Capers Crime Fiction Booklist

A list of books, many of which received at least one starred review (indicating a work of unusual merit) from the following review sources: Booklist (BL), Publisher's Weekly (PW), Kirkus, and Library Journal (LJ). Additional titles of interest may be included on this list. Titles are alphabetically by author.Annotations are from Advance, the Ingram Book Magazine, unless noted.
  • Royal Heist
    Author: La Plante, Lynda
    Publisher: Random $ 25.95 ISBN: 1400060257 Date: 2004
    starKirkus
    After a dot-com crash and in danger of losing his thoroughbred stable and the lifestyle he worked so hard to create, Edward de Jersey resurrects his criminal past to attempt the most audacious robbery in history.
    Updated 6.30.04
  • Miss Gazillions
    Author: Weber, Richard
    Publisher: Minotaur $ 23.95 ISBN: 0312331401 Date: 2005
    starPW
    In the best tradition of the caper, this debut comic thriller follows a couple on the lam as they dodge the law, evade gangsters, multiply their money, and have a wonderful time.
    Suggested Reading: Debuts
    Updated 2.28.05
  • Bad News
    Author: Westlake, Donald
    Publisher: Mysterious $ 23.95 ISBN: 089296717x Date: 2001
    starKirkus starPW
    John Dortmunder doesn't like manual labor. So when he gets the offer of money to dig up a grave, he balks . . . then he wonders why Fitzroy Guilderpost, criminal mastermind, wants to pull a switcheroo of two 70-years-dead Indians.
    Updated 3/1/01
  • Thieves' Dozen: The Dortmunder Stories
    Author: Westlake, Donald
    Publisher: Mysterious Press $ 12.95 (paper) ISBN: 0446693022 Date: 2004
    starBooklist
    Featuring Westlake's hapless hero John Dortmunder, this original compilation of short stories ties in to the author's latest Dortmunder hardcover, The Road to Ruin.
    Updated 3.11.04
  • Watch Your Back!
    Author: Westlake, Donald
    Publisher: Warner $ 24.95 ISBN: 0892968028 Date: 2005
    starKirkus starBooklist starPW
    After a year on the lam, the return of bumbling thief Dortmunder is a cause celebre. The author's most recent Dortmunder caper. The Road to Ruin, and the short story collection, Thieves' Dozen, received rave reviews in the "New York Times Book Review, New York Daily News," and "Kirkus Reviews" (starred review), among other publications.
    Suggested Reading: All Stars
    Updated 3.14.05