Monday, February 04, 2019

Brothers Keepers by Donald E. Westlake


First Line: "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned."

Having heard many good things about Donald E. Westlake, I looked forward to reading Brothers Keepers. After all, what in the world can a group of sixteen monks do when their 200-year-old monastery on Park Avenue in New York City is condemned to make way for a new high-rise?

It's a miracle they knew about it at all. If not for Brother Benedict's weekly purchase of the Sunday New York Times, they might have been blissfully unaware until the wrecking ball showed up at their door. Once they know, however, they move as quickly as possible in an attempt to save their home.

Humor is one of the most subjective things there is, and I'd heard a lot about Westlake's. Although I did smile a time or two at Father Banzolini's way of listening to confession, I did not find the book overly funny. In fact, the entire book didn't grab me at all even though I could appreciate how well it was written.

That happens sometimes. No matter how well someone writes, a book just doesn't pique a reader's interest. I'm glad that I did read a Westlake novel and can move on. Your mileage, of course, will definitely vary, and I hope you do enjoy Brothers Keepers.
 

Brothers Keepers by Donald E. Westlake
ISBN: 9781785657153
Hard Case Crime © 2019
Originally published 1975
Paperback, 304 pages

Humorous Mystery, Standalone
Rating: C+
Source: the publisher


 

4 comments:

  1. Well, my comment would be that the cover is definitely a 'vintage' one - ha! I don't think I've read anything by this author and I'm not really encouraged to do so from this. Sorry. Ha!

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    1. I know what you mean about the cover. The second I first slapped eyes on it I thought, "Wow. Now that takes me back!" LOL

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  2. Well, you read it so I don't have to is how I'd put this.

    That cover is like the Mickey Spillane book covers I used to see as a teenager, which turned me off to reading the books.

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    1. Those covers seemed to be everywhere back in the day. And you've reminded me of how Barbara Peters likes to say that she reads bad books so we don't have to... although this book isn't bad, and it didn't help that I read it in between two A+ books...

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