Reviewed By: Sarah - RAM
The Burglar Diaries
Amazon US TPB Amazon Canada TPB
Danny King
Class/Genre: Mystery Humorous
Series: Crime Diaries # 1
2001
King's first entry in the "Crime Diaries" series is THE BURGLAR DIARIES, which ST published back in 2001. Less of a novel, it's really more of a series of linked anecdotes with the barest whisper of a plot. At the center is Bex, a burglar who is sometimes good at what he does but a lot of times not so. He does his work with his pal Ollie (as he doesn't much like working alone; he'll do it but he'd prefer not to) and then they sell whatever they nick to some dude named Electric who usually rips them off. But such is a burglar's lot in life. We learn lots about Bex--what he likes (watching telly, he's especially a fan of Antiques Roadshow which leads to a rather hilarious rant), what he dislikes (those who look down on him for being a burglar--it's a job like any other, after all! And he's good at it, too) his difficulties with his flaky girlfriend Mel (for some reason, her family doesn't like him too much. Bex isn't completely sure why) and why he loves going to court on charges--it's the best way to catch up with old pals and see how they are doing. When they aren't in the pub, after all.
I laughed out loud so many times. King has a really sharp ear for dialogue, for how men talk to each other (even if he does have a tendency to use certain dirty words over and over--in fact, in the next book, he gets called on this by his uncle) and for putting his characters in totally hilarious situations. Burglaries go wrong a fair amount, and it's just too funny to watch Bex and Ollie manoeuver themselves out of whatever cock-ups they get themselves into.
Sarah - RAM
Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Sarah - RAM
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