Get Real Donald Westlake Grand Central July 09

The mystery field has lost some very big names of late. One of them was Donald Westlake.

Get Real is a Dortmunder series novel. Most of the readers I know prefer Westlake's Stark series. Where violence is ever present and the story is tough and 'realistic.' I'm sorry, but that's not real life for 98% of us. Dortmunder and his pals Kelp, Tiny and Murch are much closer portrayals of the average John or Jane. Low keyed humor, petty problems that keep piling up, the peripheral characters who drive cabs and work at grocery stores all have been written into the Dortmunder series with such style and grace and realism that you feel you're part of the story.

That's realistic crime fiction. I understand why readers may want to get away from real life for a while, why they prefer action and violence and something out of the ordinary over the day to day routine. It's all well and good. I'm not saying don't read Stark. But come back to reality once and a while. Pick up Get Real or the others in the Dortmunder series
and enjoy life.

Get Real has the gang working as themselves, thieves on a reality TV show. Initially, Westlake plays up the idiocy of reality shows, finding them oxymoronic. But, to the actors and writers and producers and the Dortmunder people it's a real job. Of course, for the Dortmunder and co. there's an ulterior motive. Somewhere on the production site there's some cash to be had. The gang goes along with the variations on reality in order to realize their own ends. Another caper
from the pen of the late Donald Westlake that's as always, a great read.

Dave Biemann