Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable Read!
Review: The Burglar in the Library is eighth in the series by Lawrence Block, renowned mystery-crime writer. The book is written from the perspective of Bernie Rhodenbarr, the main character. The story takes place over a long weekend. The setting is a country inn.Bernie is a bookstore owner (and amateur sleuth) who acquires books using legal and illegal means. He learns there may be a valuable, rare edition at the Cuddleford Inn in upstate New York. If so, Bernie intends to find it and take it. But strange things are happening at the inn. Within hours of Bernie's arrival, there is a great snow storm, the phone lines are cut, and a guest has expired in the library. Things get even more mysterious when the inn's bridge is sabotaged and people keep dying. It's up to Bernie to get things figured out. Block has a knack for making murder entertaining. Just when you think you have things figured out, the plot takes an unexpected twist. The Cuddleford staff and guests are a strange combination of eccentric characters (a retired British colonel, a drunk, two spinsters, an inquisitive child, newlyweds, a slow-minded handyman, two backwoods country servant girls, and our hero Bernie) who do unpredictable things. The story includes interesting references to other books and authors. I found this book an enjoyable read, geared toward a young adult/adult mystery audience.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable Read!
Review: The Burglar in the Library is eighth in the series by Lawrence Block, renowned mystery-crime writer. The book is written from the perspective of Bernie Rhodenbarr, the main character. The story takes place over a long weekend. The setting is a country inn. Bernie is a bookstore owner (and amateur sleuth) who acquires books using legal and illegal means. He learns there may be a valuable, rare edition at the Cuddleford Inn in upstate New York. If so, Bernie intends to find it and take it. But strange things are happening at the inn. Within hours of Bernie's arrival, there is a great snow storm, the phone lines are cut, and a guest has expired in the library. Things get even more mysterious when the inn's bridge is sabotaged and people keep dying. It's up to Bernie to get things figured out. Block has a knack for making murder entertaining. Just when you think you have things figured out, the plot takes an unexpected twist. The Cuddleford staff and guests are a strange combination of eccentric characters (a retired British colonel, a drunk, two spinsters, an inquisitive child, newlyweds, a slow-minded handyman, two backwoods country servant girls, and our hero Bernie) who do unpredictable things. The story includes interesting references to other books and authors. I found this book an enjoyable read, geared toward a young adult/adult mystery audience.
Rating: 
Summary: The book was great, with a complete refreshing setting.
Review: The Burglar in the Library is yet another superb Bernie Rhodenbarr mystery. Bernie and Carolyn winds up in Cuttleford House, somewhere north of New York, and this book attempts to take us away from the normal Barnegat Book and Poodle Factory setting, by keeping Bernie, Carolyn and a slew of other interesting, mysterious yet exciting characters such as the maid, Lettice and Dakin Littlefield, etc snowed up and trapped in the house. The book is very refreshing in its perspective and the way Bernie was 'lost'. A must-read as a latest collection.
Rating: 
Summary: excellent - but missing something
Review: The Burglar series is one of the most clever and entertaining mystery series in modern times. I love Block's style of snappy, yet pithy banter between Bernie and Carolyn. Set in an upstate New York bed and breakfast, and trapped by a snowstorm, an eccentric set of guests start noticing bodies dropping like flies. Was it Professor Plum in the conservatory with a candlestick? Perhaps Mrs Peacock? Bernie wants to solve the murders, but also is interested in pilfering an autographed copy of Raymond Chandler's "The Big Sleep". I was able to guess the killer fairly early, but was highly entertained by the quirky guests, including the pompous British Colonel, and 10 year old Millicent. A couple of things were left unexplained at the end, however, including one of the deaths (natural causes?). Furthermore, Millicent saw something that she reported to Bernie, but nothing ever became of it. I wanted all the loose ends tied up. I know, Chandler wouldn't have tied them, but this wasn't a hardboiled detective story. I also expected more out of Bernie's fake death trick. Nevertheless, this book is very good, and taken with a grain of salt, you will enjoy it!
Rating:
Summary: excellent - but missing something
Review: The Burglar series is one of the most clever and entertaining mystery series in modern times. I love Block's style of snappy, yet pithy banter between Bernie and Carolyn. Set in an upstate New York bed and breakfast, and trapped by a snowstorm, an eccentric set of guests start noticing bodies dropping like flies. Was it Professor Plum in the conservatory with a candlestick? Perhaps Mrs Peacock? Bernie wants to solve the murders, but also is interested in pilfering an autographed copy of Raymond Chandler's "The Big Sleep". I was able to guess the killer fairly early, but was highly entertained by the quirky guests, including the pompous British Colonel, and 10 year old Millicent. A couple of things were left unexplained at the end, however, including one of the deaths (natural causes?). Furthermore, Millicent saw something that she reported to Bernie, but nothing ever became of it. I wanted all the loose ends tied up. I know, Chandler wouldn't have tied them, but this wasn't a hardboiled detective story. I also expected more out of Bernie's fake death trick. Nevertheless, this book is very good, and taken with a grain of salt, you will enjoy it!
