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Donald E. Westlake

    12 luglio 1933 – 31 dicembre 2008

    Donald E. Westlake è stato un autore eccezionalmente prolifico e di talento della narrativa poliziesca americana, rinomato per la sua prosa cinematografica e i dialoghi brillanti. Le sue opere esploravano spesso le vite di ladri e criminali, con personaggi memorabili come lo sfortunato John Dortmunder e il spietato Parker. Westlake era un maestro artigiano, capace di creare narrazioni avvincenti con colpi di scena inaspettati e un acuto sguardo sulla natura umana. La sua abilità nello scrivere sotto vari pseudonimi e nell'adattare le sue storie per il cinema sottolinea la sua versatilità e il suo impatto duraturo sul genere.

    Donald E. Westlake
    Addio, Shéhérazade
    Meglio non chiedere
    Payback
    Backflash - Inedito in Italia
    Comeback
    Two Much
    • Two Much

      • 228pagine
      • 8 ore di lettura

      Art Dodge, di mestiere l'inventore di battute per una ditta di cartoncini di auguri, ha un senso un po' elastico della morale e gli interessa solo vivere alla giornata. Un giorno incontra due gemelle, molto belle e molto ricche; così, per mettere le mani sulle ragazze e sul denaro si inventa un fratello gemello: Bart, elegante e intellettuale. A seconda della gemella che si trova a corteggiare, Art cambia ruolo, e ha un tale successo da riuscire a sposarle entrambe. Ma una finzione simile non è facile da tenere in piedi, soprattutto dopo che Art seduce la moglie di Bart. Westlake offre al lettore gaffe clamorose, equivoci e situazioni paradossali a ogni pagina, fino al colpo di scena finale, tinto di giallo. Da questo libro l'omonimo film con Antonio Banderas e Melanie Griffith.

      Two Much
      4,0
    • Comeback

      • 266pagine
      • 10 ore di lettura

      Parker, il maestro della rapina, è a riposo nel New Jersey con la sua compagna, Claire. Ma i 300.000 dollari di fondi della "crociata" di un ricco e disonesto predicatore televisivo sono una tentazione sufficiente a farlo tornare in gioco. L'occasione è irripetibile, grazie alla presenza di un informatore dall'interno. E i complici sono tre abili professionisti del crimine: Liss, Mackey e Brenda. Eppure anche un colpo perfetto può nascondere brutte sorprese: qualcuno vuole mettere Parker fuori gioco e tenere quei300.000 dollari tutti per sé. Braccato da poliziotti, criminali e uomini della"crociata", ora Parker ha un solo obiettivo: rimettere le mani sul bottino perduto. E nessuno potrà fermarlo.

      Comeback
      4,2
    • Backflash - Inedito in Italia

      • 280pagine
      • 10 ore di lettura

      Hot on the heels of his return in the enthusiastically acclaimed "Comeback", Parker, master thief extraordinaire, engineers a lucrative--and very deadly--gambling heist.

      Backflash - Inedito in Italia
      4,0
    • Payback

      Anonima Carogne

      • 184pagine
      • 7 ore di lettura

      Double-crossed, shot, and left for dead — by his wife. The thriller that introduces Parker. “A brilliant invention”. Played by Lee Marvin in the John Boorman movie. “The funnies call it the syndicate. The goons and hustlers call it the Outfit. You call it the Organization. But I don’t care if you call yourselves the Red Cross, you owe me forty-five thousand dollars and you’ll pay me back whether you like it or not.” This novel was originally titled The Hunter, later retitled Point Blank because of the movie, later retitled Payback because of the other movie.

      Payback
      4,0
    • Meglio non chiedere

      • 302pagine
      • 11 ore di lettura

      John Dortmunder, artista del crimine e ladro di onorevole carriera, ne ha viste tante e tante ne ha fatte. Ma questa volta l'incarico che ha accettato è davvero strano: si tratta di recuperare un femore. Non uno qualunque, si capisce, ma quello che ottocento anni fa sosteneva la nobile figura di una casta giovanetta, cui toccò l'orribile sorte di essere uccisa e mangiata dai suoi familiari, e il raro privilegio di essere poi beatificata. E adesso i servizi segreti di mezzo mondo si disputano le sacre spoglie mortali di santa Ferghana. Inutile dire che Dortmunder non riesce a resistere: un piccolo ritocco alla paga, ed eccolo che raduna la sua banda di sbandati per gettarsi in una nuova impresa.

      Meglio non chiedere
      3,4
    • Addio, Shéhérazade

      La vicenda di uno scrittore di romanoromanzi come grottesca, esilarante metafora della vita - romanzo

      • 167pagine
      • 6 ore di lettura

      Il suo amico Rod gli aveva detto: "Se sei capace di scrivere una lettera senza errori, sei capace di scrivere un romanzo erotico". E così Ed Topliss si era convinto e aveva scritto, al ritmo di uno al mese, ventotto pornolibri. Ma arrivato al ventinovesimo, scopre di non farcela più. E non solo non riesce più a scrivere Passioni deliranti, Sesso d'estate e Fuga nel piacere, ma si trova anche immerso in una riflessione sulla sua vita: il matrimonio, gli amici, il mestiere di scrittore di pornoromanzi. Con Addio, Shéhérazade l'ironico e scintillante Westlake raggiunge il massimo dello humour e del divertimento.

