Writer or Burglar - It's Hard to Choose

The first person I thought of when I read The Good Thief's Guide to Venice by Chris Ewan was Cary Grant in To Catch a Thief. Like Cary, Charlie wants to live his new life as a writer and ex-burglar without any drama. But does he really? I believe Charlie still craves the excitement.

Tucked in bed at 2:00 am scribbling notes on his latest Michael Faulks novel, he hears someone stumbling around his apartment in Venice. What he finds is a gorgeous blonde cat burglar. Before he realizes what is happening, she lowers herself out the window via a climbing harness and disappears into the night. The only thing missing is a framed first edition of The Maltese Falcon - Charlie's most valuable procession (although questionably obtained). A red flyer has been left in its place.


This leads Charlie and his agent Victoria on a wild chase through the calles of Venice. Charlie follows the clue on the flyer and that only leads him into more danger. The burglar wants him to break into the Pallazzo Borelli on the Grand Canal and leave behind a briefcase in the strongroom. If he does this, she will return the book, she says. Not all goes as planned as Charlie's curiosity gets the better of him and he sets off a colossal bomb blast when the case opens. Luckily for him it was a timed detonation and most of the blast centered on the strongroom.

Battered, bruised and stunned by the turn of events, he staggers home. His burglar "friend" Graziella is none too pleased and she explains that since the blast did not kill Count Borelli, Charlie needs to do it. When Victoria hears this, she morphs into a super-secret agent and urges Charlie to save the Count from Graziella.

What follows is a crazy quest reminiscent of Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief.

I loved this book, especially the Venice locale, and I look forward to reading others in the series.  For books by Chris Ewan, click here.