The Burglar on the Prowl (Bernie Rhodenbarr, #10)

a Philosophical Yet Practical Gentleman, Bernie Rhodenbarr Possesses Many Admirable Qualities: Charm, Intelligence, Sparkling Wit, And Unwavering Loyalty. Of Course, He Also Has This Special Talent And A Taste For Life's Finer Things. So He's More Than Willing To Perform Some Vengeful Larceny For A Friend — Ripping Off A Smarmy, Particularly Deserving Plastic Surgeon — For Fun And A Very Tidy Profit. but During A Practice Run At Another Address, Bernie's Forced To Hide Under A Bed When The Lady Of The House Returns Unexpectedly With The Worst Kind Of Blind Date In Tow. In No Time, Bernie's Up To His Burgling Neck In Big Trouble. Again. And This Time It Includes His Arrest, No Less Than Four Murders, And More Outrageous Coincidences Than Any Self-preserving Felon Should Ever Be Required To Tie Together. the New York Times it Takes An Agile Brain And A Devilish Wit To Pull Off This Farcical Self-satire; But Block Not Only Has What It Takes, He Also Has Bernie, Whose Elastic Ethics And Pride In His Work (''it Is, I Blush To Admit, A Gift,'' He Says Of His Skills) Are The Key To His Raffish Charm. — marilyn Stasio Acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Lawrence Block returns with one of his most inspired and popular characters: the extraordinary Bernie Rhodenbarr. Antiquarian bookseller by day, burglar by night, Bernie has an innate knack, a gift, for getting into places designed to keep him out.Sophisticated yet down-to-earth, philosophical yet practical, Bernie is a gentleman who knows and loves his territory, the gloriously diverse and electric streets of Manhattan; a connoisseur who surrounds himself with the finer things in life, including his tailless Manx tabby, Raffles, and good friends like his neighbor Carolyn. In fact, it's a friend who gets him in his latest jam. Bernie is minding his own business when he's asked for a favor -- a neat, uncomplicated bit of vengeful larceny that will reap a tidy profit -- an offer the intrepid thief can't refuse.But with a few days to go before the crime, Bernie gets restless. So what does a burglar do to change his mood? Go on the prowl, of course. Though not the best way to do business, as he well knows. This bit of prowling lands Bernie in a pile of trouble that includes four murders and the burglary of his own home. Caught in the center of a deadly mystery, he must use his wits and wiles to connect the dots and add up the coincidences. Because if Bernie doesn't catch a killer, he'll lose not only his freedom but his life.Infused with the rich atmosphere of New York City and filled with a smart, charming cast of characters headed by the stylish Bernie, The Burglar on the Prowl is an engaging and delightfully suspenseful tale sure to be savored by Block fans old and new. A philosophical yet practical gentleman, Bernie Rhodenbarr possesses many admirable charm, intelligence, sparkling wit, and unwavering loyalty. Of course, he also has this special talent and a taste for life's finer things. So he's more than willing to perform some vengeful larceny for a friend -- ripping off a smarmy, particularly deserving plastic surgeon -- for fun and a very tidy profit. But during a practice run at another address, Bernie's forced to hide under a bed when the lady of the house returns unexpectedly with the worst kind of blind date in tow. In no time, Bernie's up to his burgling neck in big trouble. Again. And this time it includes his arrest, no less than four murders, and more outrageous coincidences than any self-preserving felon should ever be required to tie together. Antiquarian book dealer and fashionable thief Bernie Rhodenbarr once again indulges his appetite for breaking and entering in his never-ending quest for fun and profit