Lawrence Block, The Burglar In Short Order

Lawrence Block, The Burglar In Short Order
© Lawrence Block (various dates for the stories) 2020
Lawrence Block Productions 2020
ISBN 978-1-951939-61-8


In 1977, Lawrence Block published the first the first (of 11) “burglar” mysteries (Burglars Can’t Be Choosers)—the burglar is Bernie Rhodenbarr, a 30-something gentleman thief who ages little (or not at all) through the series..  The most recent is The Burglar Who Counted the Spoons (2013; I have trouble believing it’s been that long since the last—which does seem to be, actually, the last).  Over the years, Block also wrote the stories included in this collection.  They are (mostly) similar in tone to the novels (and, in a couple of cases, are actually excerpts from one or another of the novels).  For me, being able to spend a little time in Bernie’s company has been a real treat.


The stories, like the books, are neatly plotted, and told (by Bernie) with wit and humor.  There are 13 stories here (plus a forward and an afterward), and I found them, for the most part delightful.  I’m not going to discuss each story, but I do want to mention in particular 3 of them, the three strongest (and longest) pieces in the book.  (Another worth a specific mention is “The Burglar Who Collected Copernicus.)


The first, “Like a Thief in the Night,” finds Bernie in an office building, burgling, when a very attractive young woman walks in on him.  She’s there to retrieve what she describes as some of her work products that she wants copies of as she looks for a new job.  Bernie goes about his own burgling, while keeping an eye on her—even helping her with some locks.  There’s a twist in the ending that I did not see coming, and it’s the twist that makes this story a delight.


You may have heard about this, but maybe not.  Elvis Presley has been dead for a while.  Bernie gets hired by a lovely writer for a tabloid to get pictures of Elvis’s bedroom in Graceland, which means betting past some very serious security.  How he manages (related in “The Burglar Who Dropped In On Elvis”) is really nicely handled, and the description of the event itself is a hoot.  The twist at the end here is also neatly done.


My favorite tale is “The Burglar Who Smelled Smoke.”  Block has a pretty well-known love for Rex Stout’s series of novels and novellas featuring Archie Goodwin and Nero Wolfe, with a couple of novels (Make Out With Murder and The Topless Tulip Caper) using one man’s belief that Wolfe is a real person (these are really good, especially if you are a Nero Wolfe fan).  In this story, Bernie is selling a pristine copy of Stout’s first Nero Wolfe mystery (Fer-de-Lance, 1934; first editions are currently listed on used book sites for in excess of $20,000) to a very wealthy, very eccentric collector (Bernie’s day job is running a used bookstore).  He makes the sale, but the buyer dies, and in a seriously locked-down locked room.  The denouement is plays out a lot like the conclusion of a Nero Wolfe mystery, and there are, as added attractions, the buyer’s lovely wife and a mention of a Peter Lovesey story in the most recent issue of the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.

The concluding 6 pieces in the collection, while somewhat interesting, didn’t really add much, at least for me.  But the first half of the book is worth the price, and then some.  If you are already a fan of Block’s work, then you really should have The Burglar In Short Order.  If you’re not already a fan, it’s a nice place to start.  And you’ll only have 57 more mysteries to get your hands on.
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