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ibm's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
Master criminal planner Dortmander is reduced to selling encyclopedias to the housewives living on Long Island when his friend Kelp tells him about a “sure thing.” Seems Kelp’s nephew Victor is a former FBI agent who has noticed a perfect opportunity – a local bank is undergoing major renovation and so operations have been temporarily moved to a mobile home in a nearby vacant lot. All they have to do is hitch the trailer to a truck and they can steal the entire bank!
Westlake created a wonderful character with Dortmander – a master planner of elaborate crimes who is cursed with a gang of not-quite-competent accomplices. If anything can go wrong with Dortmander’s perfect plan, it will. The only thing that seems to save Dortmander and his friends is that the police are equally (or more) inept than the crooks. I just find myself cheering for Dortmander’s crew, sharing their frustrations, shaking my head at their obvious mistakes, chuckling at their mishaps. This comic caper is the perfect antidote to a gray dreary day. I’ll be smiling for hours just thinking about it.
Westlake created a wonderful character with Dortmander – a master planner of elaborate crimes who is cursed with a gang of not-quite-competent accomplices. If anything can go wrong with Dortmander’s perfect plan, it will. The only thing that seems to save Dortmander and his friends is that the police are equally (or more) inept than the crooks. I just find myself cheering for Dortmander’s crew, sharing their frustrations, shaking my head at their obvious mistakes, chuckling at their mishaps. This comic caper is the perfect antidote to a gray dreary day. I’ll be smiling for hours just thinking about it.
soapythebum's review against another edition
4.0
A very fun romp. It is exactly what I would expect and want in a sequel, some new characters are introduced, some old characters return and Dortmunder plans a great heist.
kivt's review
4.0
super quick and snappy read with strong characterization. also some spicy 70s social politics. i like that it’s a farce, but the actual humor is very dry. i wish the movie adaptation had been better, but i can see why it’d be hard to nail that tone.
bettermetal's review
5.0
This one is even better than the first. Short, light, hilarious. The combination of dry humor and slapstick over-the-top farcical comedy was making me laugh out loud.
It is amazing to me how little he spends on introducing the new characters but all of them come out bright, fleshed out and distinct with their own motivations and emotions.
Passages about the police, the guards and Murch’s mum were my favorite.
It is amazing to me how little he spends on introducing the new characters but all of them come out bright, fleshed out and distinct with their own motivations and emotions.
Passages about the police, the guards and Murch’s mum were my favorite.
dantastic's review against another edition
4.0
Andy Kelp darkens Dortmunder's doorstep with a proposition: rob the Capitalists' and Immigrants' Trust bank. The bank is under renovation and business is currently being done out of a mobile home. Together with his usual crew of Murch, Murch's Mom, Kelp, and some newcomers, Dortmunder plans to make off with the entire bank, trailer and all. How hard could it be?
I should create a shelf called Why The Hell Isn't This Still in Print? Westlake's early Dortmunder books would be all over it. Bank Shot is a comedic caper, as Dortmunder's usually are. Victor and Herman X, the newcomers, fit in pretty well with Dortmunder's quirky crew. The plot had a lot of twists and complications. While I knew things wouldn't go Dortmunder's way, I had no idea to what extent.
Westlake's writing in this one is pretty damn good. It continues to amaze me how he can write Dortmunder's comic capers and the Parker books under his Richard Stark pseudonym with such different styles. His comedic timing is great. Also, I caught references to the Continental Op, Elmore Leonard, and Parker in the text.
I highly recommend not only Bank Shot but the Dortmunder series as a whole.
I should create a shelf called Why The Hell Isn't This Still in Print? Westlake's early Dortmunder books would be all over it. Bank Shot is a comedic caper, as Dortmunder's usually are. Victor and Herman X, the newcomers, fit in pretty well with Dortmunder's quirky crew. The plot had a lot of twists and complications. While I knew things wouldn't go Dortmunder's way, I had no idea to what extent.
Westlake's writing in this one is pretty damn good. It continues to amaze me how he can write Dortmunder's comic capers and the Parker books under his Richard Stark pseudonym with such different styles. His comedic timing is great. Also, I caught references to the Continental Op, Elmore Leonard, and Parker in the text.
I highly recommend not only Bank Shot but the Dortmunder series as a whole.
branch_c's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
justjoel's review
3.0
Dated, but Still Funny
Second Dortmunder caper was no less amusing than the first. If you like screwball comedy and clueless cops, you could do a lot worse than this series.
Second Dortmunder caper was no less amusing than the first. If you like screwball comedy and clueless cops, you could do a lot worse than this series.
carrie562's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.5
Very entertaining return of the longsuffering Dortmunder and his wacky gang. Fun to be immersed in the 1970s world of these novels. A new character, Herman X, adds a bit of diversity to the cast. Not quite as good as The Hot Rock, but plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Murch’s mom is a particular highlight.