[.ca] Put a Lid On It (ISBN 0446612057)

From Amazon.com:
Penzler Pick, April 2002: According to his publisher's statistics, the peerless Donald E. Westlake, who has made his mark both with witty capers and with gritty noir thrillers, has more than a million copies of his Mysterious Press books in print, as well as more than a million copies of his many titles in print around the world. And I'd like to go on record as saying that he deserves every bit of that success. This is a case of an immensely talented author getting his due, with the vast (and, alas, sometimes taste-impaired) reading public revealing a great discernment. Westlake has been well and truly acknowledged by his peers over the more than four decades of his career, having, among other honors, been named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America, been the recipient of the Bouchercon Lifetime Achievement Award, and been nominated for an Oscar for his screenplay of The Grifters. His latest book, Put a Lid on It, is a far cry from his recent throat-grippers (The Hook, The Ax) and also different from his recent revivals of his earlier cold-blooded/hard-boiled Parker series (Firebreak , Flashfire) written under his Richard Stark pseudonym. It is closest in tone to his Dortmunder titles (most recently, Bad News), but it introduces a different sort of thief than the protagonist who is featured in The Hot Rock, Bank Shot, and others. Meehan, the hero of Put a Lid on It, like any other Westlake lead character, is a one-name kind of guy and is as recognizably a Westlake creation as if he were branded with a giant "W." Smart as he is, though, Meehan wouldn't be a Westlake hero if bad luck were unknown to him. When we first encounter him, he's sitting in jail in the Manhattan Correctional Center, denied parole and stoically awaiting sentencing. Out of the blue, a chance to alter his fate presents itself when a clandestinely dispatched representative of the president's reelection campaign presents himself as Meehan's potential savior. All Meehan has to do is come up with a workable plan to steal a hideously incriminating videotape from the upstate-New York estate of a wacko millionaire. He must find the appropriate accomplices to help him and so forth... while the clock is furiously ticking. Fans of such sophisticated political farce as Larry Beinhart's American Hero (transferred to the screen as Wag the Dog) or Joe Klein's (a.k.a. Anonymous) Primary Colors will enjoy the twisted application of Westlake's merry cynicism to the idea of the bungled high-level cover-up. They will admire, as well, his long-perfected ability to blend incredible smartness with an ever entertaining degree of smart-aleck impudence. More Meehan, please. And more Westlake, too, for as long as he can tap the keys of the old portable typewriter on which he still works. --Otto Penzler

Wonderful summer week-end read:
Weary of torturous plots that didn't make sense that I've been suffering through because they were "highly recommended" by people with "reputations", I reached for and started reading "Put a Lid On It" by Donald Westlake who wrote the dark "The Ax" and "The Hook". Every word of this comic caper was a joy including the dedication. I won't give you the plot (it's readily available). But let me tell you no plot summary can tell you the subtle ironic messages about our presidential election process I found in this crime caper. The ending is funny and touching. Don't miss this.

Westlake Lite:
Despite the introduction of the likeable Francis Meehan, this book is not up to Westlake's standards. The plot, obstensibly meant to offer a degree of political satire, is not all that exciting (indeed, the secret behind the story is sort of unimpressive) and the read is far too quick, even compared to the Dortmunder books. Westlake fans won't be angry with this, but they might wonder where the meat is. Thankfully, we do get a good addition to the Westlake "family" of intelligent, interesting crooks and scoundrels in the form of Meehan. He carries the book through some under-written bits, and helps cover for the two-dimensionality of the politicos Meehan encounters. However, after the dark strength of The Hook and The Ax, this one is a disappointment. Guess everyone, even Westlake, has a n off-day.

Throw it away:
Wow, talk about a poorly written book, this is it.Dismal plot,sentences structure like a 10 year old,honest.I could only read 40 pages or so before quitting, and I love this genre. Sounded more like a punk little kid trying to talk tough and failing.There are lots of better mysteries out there.

Great!:
So glad to see more of the witty, stylish Westlake back. The grim stuff (The Axe) is flooding the market; there is no one better at writing the witty mystery than Westlake. This engaging, fast-paced tale hearkens back to my favorite Dortmunder, What's the Worst That Can Happen?

Don't Keep a Lid on the Secret that is Westlake:
This mightn't be Westlake's greatest literacy achievement but it is still pretty good. Meehan a career criminal who has spent much time behind bars hijacked a federal truck mistaking it for something else. He now faces a lifetime in a federal facility and does not look forward to it. One day a man comes to visit him telling him he is his new lawyer. Meehan sees straight through him but this does not matter he is still recruited. This man and others want Meehan to commit a crime to save the president of the USA from a scandal and if he does he will be a free man. This is an interesting book although not Westlake's best. That title would by far go to his masterpiece the Ax. Corkscrew is another good novel as well. This one is worth reading as well but it is not in the masterpiece league of the Ax.