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    The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam
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    The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam
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    The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam
    Audiobook7 hours

    The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam

    Written by Chris Ewan

    Narrated by Simon Vance

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    Charlie Howard travels the globe writing suspense novels for a living. To supplement his income--and keep his hand in--Charlie has a small side business: stealing for a very discreet clientele on commission. When a mysterious American offers Charlie 20,000 euros to steal two small monkey figurines to match the one he already has, Charlie is suspicious; the job seems too good to be true, and of course, it is. He soon finds the American beaten nearly to death, while the third figurine has disappeared. Back in London, his literary agent, Victoria (who is naive enough to believe he actually looks like his jacket photo), tries to talk him through the plot problems in both his latest manuscript and in his real life--but Charlie soon finds himself caught up in a caper reminiscent of a Cary Grant movie, involving safe-deposit boxes, menacing characters, and a beautiful damsel in distress.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBlackstone Audio
    Release dateJun 1, 2011
    ISBN9780792777960
    Author

    Chris Ewan

    Chris Ewan, who lives on the Isle of Man, began his crime-writing career with The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam, which was called one the "best books for grownups" by Publishers Weekly and AARP The Magazine, and one of the best thrillers of the year by the London Times. The Huffington Post also named Ewan one of America's favorite British authors in a readers' poll. He is the author of the Good Thief novels and the stand-alone thriller, Safe House.

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    Reviews for The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam

