Petey's Fiction Review

The Road to Ruin

by Donald E. Westlake

Unlucky John Dortmunder and his wayward gang of thieves launch a new caper when they pose as household servants in order to infiltrate wealthy executive Monroe Hall's estate. Their purpose? Scam the biggest scammer of all and make off with his collection of valuable cars.

What Dortmunder and his crew don't realize is that two other gangs, each bent on revenge, are simultaneously working both independently and in concert to find a way to drain Monroe Hall's offshore bank accounts.

Soon, all their paths converge, and the best-laid plans of rats and men begin to go awry. Hall and Dortmunder are kidnapped and spirited away to a mountain hideout. When resourceful Hall executes a daring escape, he sets into motion a convoluted chain of events that all are powerless to stop.

Westlake's comic genius and intricate plotting keeps readers of The Road to Ruin laughing—and guessing—at every turn of a page. To say that Donald E. Westlake ranks among such notable writers as Patricia Cornwell (Isle of Dogs) and Carl Hiaasen (Basket Case) for humorous crime fiction may be an understatement. Indeed, Westlake may be the leader of the pack.

Prolific author Donald E. Westlake, whose writing career spans more than 35 years, has won three Edgar Awards and a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award. He also writes under various pseudonyms, which include Richard Stark. He lives in New York State.

Visit Donald's Web site at www.donaldwestlake.com/

Review by Phil Hanson

Click on the cover image to order your copy of The Road to Ruin.

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