Money for Nothing by Donald E. Westlake

Seven years ago, Josh Redmont began receiving mysterious checks for $1,000 every month. Once the first one cleared, he thought less and less about them, especially once he made a career for himself and didn't really need them anymore. But the time has come to offer up his services for that money — Josh Redmont has been "activated."

This is what I saw as a very promising premise for a Donald E. Westlake novel. But Money for Nothing was less, and more, than I expected. It's funny, but not as funny as his Dortmunder novels. It's really more of a genuine mainstream spy thriller, with a few funny moments. And at first I was disappointed.

So disappointed, in fact, that, after thinking the story had gone as far as it could go, I gave up on Money for Nothing on page 127. But then, something happened. With nothing else currently at hand, I picked it up again and subsequently zoomed right to the end. If that's not a testament to Westlake's page-turning talents, then I don't know what is.