The Burglar Who Thought He Was Bogart

It's a Bernie Rhodenbarr mystery, so you know what's up, with gentleman thieving and some light murder. Bernie has a new girlfriend, an Eastern European beauty named Ilona who's into Humphrey Bogart films. Bernie is hired to steal a portfolio of documents from an apartment, and when he partner winds up dead, well, maybe he's been watching too many movies, but you have to avenge your partner.

The plot involves a Balkan micronation, old CIA operations, rare stamps, and lost royal heirs. Bernie stumbles through an unlikely series of coincidences to arrive at his version of justice. It's kinda contrived, kinda dumb, and some fun light reading.

"Of all the bookstores in all the towns in all the world, she walked into mine."

Bernie Rhodenbarr is a thief always on the lookout for opportunity. For his cover, he runs a respectable bookstore and keeps Raffles, the store cat, company. One day a beautiful dame walks into Bernie's store and before he knows it they're sharing popcorn over a Bogart double-feature. But she's no angel and suddenly the plot lines of Bogie's films and Bernie's life seem to merge. All the usual suspects seem to be involved - can Bernie figure it out and keep his nose clean?

Bogart films are a particular passion of mine, I've watched 46 of them so far. A few weeks ago, in a particularly brilliant moment of LT kismet, this book title came up on my screen. Of show more course I saw the 'Bogart' part, but when I read 'bookstore', well, that sealed the deal. I had to read it immediately.

This book is a loving pastiche of the plots from Bogart films like The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca and The Big Sleep. Block did a good job of making it feel hardboiled without actually being hardboiled. He hits all the right notes and you understand immediately which character is meant to emulate a well-loved favorite.

It didn't earn 4 or 5 stars from me because it had a bit more politics in it than I care for. It's still a solid tale for any mystery reader, and an especially lovely romp for fans of Bogie. show less

This book is more about the characters, settings and old Humphrey Bogart movies than about the murders. Of course, we have the usual Bernie trapped in the closet after being hired to retrieve a portfolio from a secure building. Great summer read.

I don't, as a rule, like comedic mysteries and I can't stand the ones where all the suspects are gathered in the parlor as the great detective unveils who did it. But, I really enjoy Block's Burglar series, having read more than half a dozen in this series in the past month. Block has a great sense of humor and the world of Bernie Rhodenbarr is filled with the strangest coincidences.

Here's the foreign beauty who gets Bernie to take her to a Bogart movie every night for two weeks straight and she has a European accent straight out of central casting. Here's the mystery man who engages Bernie to burgle some papers. Here's the coat closet Bernie gets stuck in while his intended burglary victim gets amorous with a date. Here's the dead body show more that somehow Bernie is now connected to. The cab driver from Tajikistan who keeps showing up. Of course, there's jolly ole Ray the grifting policeman who knows that all crimes somehow tie in to Bernie.

The story moves at a rapid pace, although some may find it too much chatter and clutter and too little gritty reality. It is a fun, light, clever read.

It's a tribute to the old Hollywood films and, of course, to Bogart and all of Bogie's great lines about a hill of beans and so forth. It's also a tribute to Sue Grafton and her alphabet series. And, there's a certain amount of Block's Evan Tanner character in this book and all the noble lost causes of forgotten republics in forgotten parts of the world. show less

This entry in the Bernie Rhodenbarr series struck me as much more humorous than the previous books! Perhaps that's because I am a bit of a Bogart fan myself so I caught more of the allusions and quotes but I believe that it's actually because Block put more humor in this book. The whole plot was a tribute to "The Maltese Falcon"; I laughed out loud when 'the fat man' was first mentioned!

This entry in the Bernie Rhodenbarr series struck me as much more humorous than the previous books! Perhaps that's because I am a bit of a Bogart fan myself so I caught more of the allusions and quotes but I believe that it's actually because Block put more humor in this book. The whole plot was a tribute to "The Maltese Falcon"; I laughed out loud when 'the fat man' was first mentioned!

Block, Lawrence. The Burglar Who Thought He Was Bogart. 1995. Bernie Rhodenbarr No. 7. HarperTorch, 2006.
In The Burglar Who Thought He Was Bogart, Bernie the burglar has met a girl who likes classic films, and they meet at a classic film festival, featuring Humphrey Bogart. While his romance proceeds in ways meant to remind us of the affair between Ilsa and Bogie in Casablanca, his burgling life embroils him in a plot that seems like a replay of The Maltese Falcon. Lawrence Block has amazing fun with movie tropes in this one. 4 stars.