All it takes is a few underhanded moves by a tough ex-cop named Eppick to pull thief John Dortmunder into a game he never wanted to play. With no choice, he musters his always-game gang and they set out on a perilous treasure hunt for a long-lost gold and jewel-studded chess set once intended as a birthday gift for the last Romanov czar, which unfortunately reached Russia after that party was over. From the moment Dortmunder reaches for his first pawn, he faces insurmountable odds. The purloined past of this precious set is destined to confound any strategy he finds on the board. Success is not inevitable with John Dortmunder leading the attack, but he's nothing if not persistent, and some gambit or other might just stumble into a winning move.
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"I think I've read all of Westlake's Dortmunder mysteries, and I always enjoy them. Cookey characters, and since seeing the movie HOT ROCKS (maybe the first Dortmunder book) with Robert Redford and George Segal - I always picture them in each book I read. Light weight, but I love 'em."
— Sallie (4 out of 5 stars)
“As usual, Westlake provides amusing, at times dim-witted dialogue…The ironic resolution will leave both series fans and newcomers satisfied.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)“Westlake is a national literary treasure, and his latest effort only enhances his value…Westlake deserves the Nobel Prize for Literature.”
— Booklist (starred review)“Westlake is a crime-writing machine bordering on genius. Numerous twists and turns, masses of snappy dialogue, and a ton of humor.”
— Daily Mirror (London)“What’s not to like about Westlake, the master of comic crime fiction, who’s entertained us for decades? His magic touch when it comes to storytelling is as strong as ever. Great writing takes you into Dortmunder’s criminal world, and just when you think you know what will happen, Westlake tosses in a twist that ricochets the story in unexpected directions. This is sheer entertainment and total fun.”
— RT Book Reviews (4½ stars, Top Pick!)" This is a book that is sort of different for me. I like sci-fi and this book is not like that, but I truly enjoyed it. If you like cops and robbers where the robbers are a little better than the cops and little twist at the end you will like this book. "
— Christopher, 2/20/2014" An enjoyable heist story, and worth the read. Westlake takes his time setting up all of his dominoes before sending them into action. In the end I felt a bit too much time was wasted in aligning the pieces and too few of them paid off in the end. However, Westlake's characters and dry humor kept me entertained from cover to cover, leaving me wanting to read another book in the Dortmunder series. "
— Pat, 2/18/2014" A complicated caper story much like the other Westlake stories featuring the burglar Dormunder and his pals. A quick fun read but not very memorable. Very light hearted. Wish all burglars were of the same ilk as this bunch, but alas -- not so! "
— William, 2/15/2014" Another fun Dortmunder caper book, with all the little funny bits. "
— Kevin, 1/26/2014" This is a book of blunders. A burglar is forced by an ex-cop to perform a heist of a chess set worth millions. He has an Andy Capp attitude, but enlists his fellow burglars' help to obtain the goods. It's all pure luck along the way as these fellow thieves embark on their path. I learned a lot about the underbelly of society in this book. I thought it was good as it had me hanging all the way through to the unexpected conclusion. "
— Julie, 1/26/2014" The title tells it all. A typical cops and robbers, but always a little twist, so it's not over til it's over. Warner Books could do a better job of proof reading, more than the usual number of misspelled words. "
— Mary, 1/21/2014" Dortmunder and the gang are back and being blackmailed by a former cop into stealing an 800-pound chess set that was a gift to the Czar of Russia and was brought to the states by a group of American soldiers. Much more emphasis on the caper in this one and a lot of fun to read. "
— Sandi, 1/16/2014" Deadpan humor in a crime caper "
— Marinn, 11/25/2013" Slightly meandering story, but he could still write right up to the end. "
— Frank, 11/8/2013" Donald Westlake writes very entertaining 'caper' novels, of which this is one. "
— Sue, 10/19/2013" Westlake portrays the characters of this non-threatening group of hiesters and NYC surroundings with such humor, that it is very enjoyable, easy read. "
— Claudia, 9/30/2013" over does the language some, but an interesting plot with interesting twists "
— Jack, 9/18/2013" I can't tell if it was my state of mind or the book itself, but this one felt a little more forced than the other Dortmunder books. Still good, just not great. "
— Maura, 8/6/2013" This was a good, light read. Very funny. "
— Cynthia, 4/15/2013" Dortmunder is in the house. And Andy Kelp, May, Tiny and all the regulars. This series has always been big fun. Whimsical, with twists and benign turns galore. I have read a number of Westlake books and they are always entertaining. This one is no exception. Try it, you'll like it. "
— Don, 11/25/2012" Funny book and good for an evening's entertainment, but nothing particularly special. "
— Marie, 10/21/2012" Was fun, but not very memorable. "
— Angie, 10/3/2012" Sucked. Only read about 30 or 40 pages. Obviously not my genre. "
— Marcia, 9/26/2012" Entertaining. I'll be reading some more of this guy's books in the future. "
— Mike, 8/10/2012" Another post heart attack easy reading thriller or crime caper "
— Viswanathan, 8/9/2012" Not this book. "
— Amanda, 6/2/2012" (2007) I don't like the reader's (William Dufris) interpretation. His women are weak. (2009) I listened to it again, same reader, and I enjoyed it this time. "
— Missmath144, 11/29/2011" I completely enjoyed reading this book. Donald Westlake's group of parttime criminals are entertaining. I plan to read all the Westlake books I can find! "
— Betty, 7/24/2011" It is a fun little story. I like this series and the characters. Good for a plane trip or at the beach. "
— William, 5/12/2011" I always enjoy spending time with the Dortmunder gang. "
— Lainie, 4/12/2011" I picked up this book because Donald Westlake comes up in searches for people who like humour, but maybe this wasn't a good one to pick. <br/> <br/>Some good lines, but not enough payoff. I think they should have tried to steal the dome. "
— Scotchneat, 6/28/2010" This guy is the best! "
— Patty, 2/24/2010" Another hilarious Dortmunder novel. Nothing TOO profound (unless you look for it), but lots of fun. Should probably read some of his earlier Dortmunder stories so you'll know the characters. Good summer read. "
— Shannon, 7/3/2009" This was my introduction to the Dortmunder novels. These are delightfully entertaining books. Dortmunder is a hapless criminal with a fatalistic approach to life. Lots of laughs. "
— Ted, 6/16/2009Donald E. Westlake (1933–2008) wrote dozens of novels under his own name and numerous pseudonyms, including Richard Stark and Alan Marshall. Many of his books have been adapted for film, most notably The Hunter, which became the 1967 noir Point Blank and the 1999 smash hit Payback.
William Dufris attended the University of Southern Maine in Portland-Gorham before pursuing a career in voice work in London and then the United States. He has won more than twenty AudioFile Earphones Awards, was voted one of the Best Voices at the End of the Century by AudioFile magazine, and won the prestigious Audie Award in 2012 for best nonfiction narration. He lives with his family in Maine.