Bad News

By: Donald E. Westlake

Narrated by: Michael Kramer

“I’m a robber,” John Dortmunder says, “not a grave robber.” Yet he soon finds himself in a Long Island cemetery with dirt up to his knees. His old friend Andy Kelp is to blame—Andy and the Internet. For it was while ambling on the Net that Kelp met up with master manipulator Fitzroy Guilderpost and his nefarious companions, the flunked teacher Irwin Gabel and the Las Vegas showgirl Little Feather Redcorn. What these three have in mind is the takeover of an upstate casino, and what they also envision is that Dortmunder and Kelp will not share in the ill-gotten gains. Shovel in hand, Dortmunder wonders whose grave this is. If he isn’t careful, it could be his.

“Westlake has a genius for comic strategy, and Bad News has a lunatic brilliance worthy of Abbott and Costello.”—New York Times

When I need a "pick me up" this is my go to series

The writing is impeccable.
The reader is one of the very best.
And I laugh out loud at the antics of the characters.
Highly recommended to anyone who just wants to enjoy a good laugh without compromising on quality writing.

Good humor criminals

Another great Westlake story. The production was below par though as whole sentences were repeated eight or so times. Better than missing.

My Favorite Dortmunder

The story and the reader combine to make this the funniest caper yet. Love it.

Twisted plot about twisted characters.

I enjoy the Dortmunder series of comic mysteries. This is one of the more intricate plots and more complicated than most. Not that it is believable, but at least, within its own world, it kind of makes sense, which isn't to say it isn't full of surprise twists. It ends in a satisfying way, in which nearly every crook gets what he/she deserves. Needless to say, John Dortmunder is never going to make a huge financial killing, but he'll never be without his group of friends and admirers. The narrator, Michael Cramer, does an exceptional job giving individual voices to the characters and adds enormously to the pleasure of the story.

Terrific Caper and Best Narrator

I’ve listened to this audiobook four or five times now. Michael Kramer does an excellent job with the gang and all the other characters. He is now one of my favorite narrators. This is a great story with lots of funny moments and quite a few Laugh Out Loud moments. This may be my favorite DORTMUNDER book.