# Burglars Can't Be Choosers

By Lawrence Block · Bernie Rhodenbarr, book 1

Profile: https://hahafiction.com/books/burglars-can-t-be-choosers-fd9b6203/

Bernie Rhodenbarr steals for a living in New York. A stranger’s commission puts him in an apartment with a corpse and the police, leaving him with a crime he didn’t commit to solve while staying out of custody.

## What makes it funny?

Bernie treats trouble with a burglar’s practical eye. In the opening episode described by critic Patrick T. Reardon, cash seems sufficient to deal with the officers who catch him, until one discovers a body and faints. His dry quips continue even under suspicion of murder.

### The comedy at work

The narrator has no guilty conscience about stealing, and the officers confronting him are open to bribes. Bernie’s matter-of-fact voice makes the respectable authorities look little more principled than the thief they’re pursuing.

### Try this if…

An unrepentant narrator and a leisurely mystery are the attractions here. Readers in book groups recommend the Bernie Rhodenbarr series for its burglar who keeps having to solve crimes to clear himself.

### Good to know

Expect murder and sexual wisecracks. Reardon enjoyed Bernie’s quips but found the plot slow and the solution overcomplicated, useful reservations if a tightly paced puzzle matters more to you than the narrator’s company.

## What to expect

- Genre: Crime & thriller · Mystery
- On the shelf: Amateur sleuth
- Kind of humor: Dry wit · Situational comedy
- The atmosphere: Irreverent
- Format: Novel
- Published: 1977

## Sources & further reading

- Author commentary: [Author](https://lawrenceblock.com/books/burglars-cant-be-choosers)
- Review: [Kirkus review](https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/lawrence-block/burglars-cant-be-choosers)
- Review: [Patrick T. Reardon review](https://patricktreardon.com/book-review-burglars-cant-be-choosers-by-lawrence-block)
- Reader discussion: [Reader discussion](https://facebook.com/groups/TwoGirlsMustReads/permalink/1890740091725140)