John Dortmunder is definitely one of my favorite fictional characters. In Get Real his
side-kicks—Stan Murch and Stan's cab driving Mom, Dortmunder's companion May, Andy and the
rest of the gang—are all here and better than ever, as they are recruited into staging a heist
for a reality TV show. With a guaranteed payday of twenty thousand each plus per diem, how can they
refuse? Always thinking way ahead, the gang plots to do a real heist, one that the TV show company
doesn't expect. They plan to use the show as the perfect cover and built in alibi for a caper that
will net them the company's secret stash of money, with practically no risk.
Complications arise and the plans change frequently as the gang adjusts their strategy. The
reality show people get suspicious, but they aren't sure what their hired robbers have in mind,
and the two factions do an intricate dance trying to outsmart each other. Laugh out loud funny,
you gotta root for the bad guys; they have frequently come close, but have never hit the big one...
maybe this time.
Westlake's characters all have idiosyncrasies that make them memorable and guarantee great
entertainment. Each member of the gang has his own agenda, and it isn't always for the good of
the gang. This story is the final chapter in the Dortmunder series, and I will sorely miss Donald
Westlake. He has provided me with many hours of entertainment with his fictional capers over the
years.