The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling

By: Lawrence Block

Narrated by: Richard Ferrone

Best-selling author Lawrence Block will keep you hooting with laughter as you follow the hilarious hijinks of his incorrigible character, Bernie Rhodenbarr: notorious burglar and part-time sleuth. Trying to go legit, Bernie has taken over a secondhand bookstore in Greenwich Village, but he still can't resist stealing things when the rewards are right. Ever since he bought Barnegat Books, Bernie has been having trouble making ends meet. When a mysterious client asks him to steal a rare edition of Kipling's poetry, he seizes the opportunity to practice his criminal talents and pay his creditors. Pilfering the book is boringly easy. But delivering it is difficult - with the police and a host of shady assailants hot on his heels. A Mystery Writers of America Grandmaster, Lawrence Block packs his entertaining whodunits with plenty of action and unexpected plot twists. Richard Ferrone's gravelly voice and expert pacing will keep you glued to the tape deck as Bernie lands in one dangerous scrape after another.©1979 Lawrence Block (P)1998 Recorded Books, LLC

Bernie the best

The characters are wonderfully realized by Mr Block in one the best books in a great series. Mr Ferrone's reading brings the characters to life: he's a very good reader.

Ferrone makes these easy burglar stories a treat

The Narration makes the book!
The story is fine but Ferrone makes the character come to life.

LOVE this series!

I LOVE the Bernard G. Rhodenbarr series. The narrator did the characters justice and made it clear when they were changing. These "The Burglar Who..." books are filled with witty banter, comedy, crime, and of course, mystery. Bernie is the best burglarizing detective ever!

How about something new

Bernie steals, Bernie finds dead body (or not but it's there) rest of book Bernie evades cops and murder charge then wala Bernie proves he didn't really kill anybody oh and the cop pockets some cash....REALLY getting old.
Remember that dead horse?

The dialogue

Richard Ferrone is beyond superb. He brings the story alive. A great series! Limitless admiration for the author.

Fantastic

Block has a real talent for developing lovable characters. Dialogue never feels forced or fake. Bernie is a delightful character, a simple guy who is well read and articulate. Quick of wit and a big heart. Only problem is he's a crook.
Block so masterfully leads the reader along that by the storys climax you are caught up rooting for him to pull all the threads together.

Book 3 of the Series

Maybe not great, but certainly great fun! very well read and enjoyable to go back in time.

Loved it

This one was the best so far. Really nicely done the way the plot revoked around a valuable book. You always think there is no way he's going to get out of the fix he got himself into this time! But of course he does. I also find it clever the way the author gets you sympathizing with a character who is in fact a crook - there you are, rooting for him the whole time!

Great gateway to the entire series

I've read quite a bit of Lawrence Block over the years, but only recently read my first "burglar" book in the Bernie Rhodenbarr series. Although it's not the first book in the series, Block says it's a good one to start with and who am I to disagree. It's a great heist story about a rare and possibly faked book by Rudyard Kipling. Things get complicated with many potential buyers, thieves, cops, and other events. It's a fun book where the mystery gradually deepens. Narration is great. Highly recommended.

How does Bernie do it?

I don't think that I have read this one before, but I'm glad that I caught up with it now. It is somewhat more convoluted than some of the others. I often find it worth a giggle or two to see how far communications and inflation have come since the book was written. The story involves double crossing, double dealing, some godawful poetry, and a mink coat.
Richard Ferrone continues to be marvelous as Bernie Rhodenbarr.