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 |