    3.5/5

    135 ratings27 reviews

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    • 3/5
      He's likable, the other characters were not.....Charlie (a mystery writer & professional thief by night) is hired by another professional thief, Michael, to steal two plaster monkeys, that goes with the third which is already in his possession.When Michael is found beaten & left for dead in his apartment things become dangerous & interesting.....I figured out "who done it".... The story was a bit shallow (as was Charlie).....I much prefer Bock's, Bernie Rhodenbarr.... But Block has a lot more books featuring Bernie......
    • 4/5
      Charlie Howard writes mystery novels for a living as well as a little burglary on the side. When a mysterious American hires Charlie to steal two seemingly worthless monkey figurines, Charlie is suspicious, but intrigued enough to accept, which leads to beatings and arrests and even murder. The plot is fairly generic and the Agatha Christie-finale is a bit formulaic, but I really enjoyed the characters and the setting and the premise has great potential, so I'll be giving the next installment a try. The audio, read by Simon Vance, is really good, but if you've heard Simon Vance, that won't come as a surprise.
    • 3/5
      Sweet but a bit too easy.
    • 3/5
      This debut novel is a pleasant enough crime caper told from the point of view of mystery writer Charlie Howard, who also just happens to be a thief himself. The plot involves a diamond heist and the recovery of three “wise monkey” figurines that, literally, hold the key to the recovery of the diamonds. The voice of the narrator, Charlie, is fairly zippy, with a bit of a smart-aleck tone, but it also feels a bit old-fashioned and predictable. The ending is very Christie-ish with all the suspects (and then some) gathered in one location as Charlie, reminiscent of Poiroit, reels off a long and complex outline of how the crime evolved. The reviews were good, (PW: starred review, “The ease with which Ewan creates a memorable protagonist and pits him against a plausible and tricky killer will be the envy of many more established authors. The detection is first-rate, and Howard is a fresh, irreverent creation who will make readers eager for his next exploit.” LJ: “His droll, funny, noirish style, cleverly drawn central character, and great descriptions of locale will make this a popular new series.”), but I found the resolution just OK after a pretty interesting start. At the end of the book Charlie ends up in Paris. Can you guess the name of the next book? There is some dope smoking (this is Amsterdam after all), a kissing scene but no sex described, and some brutality.
    • 4/5
      The first of the Good Thief's Guide series introduces Charlie Howard as an author of mystery stories who appears to get his ideas from being a burglar. Charlie is quite appealing, one can almost forgive him for being a thief - presumably the source of the "good thief" epithet. In this case, he was approached by someone who asked him to steal three figurines of the wise monkey variety in connection with an old diamond heist. The plot became a little bogged down requiring a long denouement, but Charilie pulls it off and even throws in a surprise ending. This was an audiobook with excellent narration by Simon Vance.
    • 4/5
      Charlie is engaged to find the three monkey figurines, "Hear no evil, See no evil and Speak no evil." The plot soon thickens and becomes convoluted, as it often does when Charlie is involved.SPOILERS:This was much better than the Paris book. I have to admit though, our "hero" was rather dense about the monkeys. First thing I would have done once I knew they weren't antiques is to smash them. Still, very amusing and some good bits of mystery involved. I always enjoy Simon Vance's narration of these stories.
    • 4/5
      Listened to the audio version of this and loved it. The writing was really good as was the narration. Looking forward to the next in the series
    • 4/5
      Whenever I travel, I try to read a book before hand that has something to do with that locale. This summer I traveled to the Netherlands and picked 2 books to read - Amsterdam by Ian McEwan (great story but has almost nothing to do with Amsterdam) and The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam. This is the first of Chris Ewan's 'Good Thief' series which revolve around a mystery author, Charlie Howard, who happens to supplement his income with a bit of burglary on the side. Charlie is no ordinary burglar though. He is top of the line and the descriptions of how he cases a joint and then finally breaks in were fascinating. Also, the book is set in Amsterdam and some of the little details (like stealing a bike to get to his next rendezvous) were just perfect snapshots of the city. The best part was the performance by Simon Vance as Charlie Howard. Charlie is the perfect combination of competent and witty without being obnoxious and Simon performed this perfectly. Eager to listen to more books in this series.
    • 4/5
      (Fiction, Mystery, Series)The Good Thief series features Charlie Howard, master criminal, who accepts ‘challenges’ around the globe. This first in the series, my introduction to him, was excellent: the mystery well-paced and evenly-developed.I was exposed to enough tidbits about Amsterdam to get a flavour of that city and look forward to globe-trotting in the future with Charlie.4 stars
    • 3/5
      The good thief did not seem especially good to me, nor especially adept at thievery.I like mysteries and I like series where I get to know the characters. This one fell flat for me on both fronts. The mystery was not especially engaging and the main character was not especially interesting or likable. I learned early on that he is both an author and a thief, but he never moved beyond a cardboard cutout for me. I thought perhaps I had missed an earlier book that gave him more depth, but no – this is the first. The references to “the wide man and the thin man” got tiresome.I listened to an unabridged audio edition, and the narrator, Simon Vance, was quite good.If this book appeals to you, don't let me put you off from reading or listening to it – most people do seem to enjoy it quite a bit. As for me, I'm not going to carry on with the series. It's not horrid, but I have better things to read.
