The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling

Bernie Rhondenbarr is back. The loveable guy, who is an antiquarian bookseller by day and a sometimes burglar at night, makes his fifth appearance on audio with this reading by his creator, mystery writer Lawrence Block. As with all the Bernie audiobooks, the plot matters little. Bernie pilfers an item--in this case, a rare edition of a Kipling book once owned by a well-known person (who shall remain nameless so as not to spoil the fun)--and ends up being charged with murder. After the first three sides, Bernie, wryly performed by Block with the perfect New York accent, rounds up all the suspects. This is the fourth Burglar book Block has read. In a brief interview the author explained that he records his own books "because I'm a ham. I enjoy doing readings on promotional tours." Block also explained that he doesn't write the condensed versions but touches them up before the recordings are made. As to how much of Bernie is really Block himself, the author said, "Not too much. I haven't knocked off any apartments lately." What's up next for Bernie? Block would only reveal that in the next book "Bernie leaves the city and winds up in a country house outside New York." S.I.R. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Block's semi-comic Burglar series features a habitual New York City thief named Bernie who always blunders into bigger difficulties, usually murder. He is forced to detect his way out of the jams he gets himself into, most often with the help of the "best cop money can buy" and a lesbian acquaintance named Carolyn. Richard Ferrone is an effective reader but an odd choice to portray Bernie. His gravelly, sinister presentation would be outstanding for Chandler's Philip Marlowe or Hammett's Sam Spade. Something lighter might be more appropriate for the hapless Bernie; yet Ferrone is so subtly expressive that his performance grabs the listener anyway. D.R.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine