The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam (Good Thief's Guides) [Hardcover]

Chris Ewan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 13, 2007 | Series: Good Thief's Guides

Charlie Howard travels the globe writing suspense novels for a living, about an intrepid burglar named Faulks. To supplement his income---and to keep his hand in---Charlie also has a small side business: stealing for a very discreet clientele on commission.

            When a mysterious American offers to pay Charlie 20,000 euros if he steals two small monkey figurines to match the one he already has, Charlie is suspicious; he doesn’t know how the American found him, and the job seems too good to be true. And, of course, it is. Although the burglary goes off without a hitch, when he goes to deliver the monkeys he finds that the American has been beaten to near-death, and that the third figurine is missing. 

Back in London, his long-suffering literary agent, Victoria (who is naive enough to believe he actually looks like his jacket photo), tries to talk him through the plot problems in both his latest manuscript and his real life---but Charlie soon finds himself caught up in a caper reminiscent of a Cary Grant movie, involving safe-deposit boxes, menacing characters, and, of course, a beautiful damsel in distress. 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. This impressive debut, a comic whodunit from British entertainment lawyer Ewan, owes much of its charm and success to its compelling antihero, Charles Howard. An established author of mysteries featuring a burglar-detective, Howard himself is a successful burglar. While finishing his latest novel in Amsterdam, Howard receives a cryptic invitation via his Web site and follows his curiosity to a meeting with a mysterious American who somehow knows of the author's secret profession. Howard initially declines the commission to steal two small plaster monkeys, but when he succeeds in his assignment, he finds his client has been brutally bludgeoned. After becoming a suspect, Howard scrambles to understand the link between the monkeys and a diamond heist over a decade earlier. The ease with which Ewan creates a memorable protagonist and pits him against a plausible and tricky killer will be the envy of many more established authors. The detection is first-rate, and Howard is a fresh, irreverent creation who will make readers eager for his next exploit. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

 “This [is an] impressive debut, a comic whodunit. . . . Howard is a fresh, irreverent creation who will make readers eager for his next exploit.”  —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Charlie is agreeable company, producing that stream of witty patter that seems quintessentially British as he narrates his own skilled thievery and flights of quick thought . . . seeing the pieces fly together at the end without a single missing bit is pretty fun.” —Houston Chronicle

“Ewan’s droll, funny, noirish style, cleverly drawn central character, and great descriptions of locale will make this a popular new series.” —Library Journal

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books; First Edition edition (November 13, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312376332
• ISBN-13: 978-0312376338
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #121,885 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Chris Ewan was selected by a Huffington Post poll as one of America's Favorite British Authors. He is the author of the Good Thief's Guide series of mystery novels about crime writer and professional burglar-for-hire Charlie Howard. His first novel, THE GOOD THIEF'S GUIDE TO AMSTERDAM, won the Long Barn Books First Novel Award, run by the author Susan Hill. AMSTERDAM, THE GOOD THIEF'S GUIDE TO PARIS and THE GOOD THIEF'S GUIDE TO VEGAS have all been shortlisted for CrimeFest's Last Laugh Award. Chris' latest novel is THE GOOD THIEF'S GUIDE TO VENICE. He lives in a small village in the Isle of Man with his wife, Jo, and their labrador, Maisie, where he spends his days planning imaginary burglaries and learning how to pick locks. His neighbours are thrilled. Find out more at: www.thegoodthief.co.uk

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A clever, enjoyable book., July 8, 2009

By 

L. J. Roberts (Oakland, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam (Good Thief's Guides) (Paperback)

First Sentence: "I want you to steal something for me."

Charlie Howard is a suspense writer. He is also a thief. Charlie is approached by an American who offers him 20,000 euros to steal to monkey figurines from two different men on the same night. Charlie declines but, liking a challenge, decides to go ahead. He finds the first monkey but is interrupted by another, less subtle burglar, while looking for the second. When he returns to the American, he finds him beaten and near death. Charlie is arrested but released and determined to find the Three Wise Monkeys and the secret behind them.

Ewan begins with a very good, intriguing opening chapter and a delightful writing style and voice. Charlie is a likeable, albeit crooked, character and I appreciated the back story Ewan provided. I also enjoyed the discussions Charlie had with his agent in London, Victoria. They've never met; she thinks he looks like his jacket cover photo. Their relationship reminded me of the Richard Diamond television series from the late 1950's and his conversations with Sam (voice of Mary Tyler Moore) whose legs where the only thing you saw.

All of Ewan's characters were well done. Ewan's voice is one wry humor but never out of place. He takes the characters and the action seriously. His sense of place was not as strong as I might have liked, although it did improve as the story went on.

What I didn't particularly care for, or is not my preferred style, was the round-up-all-the-players-and-expose-the-truth, ending. It took away from a story that, up to that point, had been very well plotted and filled with unexpected twists right up to the ending.

Overall, it was a clever, enjoyable book.

THE GOOD THIEF'S GUIDE TO AMSTERDAM (Trad. Mys/Anti-Hero-Charlie Howard-Amsterdam-Cont) - G+

Ewan, Chris - 1st in series

Minotaur Books, 2009, Trade paperback - ISBN: 9780312570828

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great new mystery author - love the main character!, October 28, 2009

By 

M. Freedman "mpf" (St. Paul, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam (Good Thief's Guides) (Paperback)

I read a ton of mystery novels. It's very rare that I feel I have uncovered a "new voice", or a fresh premise. The main character is flawed but likeable, the plot is intriguing and tight, and the pacing is perfect. After I read it, I immediately went online to find out if "The Good Thief's Guide to Paris" was out yet - finally, it is! Fans of Craig Johnson and other "self-deprecating hero with a sense of humor" novels will enjoy this. Having visited Amsterdam, it was also fun to picture the scenes in various places as they were "painted" by the author and my own memory.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun whodunit caper, September 8, 2008

By 

Long Ago "Far Away" (in the middle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam (Good Thief's Guides) (Hardcover)

I found this story to be really a fun read, a good whodunit that doesn't get too complicated or cumbersome. It reads quickly but not at the expense of being too elementary or simplistic. The events are narrated in the first person by the protagonist, an author by day and a self-trained thief when it suits him. In addition to the entertaining story, Ewan makes good use some wry and sarcastic humor displayed by our author/thief. I also liked his laid-back demeanor and persona. Ewan makes it all fit together very well and those bits of humor along with the plot twists and turns keep the reader turning the pages. There is, however, not a classic "good vs. evil" in this story, as most all of the characters live on the shadier side of life. Ewan's use of Amsterdam and it's world-famous diamond trade, as well as its neighborhoods and references to some Dutch cultural nuances and mannerisms, lent this story authenticity. It was clear the author has spent time in Amsterdam and is acquainted with the Dutch people and culture. He used his knowledge well to support the story.