    • 3/5
      Six-word review: Lightweight mystery falls short of promise.Extended review: The first of Chris Ewan's "Good Thief" series introduces a great premise--that of a novelist who writes about an accomplished thief and happens to be one himself. This setup creates numerous intriguing possibilities, and the rascal as hero is, in general, pretty hard to resist. Countless Hollywood action flicks have made capital on that concept.I did find Charlie Howard appealing, and I enjoyed learning some of the tricks of a burglar's trade, assuming that the author has authentic knowledge from some source.As soon as the plaster monkeys showed up, however, my doubts arose. Conan Doyle may or may not have been the first to use the device, but it has certainly been seen many times in film and fiction since "The Six Napoleons" appeared in 1904. I kept hoping their function wouldn't be the obvious one, but no such luck.On the plus side, there is a jumbled but entertaining assortment of maybe-good-guys-maybe-bad-guys, and I didn't guess the ending. The truth about the culprit is surprising but plausible.On the minus side, the ending took a lot, really a lot, truly an awful lot of explaining. The showdown scene where everything is revealed went on and on, and after a while I lost track. A day after finishing the book, I couldn't tell you how all the pieces fit together and how the protagonist-narrator worked it out.I also expected, from the city name in the title and especially the "Guide to" in imitation of a traveler's handbook, that the setting would play a much bigger role. But not much of a feel for the locale comes through. Some narratives give you a real sense of place and some don't, and it's okay either way, but the emphasis in the title invites that expectation, and it isn't fulfilled.Another minus goes to Charlie's emotional distance. I never felt that he had much of an investment in the solution to the puzzle. It wasn't his problem. Wanting to profit by someone else's crime may work as a motivation, but it doesn't really engage the emotions of the reader; and the allure of an attractive young woman is no substitute for real feeling. It just doesn't seem like Charlie cares very much about anything that's going on (except when it comes to threats to his life and limb), and for that reason it's hard for me to care.As a light-duty page-turner, of course, it doesn't have to go very deep. For what it is, it was enjoyable enough.If only. And here comes the big minus for me, the deal-breaker, the peculiarity so tiresome that I'm ready to drop the series after only one try.It's not just that the book needs some editorial cleanup, although it does, especially in matters of punctuation. It's not even the author's sloppy misuse of words ("palette" for "palate," "grizzly" for "grisly," "teemed" for "teamed," and (shudder) "shammy" for "chamois"; or, if those don't get you, how about "right off" for "write-off"?) or laughably weird constructions like this, on page 231: "Then, just as I threw up my hands in disbelief and tossed my head back on my shoulders..." (where it had been, he doesn't say).No, it's what I must charitably assume is a regionalism or colloquialism, albeit one I've never run across before in nearly sixty years of reading, including the work of at least as many British authors as American; or perhaps it's a local or family eccentricity; in any case, it's a nonstandard usage that no editor ought to have let pass.The author uses "sit" and "stand" as transitive verbs when referring to a person's action--and hence uses them in the passive voice.What this means is that he doesn't treat sitting and standing as if they were something a person or object does, but rather, as if they were something that's done to a person or object: not "he sat" or "he was sitting" or even "he was seated" but "he was sat."• The monkey was sat on his haunches, knees up around his chest...• ...I should have been proof reading the manuscript that was sat on my desk...• One of them was sat on a wooden chair in a Lycra bikini...• It was just sat there, no use to anyone until the Baileys returned...• ...my hands were tied to the back of the plastic chair I was sat on...• Stuart was sat just to my side...• ...the thin man was sat with his hands clenched together between his legs...• ...he stood up from the crate he was sat on...• Outside of that doorway was a yard and in that yard was a taxi cab, with an anxious looking widow sat inside of it.• ...I was stood before a beer tap at a bar...• ...I found myself stood opposite the window of Cafe de Brug...• I mean, who was I kidding, stood outside the cafe, pretending I hade a decision to make?• First off was a crumpled photograph of two men stood in front of a muddy river...• A uniformed colleague was stood beside him and an unmarked police car was parked just behind.(And many more instances besides.)Yes, those words can be used that way with a particular intent: my mother sat me down (I was sat down) for a talking to; the coat was hung on a hook, and the umbrella was stood in the corner. But in standard speech and writing those verbs are active, not passive.And that quirk of usage is enough of an irritant that, all virtues notwithstanding, I don't care to spend any more time with this author.
    • 4/5
      Charlie Howard writes books about thieves and suspense. He's also a thief himself. Approached by a man who wants him to steal three monkey figurines of little apparent value, but the theft must occur in a certain time frame. Charlie decides, against his better judgment (the money's really good,) to take on the challenge. He recovers two of them only to discover he had competition, and that the American who hired him has been severely beaten and left for dead. Charlie is soon a suspect in the murder and the subject of a search by other bad guys, all of them looking for the three figurines that are somehow related to a diamond heist years before.

