What comes to mind when you hear the word “heist”? Perhaps a scene from Ocean’s Eleven, The Thomas Crown Affair, or Mission: Impossible. There are plenty of heist movies to choose from. But what about heist novels?
A heist novel often offers a few different elements: a team with each individual bringing a specific strength to the table, intensive planning, and some kind of daredevilry. The crew might be a found family or complete strangers. The leader might be adored or reviled. The stakes are real; we want to know whether or not they’ll pull it off. Plus, they’re just plain fun!
Whether you’re in need of a page-turner or looking to bust out of a reading slump, these heist novels fit the bill. They’re not all thrillers either—we’ve got a mix of genres so you can see the different ways a heist may feature in the story and how various characters approach planning and executing their caper.
20 heist novels you won’t want to put down
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Warrior Girl Unearthed
I couldn't wait to return to Sugar Island in Anishinaabe author Boulley’s much-anticipated (and standalone) sophomore novel, set ten years after the events of Firekeeper’s Daughter. Unlike her studious twin, Perry Firekeeper-Birch wasn’t initially interested in the Ojibwe summer internship program, but when she incurs a big debt, she has no choice but to get to work. Her job assignment centers on her tribe’s struggle to reclaim the remains and sacred objects of her ancestors from disinterested profiteers. The more Perry learns, the more determined she becomes to right this wrong, with a little help from her friends. A heist novel that’s both thrilling and thoughtful, with a winning protagonist you’ll want to root for. More info →
This Dark Road to Mercy
Twelve-year-old Easter and her younger sister Ruby are used to life without their absentee father. Their mother’s recent death won’t change anything—until Wade reappears and steals them away from foster care. When their court-appointed guardian starts his search, he finds a connection between Wade and a recent armored car heist. And he’s not the only one looking for Wade. A moving story about family, vengeance, and whether we can ever outrun the past. More info →
The Heist: A Novel (Gabriel Allon Book 14)
When Gabriel Allon’s art dealer friend is suspected of murder, he’s driven to clear his name. To do so, he’ll have to find a mysterious art collector and a painting that’s been missing for 50 years: Caravaggio’s Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence. As he travels Europe searching for clues and staging his own heist, the investigation turns into an intelligence operation, with unexpected consequences. This can be read as a standalone. More info →
Artemis
If "heist in space" sounds good to you, give this one from bestselling author Andy Weir a try! This time, he takes readers on a journey to earth's moon, where thousands occupy connected glass bubbles that form a city. We meet a likable criminal named Jazz who goes from indulging in a bit of petty crime to make ends meet to finding herself knee-deep in a complicated scheme to try and save her city. Weir once again gives readers the detailed scientific explanations that make his stories such good nerdy fun. More info →
Blacktop Wasteland
A pulse-pounding thriller set in the world of race cars. Beauregard "Bug" Montage used to be known as one of the premier getaway drivers but he shed the life of crime to focus on being a car mechanic and family man. But when he falls into horrific debt, it’s hard to resist the lure of a diamond heist that would solve his financial troubles. Surely it won’t hurt to take one last getaway job… More info →
The Lies of Locke Lamora
Robin Hood meets Ocean’s Eleven in this plot-driven fantasy novel. Orphan Locke Lamora’s life is all about survival until a con artist takes him under his wing. Rising in the ranks, he becomes the leader of the Gentleman Bastards. As the gang of thieves attempt their biggest heist yet, an enemy lurks in the shadows and Locke may no longer be able to avoid his final day of reckoning. Two WSIRN guests have mentioned this page-turner as a book they love: Elham Ali in episode 152 and Aaron White in episode 87. More info →
Any Old Diamonds
An age-old tale of a son getting revenge against his Duke father and falling in love with the thief he hired to get said revenge. Alec intends to ruin his father and stepmother’s anniversary party by facilitating the theft of a priceless diamond. The only way to get the thieves in is for Jerry to pose as Alec’s new best friend. But nothing and no one is as they seem in this MM historical romance. (Open door.) More info →
The Gilded Wolves
Full of mystery and adventure, this YA historical fantasy set in the glittering world of 1899 Paris is part heist, part treasure hunt. In this world, the Order of Babel rules. Some people are divinely gifted with Forging affinities, allowing them to change or enhance creation. Séverin, the denied heir of House Vanth, delights in reclaiming the items sold off from his House and tracking down Order items for those who will pay him and his crew of friends. I'm told the series gets better and better. More info →
