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Author Donald E. Westlake booklist (click here)

Book Review By Harriet Klausner
The Road to Ruin by Donald E. Westlake



Mysterious Press, April 2004, 25.00, 342 pp.
ISBN 08929680130

Once he was society's darling, invited to all the posh social events of the season, but now Monroe Hall doesn't ever leave his Pennsylvanian estate and nobody he used to call friend comes calling. As an executive officer in a well to do company, he embezzled funds that belonged to the workers and the investors. A fleet of high powered lawyers have kept him out of jail and even though he declared bankruptcy, he is still living an affluent lifestyle.

Many people are out to get Monroe Hall including his investors who lost everything and three union workers who want justice (and money) for their 2700 members. The estate is heavily guarded and there is an electrical fence surrounding it. Hall never leaves his property so the people who want to kidnap him so they can force him to access his offshore accounts have to find a way in. Into this mix come John Dortmunder and his felonious crew who are able to secure jobs on the estate to steal Hall's valuable car collection.

The snappy dry wit repartee, the comical action scenes and the unexpected ending are just some of the reasons why Donald E. Westlake is such a fan favorite. The interactions between the various criminal groups are reminiscent of a slapstick comedy and readers will find themselves chuckling out loud at some of the situations they find themselves in. Dortmunder and his cronies become involved as they plan a heist that could net each of them millions of dollars.

Harriet Klausner


Plot & Themes
Tone of story - very humorous
Time/era of story:
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
The crook is.... - Get treasure/money from another criminal
descript. of violence and chases - 20 %
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40 %
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 %
Crime Thriller Yes
Is MAIN CHARACTER an EVIL criminal? Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - 40's-50's
Ethnicity/Race

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status:
Motive of antagonist - money/treasure
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Northeast

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
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