Two Much

Two Much is often described as one of Westlake's classic comic capers. This 1975 classic Westlake tale certainly is comically fun adventure but is not the usual comic crime caper one may be expecting. Two Much is more of a moral crime novel with Art Dodge slipping in the pick up line of I'm Twins Too when surprised to find out the woman he is walking along the beach with to bed announces she an identical twin. Although Elizabeth likes Art her twin Betty doesn't seem to like his type much but asks about his brother. Art tells her his twin's name is Bart and that he thinks they'd hit it off so goes home and finds a pair of glasses, does his hair differently, stuffs up a few things in the preparation of his date (like having to go to an out of the way restaurant which is accessible by boat as the normal land accessed ones were booked out) which he assumes mean he won't be bedding her but instead just add to the different personality of Bart and appeal in Betty's eyes. Soon he is regularly seeing both sisters and having to make more and more detailed lies as to why they are never seen together. As well as the twins he soon starts having to make believe Bart is real to a lot of others as well. Although it was just a moral crime Art wanted to commit others have more criminal plans in mind for the sisters fortune including one of the sisters herself. As Art learns the truth his plans to have one of one his identities leave town for a few years or until he's eventually ended things with his preferred twin is put on hold as he decided to take some of the fortune for himself by continuing the charade. Only thing is a certain slimy lawyer had plans to marry Elizabeth himself and has being doing everything he can to discredit the boys only he hasn't been able to find much on Bart. A classic Westlake novel. Hopefully they'll re-release these classics again one day so you can get them at reasonable prices. Still tracking down some of these comic capers but the best three at masterpiece level Westlake Comic Capers I've read so far are Smoke, The Spy in the Ointment and a New York Dance (also published as Dancing Aztecs). Other comic capers also worth checking out are The Fugitive Pigeon, The Busy Body, God Save the Mark, Who Stole Sassi Manoon?, Help I am Being Held Prisoner, Enough, Castle in the Air and High Adventure. Of course you've also got the Dortmunder series and the Parker series (under the pen name Richard Stark) and probably his greatest stand alone story novel of all time The Ax the ultimate solution to unemployment. Check out a Westlake novel today!