      Addio, Shéhérazade
      2,6
    • This companion volume features a stunning oversized slipcase edition that brings together two acclaimed works, The Score and Slayground. Celebrated for its quality, this collection follows the success of the award-winning Martini Edition, offering fans an elegant presentation of these stories.

      Richard Stark's Parker: The Martini Edition - Last Call
      4,8
    • Knocking over a lucrative religious revival show, Parker reminds us that not all criminals don ski masks - some prefer to hide behind the wings of fallen angels. Backflash followed soon after, and it found Parker checking out the scene on a Hudson River gambling boat.

      Butcher's Moon
      4,6
    • This collection features the complete works of Darwyn Cooke's acclaimed graphic novels, celebrated for their innovative storytelling and artistic style. Combining multiple award-winning narratives, it showcases Cooke's unique approach to the graphic novel format, making it a significant addition for both new readers and long-time fans. This softcover volume brings together these groundbreaking stories in one comprehensive edition, highlighting Cooke's impact on the genre.

      Richard Stark's Parker: The Complete Collection
      4,6
    • When John Dortmunder sets out to rob a bank, he really means it. He steals the whole thing. With the help of his usual crew, as well as a sophomoric ex-FBI man and a militant safecracker, Dortmunder puts a set of wheels under a trailer that just happens to be the temporary site of the Capitalists' & Immigrants' Trust Corp. When the safe won't open and the cops close in, Dortmunder realizes he's got to find a place -- somewhere in suburban Long Island -- to hide a bank. "One of the funniest conceptions you're going to come across...the ending is hilarious." (The New York Times)

      Bank Shot
      4,5
    • High Adventure

      • 326pagine
      • 12 ore di lettura

      You are in the jungles of Belize. You pick your way carefully along the overgrown trail until you come to the clearing. There, above you, rest the ruins of a Mayan pyramid. Is that a stone whistle at your feet? An idol of a bat- god? Riches surround you and Kirby Galaway will be more than happy to smuggle your finds up to the United States in a bale of marijuana. Aren't you glad you met Kirby? ..... Now it is your turn to meet Kirby Galaway and begin the most hilarious adventure of your life.

      High Adventure
      5,0
    • Lemons Never Lie

      • 224pagine
      • 8 ore di lettura

      Set against a backdrop of societal change, this book explores the complexities of human relationships and personal growth. The narrative delves into the lives of its characters, revealing their struggles and triumphs as they navigate the challenges of their time. Themes of love, identity, and resilience are woven throughout, making it a poignant reflection on the human experience. The author's insightful prose captures the essence of the era, inviting readers to connect deeply with the characters' journeys.

      Lemons Never Lie
      4,4
    • Drowned Hopes

      • 464pagine
      • 17 ore di lettura

      Bumbling comic criminal John Dortmunder is in hot water as he tries to keep a nasty old man from blowing up a dam to unearth $750,000. Dortmunder must devise a safer scheme to get the loot... before the old coot's trigger finger gets too itchy.

      Drowned Hopes
      4,2
    • Parker robs a rock concert, but the heist goes sour, and he finds himself - and his woman, Claire - menaced by a pair of sadistic, drug-crazed hippies. Slayground turns the hunter into prey, as Parker gets trapped in a shuttered amusement park, besieged by a bevy of local mobsters.

      Slayground
      4,2
    • Breakout: A Parker Novel

      • 320pagine
      • 12 ore di lettura

      Stuck in jail while awaiting trial, Parker builds a network among his fellow cons to assist him in getting out, but when he becomes involved in a heist set up by one of his fellow escapees, they suddenly find themselves on the run.

      Breakout: A Parker Novel
      4,2
    • What's the worst that could happen?

      • 324pagine
      • 12 ore di lettura

      Interrupted during a burglary by the owner of the Long Island mansion he had been trying to rob, professional thief Dortmunder encounters a bit of bad luck when he loses his lucky ring

      What's the worst that could happen?
      4,2
    • Help I Am Being Held Prisoner

      • 256pagine
      • 9 ore di lettura

      JAILED FOR A JOKE It isn't easy going to jail for a practical joke. Of course, this particular joke left 20 cars wrecked on the highway and two politicians' careers in tatters - so jail is where Harold Künt landed. Now he's just trying to keep a low profile in the Big House. He wants no part of his fellow inmates' plan to use an escape tunnel to rob two banks. But it's too late; he's in it up to his neck. And that neck may just wind up in a noose... HELP I AM BEING HELD PRISONER is Donald E. Westlake at his funniest and his most ingenious, a rediscovered crime classic from the MWA Grand Master returning to stores for the first time in three decades.

