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A review by saareman
Burglars Can't Be Choosers by Lawrence Block
3.0
A Lighter Chip off the Block
Review of the LB Productions eBook (September 9, 2020) of the original Random House hardcover (1977).
Burglars Can't Be Choosers introduces Lawrence Block's second longest running series character, the gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr. It also marked Block's breakthrough out of the pulp paperback market with his first hardcover published by Random House and then also as a Book Club Edition. Even the early Matt Scudders in 1976 were first published as Dell paperbacks. Before that there were only the dozens of pulp standalones published under pseudonyms in the light erotica and crime market.
Block developed the idea for Bernie out of an earlier short story [b:A Bad Night for Burglars|12408435|A Bad Night for Burglars|Lawrence Block|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328905027l/12408435._SX50_.jpg|17390038], originally published under the name Gentleman's Agreement in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine in 1977. Block himself pondered whether he should take up burglary as a side job to make ends meet while trying to make a living as an author. He then imagined being a burglar who finds a dead body while breaking into an apartment.
So that is the plot of Burglars Can't Be Choosers. Bernie takes on a commission job to locate a blue leather covered box at an apartment. Not long after he has made his search of the rolltop desk in the library, the police arrive (a neighbour had apparently reported noises) and the owner's dead body is found in the back bedroom. Bernie had been assured by his contact that the owner would be out. After attempting a bribe of the cops (shades of Matt Scudder and the corrupt NYPD days), Bernie manages to make a dash for it and hides out in a sometime friend's apartment. With a city-wide alert out for him, he has to solve the case himself before the police track him down. He suspects that he was setup as a scapegoat.
Front cover of the original 1977 Random House hardcover edition. Image sourced from Goodreads.
This first Bernie Rhodenbarr now reads a bit cringey and doesn't standup as well as the noir hardboiled world of the Matt Scudders. The wise cracking humour feels dated and the sex antics (the female characters fall for Rhodenbarr immediately) seem pulled out of Block's earlier light erotica fiction such as the Chip Harrison series (1970-75, first published under the pseudonym Chip Harrison). The final twist reveal seemed hardly necessary, but was only a way to add a bit of complexity to what otherwise would have been too straightforward.
Still it is Lawrence Block, so at least a 3-star rating for the memories and the good old days.
Trivia and Links
I read a considerable number of Lawrence Block books in my pre-GR and pre-reviewing days. Probably 40 or so out of the 100+ that are available. That included all of the Matt Scudder books, several of the Bernie Rhodenbarrs, several of the Evan Tanners, several of the Kellers, a dozen or so standalones and some of the memoirs. There were even a few of the earlier pulp novels which were originally published under pseudonyms. This re-read is part of a look back at some of those.
Lawrence Block (June 24, 1938 - ) considers himself retired these days, but still maintains an occasional newsletter with the latest issued in August 2024. He self-publishes some of his earlier works that have otherwise gone out of print, using his own LB Productions imprint. This current eBook edition of Burglars Can't Be Choosers is one of those.
Review of the LB Productions eBook (September 9, 2020) of the original Random House hardcover (1977).
We exchanged hellos and I extended a hand for a shake. This confused Loren, who looked at my hand and then began fumbling with the pair of handcuffs hanging from his gunbelt. Ray laughed. “For Chrissake,” he said. “Nobody ever puts cuffs on Bernie. This ain’t one of your mad dog punks, Loren. This is a professional burglar you got here.”
Burglars Can't Be Choosers introduces Lawrence Block's second longest running series character, the gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr. It also marked Block's breakthrough out of the pulp paperback market with his first hardcover published by Random House and then also as a Book Club Edition. Even the early Matt Scudders in 1976 were first published as Dell paperbacks. Before that there were only the dozens of pulp standalones published under pseudonyms in the light erotica and crime market.
Block developed the idea for Bernie out of an earlier short story [b:A Bad Night for Burglars|12408435|A Bad Night for Burglars|Lawrence Block|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328905027l/12408435._SX50_.jpg|17390038], originally published under the name Gentleman's Agreement in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine in 1977. Block himself pondered whether he should take up burglary as a side job to make ends meet while trying to make a living as an author. He then imagined being a burglar who finds a dead body while breaking into an apartment.
So that is the plot of Burglars Can't Be Choosers. Bernie takes on a commission job to locate a blue leather covered box at an apartment. Not long after he has made his search of the rolltop desk in the library, the police arrive (a neighbour had apparently reported noises) and the owner's dead body is found in the back bedroom. Bernie had been assured by his contact that the owner would be out. After attempting a bribe of the cops (shades of Matt Scudder and the corrupt NYPD days), Bernie manages to make a dash for it and hides out in a sometime friend's apartment. With a city-wide alert out for him, he has to solve the case himself before the police track him down. He suspects that he was setup as a scapegoat.
Front cover of the original 1977 Random House hardcover edition. Image sourced from Goodreads.
This first Bernie Rhodenbarr now reads a bit cringey and doesn't standup as well as the noir hardboiled world of the Matt Scudders. The wise cracking humour feels dated and the sex antics (the female characters fall for Rhodenbarr immediately) seem pulled out of Block's earlier light erotica fiction such as the Chip Harrison series (1970-75, first published under the pseudonym Chip Harrison). The final twist reveal seemed hardly necessary, but was only a way to add a bit of complexity to what otherwise would have been too straightforward.
Still it is Lawrence Block, so at least a 3-star rating for the memories and the good old days.
Trivia and Links
I read a considerable number of Lawrence Block books in my pre-GR and pre-reviewing days. Probably 40 or so out of the 100+ that are available. That included all of the Matt Scudder books, several of the Bernie Rhodenbarrs, several of the Evan Tanners, several of the Kellers, a dozen or so standalones and some of the memoirs. There were even a few of the earlier pulp novels which were originally published under pseudonyms. This re-read is part of a look back at some of those.
Lawrence Block (June 24, 1938 - ) considers himself retired these days, but still maintains an occasional newsletter with the latest issued in August 2024. He self-publishes some of his earlier works that have otherwise gone out of print, using his own LB Productions imprint. This current eBook edition of Burglars Can't Be Choosers is one of those.