The Burglar Who Studied Spinoza by Lawrence Block

 

I've read some Lawrence Block recently, and he's fun and funny, and I'd heard his Bernie Rhodenbarr books were about the most fun and funniest, so I grabbed one. It's great fun, for sure--interestingly both ahead of and of its time (1980) and there's lots of humor in it. Not like Hiaasen-grade humor, but humor. The characters are all just a little askew, but they all fit the story and its setting just fine; the story's a little wacky but it holds together and wraps up satisfyingly. It's a very New York City novel, which might appeal to some and turn others off. I've seen others at the library, and I'll probably grab them from time to time.