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"Westlake is a national literary treasure" and this crime novel about a gangster blackmailed into taking on an impossible heist "only enhances his value" (Booklist, starred review)
In what may be the "best Dortmunder yarn yet," (Associated Press) Westlake's seasoned but often scoreless crook agrees to a crime he doesn't want and doesn't believe in -- but a little blackmail goes a long way. All it takes is a few underhanded moves by a tough ex-cop named Eppick to pull Dortmunder into a game he never wanted to play.
With no choice, he musters his always-game gang and they set out on a perilous treasure hunt for a long-lost gold and jewel-studded chess set once intended as a birthday gift for the last Romanov czar, which unfortunately reached Russia after that party was over.
From the moment Dortmunder reaches for his first pawn, he faces insurmountable odds. The purloined past of this precious set is destined to confound any strategy he finds on the board. Success is not inevitable with John Dortmunder leading the attack, but he's nothing if not persistent, and some gambit or other might just stumble into a winning move.
"The ironic resolution will leave both series fans and newcomers satisfied." -- Publishers Weekly
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