It was ridiculous really - there was Bernie Rhodenbarr, professional burglar, locked in a clothes cupboard of a smart New York apartment while he was thieving it. And there was his stash of jewels, all neatly packed, not in hand or at hand but on the opposite side of the bedroom. So by the time Bernie finally picked his way out he wasn't too pleased to find the rocks gone and the beautiful ex-owner of them, Crystal Sheldrake, lying dead on the mat , with a gleaming steel instrument embedded in her heart. The cops weren't too impressed either...

Bernie Rhodenbarr is one of Lawrence Block's most enduring and popular fictional creations, having now appeared in numerous novels and short stories dating all the way back to his first appearance in Burglars Can't Be Choosers in 1977. Still as popular today as he ever was, The Burglar In The Closet was Bernie Rhodenbarr's second outing in novel form. His latest, The Burglar On The Prowl, is also published by No Exit Press.