Perennially star-crossed thief John Dortmunder is blackmailed by Johnny Eppick, a retired New York City cop. After careful study, Eppick has concluded that Dortmunder is the finest thief not already in jail. So, unless Dortmunder steals an 800-pound gold-and-jewel-encrusted chess set intended for Russia's last czar, he's off to prison again.

But the job, in Dortmunder's very professional opinion, is impossible. The chess set is in the basement vault of a Manhattan bank building, and it's been there--safe--for 60 years. Between a rock and a hard place, Dortmunder is even more hangdog and dour than usual, and that translates to especially fertile ground for the fourteenth caper-gone-wrong novel in this delightful series. Fans of the fatalistic crook will be happy to see Dortmunder's quirky crew back again and will revel in their pre-Copernican view of a Manhattan-based solar system.

Readers new to the Dortmunder series will simply laugh, then head to the library for more. Westlake is a national literary treasure, and his latest effort only enhances his value. Neocon pundit William Kristol recently wrote that Westlake deserves the Nobel Prize for Literature. The neocons haven't been right about much lately, but Kristol just may be on to something this time.

So, if you would like to win one of these new books, and you think you know all there is to know about the aforementioned writer himself, just answer this easy question: Many of his books have been made into movies, including 'The Hunter,' which became the brilliant film noir 'Point Blank,' and which 1999 smash hit that starred Mel Gibson?

Send us your answers and if you're correct you'll be in the running to win one of these new books! Just send us an e:mail here before May 1st with your answer and the subject title CONTEST: WHAT'S SO FUNNY? BOOK to: exclusivemagazine@flash.net

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