      Help I Am Being Held Prisoner
      4,2
    • The Operator

      • 238pagine
      • 9 ore di lettura

      In a seemingly idyllic town, private investigator Tim Smith, known as The Operator, maintains a fragile peace amidst underlying corruption. However, the tranquility shatters when a series of killings disrupts the community. As chaos ensues, Tim is thrust into a dangerous investigation that challenges the balance of his town and his role in it.

      The Operator
      3,7
    • The seventh book in the Parker series, this describes the aftermath of a brilliant heist at a college football game

      The Seventh
      4,1
    • The Score

      • 213pagine
      • 8 ore di lettura

      Parker works with a group of professional con men on his biggest job yet - robbing an entire town in North Dakota.

      The Score
      4,1
    • Parker robs a rock concert, but the heist goes sour, and he finds himself - and his woman, Claire - menaced by a pair of sadistic, drug-crazed hippies. Slayground turns the hunter into prey, as Parker gets trapped in a shuttered amusement park, besieged by a bevy of local mobsters.

      Plunder Squad
      4,1
    • The Outfit

      • 213pagine
      • 8 ore di lettura

      When the Outfit tries to kill him, Parker declares war. Ripping off the syndicate is easy, but going one-on-one with Bronson, the Outfit's big boss, is the hard part. Hard for anyone but Parker, because the entire underworld understands that whatever Parker does -- he does for keep

      The Outfit
      4,1
    • Parker robs a rock concert, but the heist goes sour, and he finds himself - and his woman, Claire - menaced by a pair of sadistic, drug-crazed hippies. Slayground turns the hunter into prey, as Parker gets trapped in a shuttered amusement park, besieged by a bevy of local mobsters.

      Deadly Edge
      4,1
    • Get Real

      • 304pagine
      • 11 ore di lettura

      John Dortmunder and his merry crew stumble upon a television reality show whose producer decides to push the limits of the medium. The studio will film the gang as they plan and execute one of their patented nothing-can-go-wrong-until-it-does capers. As the gang strategizes its next move with the cameras rolling, Dortmunder and his partner Kelp organize a private side enterprise. It will take an ingenious plan to outwit the executive suits and keep viewers glued to their television sets. But Dortmunder is nothing if not persistent, and he's determined to end this shoot with extra money in his pockets. GET REAL is the last hilarious caper by the late Grand Master of mystery and suspense Donald E. Westlake.

      Get Real
      4,1
    • Originally published: New York: Mysterious Press, 2000.

      Flashfire
      4,1
    • Ask the Parrot: A Parker Novel

      • 288pagine
      • 11 ore di lettura

      Together at last. Under the pseudonym Richard Stark, Donald E. Westlake, one of the greats of crime fiction, wrote twenty-four fast-paced, hard-boiled novels featuring Parker, a shrewd career criminal with a talent for heists and a code all his own. With the publication of the last four Parker novels Westlake wrote-Breakout, Nobody Runs Forever, Ask the Parrot, and Dirty Money-the University of Chicago Press pulls the ultimate score: for the first time ever, the entire Parker series will be available from a single publisher. In Ask the Parrot, Parker's back on the run, dodging dogs, cops, and even a helicopter. Forced to work with a small-town recluse and a group of fools at a gun club in rural Massachusetts, Parker focuses on getting the cash and getting out. It'll be a deadly day at the races. Featuring new forewords by Chris Holm, Duane Swierczynski, and Laura Lippman-celebrated crime writers, all-these masterworks of noir are the capstone to an extraordinary literary run that will leave you craving more. Written over the course of fifty years, the Parker novels are pure artistry, adrenaline, and logic both brutal and brilliant. Join Parker on his jobs and read them all again or for the first time. But don't talk to the law.

      Ask the Parrot: A Parker Novel
      4,1
    • Nobody Runs Forever: A Parker Novel

      • 304pagine
      • 11 ore di lettura

      Together at last. Under the pseudonym Richard Stark, Donald E. Westlake, one of the greats of crime fiction, wrote twenty-four fast-paced, hard-boiled novels featuring Parker, a shrewd career criminal with a talent for heists and a code all his own. With the publication of the last four Parker novels Westlake wrote-Breakout, Nobody Runs Forever, Ask the Parrot, and Dirty Money-the University of Chicago Press pulls the ultimate score: for the first time ever, the entire Parker series will be available from a single publisher. Nobody Runs Forever opens a three-part saga with a job at a poker game that sours into a necktie party. When Parker goes in on a messy scam-stealing an armored car-with someone he barely knows, as usual the amateurs get in the way of the job. Featuring new forewords by Chris Holm, Duane Swierczynski, and Laura Lippman-celebrated crime writers, all-these masterworks of noir are the capstone to an extraordinary literary run that will leave you craving more. Written over the course of fifty years, the Parker novels are pure artistry, adrenaline, and logic both brutal and brilliant. Join Parker on his jobs and read them all again or for the first time. But don't talk to the law.

