The Hot Rock

by Donald E. Westlake

Book Overview

The Hot Rock introduces John Archibald Dortmunder, the thief whose capers never quite come off, as he and his convict friends plot to steal the fabulous Balaboma Emerald. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0446677035
• Release Date: July 2016
• Publisher: The Mysterious Press
• Length: 287 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.8" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

So Long Donald

Sad to report Donald Westlake passed away last night (12/31 - my birthday too, darn it). Pick up this book, then pick up a glass and toast to the memory of this undisputed master of the funny crime caper. Read this book and laugh (the movie's cute too but the book is better). Then read "Watch Your Back!" and really howl. That's how I plan to spend part of 2009. His pen will be sorely missed. So long, Don and thanks for the many many laughs and the chills from your Parker novels (written as Richard Stark). You were the best.

One of the Greatest Comic Heist Novels

If you have not yet read The Hot Rock, you have an amazing treat ahead of you. With brilliant plotting, amusing characters and a strong sense of irony, The Hot Rock makes side-tickling fun of just about everything you can imagine. This book also introduces the character, John Archibald Dortmunder, who stars in the marvelous series of books that followed this one.Dortmunder is about to get out of prison on parole, and is looking forward to the $300 that another inmate will pay him for his old cell. That plan is scotched when the warden decides to personally escort Dortmunder out of the prison. So there he is with regret for his lost $300 and poor prospects. Then it gets worse! A Cadillac chases him onto the sidewalk against a wall. And that's just the first three and a half pages!Dortmunder's old pal, Andy Kelp, has lined up a job that requires Dortmunder to do the planning for the caper. A former British colony in Africa has recently become two independent nations, Talabwo and Akinzi, each run by a different tribe. The Akinzi have possession of the Balabomo Emerald, worth $500,000, and the UN Ambassador from Talabwo, Major Patrick Ito, is offering $30,000 a man (for up to five men) to retrieve the emerald which is now residing in the New York Coliseum at a Pan-African display. Dortmunder needs money, so he decides to take the job . . . if the major will pay a little walking around money in the meantime. Soon, Dortmunder has developed a brilliant plan that requires some special props, which the major provides. Into the Coliseum go four of the five, and three return . . . minus the emerald. After this setback, the plot starts to get really complicated. The book is filled with hilarious characters including the optimistic Andy Kelp who loves to steal new cars with MD license plates and always assumes that everything will succeed just fine, the driver Stan Murch who loves to listen to traffic noises and talk about his travels routes while nursing a draft beer with salt to recreate the foam, the model train aficionado Roger Chefwick who loves to play in his basement, the easily distracted strong man Alan Greenwood, and the sleazy lawyer Eugene Andrew Prosker, Esq. whose greed knows no limits. Most books like this build up the suspense around one heist. You get more than that for your money with this one. The action is nonstop . . . right up to one of the most imaginative escapes you will ever read about. The book's ending scene is too delicious for words. I don't dare hint what it is all about . . . but be ready for something wonderful. If you enjoy this book, be sure to go on to read Bank Shot, the next book in the series . . . which is almost as good. After you finish, think about where else Murphy's Law (anything that can go wrong will) can cause problems to your best-laid plans. Then replan until there's no room left for Murphy.

The Perfect Start to the Perfect Series

If you haven't devoured the whole Dortmunder series by now, wait no longer: start with this one, and as soon as your stomach muscles recover, move on to the rest. This is the kickoff to the funniest mystery series ever written. Our hero is Dortmunder, a very recent ex-con. His opponent is the Balabomo Emerald, a gem with a history, a price on its head, and, apparently, a nasty sense of humor. Hired by the representative of an African nation that wants the jewel for religious and political reasons, Dortmunder assembles a team of the finest, funniest men ever to make a dishonest dollar. They make attempt after attempt (as the blurb says, giving new meaning to the term repeat offender) at the job, striking by helicopter, train, and mesmerism, among others. Any one of the plans should succeed. But fate - or the emerald - has other ideas.The plot is only part of the humor, though. In a way, the Dortmunder series is very like Terry Pratchett's Discworld series; they both rely on language and character as much as situations for laughs, and they both get incredible results from the strategy. Seriously, this book (and the series it spawned) is a better antidepressant than any pharmaceutical I've ever encountered. If you're just now starting here, wow, do I envy you. (But how did you live this long without Dortmunder?)

I'm glad they made a movie out of this with REDFORD as

John Archibald Dortmunder. Perfect casting.I read this book so many times, I know it by heart.And I agree wholeheartedly with an earlier review by A. G. Ryder. I'd hate to check out of this mortal coil early, just in case Westlake has another Dortmunder novel going to press. It would be unbearable to miss that wit, those characters, those unbelievable blunders.I don't know how Westake does it, but just keep doing it Donald.

A treasure

Westlake's Dortmunder novels are one of my main reasons for living. If I was just a brain in a jar somewhere and the docs asked me whether or not I wanted them to pull the plug, I'd say, "Are there any new Dortmunder books? If so, I'd like to hang on."