The Art of Theft (The Lady Sherlock Series Book 4)
When Mrs. Watson’s old friend the maharani is in need of aid, Charlotte Holmes finds herself stealing priceless artwork for the first time. From donning disguises at a Yuletide ball to evading dogs on the grounds of a well-guarded French chateau, the whole crew will have to stay on their toes in order to come out of this adventure intact. This gender-bending Sherlock Holmes series is best read in order. More info →
Fingersmith
This is on my TBR, and comes highly recommended by MMD editor Leigh Kramer. She inhaled the last 400 pages of this Dickensian literary mystery and had to know what would happen next. The relationship between gentry and servant can be fraught—and even more so when one is running a con on the other. Maud and Susan are complex characters that beg a reaction (and a book club discussion), particularly when they do disagreeable things. With striking twists and turns, their relationship runs the full gamut of emotions, particularly because literary fiction is not known for giving queer characters a Happily Ever After. More info →
Harlem Shuffle
Ray Carney is a man caught between two worlds: he wants to be a respectable family man, but can't seem to evade the pull of the crime scene of 1960s Harlem, and its profits. While this is a heist novel, please know going in that it is carefully-constructed and slow-building, with rich character development and a sly sense of humor. Excellent on audio, as narrated by Dion Graham. More info →
The Great Train Robbery
If you love nonfiction narratives that read like novels, take a close look at this one! Crichton departs from his usual routine with this fast-paced true story of a game-changing robbery, unpacking how the colorful cast of robbers very nearly pulled off the crime of the century and what it meant to 19th century London. "It is difficult," Crichton says in his introduction, "to understand the extent to which the train robbery of 1855 shocked the sensibilities of Victorian England." More info →
Portrait of a Thief
Five Chinese American college students become justice-driven international art thieves in this Ocean’s Eleven-ish heist novel. When he’s made an offer he can’t refuse, MIT student Will Chen recruits four brilliant accomplices—all with looming midterms—to fulfill an audacious goal: to break into art museums in five countries, in order to steal back artifacts that were once wrongfully stolen from China. If they succeed, they’ll receive a life-changing $50 million payout. The heist storyline pops and fizzes, but Li crams in plenty of substance alongside her flashy plot: an exploration of identity and belonging, crushing familial expectations, desires, love, and calling, plus meaningful LGBTQ representation and the seamless integration of pandemic realities. Word to the wise: This reads more Hollywood than real life but you’ll enjoy the ride. More info →
Cress (Lunar Chronicles Book 3)
The third installment of the Lunar Chronicles follows the Rampion crew in their quest to stop Kai and Queen Levana’s wedding. They need hacker Cress’s help but first they’ll have to rescue her from the satellite she’s been imprisoned on since childhood. There's just one problem: they don't know that Levana ordered Cress to track down the Rampion crew! This series is a rollicking good time. More info →
Flying Solo
Holmes's warm-hearted sophomore novel is set, like her first, in the made-up harbor town of Calcasset, Maine. If you like the sound of a woman reevaluating what she really wants on the cusp of turning 40 (with plenty of When Harry Met Sally references), a second-chance romance with a sexy librarian, an older role model who lived an amazing life on her own terms, and a mystery subplot involving a beautiful duck decoy, this is the book for you. More info →
The Art Forger: A Novel
What would you do if one of the stolen paintings from the infamous 1990 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist was dangled in front of you? Claire reproduces famous works of art but she still longs to paint her own work. When a gallery owner asks her to forge one of the Degas masterpieces stolen from the Gardner in exchange for a show at his gallery, she agrees, only to get embroiled in a mystery spanning centuries when the real stolen Degas painting is delivered to her studio—and she suspects it might be a forgery too. She’ll have to outwit collectors and art thieves alike as she races to discover the truth. More info →
Counterfeit
Now THIS was a great reading experience. When I needed a good listen for a long road trip, I queued this up on a whim. By the time I got to my destination, I was done with the book—and the journey was fabulous! With a heist-esque vibe, the clever structure elevates the story. What really wowed me was the initially surreptitious and then all at once interrogation of the American Dream. I relished the details of the fashion industry and superfake handbags in particular. This was good, smart fun that made the miles fly by. More info →
Six of Crows
