The Burglar in the Closet

Book excerpt: A thief finds himself in the wrong place and suspected of the wrong crime in the “unfailingly entertaining” series from bestselling author (The New York Times). It’s hard to ignore someone with his hands in your mouth. Bernie Rhodenbarr’s all ears when Dr. Sheldrake, his dentist, starts complaining about his detestable, soon-to-be-ex wife, and happens to mention the valuable diamonds she keeps lying around the apartment. Since Bernie’s been known to supplement his income as a bookstore owner with the not-so-occasional bout of high-rise burglary, a couple of nights later he’s in the Sheldrake apartment with larceny on his mind—and has to duck into a closet when the lady of the house makes an unexpected entrance. Unfortunately he’s still there when an unseen assailant does Mrs. Sheldrake in . . . and then vanishes with the jewels. Bernie’s got to come out of the closet some time. But when he does, he’ll be facing a rap for a murder he didn’t commit—and for a burglary he certainly attempted—unless he can hunt down the killer who left him hanging. “Light-hearted crime at its very best.” —Robert Ludlum “Hilarious.” —St. Louis Post-Dispatch “A forgery ring turns up—along with the breezy Manhattan repartee and charmingly crude New Yorkers we’ve come to expect from the likably smart-alecky Mr. Block.” —Kirkus Reviews