THE BURGLAR WHO MET FREDRIC BROWN Bernie Rhodenbarr, Book 13

The late Richard Ferrone is such a delight in one of his last audiobook performances. This one features Bernie Rhodenbarr, the Greenwich Village bookstore owner/virtuous and always fair burglar, who is the main character in Block's eponymous series. Ferrone hones his acting chops to a sharp and witty point. Bernie finds himself traveling between the real world and an idyllic alternate world that has no surveillance cameras and no Amazon to siphon off his bookstore customers. Naturally, he takes the opportunity to pick a lock and steal a jewel or two with no one the wiser. The story is a hoot, and Richard Ferrone is at the top of his game with perfect pacing, characterizations, and tone as he engages listeners in a utopian tale of thieves and lovers. E.E.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2022]