Since I discovered Donald Westlake's books last year, I have continued to enjoy each and every novel I pick up by him. I've noticed he writes both serious hard-boiled crime as well as lighter more humorous crime stories. This book is definitely of that second variety.The plot surrounds Chet, a New York cab driver who has a gambling hobby. He manages to win a bundle at the horse races but when he goes to collect from his bookie, he finds the man murdered, and guess who gets caught up in the middle of two mob gangs and crooked cops. The bookie's beautiful sister is also looking to find her brother's murderer and so the two combine forces. The humor along the way is light and fun, especially the continuous assumptions by other characters who are convinced Chet is the murderer.Overall, this is perhaps not the best Westlake novel you'll ever read, but I found it a fun ride. Although this was written more than 40 years ago, it is still fresh. Not a great book, but a funny and good book and not quite predictable. Just when you think you know who did it, you realize you were wrong. Chet Conway, an ordinary New York City cab driver who likes to gamble including putting his money into poker and horse races. He's not a big time gambler though, but just enough to get a little ahead one week and a little bit into debt the next. One of Conway's customers sort of stiff's Chet by giving him a tip on horse race rather than cash, but Chet decides that the guy might know what he's talking about and bets what would amount to a couple hundred dollars today. He wins big, $930 (which would be more than $5,000 today).Unfortunately, when Conway goes to collect his winnings, the bookie is dead and Chet becomes the prime suspect, not as much of the police as that of the bookie's wife, both sides of two rival gangs as well as the bookie's beautiful blonde sister. At first Chet is more concerned with getting his money, but eventually realizes it is not just his wallet, but also his life that is in danger. A crooked police force offers no help, so Chet will have to solve this crime himself.If you've never read Donald Westlake before, this is a good place to start and get a taste of what made Westlake one of the best in the business. If you like this, you should move on to the Dortmunder stories.
Do You like book Somebody Owes Me Money (1969)?
Chet's life would have been so much easier if he would have just forgot about the $930.00
—marcotulio327
Fun yarn. My first Westlake. Looks like I have a new author to churn though.
—ray
As good as this sort of thing gets, and dead eloquent to boot.
—ROSS
Great start and gets worse and worse. The title doesn't lie.
—usafrunner
