Step into the charmingly crooked world of the Good Thief’s Guide series, where a suave thief pens crime novels by day and cracks safes by night! Authored by Chris Ewan, this delightful mystery series follows Charlie Howard, a globetrotting anti-hero whose knack for burglary and witty narration makes every caper a page-turner. Blending humor, suspense, and vivid locales like Amsterdam and Venice, it’s a fresh spin on the crime genre that’s hooked readers worldwide.
With its clever premise—Charlie writes about a fictional thief while living the life himself—the series delivers a playful mix of literary flair and real-world heists. Whether you’re a fan of cozy mysteries or thrilling escapades, the Good Thief’s Guide invites you to join Charlie’s whirlwind adventures with a grin.
How Good Thief’s Guide Began
British author Chris Ewan, born in Taunton, Somerset, in 1976, kicked off the series with a spark of ingenuity. A graduate of American Literature from the University of Nottingham, Ewan drew inspiration from classic crime novels like Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon. His debut, The Good Thief’s Guide to Amsterdam (2007), introduced Charlie Howard, a character who embodies Ewan’s love for witty dialogue and intricate plots. Published by Faber and Faber, the novel won the Long Barn Books First Novel Award, setting the stage for a beloved series.
Ewan’s time living on the Isle of Man and his travels fueled the series’ vibrant settings. His goal? To craft a “gentleman thief” who’s as charming as Cary Grant in To Catch a Thief, with a modern, self-mocking twist. The result is a series that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly original.
The Heart of Good Thief’s Guide
The series spans five novels, each set in a new city, with Charlie juggling his dual life as a writer and thief. The Good Thief’s Guide to Amsterdam sees Charlie hired to steal seemingly worthless monkey figurines, only to stumble into a deadly conspiracy. In The Good Thief’s Guide to Paris, he’s embroiled in an art heist at the Pompidou Center, complete with mistaken identities and a stolen Picasso. The Good Thief’s Guide to Vegas ramps up the stakes in a glitzy casino, where Charlie picks a magician’s pocket and uncovers a murder. Finally, The Good Thief’s Guide to Venice finds him blackmailed into a palazzo break-in to retrieve his prized Maltese Falcon first edition.
Themes of duality—writer versus thief, morality versus crime—run deep, laced with Ewan’s signature humor. Charlie’s first-person narration, often breaking the fourth wall, feels like a chat with a cheeky friend. The series’ settings, from Vegas’s neon glow to Venice’s misty canals, are characters in their own right, vividly painted to immerse readers. Critics praise Ewan’s “Wodehousian” wit and tight plotting, which balance lighthearted capers with genuine suspense.
Charlie’s literary agent, Victoria, adds a grounding foil, often calling out his reckless schemes. The series nods to classic crime fiction while carving its own niche, appealing to fans of Lawrence Block or Donald Westlake. It’s a cozy yet thrilling ride, perfect for readers who love a clever twist.
Why Good Thief’s Guide Resonates
The Good Thief’s Guide series has carved a niche in the crime genre, earning accolades like nominations for the Last Laugh Award for comic crime fiction and an Audie Award for its Vegas audiobook. Its blend of humor and heart has won fans across the globe, with The Huffington Post naming Ewan a favorite British author. The series’ adaptability for TV, with 20th Century Fox developing it for ABC, hints at its broad appeal.
Its lasting charm lies in Charlie himself—a flawed, funny hero who’s as likely to botch a heist as to save the day. For readers craving escapism, the series offers a ticket to exotic locales and clever crimes, all wrapped in a warm, witty package.
- Publication Years: 2007–2013
- Number of Books: 5
- Awards: Long Barn Books First Novel Award (Amsterdam), Last Laugh Award nominations
Ready to join Charlie’s roguish adventures? Grab The Good Thief’s Guide to Amsterdam and dive into a world of clever crimes and charming chaos!