When Parker first hears about the plan to loot all of Copper Canyon, he thinks it’s insane. How can you rob an entire city? However, when he sees the details and realizes that this is an isolated town that could be completely cut off and it’s police force neutralized, Parker starts thinking that it just might be possible, if he can find the right men for the job.

A solid crew is put together, a plan developed, and even the amateur who came up with the idea, Edgars, seems smart and willing to let Parker call the shots. Parker is about to pull off one of the boldest heists of his career. Of course, it’s never that easy.

Stark (a/k/a Westlake) makes what seems like an over-the-top plot of a gang of thieves taking over a town to crack multiple safes in one night seem feasible. I loved the plotting and preparations for this job, and the complications thrown at Parker in this one are surprising.

This book also introduced another thief, Grofield, who would star in several other Stark novels. Where Parker is the emotionless professional, Grofield is a chatty actor who funds his career with his robberies. An increasingly exasperated Parker is always telling Grofield to shut up, and his character adds a fresh and fun dynamic to the caper.