The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling is third Bernie Rhodenbarr mystery novel by the prolific Lawrence Block. Kipling adds a base of operations for the burglar: a used bookstore named Barnegat Books. Rhodenbarr also has a new friend and sometimes sidekick, pet groomer Carolyn.
This time around, a customer enters Bernie Rhodenbarr’s bookstore and asks him to steal a rare book by Rudyard Kipling. The task done, the burglar goes to the delivery spot only to be drugged and wake up with a gun in his hand and a dead woman on the floor of the apartment. Once again, Rhodenbarr must prove his innocence by finding the culprit himself.
The mystery also involves why so many people are interested in this rare Kipling and why some seem to know more than they should.
The solve to this Lawrence Block mystery is a bit convoluted. Rhodenbarr invites all interested parties to meet him in his bookstore. He then pulls the classic confronting all the possible cuplrits. Of course, someone confesses. Obviously, the cops are on hand to arrest him or her.
This mystery series by Lawrence Block is almost always a fun, light, entertaining comic read. This one is no exception.
The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling
A Bernie Rhodenbarr Mystery
Lawrence Block
Signet 313 pages
Also by Lawrence Block and reviewed here:
The Keller / Hitman series: Hit Me Hit and Run
The Matthew Scudder series: All the Flowers are Dying A Drop of the Hard Stuff
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