The Burglar in Short Order: A Bernie Rhodenbarr Collection

MWA Grandmaster Block collects 15 tightly crafted and amusing short stories and articles concerning burglar and bookseller Bernie Rhodenbarr, hero of The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling and other novels. In “Mr. Rhodenbarr, Bookseller, Advises a Young Customer on Seeking a Vocation,” Bernie schools a hapless shoplifter who comes with sticky fingers into his bookstore. In “The Burglar Who Smelled Smoke,” a clever roman à clef inspired by the famous mystery book collection of publisher and bookstore owner Otto Penzler, an original solution is presented for a locked room puzzle, with a Penzler avatar providing the corpse. Among other high points is an article detailing how the 1987 movie Burglar inexplicably went from hiring a pre–Die Hard Bruce Willis as Bernie and instead cast Whoopi Goldberg in the title role. A foreword, “A Burglar’s Origins,” and an afterword, “A Burglar’s Future,” are original to this volume. The author’s legion of fans won’t want to miss this one. Agent: Danny Baror, Baror International. (Feb.)