Heist novels Archives

The Great Train Robbery

by Michael Crichton

Crichton departs from his usual routine with this true story of a game-changing robbery. “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.” Crichton unpacks how the colorful cast of robbers very nearly pulled off the crime of the century and what it meant to 19th century London in this fast-paced account.

Portrait of a Thief

by Grace D. Li

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. For fans of Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Daniel Silva’s The Cellist.

Cress (Lunar Chronicles Book 3)

by Marissa Meyer

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. Only they don’t realize Levana ordered Cress to track down the Rampion crew. This series is a rollicking good time.

Flying Solo

by Linda Holmes

Holmes's warm-hearted sophomore novel is set, like her first, in the made-up harbor town of Calcasset, Maine. You could say this book was written with a vicarious visit in mind: Holmes says she wrote it in 2020 and 2021 when she was at home and "couldn’t go to any of the beautiful places I love in real life, Maine included." 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 love story involving a beautiful and mysterious duck decoy, this smart second-chance romance is the book for you.

The Art Forger: A Novel

by B. A. Shapiro

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.

Counterfeit

by Kirstin Chen

Now THIS was a great reading experience. I needed a good listen for my drive home from Bookmarks NC and queued up this one on a whim. (I had been listening to a broody literary novel but it was NOT the right vibe for a sleepy solo drive!) By the time I got to Louisville, I was DONE—and the journey was fabulous. On the surface this almost has a heist kind of vibe. The clever structure elevates the story, but 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 handbags in particular. This was good, smart fun that made the miles fly by.

Six of Crows

by Leigh Bardugo

I enjoyed this novel from bestselling author Leigh Bardugo. 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. I enjoyed this on audio.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi

by Shannon Chakraborty

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. For fans of Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows and Brandon Sanderson's Tress of the Emerald Sea.

Passenger

by Alexandra Bracken

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. She's soon indoctrinated into a whole new dimension, and a world family secrets. The book ends on a major cliffhanger: there's clearly more to come. (I'll be reading book 2.) Reminiscent of Outlander and Sara Zarr's The Lucy Variations.

Warrior Girl Unearthed

by Angeline Boulley

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.

This Dark Road to Mercy

by Wiley Cash

I read my first Wiley Cash novel earlier this year. I've been meaning to read him for too long, and I intend to read more. This is a moving story about family, vengeance, and whether we can ever outrun the past for fans of Christina Baker Kline. 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.

The Heist: A Novel (Gabriel Allon Book 14)

by Daniel Silva

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.

Artemis

by Andy Weir

Bestselling author Andy Weir is back with a journey to earth's moon this time. There, thousands occupy connected glass bubbles that form a city. We meet a criminal named Jazz who finds herself trying to save the city. If "heist in space" sounds good to you, give this one a try. Weir still gives readers the detailed scientific explanations that make his stories such nerdish fun. Those of you who read and/or watched The Martian, you won't be surprised to learn a film version of Artemis is in the works too.

Blacktop Wasteland

by S. A. Cosby

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…

The Lies of Locke Lamora

by Scott Lynch

This has been mentioned twice on WSIRN as a book guests love. On episode 152, guest Elham Ali describes it as a fantastic, exciting, plot-driven accessible fantasy novel with a heist. She claims the pages scream by (Elham tells a story about reading the ending on a subway train). Aaron White, guest on episode 87, describes it as a bit like Robin Hood and a bit like Ocean's Eleven.

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.)

The Gilded Wolves

by Roshani Chokshi

This historical fantasy set in 1899 Paris is part heist, part treasure hunt—with a crew of friends at its center. 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. He’s capably assisted by Zofia, Laila, Tristan, and Enrique. As thrilling as it is to read about their adventures, read this for the way they look out for one another.

The Art of Theft (The Lady Sherlock Series Book 4)

by Sherry Thomas

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.

Fingersmith

by Sarah Waters

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.

Harlem Shuffle

by Colson Whitehead

For those who've only read The Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys, Whitehead's new novel is going to feel like a huge departure; this is more like Sag Harbor, his 2009 novel set in 1980s New York City. (As you can see, Whitehead has range.) At the center of the story sits Ray Carney, a man caught between two worlds: he wants to be a respectable family man, but can't seem evade the pull of the crime scene of 1960s Harlem, and its profits. This has been often described as a heist novel—and it is—but 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.

Heist novels