The Good Thief’s Guide to Paris

The Good Thief’s Guide to Paris
By Chris Ewan
St. Martin’s Minotaur, 2008. 280 pgs. Mystery

Charlie’s a thief. He’s also a writer. And since he writes about thieving…the two careers are symbiotic. But being the charming Robin Hood sort, he only steals from the wealthy. After fleeing Amsterdam from a sticky situation he finds himself in Paris. With a penchant for paintings, he’s always dreamed of getting his hands on one of the old masters. Fate steps in when he’s blackmailed into stealing a Picasso from the Pompidou. With a mismatch of entertaining bandits, the book is a fun read. Readers familiar with the famous city of lights will appreciate the scenery and especially the bookstore—a dead ringer for the famous Shakespear & Co. Don’t be surprised if the mystery seems highly reminiscent of the film, Ocean’s Twelve. And I’d watch the author closely whenever he visits the Tate.

DAP