God Save the Mark [Import] [Unbound]

Donald E. Westlake (Author)

Product Details

• Unbound
• Publisher: Rosettabooks LLC (June 2002)
• ISBN-10: 0795304420
• ISBN-13: 978-0795304422
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic Westlake, August 17, 2004

By 

James N Simpson (Gold Coast, QLD Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: God Save the Mark: A Novel of Crime and Confusion (Westlake, Donald) (Hardcover)

Written about 40 years ago this novel could easily be set in the current era. Fred Fitch is the ultimate mark, mark being target for con artists. He is constantly taken advantage of by strangers who can somehow see the word gullible written on his forehead. After years of being taken advantage of Fred is starting to think first before acting, well most of the time. So when he receives a phone call stating he has inherited half a million dollars (over three hundred thousand after tax) from his uncle Matt who he has never even heard of he knows he is being taken for a ride, so calls his friend who is a cop to meet him at the office of the caller. To his surprise the inheritance is genuine but that does not mean the con artists will stop now he has the inheritance. If anything more of them will come out of the woodwork as well as thugs and killers who want the inheritance money, you see his uncle was also a con artist and he stole from some heavyweights in the South America crime scene.

This is another great classic Westlake novel, as is another from that era Killy. Westlake's best novel of the modern era is the Ax, purchase it as well.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Early Westlake a keeper, February 26, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: God Save the Mark: A Novel of Crime and Confusion (Westlake, Donald) (Hardcover)

If you are a fan of Westlake, chances are you will buy this book no matter what the reviews - and good for you. Those who may have stumbled onto this for some reason may want to give this book a chance. If you enjoy a quick mystery/crime novel with a funny slant, especially one with a taste for the times during which it was written (this is a reprint of a very early novel by the author), then you may very well enjoy this book. It is also a great introcuction to a writer who continues his successful run of novels (both humourous and grave) to this date. Well worth checking out.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars fine reprint of a 1960s New York joy ride, December 31, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: God Save the Mark: A Novel of Crime and Confusion (Paperback)

Copy editor Fred Fitch is so famous as the king of marks, con artists come from everywhere to take him for a buck or three. Grifters visiting New York include Fred as one of their prime tourist stops for no vacation is complete without taking Fred for a ride. Fred is not insane, but he believes in the basic goodness of humanity so that he trusts people until that person rips him off.

Fred is still small potatoes though an important merit badge award for con artists until he inherits over $300,000 from Uncle Matt. Though he never heard of an Uncle Matt, Fred is now a desirable mark beyond honorarium status. Everyone wants a piece of Fred or at least his loot. However, someone wants more than just Fred's inheritance, that individual may have killed Uncle Matt and wants Fred dead too.

Though some of the humor seems a bit dated and even naive, readers can see why this reprint won an Edgar for Best Novel in 1967. The story line combines humor with suspense as Fred is a unique character whose conned from the beginning of the story line in a downtown barbershop to the end of the fun tale. Though the ultimate target, Fred makes GOD SAVE THE MARK works because he is likable and readers will appreciate his trusting nature even though his naiveté is mindful of Einstein's definition of insanity. A new audience will enjoy Donald E. Westlake's 1960s New York joy ride.

Harriet Klausner