Maxim Jakubowski on Donald Westlake

After a long delay, I hope to reset the site with a new host very soon. Meanwhile, here’s an interview I did with Maxim Jakubowski while on a recent trip through London. Until 2009, Maxim was the owner of the Murder One Bookshop on Charring Cross Road in London. The store had to close due to the pressures of big chain competition but it has been reincarnated as a mail order website devoted to expertise in the mystery genre. Stop by sometime. But while you’re here, check out Maxim below.

Part One

Part Two

3 Replies to “Maxim Jakubowski on Donald Westlake”

  1. Greetings Paul: Glad to see some of the changes to the Westlake Website. I first discovered your father's work through the movie "The Hot Rock." Then some years passed and I discovered Richard Stark and I really wasn't the same.

    I've written several articles about your father's work, which I'd like to share with you and everyone here, the first being a review of: THE COMEDY IS FINISHED

    And a review of : MEMORY

    And finally, a tribute I wrote after his passing: WHATEVER MASK HE WORE

    I hope you enjoy them–and can find them–and thanks for this page!

    Thomas Burchfield

    1. Thomas, so sorry for the delayed reply. As you can see, it's been a while getting the site back to "normal." I read both reviews and the tribute. I like the reviews just fine but the tribute is magic. I'm going to add a link to it on the Miscellany page. I'll eventually link to your reviews on the book pages but I have a lot of reviews to get to for that so it could be a while coming. I'd like to cross-post your tribute here if you don't mind.

      I read many Dortmunders and plenty of the one-offs before I came to Parker. I was born in 1968. By the time I was reading his books, Stark was on hiatus. I picked up the series from the start only after Comeback came out. Obviously, I have now read them all and I'm a changed person for it, too. In fact, I came to that moment so many Westlake fans come to when I finished Dirty Money and realized that would be my last new adventure with Parker. If I had a tenth of Don's talent, I'd be published by now!

      Thanks for your enthusiastic support and hope to see you around.

      All the best,
      Pw

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