      Nobody Runs Forever: A Parker Novel
      4,0
    • Memory

      • 366pagine
      • 13 ore di lettura

      THE CRIME WAS OVER IN A MINUTE – THE CONSQUENCES LASTED A LIFETIME Hospitalized after a liaison with another man’s wife ends in violence, Paul Cole has just one goal: to rebuild his shattered life. But with his memory damaged, the police hounding him, and no way even to get home, Paul’s facing steep odds – and a bleak fate if he fails… This final, never-before-published novel by three-time Edgar Award winner Donald E. Westlake is a noir masterpiece, a dark and painful portrait of a man’s struggle against merciless forces that threaten to strip him of his very identity.

      Memory
      4,0
    • A Parker novel, which has the main character in Sagamore, Nebraska, at the request of Joe Sheer, a retired safe cracker who carries many of Parker's criminal secrets.

      The Jugger
      4,0
    • The Green Eagle Score

      • 173pagine
      • 7 ore di lettura

      Here's Parker--planning to steal the entire payroll of an Air Force base in upstate New York, with help from Marty Fusco, fresh out of the pen, and a smart aleck finance clerk named Devers. Holed up with family in a scrappy little town, the hoisters prepare for the risky job by trying to shorten the odds. But the ice is thinner than Parker likes to think--and Marty's ex-wife is much more complicated. "Parker is refreshingly amoral, a thief who always gets away with the swag."--Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly "Westlake knows precisely how to grab a reader, draw him or her into the story, and then slowly tighten his grip until escape is impossible."--Washington Post Book World

      The Green Eagle Score
      4,0
    • Parker and his team attempt to get past a mansion's security and heist a Montana millionaire's stolen paintings. No matter how untamed the wilderness, Parker's guaranteed to be the most dangerous predator around.

      Firebreak
      4,0
    • Levine

      • 182pagine
      • 7 ore di lettura

      This collection of stories traces the hard-working, danger-filled days of middle-aged Brooklyn detective Abe Levine, a man struggling with conflict and death

      Levine
      3,4
    • The Ax

      • 352pagine
      • 13 ore di lettura

      The multi-award-winning, widely-acclaimed mystery master Donald E. Westlake delivers a masterpiece with this brilliant, laser-sharp tale of the deadly consequences of corporate downsizing.Burke Devore is a middle-aged manager at a paper company when the cost-cutting ax falls, and he is laid off. Eighteen months later and still unemployed, he puts a new spin on his job search -- with agonizing care, Devore finds the seven men in the surrounding area who could take the job that rightfully should be his, and systematically kills them. Transforming himself from mild-mannered middle manager to ruthless murderer, he discovers skills ne never knew ne had -- and that come to him far too easily.

      The Ax
      4,0
    • The fourth Parker novel has the main character coming up against the KGB while on the trail of a small statue stolen from a fifteenth-century French tomb

      The Mourner
      4,0
    • Parker is enlisted by the mob to knock off an island casino guarded by speed- boats and heavies, forty miles from the Texas coast.

      The Handle
      4,0
    • The Man with the Getaway Face

      • 216pagine
      • 8 ore di lettura

      Master thief Parker visits a plastic surgeon in Nebraska to hide the face that the New York syndicate wants to destroy, but now, with a whole new face, Parker sets out to plan the perfect heist of an armored car, but somehow things still keep going wrong

      The Man with the Getaway Face
      4,0
    • The Hot Rock

      • 145pagine
      • 6 ore di lettura

      Fresh out of prison, Dortmunder plans a heist that could mean war. John Dortmunder leaves jail with ten dollars, a train ticket, and nothing to make money on but his good name. Thankfully, his reputation goes far. No one plans a caper better than Dortmunder. His friend Kelp picks him up in a stolen Cadillac and drives him away from Sing-Sing, telling a story of a 500,000 emerald that they just have to steal. Dortmunder doesn't hesitate to agree. The emerald is the crown jewel of a former British colony, lately granted independence and split into two nations: one for t

      The Hot Rock
      4,0
    • A Likely Story

      • 317pagine
      • 12 ore di lettura

      Tom Diskant, a writer, struggles to get a Christmas anthology published, and wishes his estranged wife would get involved with someone else so that he could marry his girlfriend

      A Likely Story
      3,7
    • Call Me A Cab

      • 255pagine
      • 9 ore di lettura

      Set against the backdrop of a cross-country taxi cab journey, this final unpublished novel captures the essence of adventure and romance. The narrative showcases the author's signature style, blending humor and heart as characters navigate their relationships and the diverse landscapes of America. This work is a poignant reminder of the author's legacy, celebrating their unique voice and storytelling prowess that fans continue to cherish.

      Call Me A Cab
      3,9
    • Double Feature

      • 256pagine
      • 9 ore di lettura

      THE MOVIE STAR AND THE MOVIE CRITIC - HOW FAR WOULD THEY GO TO KEEP THEIR SECRETS BURIED? DOUBLE FEATURE contains two CLASSIC Donald E. Westlake novellas, A Travesty and Ordo

      Double Feature
      3,9
    • Hard Case Crime - 105: The Comedy Is Finished

      The MWA Grand Master's Great Lost Novel - First Time in Paperback!

