God Save the Mark (1967) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit

Write a ridiculously simplified synopsis.

Characters edit see section history

• Fred Fitch: The main character who somehow is constantly being targetted by con men
• Jack Reilly: A cop on the Bunco Squad
• Matthew Grierson: Fred's grand-uncle who died bequeathing Fred money
• Clifford: A confidence man swindling money from people in Fred's apartment building
• Mr. Wilkins: Retired Air Force officer; lives in Fred's apartment building
• Goodkind: Sleazy lawyer
• Mr. Grant: Neighbor in Fred's apartment building
• Slim Jim Foster: A confidence man
• Able Mable: A confidence woman
• Wingy St. Charles: Confidence man
• Matt 'Short Sheet' Gray: A confidence man in the Midwest for over 40 years
• Little Gertie Devine: A swindler

Quotes edit see section history

• “"A good couple is like good music. To be good, it must be female and full of grace and tenderness, but it must also be mail and full of strength and will. Then you will have true <i>duende</i> and true <i>saudade</i>. In Profesor Luis I see indeed machismo, andin Farides I see gracia. May they always make sweet music together!"”

• “"You do not know Americans," replied Don Emmanuel. "For one thing, they are quite happy to throw their men away in futile causes. Secondly, they always believe they are in the right and that God is personally fighting for them, so they never give up. If you kill one gringo, they will send two in his place, and if you kill them, they will send over a fleet of helicopters. In any case it is better for you if you do not kill them, for they do you a lot of good."”

• “(Carmen) has learned that men possessed a kind of obstinate stupidity that made them at once beastlike and godlike. She would not fight against it. Some things you cannot fight. You can only pick up the pieces, afterward.”

• “He loved, too, the moon so large and resplendent that one can see all the seas and pockmarks without the aid of an instrument. … In Europe he had pitied the thunder and lightning, for at home the thunder cracks as though from inside one's own head like the gun of a tank and reverberates inside it until the plantes of the skull seem to shiver apart at the seams. At home the lightning is brighter than the flame of magnesium and freezes the world into tableaux like a randomly set stroboscope; it fells huge trees before one's very eyes and splits apart to dance at the tips of mountains.”

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Brazil
• New York City
• Central Park South
• Madison Square Park

Organizations edit see section history

• Bunco Squad: The part of the police force that deals with confidence men

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Series & Lists edit see section history

Preceded by The Choirboys, and followed by Home Sweet Homicide.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Donald E. Westlake (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• Mystery Writers (1967: Best Novel)
• Edgar Award (1968: Best Novel)

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: PZ4.W53 Go FT MEADE
• Dewey: 813.54

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Violence

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Mystery & Thrillers › Thrillers › Suspense
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Comic
• Books › Mystery & Thrillers › Mystery