The Burglar Who Counted the Spoons

Starred review from February 9, 2015
“I love to steal,” admits Bernie Rhodenbarr in MWA Grand Master Block’s superlative 11th mystery featuring the New York City thief and bookseller (after 2004’s The Burglar on the Prowl). A man called Smith, who collects buttons as a hobby, launches Bernie on a series of robberies, starting with the manuscript of an F. Scott Fitzgerald story, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” from a Manhattan museum that was once the home of a wealthy collector of art and artifacts. Smith has other lucrative tasks with button associations for the burglar, including one involving a rare spoon. Meanwhile, NYPD Det. Ray Kirschmann also wants to avail himself of Bernie’s expertise in the puzzling case of an elderly woman found dead on the floor of her apartment in an apparent burglary. Bernie’s sidekick, Carolyn Kaiser, lends support. With his razor sharp wit, Block succeeds in making Bernie’s thievery a noble undertaking. Agent: Danny Baror, Baror International.