Somebody Owes Me Money

Stephen Thorne sounds like a natural-born reader of Westlake's breezy, irreverent characters. This pre-Dortmunder saga, written in 1969, is less polished than many of his more recent novels, but his trademark elements are here. Lots of buddies, some losers, a few heart-of-gold types, one misunderstood protagonist, one beautiful woman, and New York City. Stephen Thorne makes the most of it, rendering the implausible goings-on (which start with a cabbie being paid with a tip on a horse race) almost believable through an assured, commanding delivery. He handles male and female voices expertly and gives each of the main characters a distinct, consistent voice. This is a romp through the New York of 40 years ago. R.E.K. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

September 15, 2008
In this welcome rerelease of three-time Edgar Award winner Westlake's 1969 novel, Chet Conway, a New York cabby with a taste for betting, gets stuck in the middle of a mob war. This is a simple world, one in which the erudite, bumbling, wise-cracking protagonist can end up with both the money and the girl. British actor/narrator Stephen Thorne voices Conway just right, making him immensely likable. Recommended for public libraries and other recreational fiction collections. [Discs indexed inaudibly at the start of each chapter and at regular intervals throughout; audio clip available through www.bbcaudiobooksamerica.comI. Pour-El, Des Moines Area Technical Coll., Boone, IA

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