In the first book of Bardugo's fantastical duology, a criminal mastermind teams up with an unconventional crew to pull off the heist of the century. They have to break into an extremely secure location and retrieve a scientist and his formula or the world as they know it will be destroyed. With twists and turns aplenty, I enjoyed experiencing another side of Bardugo’s Grishaverse. More info →
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi
City of Brass author Chakraborty kicks off a new trilogy with this spirited tale of a renegade pirate captain—who happens to be a middle-aged mother simply trying to enjoy her retirement. But after a former crewmate’s daughter is kidnapped, Amina reluctantly accepts one last job and pulls her long-retired crew together again to help. The historical fantasy unfolds on the high seas of the twelfth-century Indian Ocean and bursts with period detail and magical adventures. From the book’s touching dedication to the detailed author’s note and acknowledgments, I found this imaginative tale and irresistible protagonist unique, exciting, and just plain fun. More info →
Passenger
Part historical romance, part time-travel adventure. 17-year-old Etta is a talented violinist about to make her debut in New York City. But her future changes in a moment when her mentor is killed and she suddenly finds herself aboard a sailing ship ... in 1776. Etta is the only one who can find the stolen artifact her family’s archenemies seek—and they’ve kidnapped her mother to ensure she retrieves it. She's soon indoctrinated into a whole new dimension and a world of dangerous secrets. More info →
What are your favorite heist novels? Please share in the comments.
P.S. 8 fine arts thrillers you won’t want to put down and 20 unputdownable mysteries and thrillers to keep you glued to the page.
23 comments
If readers are looking for middle grade novels that fit the bill, try James Ponti’s City Spies series, Gordon Korman’s Swindle books, and The Midnight Children by Dan Gemeinhart.
I loved James Ponti’s City Spies series and will check out the other middle grade ones you mentioned.
Thank you for the recommendations! I’m always looking for more books for more middle-grade reader.
Woman on Fire was a great one! It felt sort of like “Monuments Men” with multiple characters laying claim to a missing painting.
I’ve become a big fan of Colson Whitehead. Harlem Shuffle was a great novel! I loved how he was pulled between doing good and doing wrong, but also doing something “wrong” for the right reasons.
I don’t know about heart pounding, but some of the best comic heist books are Donald Westlake’s. I highly recommend Dancing Aztecs if you’re looking for a great funny heist novel. (Do not, ever, watch the movie adaptation of Hot Rock with Robert Redford – it’s awful.)
Love Dortmunder, especially Bank Shot. And the nun one. I must admit I never read much past that, but I should check some of the others, and I’ll keep an eye out for Dancing Aztecs.
I read the list to ensure Harlem Shuffle made it. I read it this year for book club and it was so good! I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel due out soon.
I recently finished Alex Berenson’s “The Power Couple” and that was a page-turner.
I loved Portrait of a Thief.
Great list! Blacktop Wasteland and Harlem Shuffle were the ones that immediately came to mind for me. Loved them!
The Great Train Robbery is one of my all-time favorites! I’m not a big re-reader but I’ve read this several times. Just added a few more of these to my tbr, thanks!
The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson is a favorite non-fiction account.
Sounds interesting! Thank you!
The Great Train Robbery came to my mind immediately when I saw the title to this post! So gratifying to see it at spot #1!
One of my all-time favorites is “Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less” by Jeffrey Archer. I believe you could call it a heist book. It’s actually a revenge book–three men pay back someone who swindled them in very clever ways.
Great recommendations! I haven’t read any of these, but I’ve had Flying Solo on my radar for some time. The Art Forger sounds good, too.
My very first thought reading the headline was “Six of Crows better be on there!” And it was. I don’t remember much about that novel except that I loved it and I always compare it to The Sting (movie.) Looking forward to checking out the rest of the list.
Anne, thanks for this great list!!! I am very excited about it and added many to my TBR list!
One of my favorites is The Gardner Heist which is nonfiction and an incredible read! Even though I read it years ago, I think about it and wonder about those paintings a lot.
You have really elevated my summer reading excitement with this list!
In “A Splinter of Glass” by John Creasey, Scotland Yard is hunting for a gang who stole millions in gold bullion. It has the best written car chase scene I’ve ever read
I recently read and enjoyed The Housekeepers by Alex Hay.
I’ve heard good things about this one!
I just started Six of Crows, and at this point it’s a lot of world building. I can’t wait for it to become a heist story. Thanks for your summary!