      • 352pagine
      • 13 ore di lettura

      The year is 1977, and America is finally getting over the nightmares of Watergate and Vietnam and the national hangover that was the 1960s. But not everyone is ready to let it go. Not aging comedian Koo Davis, friend to generals and presidents and veteran of countless USO tours to buck up American troops in the field. And not the five remaining members of the self-proclaimed People's Revolutionary Army, who've decided that kidnapping Koo Davis would be the perfect way to bring their cause back to life... The final novel from the legendary Donald Westlake!

      Hard Case Crime - 105: The Comedy Is Finished
      3,7
    • A corrupt African colonel has smuggled diamonds to Manhattan, prompting four citizens to plan a heist to reclaim their nation's wealth. They enlist Parker, a skilled specialist, who faces pressure from both his girlfriend's expectations and threats from hired goons. Will he break his rule against amateurs to help them?

      The Black Ice Score. A Parker Novel. With a new foreword by Dennis Lehane
      3,8
    • Somebody Owes Me Money

      • 256pagine
      • 9 ore di lettura

      SOMETIMES WINNING FEELS AN AWFUL LOT LIKE LOSING. Cab driver Chet Conway was hoping for a good tip from his latest fare, the sort he could spend. But what he got was a tip on a horse race. Which might have turned out okay, except that when he went to collect his winnings Chet found his bookie lying dead on the living room floor. Chet knows he had nothing to do with it – but just try explaining that to the cops, to the two rival criminal gangs who each think Chet’s working for the other, and to the dead man’s beautiful sister, who has flown in from Las Vegas to avenge her brother’s murder…

      Somebody Owes Me Money
      3,8
    • God Save The Mark

      • 272pagine
      • 10 ore di lettura

      * mark n. An easy victim; a ready subject for the practices of a confidence man, thief, beggar, etc. That's the definition of a mark, and Fred Fitch is the quintessential example. He boasts the largest collection of fake receipts, phony bills of sale, and counterfeit sweepstakes tickets in the Western Hemisphere. Uniquely, he is also the only New Yorker in the twentieth century to purchase a money machine. Every con artist in New York sees hitting Fred as essential; he’s the ultimate target. When his long-lost Uncle Matt dies, leaving Fred three hundred thousand dollars, it sets off a chaotic chain of events. With this windfall, Fred attracts unwanted attention, especially since Uncle Matt was murdered, and now someone is determined to do the same to him. Along the way, he encounters two charming women of contrasting types, adding to the chaos. As Fred navigates the New York City landscape—interacting with cops, con men, and potential murderers—his journey resembles that of a comedic hero caught in a whirlwind of absurdity. The mix of comedy and suspense ensures a wild ride filled with laughter and unexpected twists.

      God Save The Mark
      3,8
    • What I Tell You Three Times Is False

      • 201pagine
      • 8 ore di lettura

      Sam Holt played TV-detective Jack Packard for five years, and he doesn't want to do it again. Not in a movie, not in dinner theater, not even in a commercial for the American Cancer Society. But his tough-minded girlfriend (It s not about you) has carried the day, and now he s stuck on an isolated island, hunting clues to a cancer cure alongside Charlie Chan, Miss Marple, and Sherlock Holmes. The script says they're doomed to failure (translation: Donate money to cancer research).And when a genuine murder crops up, their sleuthing isn't likely to be much more successful; after all, these folks are not famous detectives, they just play 'em on TV. But with the cops cut off by a storm and a killer stalking the island, Holt and Co. must play detective for real.

      What I Tell You Three Times Is False
      3,6
    • I Know a Trick Worth Two of That

      • 278pagine
      • 10 ore di lettura

      Sam Holt spent years playing Packard, everyone's favorite TV-detective; he's got no desire to play sleuth in real life. But when a long-lost pal calls with a rant about conspiracies, sinister cargo ships and hit men, and then gets poisoned at a party full of Holt's closest friends, there doesn't seem to be a lot of choice. Sure, Holt could leave it to the cops and cross his fingers. But Packard would never have taken such a weenie's way out. And Holt, to his astonishment, finds that he can't take it, either.

      I Know a Trick Worth Two of That
      3,7
    • Trust Me On This

      • 292pagine
      • 11 ore di lettura

      When a serious young journalist discovers a bloody corpse on the way to her new job at a sleazy tabloid paper, she is soon dodging bullets and matching wits with her enigmatic publisher.

      Trust Me On This
      3,8
    • The Cutie

      • 250pagine
      • 9 ore di lettura

      A crime boss's right-hand man must find the real killer of Mavis St. Paul, a rich man's mistress, in order to clear the name of a two-bit punk accused of the crime who has been set up to take the fall by a clever cutie.

      The Cutie
      3,8
    • Ever-lovable but hapless crook John Dortmunder and his merry band of misfits attempt to drive off with a fleet of vintage automobiles in a con against a corrupt CEO who has lavished more of his company's money on himself than the boys at Enron and WorldCom combined.

