THE BURGLAR WHO LIKED TO QUOTE KIPLING

Bernie Rhondenbarr is back. The loveable guy, who is an antiquarian bookseller by day and a sometimes burglar at night, makes his fifth appearance on audio with this reading by his creator, mystery writer Lawrence Block. As with all the Bernie audiobooks, the plot matters little. Bernie pilfers an item--in this case, a rare edition of a Kipling book once owned by a well-known person (who shall remain nameless so as not to spoil the fun)--and ends up being charged with murder. After the first three sides, Bernie, wryly performed by Block with the perfect New York accent, rounds up all the suspects. This is the fourth Burglar book Block has read. In a brief interview the author explained that he records his own books "because I'm a ham. I enjoy doing readings on promotional tours." Block also explained that he doesn't write the condensed versions but touches them up before the recordings are made. As to how much of Bernie is really Block himself, the author said, "Not too much. I haven't knocked off any apartments lately." What's up next for Bernie? Block would only reveal that in the next book "Bernie leaves the city and winds up in a country house outside New York." S.I.R. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG 96]