Pricing
Paperback $19.95
More books by Timothy Hallinan
Description
Los Angeles’s most talented burglar, Junior Bender, is in the middle of stealing one of the world’s rarest stamps from a professional killer when his luck suddenly turns sour. It takes an unexpected assist to get him out alive, but his escape sets off a chain reaction of blackmail, strong-arming, and escalating crime. By the time Juni...
Los Angeles’s most talented burglar, Junior Bender, is in the middle of stealing one of the world’s rarest stamps from a professional killer when his luck suddenly turns sour. It takes an unexpected assist to get him out alive, but his escape sets off a chain reaction of blackmail, strong-arming, and escalating crime. By the time Junior is forced to commit his third burglary of the week — in the impregnable fortress that’s home to the ruthless studio mogul called King Maybe — he’s beginning to wish he’d just let the killer take a crack at him.
Media
“A Seattle Times Best Mystery of 2016.”
“A Booklist Best Mystery of 2016.”
“The curlicuing plot is itself the source of much of the appeal here, which is not to shortchange either the ever-quirky cast of bent but delightful characters or Hallinan’s dazzling style ... Are there too many lovable crooks in contemporary crime fiction? Well, maybe, but one thing’s for sure: they’re all chasing Junior. ”
–Booklist Starred Review
“Bender’s quick wit and smart mouth make him a boon companion on this oddball adventure. ”
—The New York Times Book Review
“[Fans] will eat up [Junior's] adventures among Hollywood types whose moral senses are even more primitive than his. ”
–Kirkus on King Maybe
“Twists and turns abound ... A rare man of integrity in a world of tinsel and dust, Junior may steal for a living, but he has scruples and will do anything to protect his loved ones.”
–Library Journal, STARRED Review on King Maybe
“Tinsel Town glitters triumphantly once again ... guaranteed to entertain all types of mystery fans.”
–Gumshoe Review on King Maybe
“[Hallinan] proudly carries the banner of the late Donald Westlake, whose books are the gold standard of antic capers. The result — lucky us — is a hoot and a half.”
–The Seattle Times on King Maybe
“[Hallinan has] earned a well-deserved reputation for writing smart and heartfelt stories about clever and cunning people who, when presented with two or more bad options, play all sides against one another to get through. ”
–Jim Tremlett, Schuler Books on King Maybe
“If you have a fondness for cat burglars with hearts of gold (like I do) and mysteries with wonderful stories and characters, I urge you to become acquainted with Junior. ”
–Kittling Books
“Thanks, Tim Hallinan, for great entertainment and the best of twists and conclusions. And PS –I wish Donald Westlake could be reading your books now.”
–Kingdom Books
“There was a time when I thought that Lawrence Block’s character Bernie Rhodenbarr was the definitive fictional housebreaker, but that title has been surrendered by unanimous decision (mine) to Timothy Hallinan’s cat burglar extraordinaire, Junior Bender. ”
–Bruce Tierney, BookPage on King Maybe
“The tricky plot is plenty funny and packed with colorful characters. ”
–Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review on King Maybe
“[Hallinan] is a gifted writer with a knack for blending vivid settings, exciting plots, dynamic characters and clever humor to create captivatingly complex stories. From a lively description of a low-rent hotel room to the insightful development of Junior and Ronnie's relationship, King Maybe is distinctive and refreshingly original. It would probably be fitting to crown Hallinan the caper king.”
–Shelf Awareness, Starred Review on King Maybe
“[Junior Bender] walks the line between Dortmunder and Westlake’s more hard boiled creation, Parker. King Maybe has made me realize that line is more of a fissure that Hallinan drops into like a literary spelunker, going deeper and deeper with each book. From the looks of things, he has a long way to go before hitting bottom.”