The Burglar Who Studied Spinoza

By: Lawrence Block

Narrated by: Richard Ferrone

Bookselling burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr doesn’t generally get philosophical about his criminal career. He’s good at it, it’s addictively exciting—and it pays a whole lot better than pushing old tomes. He steals therefore he is, period.

He might well ponder, however, the deeper meaning of events at the luxurious Chelsea brownstone of Herb and Wanda Colcannon, which is apparently burgled three times on the night Bernie breaks in: once before his visit and once after. Fortunately he still manages to lift some fair jewelry and an extremely valuable coin. Unfortunately, burglar or burglars number three leave Herb unconscious and Wanda dead…and the cops think Rhodenbarr dunnit.

There’s no time to get all existential about it—especially after the coin vanishes and the fence fencing it meets with a most severe end. But Bernie is going to have to do some deep thinking to find a way out of this homicidal conundrum.

©1980 Lawrence Block (P)1999 Recorded Books

Lawrence Block’s Bernie and Carolyn ALWAYS satisfy!

Bernie Rhodenbarr might be your run of the mill book-monger. He likes it that way! He doesn’t HAVE to make a mint selling second-hand tomes since he is NOT your typical burglar. His lucrative part-time avocation leads to endless whimsical adventures and misadventures. His best friend Carolyn - top tease at The Poodle Factory. No, she isn’t a stripper, she spends her days fluffing and polishing the posh canine pets of Manhattan.

With an inscrutable salad of random but cogent, facts from history, literature and New York life - the pair provide riveting stories what are wonderfully recounted by the voices of Richard Ferrone. He has one of those voices that would make a science textbook more palatable.

I’ve loved these books for ages - listening on cassette tapes in my pick-up truck in college, CDs in my BMW while showing houses around town and even today - streaming through Audible into my Forester.

I’m glad the books were a hit, because it’s nice to have good AND humorous mystery writing this rare in such ample supply.

Leaves you rooting for the burglar !

This is one of the books in the "Burglar Who..." series, by Lawrence Block. The adventures of Bernie Rhodenbarr, a burglar who prays to St. Dismas (the saint of thieves) and seems so likeable that it's hard not to hope he will succeed. He has the front of being a used bookstore owner, and in some ways Block lets the reader think that he would like to go straight for good, but his addiction to robbing people is so powerful, he seems always to get tantalized into burgling yet another place. Good thing there is no 12 step group for burglars, or we would be deprived of these delightful books. Actually, these books are so cleverly written, that he does wind up being the "good guy" most of the time, because even as he is busy burgling and quickly being suspected by the police--even spending time in jail occasionally-- he is also working quietly to solve the crimes that other people are committing as well (usually murders).

In this book, he & his friend Carolyn have gone to a house with intent to burgle, only to discover that someone was there before them. They find several things to take with them, but leave, believing they missed out on an opportunity--not knowing that a murder occurs there. They visit a kind old man, who seems to be a "gentleman fence," a man whom Bernie seems to genuinely like and so makes a gift of an old book of writings by Spinoza before getting down to the transaction of selling his loot. All that happens after this is typical Bernie, with the on-going cast of characters who people the stories, including the semi-crooked cop, Ray (who both wants to arrest Bernie, but tends to help him as well).

This is a good story, a good listen. My only small criticism (and it is small) is that the narrator does not do a good job of women' voices. He tends to lower his voice tone (rather than raise it) for Bernie's friend Carolyn, which can leave the listener confused. This entire series is really a fun listen. For some reason I have been listening to them out of order, and it doesn't seem to hurt anything (there is rarely mention of what took place in earlier books). Recommend!

Quick entertaining listen

It was well read but I've gotten spoiled with books that have multiple readers. I got a little confused, just momentarily, at the end of the book.

Bernie is Real...

Non stop captivating entertainment. Richard Ferrone is brilliant narrating. Lawrence Block crafts a tale of Mystery suspense humor and realism. the New York City scene is all too familiar with me and made it even more enjoyable to recognize the culture cuisine neighborhoods making it even more visually impactful for me. It is of course written and conceived in the late seventies with no cell phones and only phone booths where dimes are necessary.

He’s Always Got a Story

His imagination never stops. He has more ideas than the average burglar. He’s amusing as well.