183:(to explain a publishing hiatus in the series) it was revealed that the bookstore was actually making a profit, before its building's landlord changed and the new owner raised the rent catastrophically. Bernie has since managed to buy the building, and now uses his burglary take to pay for the building's upkeep. The bookstore also houses a cat, a gift from Bernie's friend Carolyn, whom Bernie named
541:; published August 21, 1983; retrieved July 15, 2023; "there's a standard issue plot, e.g., Bernie is performing a simple bit of burglary when, voila! he's not just at a murder scene, but indeed he seems the likeliest person to have committed same. The plot in all of the books about Bernie centers on his attempt to extricate himself by finding the guilty party."
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In 1977, Block's writing career had stalled, and he began considering the possibility of committing actual burglaries. He then considered what would be the worst thing to happen if he committed breaking and entering: not just being caught by the police, but being caught by the police in the presence
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soulmate. She operates a pet-grooming salon called The Poodle
Factory near Bernie's bookstore. The two meet over drinks on a regular basis, discussing their work and love lives; their conversations enable writer Block to display his wit and mention favorite authors. Carolyn has a set of keys to
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Bernie's burglary operations are usually well-planned and tidily executed, from the initial surveillance of the target site to the escape route afterwards. However, during the course of some of these burglaries Bernie encounters a dead body, usually just before the police arrive to investigate a
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is a wealthy businessman and theatre patron who met Bernie shortly after the latter attempted to burgle his home. He occasionally helps Bernie out by identifying potential victims for him, usually rich people with a cash flow problem who would like to collect on their home insurance policy by
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enthusiasts when Bernie took up the activity, and Bernie called him to bail him out of prison when he'd learned his previous lawyer had died. Wally has helped Bernie by negotiating the sale of the
Barnegat Books building to him, and has also taken up
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According to
Lawrence Block, one of the reasons Bernie operates the bookstore was to meet girls. Bernie enjoys an active sex life, sleeping with at least one female character per novel. Bernie does not appear to have a steady girlfriend.
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when the murderer is finally revealed. A married, middle-aged man, Ray's appearance is normally rumpled (despite having expensive clothes) and he tends to talk in a less-educated manner than Bernie. He and
Carolyn are not friendly.
435:. Block has written the subsequent novels in such a way as to render them impossible to film. For a movie tie-in edition, Block added a short intro in which Bernie explains that he has a cousin named Bernice who is also a thief.
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Bernie's investigative techniques include not only interviewing the victim's associates, but visits (sometimes involving illegal entry) to their homes to identify (and occasionally plant) evidence.
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called-in murder. Thus begins the plotline of a typical Bernie
Rhodenbarr novel, in which Bernie undertakes to solve the murder in order to clear his name.
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that he purchased from its retiring owner and partially funds through the take from his occasional burglary activities. Prior to the novel
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to the thrill it provides. He served time in prison in his youth, and since then has resolved to avoid getting caught again.
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reporting a burglary, and, in fact, this is how the purchase of the
Barnegat Books building was financed (detailed in
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206:. However, if he has a heist planned he will drink no alcohol in the hours prior to its execution, preferring
111:, published in 1977; as of 2024, he has appeared in twelve novels by Block, as well as three short stories.
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had originally been offered the role. Block was displeased by the adaptation, which he had seen as a
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described him as "one of the most delectable characters of the day", and "inimitable", while
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at
Mystery Fanfare, by Janet Rudolph; published October 23, 2013; retrieved October 23, 2013
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to overlook Bernie's occasional illegal activities. However, Ray does draw the line at
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448:. ""Rhodenbarr" is derived from a distant relative of Block, whose surname was
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of a corpse. This idea formed the basis for the first series entry
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Bernie has become the owner / operator of
Barnegat Books, a
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Bernie's apartment and bookstore in case of an emergency.
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is Bernie's best friend, occasional partner in crime, and
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Characters in mystery novel series of the 21st century
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Characters in mystery novel series of the 20th century
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Whodunit? A Guide to Crime, Suspense & Spy
Fiction
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125:of the picklock" and a "timeless (...) treasure".
198:He has also developed a connoisseur's liking for
452:. Block felt that "Rhodenbarr" sounded better.
259:is Bernie's lawyer. The two initially met as
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529:The Novelist who Liked to Write Mysteries
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277:The Burglar Who Traded Ted Williams
181:The Burglar Who Traded Ted Williams
369:The Burglar Who Counted the Spoons
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45:The Burglar Who Met Fredric Brown
409:The second novel in the series,
400:"The Burglar Who Smelled Smoke".
248:, and is usually present at the
393:"The Burglar Who Dropped In On
342:The Burglar Who Thought He Was
306:The Burglar Who Liked to Quote
165:The Burglar Who Liked to Quote
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564:"…And the Best Shall be Last"
519:; published December 24, 1995
324:The Burglar Who Painted Like
640:Fictional amateur detectives
604:The Bernie Rhodenbarr series
497:; published October 23, 1977
390:"Like a Thief in the Night"
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581:The Burglar in Short Order
579:"A Burglar's Origins", in
446:Burglars Can't Be Choosers
351:The Burglar in the Library
294:Burglars Can't Be Choosers
109:Burglars Can't Be Choosers
95:is the protagonist of the
34:Burglars Can't Be Choosers
413:, was made into the film
411:The Burglar In The Closet
300:The Burglar in the Closet
363:The Burglar on the Prowl
315:The Burglar Who Studied
78:Bookstore owner, burglar
333:The Burglar Who Traded
133:Bernie Rhodenbarr is a
107:. He first appeared in
62:In-universe information
357:The Burglar in the Rye
214:Friends and associates
477:Van Nostrand Reinhold
238:New York police force
147:breaking and entering
587:; published 2020 by
551:The Burglar is Back!
475:; published 1982 by
375:The Burglar Who Met
250:climax of each novel
187:after the fictional
19:Fictional character
16:Fictional character
589:Subterranean Press
516:The New York Times
494:The New York Times
118:The New York Times
645:Fictional thieves
236:detective on the
177:Greenwich Village
93:Bernie Rhodenbarr
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566:. 21 May 2022.
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433:end credits
83:Nationality
624:Categories
456:References
129:Characters
75:Occupation
52:Created by
535:; in the
450:Rosenberg
210:instead.
326:Mondrian
246:homicide
151:addicted
86:American
610:Burglar
439:Origins
416:Burglar
317:Spinoza
308:Kipling
261:jogging
223:lesbian
208:Perrier
185:Raffles
167:Kipling
137:-based
123:Heifetz
97:Burglar
380:(2022)
371:(2013)
365:(2004)
359:(1999)
353:(1997)
347:(1995)
344:Bogart
338:(1994)
329:(1983)
320:(1980)
311:(1979)
302:(1978)
296:(1977)
288:Novels
283:Series
242:bribed
67:Gender
47:(2022)
36:(1977)
583:, by
531:, by
513:, in
509:, by
507:CRIME
491:, in
489:CRIME
395:Elvis
232:is a
139:thief
615:IMDb
145:and
70:Male
613:at
279:).
175:in
103:by
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572:^
423:.
191:.
397:"
169:,
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