Drowned Hopes Hardcover – January 1, 1990

When I tire of most of the authors I try to read, I always go back to Westlake. I've read some of his books 3 times now. With enough time between these reads, I find that I enjoy them just as much as the first read. For me, his wit and his insight into human behavior, never fail to make me smile as I read his works. As I approach the end of my day and think I have one of his books to read in bed, I get a lift. He's simply the best. Too bad he isn't here now to keep writing.

The usual suspects are back once again proving crime really doesn't pay. Dortmund comes up with the plans, Andy Kelp gets the transportation, Stan Murch drives it and Murch's mom and May provide support. But when the pay off is fifty feet under water and a ruthless killer is involved, the result is bound to be chaos and mayhem and rib splitting laughs.

I've often laughed out loud at Dortmunder and the guys, but yawned at this one. It might have made a short story - people going underwater in vain became wearisome, and the twist at the end was too cruel to be funny.

Dortmunder and his friends get roped into an adventure in upstate New York. This one has everyone in over their heads.An ex-con needs help to get at his stashed money. Can Dortmunder figure out how and get it done or will this be the scheme that got away?

I absolutely love this series. This seventh book about hapless John Dortmunder presents a seemingly impossible task, to retrieve a casket (yes, a coffin) of cash from the bottom of a reservoir. The trials of diving into murky water was a little over the top for me (hence the four star review instead of five) but I still loved the book.

This may well be the very best of Grand Master Westlake's Dortmunder series!

The Dortmunder books span decades. I think this is the first one that involves computers, and was probably already retro when it was new. Everything about it is classic Westlake: the gradual refining of the heist plan, the large assortment of well-defined characters that eventually come together in a magnificent climax... I bought this for my mom, but I think I'm going to read it again.

Read this long ago many times and loved. Bought it so I could keep it in my library when I needed sensation humor. Don Westlake is a genius.

Wenn Donald Westlake seinen unglückseligen Meisterdieb John Dortmunder mitsamt seiner Gang ausrücken lässt, ist klar: Es wird schief gehen, was schief gehen kann. Dennoch drückt der Leser bis zur letzten Zeile den skurrilen Berufsverbrechern die Daumen, und wird bestens unterhalten: Wesentliches Element dabei sind die witzigen Dialoge, die verquere Liebeserklärung an New York und die subtile Kritik am American Way of Life. Meisterhaft findet Westlake beispielsweise die Balance zwischen Dortmunders stets präsenter Angst vor einer Verhaftung, seiner gleichzeitigen Überzeugung, dass manche Schwerverbrecher dauerhaft hinter Gitter gehören und seiner unbedingten Treue zur Ganovenehre.Bei "Drownded Hopes" geht es darum, die reiche Beute eines brutalen Raubüberfalls nach Jahrzehnten aus ihrem Versteck zu holen. Das Problem: Über dem Versteck befindet sich mittlerweile ein Stausee. Das zweite Problem: Der Räuber von einst ist zwar im Gefängnis alt geworden, aber noch immer so brutal wie einst. Darum muss Dortmunder ihm zu Willen sein. Trotz mancher Längen steht als Fazit auch hinter diesem Dortmunder-Roman: Verbrechen lohnt sich doch - zumindest für die Leser von Westlake.

Great book. Pay your taxes. I don't know what more to say. Stop sending me reviews. If I have a problem I will call you.

Always a good read!