What's So Funny?
A John Dortmunder Mystery
Donald E. Westlake
Warner Books (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-446-58240-9 (0446582409)
ISBN-13: 978-0-446-58240-7 (9780446582407)
Publication Date: April 2007
List Price: $24.99
Synopsis (from
the publisher): All it takes is a few underhanded moves by a tough
ex-cop named Eppick to pull Dortmunder into a game he never wanted to
play. With no choice, he musters his always-game gang and they set out
on a perilous treasure hunt for a long-lost gold and jewel-studded
chess set once intended as a birthday gift for the last Romanov czar,
which unfortunately reached Russia after that party was over.
From the moment Dortmunder reaches for his first pawn, he faces
insurmountable odds. The purloined past of this precious set is
destined to confound any strategy he finds on the board. Success is not
inevitable with John Dortmunder leading the attack, but he's nothing if
not persistent, and some gambit or other might just stumble into a
winning move.
Review: Donald E. Westlake brings Dortmunder back in What's So Funny?, the 13th mystery in this series featuring New York City's master criminal.
This is a “historical” account of the events following the
theft of a long lost jeweled and gold chess set. This set was to be
given to the Russian Czar at the close of World War I. The Russian
Revolution following the war thwarted that plan. The men commissioned
to deliver it, four American soldiers, not knowing what to do with it,
decided to take it back to America. The plan was they would sell
it and reap the profits, thought to be in the millions. Only one of the
soldiers was responsible for the transaction. He kept the set and ran,
using it as collateral to start a business and became a
multimillionaire. Six decades later, only one of the soldiers is still
alive and he wants to know just what happened to that chess set. With
the help of his granddaughter, and ex-policeman, and an almost
ex-thief, the search begins.
What a concept, four young men coming home from the war with an item
that will make them all very wealthy! What dreams they must have had
for their futures. For three of the men their dreams were just that:
dreams. For one, it rolled into the building of an empire. Mr. Hemlow,
an octogenarian, the only surviving soldier, hires private investigator
Johnny Eppick, an ex-NYPD detective, to find this treasure. Eppick
in turn hires John Dortmunder, once a big time burglar who is now
trying to stop his thieving ways, to do his legwork. Dortmunder brings
in his old crime gang and the search begins.
The title of the book just begs to ask the question, what’s so funny about What's so Funny?
Quite a lot. The repartee between Mr. Hemlow and Eppick and between
Eppick and Dortmunder for starters. Even the banter between Dortmunder
and his bumbling gang of thieves is enough to make it funny. But
Westlake brings in other capricious characters such as a young
precocious couple, Mr. Hemlow’s granddaughter, attorneys with a
prestigious law firm, some who involved with the search of the chess
set, and others having no idea about it, all of whom add to the humor.
Elements of wit, banality, or well-known puns are on just about every
page. These will bring a smile and maybe even laughter to the reader.
Enjoy this latest Dortmunder: it’s a keeper!
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of What's So Funny? and to Hachette Book Group for providing an ARC of the book for this review.
Review Copyright © 2007 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.
Mysteries in this series ...
The Hot Rock
Simon & Schuster (Hardcover), June 1970
ISBN-10: 0-671-20541-2 (0671205412)
Bank Shot
Simon & Schuster (Hardcover), April 1972
ISBN-10: 0-671-21180-3 (0671211803)
Jimmy the Kid
M. Evans (Hardcover), October 1974
ISBN-10: 0-87131-157-7 (0871311577)
Nobody's Perfect
M. Evans (Hardcover), October 1977
ISBN-10: 0-87131-249-2 (0871312492)
Why Me?
Viking (Hardcover), January 1983
ISBN-10: 0-670-76569-4 (0670765694)
Good Behavior
Mysterious Press (Hardcover), May 1986
ISBN-10: 0-89296-240-2 (0892962402)
Drowned Hopes
Mysterious Press (Hardcover), April 1990
ISBN-10: 0-89296-178-3 (0892961783)
Don't Ask
Mysterious Press (Hardcover), April 1993
ISBN-10: 0-89296-469-3 (0892964693)
What's the Worst That Could Happen?
Mysterious Press (Hardcover), October 1996
ISBN-10: 0-89296-586-X (089296586X)
Bad News
Mysterious Press (Hardcover), April 2001
ISBN-10: 0-89296-717-X (089296717X)
The Road to Ruin
Mysterious Press (Hardcover), April 2004
ISBN-10: 0-89296-801-X (089296801X)
Watch Your Back!
Mysterious Press (Hardcover), June 2006
ISBN-10: 0-89296-802-8 (0892968028)
What's So Funny
Warner Books (Hardcover), April 2007
ISBN-10: 0-446-58240-9 (0446582409)
ISBN-13: 978-0-446-58240-7 (9780446582407)
Omnimystery keywords for What's So Funny? ...
Location(s) referenced: New York City.
