In The Good Thief’s Guide to Amsterdam, Chris Ewan’s protagonist, Charlie Howard, writes suspense novels whose main character is a career thief, and it also happens to be what Charlie is. At the moment Charlie is living, writing, and occasionally stealing in Amsterdam.  In London his literary agent Victoria, talks him through his problems with his latest manuscript and his real life capers.
Out of the blue he is contacted through his Web site by a mysterious American. He offers Charlie a job to steal two small monkey figurines that go with the one he already has, and the payment is 20,000 euros. Charlie is suspicious - it’s all too easy -  so at first he turns down the job, but in the end his curiosity gets the better of him. Things quickly get complicated when after having pulled off the job the mysterious American has been beaten to near death.
This highly amusing mystery has all the good classic elements; the beautiful girl, menacing thugs, a sidekick, and missing diamonds. I loved Chris Ewan's witty and humorous writing and he gives you a good feel of Amsterdam.
Totally looking forward to reading his second book The Good Thief’s Guide to Paris, then in spring 2010 The Good Thief’s Guide to Las Vegas is due out. But wait that's not all; Chris Ewan mentions on his blog having done research over the summer for Venice, so after Vegas it looks like Venice. Yes I think we can officially say I have become hooked on another mystery series.       ~Mara