      The Road to Ruin
      3,8
    • The Blackbird

      • 184pagine
      • 7 ore di lettura

      Donald E. Westlake is one of the greats of crime fiction. Under the pseudonym Richard Stark, he wrote twenty-four fast-paced, hardboiled novels featuring Parker, a shrewd career criminal with a talent for heists. Using the same nom de plume, Westlake also completed a separate series in the Parker universe, starring Alan Grofield, an occasional colleague of Parker. While he shares events and characters with several Parker novels, Grofield is less calculating and more hot-blooded than Parker; think fewer guns, more dames. Not that there isn’t violence and adventure aplenty. The third Grofield novel, The Blackbird shares its first chapter with Slayground: after a traumatic car crash, Parker eludes the police, but Grofield gets caught. Lying injured in the hospital, Grofield is visited by G-Men who offer him an alternative to jail, and he finds himself forced into a deadly situation involving international criminals and a political conspiracy. With a new foreword by Sarah Weinman that situates the Grofield series within Westlake’s work as a whole, this novel is an exciting addition to any crime fiction fan’s library.

      The Blackbird
      3,7
    • The Dame

      • 183pagine
      • 7 ore di lettura

      Donald E. Westlake is one of the greats of crime fiction. Under the pseudonym Richard Stark, he wrote twenty-four fast-paced, hardboiled novels featuring Parker, a shrewd career criminal with a talent for heists. Using the same nom de plume, Westlake also completed a separate series in the Parker universe, starring Alan Grofield, an occasional colleague of Parker. While he shares events and characters with several Parker novels, Grofield is less calculating and more hot-blooded than Parker; think fewer guns, more dames. Not that there isn’t violence and adventure aplenty. . The Dame finds Grofield in Puerto Rico protecting a rich, demanding woman in her isolated jungle villa, and reluctantly assuming the role of detective. A rare Westlake take on a whodunit, The Dame features a cast of colorful characters and a suspenseful—and memorable—climax. With a new foreword by Sarah Weinman that situates the Grofield series within Westlake’s work as a whole, this novel is an exciting addition to any crime fiction fan’s library.

      The Dame
      3,7
    • Seven years after he begins receiving mysterious checks that follow him as he moves through life, Josh Redmont, en route to a summer vacation, is approached by a stranger with information about Josh's identity. 35,000 first printing.

      Money for nothing
      3,6
    • One of Us Is Wrong

      • 254pagine
      • 9 ore di lettura

      Actor Sam Holt has packed in Packard, the TV detective he played for several years to much acclaim and lots of money. But success has had its downside: Holt is so closely identified with Packard that he can't get hired to play anyone else. Suddenly, though, someone seems to have a new role for Holt: the role of Dead Body. Years of having watched stunt-drivers do their stuff help Holt avoid becoming a grease-spot on the San Diego Freeway, but his Volvo will never play the violin again. And if Holt can't figure out where the screenwriters are going with this one, he's not going to get a chance for a second take.

      One of Us Is Wrong
      3,7
    • Put a Lid on It

      • 223pagine
      • 8 ore di lettura

      Francis gets out of prison if he'll pull off one very special heist--of an incriminating videotape that could cost the President of the United States his re-election, and maybe even his freedom. He's about to meet a whole new breed of conspirators: the kind that live in Washington, don't know how to keep a secret, and could get an honest crook killed...

      Put a Lid on It
      3,7
    • Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop

      Tis the Season to Be Deadly, Stories of Mistletoe and Mayhem From 17 Masters of Suspense - Advance Reader's Copy

      • 245pagine
      • 9 ore di lettura

      Each year, for the past seventeen years, Mysterious Bookshop proprietor Otto Penzler has commissioned an original Christmas story by a leading suspense writer. These stories were then produced as pamphlets, just 1,000 copies, and given to customers of the bookstore as a Christmas present. Now, all seventeen tales have been collected in one volume, showcasing the talents of: Charles Ardai Lisa Atkinson George Baxt Lawrence Block Mary Higgins Clark Thomas H. Cook Ron Goulart Jeremiah Healy Edward D. Hoch Rupert Holmes Andrew Klavan Michael Malone Ed McBain Anne Perry S. J. Rozan Jonathan Santlofer Donald E. WestlakeSome of these stories are humorous, others suspenseful, and still others are tales of pure detection, but all of them together make up a charming collection and a perfect Christmas gift for all ages.

      Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop
      3,6
    • The Damsel

      • 184pagine
      • 7 ore di lettura

      Donald E. Westlake is one of the greats of crime fiction. Under the pseudonym Richard Stark, he wrote twenty-four fast-paced, hardboiled novels featuring Parker, a shrewd career criminal with a talent for heists. Using the same nom de plume, Westlake also completed a separate series in the Parker universe, starring Alan Grofield, an occasional colleague of Parker. While he shares events and characters with several Parker novels, Grofield is less calculating and more hot-blooded than Parker; think fewer guns, more dames. Not that there isn’t violence and adventure aplenty. The Damsel begins directly after the Parker novel The Handle. Following a wounded Grofield and his damsel on a scenic, action-packed road trip from Mexico City to Acapulco, The Damsel is full of wit, adrenaline, and political intrigue. With a new foreword by Sarah Weinman that situates the Grofield series within Westlake’s work as a whole, these novels are an exciting addition to any crime fiction fan’s library.

