Frank H. (perryfran) reviewed on 12/19/2021 + 1185 more book reviews

I decided to read this one after finishing the prior novel in this series, Bank Shot, which I really enjoyed. Jimmy the Kid is also a very entertaining and fun ride with the Dortmunder crew including the usuals, Andy Kelp, Murch and his mom, and Dortmunder's girlfriend, May. In this one, Kelp has read a book called Child Heist by Richard Stark detailing the kidnapping of a young boy for ransom. (Richard Stark is one of Westlake's pseudonyms which he used to write the gritty Parker series). In the book, everything goes smoothly and the crooks wind up with a big payoff. So why not use the book as a blueprint for Dortmunder and his gang to do the same thing? Well, Dortmunder is not too thrilled with the idea given what's happened in the past with Kelp's ideas. But May decides it could work and talks him into trying it. So off they go, but of course things don't go as smoothly as in the book and the victim they kidnap is a precocious 13-year-old boy named Jimmy Harrington who is always a step ahead of his kidnappers. So does the gang wind up with a big payoff? Well, this is Dormunder and his hapless crew so what can be expected?

I really do enjoy this series by Westlake. I've read about five of the books and will be looking forward to more. I also want to read some of the Parker series that he wrote under his pseudonym as well as anything else he has written.

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