Rating:
Summary: A Mystery Buffs Dream Weekend
Review: This is a tribute to Agatha Christie and Raymond Chandler, all rolled into one neat murder mystery. Bernie and Carolyn spend the weekend in a New England guesthouse, which attempts to replicate an authentic old English manor. When guests begin showing up murdered, it's Bernie who plays the part of Hercule Poirot or, if you like, Philip Marlowe, as he gathers the clues, which will hopefully lead him to the murderer before too many more guests are knocked off. Being a guesthouse, there are suspects aplenty delivering us ample opportunity to figure out the mystery ourselves. If mystery fans will be delighted by this book, then fans of the British crime story will be even more so. Combining the wit and humour of Lawrence Block with the traditional murder mystery creates a deadly weekend, though presented in a light and breezy manner.
Rating:
Summary: best Christie send-up ever
Review: This is one of the best in Block's Bernie Rhodenbarr series. "The Burglar in the Library" is one part Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" (a.k.a. "The Ten Little Indians"), one part Christie's "The Body in the Library" and one part Dashiell Hammett's "The Thin Man," with Bernie and Carolyn Kaiser pairing up as a platonic Nick and Nora Charles. All of the Rhodenbarr books are pretty funny, but this one is also a loving take on the English house murders that Dame Agatha Christie made famous. Usually, these near-parodies aren't as kind to their inspiration. But "The Burglar in the Library" makes you want to rush out and re-read a Miss Marple mystery. This book is such a departure from the Rhodenbarr books, which are as brash and hip as their New York City setting. I wonder how many years Block has yearned to produce his own genteel English mystery? I'm glad he decided to scratch that particular itch. It's an excellent book. The true test of a mystery is if you enjoy it when you re-read, when you already know "who done it." This book passes the test with flying colors: I've read it twice, and I'm sure I'll be reading it again. As with all the Rhodenbarr books, Block fills it with tons of book and other trivia. I'd never read any Hammett or Chandler (who figure prominently in this book), but Block prompted me to correct that, too.
Rating:
Summary: best Christie send-up ever
Review: This is one of the best in Block's Bernie Rhodenbarr series. "The Burglar in the Library" is one part Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" (a.k.a. "The Ten Little Indians"), one part Christie's "The Body in the Library" and one part Dashiell Hammett's "The Thin Man," with Bernie and Carolyn Kaiser pairing up as a platonic Nick and Nora Charles. All of the Rhodenbarr books are pretty funny, but this one is also a loving take on the English house murders that Dame Agatha Christie made famous. Usually, these near-parodies aren't as kind to their inspiration. But "The Burglar in the Library" makes you want to rush out and re-read a Miss Marple mystery. This book is such a departure from the Rhodenbarr books, which are as brash and hip as their New York City setting. I wonder how many years Block has yearned to produce his own genteel English mystery? I'm glad he decided to scratch that particular itch. It's an excellent book. The true test of a mystery is if you enjoy it when you re-read, when you already know "who done it." This book passes the test with flying colors: I've read it twice, and I'm sure I'll be reading it again. As with all the Rhodenbarr books, Block fills it with tons of book and other trivia. I'd never read any Hammett or Chandler (who figure prominently in this book), but Block prompted me to correct that, too.
Rating:
Summary: Super Bernie!
Review: This is one the most interesting Block novels so far. Block takes Bernie and the reader on a tour of the victorian classic mysteries - all the components are there.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable read
Review: This is the 3rd Bernie Rhodenbarr book I have read, and I enjoyed it the most out of the bunch. I read the Burglar in the Closet, which disappointed me by having an extremely predictable ending, and I read the Burglar who Traded Ted Williams which was a middle of the road mystery. What kept me coming back was that I thought the character of Bernie Rhodenbarr was likable and the stories flow and end up being a quick read. I thought that this story was intriguing and the ending is not readily predictable. This story and its characters are well developed and it keeps you interested throughout. For mystery lovers the references to Hammett, Chandler, and the Christie comparison of the story prove to be an extra treat. Even if you are not familiar with those writers it doesn't detract from the story and the book should still prove to be enjoyable. So whether you have or haven't read Lawrence Block before, this one is worth picking up.
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