      The Damsel
      3,6
    • Hard Case Crime: 361

      He'd Lost Everything - Except His Eye for Vengeance - Complete and Unabridged

      • 208pagine
      • 8 ore di lettura

      The men in the tan-and-cream Chrysler came with guns blazing. When Ray woke up in the hospital a month later, he was missing an eye, and his father was dead. Then things started to get bad... From the incomparable Donald E. Westlake comes a devastating story of betrayal and revenge, exploring the limits of family loyalty and how far a man will go when everything he loves is taken from him.

      Hard Case Crime: 361
      3,3
    • 361

      • 207pagine
      • 8 ore di lettura

      The men in the tan-and-cream Chrysler came with guns blazing. When Ray Kelly woke up in the hospital, it was a month later, he was missing an eye, and his father was dead. Then things started to get bad.From the mind of the incomparable Donald E. Westlake - Mystery Writers of America Grandmaster and Academy Award nominee for the screenplay of The Grifters - comes a devastating story of betrayal and revenge, an exploration of the limits of family loyalty and how far a man will go when everything he loves is taken from him.

      361
      3,6
    • Castle in the Air

      • 191pagine
      • 7 ore di lettura

      In the funniest crime caper ever from Grandmaster Donald Westlake, four teams of international thieves race through Paris to steal a king's ransom from the walls of a disassembled castle. A DIRTY DOZEN WITH A FRENCH CONNECTION When four groups of international heist artists team up to pull off the theft of the century – stealing an entire castle, and the treasure hidden in its walls –what could possibly go wrong? Well, consider this: none of the master thieves speak each other’s languages... and no one knows precisely where the loot is stashed... and every one of them wants to steal it all for him or herself. It’s MWA Grand Master Donald E. Westlake at his wildest, a breathless slapstick chase through the streets of Paris only one step ahead of the law – and each other.

      Castle in the Air
      3,4
    • WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER

      Reflections on the Dramas of Life

      • 132pagine
      • 5 ore di lettura

      Exploring existential questions, this book delves into the human experience of seeking identity, purpose, and meaning in life. It reflects on the universal desires for love, friendship, and happiness, highlighting the journey between birth and death as a quest for understanding our place in the world. Through thoughtful contemplation, it invites readers to engage with profound themes that resonate deeply within us all.

      WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER
    • Under an English Heaven

      The Remarkable True Story of the 1969 British Invasion of Anguilla

      • 252pagine
      • 9 ore di lettura

      Set in early 1969, the story unfolds on the Caribbean island of Anguilla, which has transformed into a center of rebellion and criminal activity. The narrative explores the island's turbulent atmosphere, highlighting the clash between local insurgents and external influences, as well as the impact of gangsters seeking refuge there. The book delves into the complexities of this unique historical moment, capturing the essence of a community grappling with change and conflict.

      Under an English Heaven
    • The Spy in the Elevator

      • 24pagine
      • 1 ora di lettura

      Preserving a significant work in literary history, this modern edition of a classical book has been reformatted and retyped for clarity and readability. Alpha Editions aims to ensure that this important narrative remains accessible to both present and future generations, emphasizing the commitment to high-quality publishing standards. The effort to avoid scanned copies enhances the reading experience, making it a valuable addition to any collection.

      The Spy in the Elevator
    • Up Your Banners

      • 256pagine
      • 9 ore di lettura

      This is the story of a White Rabbit named Oliver who meets a Black Alice named Leona in the Blunderland of the New York City public school system, and of how even a rabbit who doesn't know what time it is can sometimes come in first. When Oliver Abbott (100 percent white) takes a teaching post at Schuyler Colfax High School (93 percent black) that the local community wanted filled by a black man, there just isn't going to be anything in front of our hero but trouble. The trouble starts normally enough with picket signs and a student strike, but it doesn't end there, not with well-meaning Oliver at the middle of the whirlpool. Oliver just can't get it through his non-woolly head that he's important enough to be the center of a controversy. He seeks explanations, and they are furnished by a beautiful black militant name Leona Roof. When the explanations begin to get more personal, Oliver compounds his interest in Leona, and troubles with the rest of the world. If you would like to know what really happens during a Black Caucus (not exactly the same as a Black Mass), if you'd like to meet a hero's mother who makes lemonade for the people picketing the house, then lift Up Your Banners and start to read a message novel whose message is: As Long As We're All This Foolish, There's Probably Still Hope.

      Up Your Banners
    • Burk Devore, ein gescheiterter Manager, hat seit zwei Jahren keinen Job und kämpft um seine Familie. Um seine Ziele zu erreichen, plant er, seine Konkurrenten auszuschalten, um die gewünschte Stelle zu bekommen. Ist Mord als Notwehr gegen den Stellenabbau gerechtfertigt?