      Charlie manages to figure it all out and, in a scene worthy of Nero Wolfe, brings together all the participants where he reveals the culprit.

      Good series each in a different locale. What a deal, the author gets to flit around to all these neat cities as research for the next book and can probably claim the traveling expenses as a business deduction. I’m jealous.
    • 4/5
      Charlie Howard is a successful mystery author, writing a series that features a professional burglar, Faulks. As a sideline he – and I guess you could call it research – he also occasionally accepts a commission to steal certain items. When a stranger offers him an unusually high fee to steal a couple of seemingly worthless monkey figurines, his instincts tell him to decline while his curiosity urges him to comply. Before long he’s embroiled in a major intrigue, and a suspect in a murder. This was a highly entertaining mystery. I couldn’t help but think of Lawrence Block’s Bernie Rhodenbarr series, but the comparison is a good one. The pace is quick, the characters interesting, and the charms of Amsterdam (a city I have visited) evident. I didn’t really like the way he revealed the culprit; bringing everyone together and having a long speech to lay out the crime and point out the responsible party (or parties) seems a bit tedious. Still, I was charmed by Charlie and want to read more of this series.
    • 4/5
      This was the first book I read in this series. I like the idea of a criminal who writes crime novels. I also like a likeable criminal. The plot is a bit convoluted and I'm not sure all the ends got tied up, but it was nice for a light read. I won't run to read others in the series but if I'm in the right mood, sure, why not.
    • 4/5
      Charles Howard is a suspense writer visiting Amsterdam for inspiration to the ending of his latest crime-thief thriller. He shouldn't ever get writers' block because he happens to be one of the very thieves he writes about in his "fiction." As a petty thief he steals things just because he can. In addition, the thefts stave off boredom and supplement his writing career. One of his sidekicks is his literary agent, Victoria, who he has never met. He tells he everything about his thieving escapades. This time word has gotten around - he's a good a thief as they come - and he is approached by an American willing to pay him to steal the matching plaster monkey figurines to his "See No Evil." The figures are cheap and the job seems to simple. Howard rightly thinks there has to be a catch and of course, there is. After successfully stealing "Hear No Evil" and "Speak No Evil" all hell breaks loose when the American is murdered and his death is pinned on Howard.Chris Ewan's writing is fun and furious. It's easy to read 100 pages in a single lunch break without looking up once. His Charles Howard character is entertaining with just the right amount of cheeky sarcasm contrasted with humble likeability. Like other reviewers I enjoyed his sly and flirty relationship with his literary editor. Of course the ending is wrapped in a "Who Dunnit" ending with a neat little bow, but because Ewan kept many details out this play by play was almost necessary to make the ending complete.
    • 3/5
      A fun read overall, with an interesting plot and fairly likeable main character. I thought the writing (or editing!) was a bit rough in places, though.
    • 4/5
      Professional thief, Charlie Howard, is asked to steal two monkey figurines one night in Amsterdam. Unwilling, he takes the case. But once he steals them the requester is found beaten near death and Charlie moves to the top of the suspect list. And, what's so special about these figurines that someone would attempt murder for them?This is first in the Good Thief Guide series. It's a good beginning to a series. The plot is well developed and the main character is well enough developed that he is also a writer. There is a small amount of background about Charlie that can be fleshed out later. Some supporting characters make enough of a debut to return later, his publisher, a fellow thief/fence, a romantic interest, etc. It's light and funny and not too complicated.
    • 3/5
      a reasonably good book - but the Burglar Who series with Bernie Rhodenbarr by Lawrence Block does it better
    • 5/5
      Loved this book! Very edgy writing style. A really enjoyable read. Not your usual mystery at all.
    • 4/5
      This is a story about Charlie Howard, a writer of novels about a thief. And in reality Charlie is a thief as well. In this book, Charlie finds himself in Amsterdam trying to finish his most recent novel. He gets caught up in the midst of a killing and a robbery. I really enjoyed the twists and turns of the story and the way the author builds on each of the characters. Looking forward to reading another Charlie Howard caper soon.
    • 3/5
      In Amsterdam, Charlie Howard, a British mystery writer who moonlights as a thief, is asked by an American to steal two small plaster monkey figurines from his associates. When he does, all chaos ensues, and Charlie is caught up in a big mystery.A good light read, at times I laughed out loud at Charlie's dry wit. Charlie is a fascinating hero, and the story contains some interesting tidbits about how thieves work. The mystery itself leaves something to be desired; it doesn't really come together smoothly so a reader can watch the process. I will read the second book in the series if I'm out of other reading material, but don't feel complelled to pick it up immediately as I do in my favorite mystery series.
    • 4/5
      I found the main character more interesting than the mystery. The writing was amusing and the main character is extremely funny on occasion. My main criticism was that the ending is a little bit convoluted as well as predictable (isn't that a combination!) and I found the "Rich People Are Evil Incarnate" theme to be a little tiresome. But on the whole it was an entertaining read. The author captures the feel of Amsterdam perfectly and gives his secondary characters more than a cursory, "amalgamated European" spin. I look forward to reading the next installment to see if the author's plotting ability has gotten a little tighter.
    • 4/5
      I'm not a particular fan of mystery novels. (It's not that I have anything against them -- I just prefer other genres of literature.) However, I enjoyed reading about Charlie Howard's adventures in Amsterdam. It was a very quick but enjoyable read. It was interesting to see everything unfold and then get neatly tied back together at the end. Despite the blood and violence, it's a lighthearted story that can be enjoyed by just about anyone -- especially someone on his/her way to work on the bus/subway.
    • 4/5
      This is the first novel in what I presume will be a series of 'Good Thief's Guides to ....(various cities)' Quite a good concept I think. They are about Charlie Howard,the thief of the title,who also writes novels about a thief !In this story he is approached by someone who gets him to steal two figurines of a set of three wise monkeys.(see no evil,hear no evil and speak no evil) This he does with little trouble,as he is an expert in what he does. Strange as it might seem,these little monkey figures appear to be virtually worthless. Meanwhile several sets of people seem very interested in acquiring them,some with extremely violent methods of going about the job. With the discovery of a badly beaten and tortured body the Amsterdam police arrest Charlie,who is thus in deep trouble from both sides of the law.To add to his troubles,Charlie is unable to complete his latest book. It never rains but it pours doesn't it.
    • 5/5
      Very well written, intricate plot and all the Dutch names and locations on the spot, without the strange names you almost always see in non-dutch writers.
    • 5/5
      I thought it was fun and fast moving. I liked the characters and look forward to more novels.
    • 3/5
      Interesting. Learned a bit about Amsterdam and the writing process. Not a favorite by any means