is actually a mobile home that is being temporarily used as a bank while a new building is constructed. So what's the plan? To hook up a truck to the mobile bank and steal the whole structure! So can this be achieved? Well of course Dortmunder is convinced it can along with the help of Murch, his car driver, and Murch's mother. But what about a lockman to break into the bank's vault? The person they normally use is unavailable so someone named Herman X is recruited for the task. Herman who is black, normally works for a black cause where he usually ends up with no money of his own for his work so he definitely needs the cash. And Victor, who came up with the idea, is an ex-FBI man who was fired because he wanted the FBI men to use a secret handshake! So they hook up the bank to a semitruck and off they go...but nothing is ever easy for Dortmunder and his crew and if something could go wrong, it usually does.
I enjoyed this one as usual and will be looking forward to reading more in the series.
I have the book (on paper). Haven't read it (on paper). I do check out the audiobook from the library repeatedly. Dortmunder & crew have another job go sideways. They plan to steal a bank. Not _rob_ a bank... _steal_ a bank. This is laugh-till-I-cry funny. (The movie, funny enough by itself, is ho-hum in comparison.)
What a fun read! You can't help but be on the side of the bad guys.
Donald Westlake is a natural treasure. His humorous caper novels are legendary, and this is one of the best. The idea here is that instead of robbing a bank by breaking in and removing the money, they'll just steal the whole bank. Temporary banks often reside in mobile home/trailers while the new bank building is under construction. Why not just put the wheels back on and tow the whole bank away? Then you can take your time in getting in and extracting the money.
It should be easy, but things never quite go according to plan in a Westlake caper.
This classic novel was made into a movie, but the book is the right way to experience this misguided attempt at larceny on a grand scale.
It should be easy, but things never quite go according to plan in a Westlake caper.
This classic novel was made into a movie, but the book is the right way to experience this misguided attempt at larceny on a grand scale.
fun read!