      Der Freisteller. Roman
      5,0
    • Rivages/Noir - 554: Jimmy the Kid

      • 240pagine
      • 9 ore di lettura

      Kelp, a troublesome jinx, convinces Dortmunder to base their next gang caper on a kidnapping that works for the criminals in his favorite pulp novel. Of course, plans never survive their execution. Dortmunder tries to simplify the printed plot for real life, but their target Jimmy 11 has his own ideas.

      Rivages/Noir - 554: Jimmy the Kid
      4,4
    • Richard Stark's Parker The Score

      • 160pagine
      • 6 ore di lettura

      A high-octane trip across America, The Score finds Parker assembling the best caper men he can find to knock over his most audacious target yet: an entire town. They scheme, they prepare, and they execute with military precision, unaware that the whole thing is about to blow up in their faces. Long considered a high water mark in the Parker series, this new graphic adaptation brings the original to violent, double-crossing life. Darwyn Cooke, Eisner-Award winning creator of DC: The New Frontier, continues adapting Richard Stark's genre-defining Parker novels with his signature pulp flair in this third installment. A hard-nosed thief, Parker is Richard Stark's most famous creation, and Stark, in turn, is the most famous pen name of Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Donald E. Westlake.

      Richard Stark's Parker The Score
      4,3
    • Zatracená smůla

      • 237pagine
      • 9 ore di lettura

      Série příběhů o Dortmunderovi je tím zdaleka nejlepším z rozsáhlé románové i povídkové tvorby amerického spisovatele Donalda E. Westlakea a zároveň i špičkovou ukázkou žánru literární krimikomedie. Hrdinou celé série je drobný a nepříliš úspěšný podvodníček, zloděj a lupič John Dortmunder, věčný smolař, který se i s partou svých pomocníků pravidelně buď vlastní vinnou nebo v důsledku náhod a nepředvídatelných okolností ocitá v prekérních situacích a malérech. Tentokrát Dortmunder při obyčejné loupeži v klenotnictví nedopatřením vezme i pohádkově cenný drahokam, o který mají zájem všichni od americké vlády, policie, FBI až po sebranku těch nejhorších newyorských zločinců. A ti všichni teď jsou do Dortmunderovi...... celý text

      Zatracená smůla
      4,3
    • Parker. Lovec

      • 144pagine
      • 6 ore di lettura

      Lovec je příběh muže, který udeří na New York jako výstřel z brokovnice. Parker, okraden parťákem a zrazen ženou, kterou miloval, si klestí cestu divokým terénem s jedinou utkvělou myšlenkou - uskutečnit svou chladnou klinicky precizní pomstu... a vzít si zpět to, co mu patří. Legendární kniha Richarda Starka (alias Donalda Westlakea) v komiksovém zpracování cenami ověnčeného Darwyna Cooka. Klasika moderní kriminálky (několikrát zfilmovaná, naposledy s Melem Gibsonem v hlavní roli), příběh pomsty s nelítostným zločineckým profesionálem známým pouze jako Parker v hlavní roli, v nádherném stylovém provedení. "Parker je ten nejikoničtější zločinec, jaký byl kdy stvořen, a rozhodně můj nejoblíbenější." - Ed Brubaker

      Parker. Lovec
      4,2
    • Le contrat

      • 340pagine
      • 12 ore di lettura

      Tout commence dans la salle de lecture d'une bibliothèque de Manhattan. Bryce Proctorr, auteur à succès, y prend des notes pour son prochain roman, qu'il a du mal à commencer. Il faut dire que Bryce est au milieu d'un divorce particulièrement pénible, et que Lucie, sa future ex-femme, a promis de le saigner à blanc. Soudain, Bryce aperçoit Wayne Prentice, un " collègue " avec lequel il a débuté. Mais qui n'a pas eu sa chance : il est sur la fameuse liste " intermédiaire " de l'ordinateur des commerciaux, celle qui recense les écrivains dont la courbe des ventes est descendante. Les conséquences sont faciles à prévoir : moins de livres mis en place dans les librairies, des avances de plus en plus faibles, le début d'un cercle vicieux. Les deux hommes, qui ne se sont pas revus depuis des années, exposent leurs difficultés, et Bryce a soudain une idée de génie : Wayne a un manuscrit, mais pas d'éditeur ; Bryce a un éditeur, mais pas de manuscrit. Wayne va donc " vendre " son œuvre à Bryce qui la fera publier sous son nom, et les bénéfices seront répartis de façon égale. Wayne accepte. C'est alors que Bryce ajoute une clause à l'étrange contrat qui va les lier : son épouse doit mourir. Dans la lignée du Couperet, un Westlake impitoyable qui dissèque les mœurs éditoriales américaines et illustre à sa façon le mythe de Faust, jusqu'au final aussi imprévisible que saisissant.

      Le contrat
      4,0