NOBODY'S PERFECT (Dortmunder #4) (audiobook) by Donald E. Westlake


Published by HighBridge Audio (Mysterious Press- HighBridge Audio Classics) in 2013.

 Read by Jeff Woodman

 Duration: 7 hours, 24 minutes.

 Unabridged.

 Originally published in 1977.

 This is my first Dortmunder novel. I know this is a classic series and I was looking forward to hearing it once I saw HighBridge audio was re-issuing these books.

 Nobody's Perfect features a master thief named Dortmunder who always has the worst luck. Dortmunder is recruited by a "rich" man who has run out of cash thanks to his philandering and spendthrift ways. This man wants Dortmunder to recruit a team and steal a piece of art in an insurance fraud scheme. Dortmunder will keep the painting and then return it once the insurance check clears in exchange for $100,000.

 Sadly, I have to say that while I found the oddball characters refreshing at first, the first half of the book was slow and the amusing situations took too long to develop. they stopped being funny and started being unwelcome intrusions into already slow-moving story. Once the book moves into its second phase (the original plan goes very awry) the book picks up and becomes much more interesting and funny but does not make up for the slow-moving first half.

 Jeff Woodman did a great job of creating numerous accents and voices in this audiobook. He delivered the funny lines well but just could not save the first half of the book.

 I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 I rate this book 3 stars out of 5 and it can be found on Amazon.com here: NOBODY'S PERFECT by Donald E. Westlake.
Reviewed on October 9, 2013.

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