Drowned Hopes

Drowned Hopes is the seventh book in Donald Westlake's Dortmunder series. Tom Jimson (a nod to Jim Thompson) buried $750,000 in a small upstate town before serving a seven-year prison sentence. When he gets out, the area has since been covered by a reservoir, and he threatens to blow up the dam and flood a nearby town unless Dortmunder and the gang can dive under and find the loot. The book has several very good (and very funny) scenes, truly some of Westlake's best. Highly recommended.