Board member Tessa Bartels, AKA Book Concierge, is back with more great book recommendations to get you ready for the world premiere of "To Catch a Thief."
Skylight Music Theatre is excited to present a staged concert reading of a new musical based on David Dodge’s 1952 mystery thriller: To Catch a Thief. Book Concierge is pleased to offer some reading suggestions to accompany this theatrical experience.
To Catch A Thief
John Robie is a “retired” burglar who falls under suspicion when a series of jewel heists use his once-famous modus operandi. He has to solve the case in order to clear his own name.
Dodge had written and published other books, but this one became his greatest hit, partly due to Alfred Hitchcock purchasing the rights and adapting it to the film starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. It has recently been scheduled for re-release by Poisoned Pen Press as part of the Library of Congress Crime Classics, which feature “some of the finest American crime writing from the 1860s to the 1960s.” This new edition will be available in April 2025.
There are other books, and even series, that feature crime capers, specifically burglaries.
Burglars Can’t be Choosers by Lawrence Block – Novel. This is the first in the Bernie Rhodenbarr series, featuring a professional burglar and the troubles he has when he stumbles upon a murder. Bernie is a true gentleman, despite being a thief. I just love him, and I confess that ever since I began reading this series, I have always pictured Bernie as Cary Grant. There are twelve full-length books in the series, as well as several short stories or story collections.
The Hot Rock by Donald E Westlake – Novel. John Dortmunder isn’t nearly so suave nor so successful as John Robie and Bernie Rhodenbarr. He has a group of regulars he relies on to plan and execute their capers. But if anything can go wrong, it does. Many of their escapades are laugh-out-loud hilarious (at least to me). This one is the first in a 14-book series.
The Good Thief’s Guide to Amsterdam by Chris Ewan – Novel. Ewan’s series features Charlie Howard, who makes his living as a writer, traveling the world to research his suspense novels. Charlie also occasionally takes on a commission from very discreet clientele to steal specific items. There are five full-length books in the series, each taking readers to a different city: Amsterdam, Paris, Las Vegas, Venice, and Berlin.
The Heist Society by Ally Carter - Young Adult Fiction. This young adult series features a group of intrepid teens who come from a crime family syndicate. They’ve learned their craft since they were toddlers and are VERY good at it. Katarina Bishop is the main character – a girl who wants to leave the family business behind but who is forced to plan a heist when her father is suspected of having stolen a priceless art collection from a notorious mobster. Three full-length books are in publication, with rumors of a fourth in process.
And if you prefer Nonfiction …
The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel. This is a portrait of Stéphane Breitwieser, the world’s most prolific art thief. He managed to steal more than 200 works of art all over Europe over a period of about eight years. He stole to satisfy his obsession, keeping the works in a secret gallery for his own enjoyment rather than selling them.
In The Art of the Heist: Confessions of a Master Thief, Myles J Connor (with writer Jenny Siler) gives us his memoir of how this son of a policeman came to be one of Boston’s most notorious criminals. He was blessed with irresistible charm and a high IQ, helping him to meticulously plan his daring heists. No museum was safe!
What book are you adding to your reading list?
Tessa Bartels
AKA Book Concierge