E. GOD SAVE THE MARK

by Donale Westlake ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 22, 1967

Raucously funny, this tells the tale of the ultimate sucker Fred Fitch whose ""life has been an endless series of belated discoveries."" And the author has come up with every con game in town and then some to twit his hapless hero. Fred is thirtyish and has been driven to a New York hermitage by his compleat vulnerability: ""as soon as the glib stranger appears in front of me and starts his spiel my mind disappears in a haze of belief."" He's the total target...beloved by the Bunco Squad. But then on that fateful Friday he inherits what appears to be an on-the-level fortune from a mysterious Uncle Matt. Uncle turns out to have been Matt ""Short Sheet"" Gray, one of the country's most adept swindlers who made his final haul by explaining his methods to the Citizens Against Crime committee. He also wills Fred his final nurse and companion, an ex-stripper called ""little Gertie Divine."" It also appears that Matt has been murdered and feckless Fred is next in line. We won't even begin to list further complications but it's one of the most hilarious confidence games since the Brooklyn Bridge last changed hands. In fact, The Mark's an on-the-level lark.

Pub Date: June 22, 1967

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1967

Categories: FICTION