THE THIEF WHO COULDN'T SLEEP

The first in Block's humorous adventure novels about Evan Tanner presents an improbable hero who performs improbable feats. Prompted by an exotic dancer, the sleepless (a war injury destroyed the sleep center of his brain) Tanner, a randy intellectual ne'er-do-well, sets off for Turkey in quest of treasure--setting off a revolution, tripping over other international incidents and getting plenty of nooky. Nick Sullivan is perfectly cast as the narrating protagonist, brainy, bemused, tough enough to have fought in the Korean War. He plays down the derring-do while playing up the characterizations and strange ironies, thus giving Tanner an endearing modesty, as if his achievements interest him less than the curiosities he encounters. The downside of this approach is that, by making his narrow escapes too easy, he never builds much tension or suspense. Yet, he manages to keep our attention riveted to his voice and his tale. Y.R. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 00]