The Burglar Who Traded Ted Williams: A Bernie Rhodenbarr Mystery

Lawrence Block is one of our most talented mystery authors. In the Bernie Rhodenbarr series he explores how an ordinary, but intelligent, "honest" person might go about pursuing a life of crime as a fastidious and talented burglar who isn't proud of what he does, doesn't like to hang out with criminals, and really gets a big thrill out of breaking and entering . . . and removing valuables. As you can see, there's a sitcom set-up to provide lots of humor. But the humor works well in part because Mr. Block is able to put the reader in the Bernie's shoes while he breaks, enters and steals . . . and evades the long arm of the law. To balance the "honest" burglar is an array of "dishonest" and equally easy-money loving cops. As a result, you're in a funny moral never-never land while your stomach tightens and your arm muscles twitch as tension builds. To make matters even more topsy-turvy, Bernie at some point in every story turns into an investigator who must figure out "who-dun-it" for some crime that he personally didn't do. It's almost like one of those "mystery at home" games where the victim comes back as the police investigator, playing two roles. Very nice!So much for explaining the concept of the series. The Burglar Who Traded Ted Williams is the sixth book in the series. I strongly suggest that you begin the series by reading Burglars Can't Be Choosers and follow it up with The Burglar in the Closet, The Burglar Who Studied Spinoza, The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling, and The Burglar Who Painted Like Mondrian. Each story in the series adds information and characters in a way that will reduce your pleasure of the others if read out of order. Although, I originally read them out of order and liked them well enough. I'm rereading them now in order, and like it much better this way. The Burglar Who Thought He Was Bogart comes next in the series.As this book opens, Bernie has been going straight . . . for almost a year. Barnegat Books, a used hard cover book store he owns and operates, has been providing his living rather than burglary. Then, he receives a double shock. His new landlord is Bordon Stoppelgard, and with his 30 year lease at an end, Mr. Stoppelgard announces that the new lease will be for $10,500 a month rather than $875. How can Bernie afford that? He can't. Then, Stoppelgard comes into Barnegat Books to buy a first edition of Sue Grafton's "B" Is for Burglar for $80 plus tax. Bernie tries to refuse him the sale, but Stoppelgard insists, slapping a hundred-dollar bill on the counter. Then he laughs at Bernie for selling a five-hundred-dollar book for so little. But Bernie's sorely tempted to burgle again . . . both for the money and the thrills he gets from burglary. That temptation is particularly great just now because Bernie knows that the wealthy Martin Gilmartins will be out for the evening. Bernie does his best to avoid temptation . . . and succeeds. His only slip is to call Mr. Gilmartin from Carolyn Kaiser's

Lawrence Block is one of our most talented mystery authors. In the Bernie Rhodenbarr series he explores how an ordinary, but intelligent, "honest" person might go about pursuing a life of crime as a fastidious and talented burglar who isn't proud of what he does, doesn't like to hang out with criminals, and really gets a big thrill out of breaking and entering . . . and removing valuables. As you can see, there's a sitcom set-up to provide lots of humor. But the humor works well in part because Mr. Block is able to put the reader in the Bernie's shoes while he breaks, enters and steals . . . and evades the long arm of the law. To balance the "honest" burglar is an array of "dishonest" and equally easy-money loving cops. As a result, you're in a funny moral never-never land while your stomach tightens and your arm muscles twitch as tension builds. To make matters even more topsy-turvy, Bernie at some point in every story turns into an investigator who must figure out "who-dun-it" for some crime that he personally didn't do. It's almost like one of those "mystery at home" games where the victim comes back as the police investigator, playing two roles. Very nice!So much for explaining the concept of the series. The Burglar Who Traded Ted Williams is the sixth book in the series. I strongly suggest that you begin the series by reading Burglars Can't Be Choosers and follow it up with The Burglar in the Closet, The Burglar Who Studied Spinoza, The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling, and The Burglar Who Painted Like Mondrian. Each story in the series adds information and characters in a way that will reduce your pleasure of the others if read out of order. Although, I originally read them out of order and liked them well enough. I'm rereading them now in order, and like it much better this way. The Burglar Who Thought He Was Bogart comes next in the series.As this book opens, Bernie has been going straight . . . for almost a year. Barnegat Books, a used hard cover book store he owns and operates, has been providing his living rather than burglary. Then, he receives a double shock. His new landlord is Bordon Stoppelgard, and with his 30 year lease at an end, Mr. Stoppelgard announces that the new lease will be for $10,500 a month rather than $875. How can Bernie afford that? He can't. Then, Stoppelgard comes into Barnegat Books to buy a first edition of Sue Grafton's "B" Is for Burglar for $80 plus tax. Bernie tries to refuse him the sale, but Stoppelgard insists, slapping a hundred-dollar bill on the counter. Then he laughs at Bernie for selling a five-hundred-dollar book for so little. But Bernie's sorely tempted to burgle again . . . both for the money and the thrills he gets from burglary. That temptation is particularly great just now because Bernie knows that the wealthy Martin Gilmartins will be out for the evening. Bernie does his best to avoid temptation . . . and succeeds. His only slip is to call Mr. Gilmartin from Carolyn Kaiser's

Given the Splendid Splinter's recent death, I couldn't resist this title, and in the process, I discovered that Lawrence Block is one of the more clever authors of this day. Our hero is a used book seller and a part time burglar, who tends to use his skills for good rather than evil. One minor complaint is we are often led down a path, only to be filled in later by Bernie the burglar of a fact he had been withholding the reader for a few chapters. But all in all, this light hearted book is fun, and easily readable. I plan to try out more of Mr Block's works.

Lawrence Block is the mystery writer for the thinking person. His Bernie books are witty, humorous, well-written, and, most importantly, never take the reader for granted. These books are intelligent and are completely satisfying. This book, the first in more than ten years, is a thoroughly enjoyable read, and unfailingly entertaining. Most highly recommended!

THE BURGLAR WHO TRADED TED WILLIAMS is the first Bernie Rhodenbarr novel I have read. The title caught my attenntion when I spotted it on a shelf at a truck stop on I-95. I enjoyed Lawrence Block's poking fun at authors Sue Grafton and Lilian Jacskon Braun. two of my favorite authors. Block's humor and tongue-in-cheek dialogue makes this mystery fun reading. I have just returned form my local library with three more of Block's Bernie Rhodenbarr mysteries where the hero is a burglar.