The Comedy is Finished

Charles Ardai, Editor of Hard Case Crime, is readying a lost novel written by the late Donald Westlake for release in February. It almost didn't see the light of day. Westlake wrote the book in the 1970s and sent a copy to fellow crime fiction author Max Allan Collins, but ultimately decided not to publish the work since he was afraid it would be confused with Martin Scorsese's movie from the era, The King of Comedy. Fast forward three decades later when Collins brings the book to the attention of Ardai, who knows a good thing when he sees one. Now readers everywhere will be able to enjoy what is likely the final work by the celebrated and talented Westlake.

Titled The Comedy is Finished, the novel centers on a group of people seeking to rekindle the passion of the social upheaval of the 1960s by kidnapping comedian Koo Davis, known for his longstanding USO tours during WWII, Korea, and Vietnam in support of the troops. The plot seems to be working well at first, but everything starts to fall apart for everyone involved: the kidnappers, the bewildered victim and the FBI agent leading the investigation, who hopes for redemption following Watergate-related career missteps.

Publishers Weekly praised Westlake's skill and versatility as a writer, as well as his sharply written and insightful prose, praise that could be heaped on many of the author's over 100 novels, collections and screenplays (penned under a dozen different names). He's probably best known for his series featuring the funny and unlucky master criminal John Dortmunder and also another, hard-boiled series with professional criminal Parker (written under the pen name of Richard Stark). However, several of his stand-alone caper novels like The Comedy is Finished are also masterful little gems.

Vince Keenan wrote a great review of the book that you can read on his blog, which also links to a story from Max Allan Collins about how the book came to be. Also, as a side note, Patti Abbott is going to be featuring Donald Westlake novels on her "Friday's 'Forgotten' Books" feature on February 17th to coincide with the release of The Comedy is Finished.