A Gentleman and a Thief
The Daring Jewel Heists of a Jazz Age Rogue
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4.1 • 24 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
A captivating Jazz Age true-crime caper about "the greatest jewel thief who ever lived" (Life Magazine), Arthur Barry, who charmed everyone from Rockefellers to members of the royal family while simultaneously planning and executing the most audacious and lucrative heists of the 1920s.
“A master of narrative nonfiction. In this mesmerizing tale about a Jazz Age gentlemanly thief, Jobb has found his own perfect jewel.”
―DAVID GRANN, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Wager and Killers of the Flower Moon
“An enthrallingly propulsive, unpredictably twisty biography of one of the most fascinating criminals of the 20th Century. I was hooked from the very first heist.”
―MICHAEL FINKEL, New York Times bestselling author of The Art Thief and The Stranger in the Woods
Catch Me If You Can meets The Great Gatsby meets the hit Netflix series Lupin in this captivating true-crime caper. A skilled con artist and perhaps one of the most charming, audacious burglars in history, Arthur Barry slipped in and out of the bedrooms of New York’s wealthiest residents, even as his victims slept only inches away. He befriended luminaries such as the Prince of Wales and Harry Houdini and became a folk hero, touted in the press as “the greatest jewel thief who ever lived” and an “Aristocrat of Crime.” In a span of seven years, Barry stole diamonds, pearls, and other gems worth almost $60 million today. Among his victims were a Rockefeller, an heiress to the Woolworth department store fortune, an oil magnate, Wall Street bigwigs, a top executive of automotive giant General Motors, and a famous polo player. Dean Jobb—hailed by Esquire magazine as “a master of narrative nonfiction”—once again delivers a stylishly told high-speed ride.
A Gentleman and a Thief is also a love story. Barry confessed to dozens of burglaries to protect his wife, Anna Blake (and was the prime suspect in scores of others). Sentenced to a twenty-five year term, he staged a dramatic prison break when Anna became seriously ill so they could be together for a few more years as fugitives. With dozens of historic images, A Gentleman and a Thief is page-turning, escapist, and sparkling with insight into our fascination with jewel heists and the suave, clever criminals who pull them off.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
It’s hard to put down this true-crime biography of a fraudulent impostor infiltrating the upper crust. Crime writer Dean Jobb details the life of famed 1920s jewel thief Arthur Barry in a devilishly fun read. This Irish kid from a rough industrial Massachusetts town learned how to hobnob with socialites and magnates, conning his way into their lavish mansions for parties to perform reconnaissance for high-stakes heists—and stealing a half-million dollars’ worth of jewels annually. Barry’s tale is so outlandish you’d think it’s embellished, but the flashy details from polo fields to illegal Prohibition-era casinos are a testament to Jobb’s extraordinary historical work digging through archives to tell every facet of this whiplash-inducing story truthfully. He paints a compelling portrait of Barry that makes him out to be not just a slick burglar, but a thief with a conscience, a troubled history, and even a love life. If you love a tale of a smooth-talking underdog—or just a serious helping of glitzy Jazz Age glamour—look no further.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Jobb follows up The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream with a top-shelf work of true crime focused on lovestruck "gentleman thief" Arthur Barry (1896–1981). A con artist since his teens, Barry returned to New York City after serving in WWI and used the city's Social Register to identify targets for a spate of jewel thefts from 1920 to 1927. During the same period that he was slipping in and out of second-story windows belonging to Manhattan's rich and famous, Barry met and fell in love with young widow Anna Blake. After the two were married, Blake began assisting Barry in his criminal activities. When authorities finally caught Barry in 1927, he confessed to several crimes Blake had committed in order to spare her jail time. While Barry was incarcerated, Blake was diagnosed with cancer, and he staged a prison riot to escape and be with her until she died. After his subsequent arrest, return to prison, and parole, Barry became a minor celebrity. Jobb tells Barry's tale with both rigor and pathos, painting a tender portrait of a crook who was never fearsome (one victim described him as "charming"). This is liable to steal readers' hearts.
Customer Reviews
Interesting story of the time gone by
Amazing story. Well written, interesting story of a life of crime and its impact on those around him.
Patty
Good read