Why Me: A Novel by Donald E. Westlake

New York: The Viking Press, 1983. 2nd Printing Jan. 1983 . Hardcover. Very Good/Good. 8vo or 8° (Medium Octavo): 7¾" x 9¾" tall. 191 pp. Solidly bound copy with moderate external wear, crisp pages and clean text. Dj shows wear in some places. Other than light shelfwear the book is in fine, unblemished, unread condition [hint of age-toning to cloth top edge]. Dust jacket shows minor cuts and tears (retaped) on edges, otherweise fully intact. No remainder markings. Quite scarce in this condition. Prolific American writer, master of caper-comedies and hard-boiled crime stories. Westlake has also written under the pseudonyms Curt Clark, Tucker Coe, Timothy J. Culver, Samuel Holt, and Richard Stark. Westlake's career has spanned over 40 years. Chance plays a big role in Westlake's world, already in his early fiction, but more especially in his comedy crime novels. Life is unpredictable but Westlake's characters believe they can control it. They take calculated risks and are in trouble when something completely unpredictable happens. Parker, a cold-blooded, ruthless thief, is one of the author's [writing as Richard Stark] most famous characters. Parker is true only to his own code of right and wrong in the world of crime. If he is betrayed he is ready to do anything to have his money back - revenge being perhaps the only reason for his existence. In Mitch Tobin, an ex-New York City cop, Westlake [writing as Tucker Coe] created a disillusioned, guilt-ridden hero, who gradually finds his way back to normal life from his building project, a concrete wall around his backyard. The non-violent John Archibald Dortmunder and his fairy-tale world of slapstick crooks became a kind of opposite to the cold and serious Parker. Dortmunder works with a bumbling band of good-natured thieves: Andy Kelp, a car thief and an eternal optimist, Stan Murch, a getaway driver, and Tiny Bulcher. Most of these stories deal with the planning and executing of a complex feat. Although his plans are ingenious, they go wrong because of unforeseen coincidences. Dortmunder has not heard of the 'Chaos Theory' - a tiny change can have a huge effect in a chaotic system Westlake has won numerous awards, including three Edgars, and he has been made a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America. In 1997 he received a lifetime achievement award from the Boucheron committee. His screenplay for The Grifters from Jim Thompson's novel received an Oscar nomination. Although Westlake's books have been popular in Hollywood and he has worked as a screenwriter, he has been faithful to his native city. New York City is his favorite base, and in his stories Westlake has depicted its people, life, streets, bars, and famous buildings and institutions with affection, expertise, and irony. Fifth Dortmunder novel. Basis for the 1990 film with screenplay written by Westlake, directed by Gene Quintano, starring Christopher Lambert, Kim Greist, Christopher Lloyd, J.T. Walsh. "This book will delight anyone who finds the "value-added" features of telephones (such as call waiting, call forwarding, caller ID, and answering machines) to be annoying. John Dortmunder does, too, especially after his friend, Andy Kelp, becomes addicted to all of these features. John Dortmunder is your basic everyday, unlucky, but hard-working burglar. In ' Why Me', he spots a sign on Skoukakis Credit Jewelers in South Ozone Park in Queens that the owner is away on vacation. Noting that the door's alarm box is an easy one to by-pass, he plans a late night return trip. While alarms ring in the distance, he's started when a car pulls up in front, and someone climbs out. He dives behind a display counter just before someone opens the door. The entrant is followed by more men, and they all talk in a foreign language. The safe door is opened and closed. Eventually, they leave. With good fortune, he finds that the safe is also an easy one to handle. Soon, he has it open, and starts removing the contents. He took some diamond bracelets, a few sets of earrings, an assortment of jewe.