Don't Ask

Book # 8 in the John Dortmunder series has the gang hired by a small country to “retrieve” a religious relic – the femur of St Ferghana. Seems that there is only one spot available at the United Nations and two neighboring and always warring countries – Tsergovia and Votskojek – are both determined to get that seat. The head of the selection committee is an archbishop who will likely side with the country who possesses the authenticated relic. The poor countries have equally unimpressive “embassy” headquarters, so it should be pretty easy for Dortmunder and his team to get in, get the bone and get out. And it is … but then …

I love this series. I marvel at Westlake’s imagination in coming up with these convoluted show more scenarios. John Dortmunder is a rather gentlemanly burglar; he’s a mastermind and a great planner, but his plans, however well thought out and featuring split-second timing, never quite work out. The gang may succeed at first glance, but you can be sure that some twist will result in their ultimate defeat.

The joy comes in watching the various plans, fumbles, and regroupings unfold. I also love how Westlake describes things. For example:
"(He) wore a vaguely military tunic kind of thing, the Nehru jacket’s homicidal cousin, in dark olive green;…”
“… his usual airplane engine of a voice modulating down to a kind of heavy purr, like a well-fed lion.”
“This woman was about the size and shape of a mailbox, with a black-haired white lunch box on top for a head.”

In short, it’s a fun, fast, entertaining read. show less

Dortmunder and gang are hired to steal the leg bone of a saint for a country that wants to join the UN. Makes sense, yes? If not, see the title!

This was a pretty convoluted read, with the bone, the art theft, and the UN situation. Also, what was that ending about with J.C.? Definitely not one of the better ones in this series, for me.

Another entry in Donald Westlake’s Dortmunder series; these comic crime capers with an outstanding cast of characters are always entertaining (although they do seem to age very quickly).

“Don’t Ask” sees the Dortmunder gang get involved with a dispute between two nations aiming for international recognition and the frankly odd criteria for said recognition. Lots of great dialogue and the members of the Dortmunder gang are all hilarious and human with all their foibles. It just makes one sad that there’s no further Dortmunder books in the future.

Having enjoyed following this gang through many of their past scrapes I was surprised to find that my version of “Don’t Ask” did not contain nuns in a convent and many of the things contained in other reviews here. Very strange!
I really enjoyed the book I have, but . . . . . Could it be that now Donald Westlake is otherwise engaged, Dortmunder and the publishers are putting together some kind of a scam ??
Quid lucrum istic mihi est?

Having enjoyed following this gang through many of their past scrapes I was surprised to find that my version of “Don’t Ask” did not contain nuns in a convent and many of the things contained in other reviews here. Very strange!
I really enjoyed the book I have, but . . . . . Could it be that now Donald Westlake is otherwise engaged, Dortmunder and the publishers are putting together some kind of a scam ??
Quid lucrum istic mihi est?

Donald Westlake's novels about what I think of as the Dortmunder gang (since he's the guy who usually either plans the heists or stumbles into the situations that prompt the heist) are consistently amusing but never flashy. That describes this book, and it's good enough for me.

An enjoyable and funny novel, that at times stretches for the laughs, but only a touch. Slight, but recommended.