The Hook

Critical Praise

The July 2nd issue of BUSINESS WEEK calls the paperback edition of THE HOOK "a sort of Dial M for Murder among the literary set....Westlake's satire of the publishing world features complex, believable characters wrestling with their troupes of inner demons."

"Donald E. Westlake [is] the author of the best crime-caper stories ever written. Indeed, properly read, Westlake has already reconciled Plato and Aristotle in his stories....His true peers are such great American humorists as Mark Twain and Ring Lardner and such great American crime novelists as Dashiell Hammett, Rex Stout and Raymond Chandler."
- The Weekly Standard

"THE HOOK begins with an agreement signed in blood and smoothly, unobtrusively, gracefully, relentlessly moves toward absolute devastation. This is Donald E. Westlake at the top of his form, writing with the power and confidence of a master and keeping the reader dazzled and agape all the way to the last sentence."
-Peter Straub, author of Mr. X and Ghost Story

"THE HOOK is a heartstopping suspense novel from the pro of pros. I was hooked myself, from page one. The book is full of nasty jolts and turns, including one of the most hair-raising murder scenes ever written. THE AX was good; THE HOOK is ever so much better. Westlake shines...and in this case, he terrifies, as well."
--Stephen King

"Grandly entertaining....dark, satirical....There have been other caustic comedies about the U.S. book publishing industry, though none more up-to-the-minute than this one."
-Washington Post Book World

"A diverting entertainment....worthy of Patricia Highsmith....a clever ending that's both surprising and inevitable."
-Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, New York Times