THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST SUCCESSFUL JEWEL THIEVES, WHO CHARMED THE ELITE OF 1920S NEW YORK, SWIPED GEMS WORTH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THEIR POSH COUNTRY ESTATES, AND OUTFOXED THE POLICE AND PRIVATE DETECTIVES ON HIS TRAIL

“The greatest jewel thief who ever lived.” – Life magazine

Published by Algonquin BookS & HarperCollins Canada, distributed by Hachette UK

Available from

Amazon.com ★ Amazon.ca Chapters/Indigo ★ Barnes & Noble Amazon.uk ★ Waterstones bookshop.org

THE GREAT GATSBY MEETS CATCH ME IF YOU CAN AND THE HIT NETFLIX SERIES LUPIN IN THIS ROLLICKING TALE OF AN AUDACIOUS AND CHARMING GENTLEMAN CROOK

Suave and movie-star handsome, Arthur Barry charmed New York’s millionaires and celebrities as he planned and executed some of the most brazen and lucrative heists of the 1920s. Think Cary Grant’s character was clever and slick in the Hitchcock classic To Catch a Thief ? This gentleman thief was smarter, smoother, and one of the most resourceful and successful burglars in history.

Barry was a crafty con artist who donned a tuxedo to crash the parties of the rich and famous as he planned his burglaries. And he was an accomplished “second-story man” who could slip in and out of bedrooms undetected as his victims dined downstairs or slept only inches away. In a span of seven years he stole diamonds, pearls and other precious gems worth almost $60 million today.

“I know he’s terrible, but isn’t he charming?” – Robbery victim Dorothea Livermore

His targets were the Long Island, Westchester County, and Connecticut estates of the ultra-rich. His victims included Percy Rockefeller, nephew of John D. and one of the richest men in America; Tulsa oil tycoon Joshua Cosden; Lady Edwina Mountbatten, a member of Britain’s royal family; Wall Street investing legend Jesse Livermore; bankers and industrialists; executives of Chrysler and General Motors; a famous polo player; and Jessie Donahue, heiress to the Woolworth five-and-dime store fortune. Barry befriended the Prince of Wales, Harry Houdini and other luminaries. And he became a celebrity and a folk hero, touted in newspaper headlines as the Prince of Thieves, a Modern Robin Hood, and the Aristocrat of Crime. Life magazine proclaimed him “the greatest jewel thief who ever lived.”

“THE SLICKEST SECOND-STORY MAN IN THE EAST.” – TIME

Barry’s high-flying career, like the stock market frenzy of the Roaring Twenties, crashed to earth as the decade came to a close. His story, however, was far from over. When his wife Anna Blake became seriously ill, he staged a spectacular prison break to be at her side. Ahead lay years on the run as a fugitive, shocking allegations of involvement in the Lindbergh kidnapping and, ultimately, a chance for redemption.

This tale of wealth, glamor, and deception, a charming and debonair crook, and some of the most outlandish jewel thefts in history captures the exuberance and excess that defined the Jazz Age.

Foreign Rights & Film/TV rights available

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A CrimeReads Best Nonfiction Book of 2024

Finalist, Crime Writers of Canada Award of Excellence for Nonfiction

Finalist, Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year Award

Finalist, Evelyn Richardson Nonfiction Award

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U.S. Reviews, Interviews & Media Coverage

★ A New York Times Editors’ Choice: “It sounds like a scenario straight out of Old Hollywood: a suave cat-burglar who infiltrates 1920s New York society and robs the 1 percent of their valuables.”

“Delectably entertaining ... vividly recounts the life and times of the notorious criminal – and tabloid fixture – Arthur Barry ... Jobb, whose fondness for cold chapter-opens matches that of Law & Order’s writers, seems incapable of penning a dull moment.” – New York Times Book Review

“A top-shelf work of true crime … Jobb tells Barry’s tale with both rigor and pathos, painting a tender portrait of a crook who was never fearsome …. This is liable to steal readers’ hearts.” – Publisher’s Weekly (starred review)

“[A] stylish biography ... Jobb entertainingly describes Barry’s most notable heists.” – The Wall Street Journal

“Wildly entertaining … Jobb is one of the best crime historians at work today, and his latest has all the elements of an epic tale.” – CrimeReads

“The Great Gatsby of true crime.” – Reader’s Digest, “20 Best True Crime Books for Armchair Detectives”

★ An Amazon.com Best History Book of the Year: “If you enjoy narrative nonfiction, true crime, glamour, and New York history, you’re going to love A Gentleman and a Thief … absolutely captivating, full of marquee names … this is narrative nonfiction at its best.” – Amazon.com Book Review

★ A Barnes & Noble Bestseller, Bookseller Favorite & Most Anticipated Book: “Prepare to be charmed by an anti-hero. This true story of a Jazz Age gentleman burglar – and the lengths he'll go to for the love of his life – is a delight.”

“Rivals any Hollywood drama … an intriguing portrait of a charming career criminal, perfect for fans of Frank W. Abagnale and Stan Redding’s Catch Me If You Can.” – Library Journal

“Unputdownable” – “(Auto)Biographies and Memoirs to Read Right Now,” Neil Patrick Harris’s Wondercade

“My true crime beach read this past year … breezy, fun [and] exactly what I wanted on vacation.” – A Best Evidence pick for Best True Crime Book of 2024

A New York Post pick as a Best Book for July and an Air Mail Book of the Week

“A Roaring Twenties treat of a tale filled with derring do (he robbed seemingly every rich person in NYC) and high drama … If George Clooney hasn’t optioned this yarn, we don’t know nothing.” – Parade

“As Dean Jobb tells it in his brisk, beautifully written new book, Barry … was the antithesis of the crude oafs frequently featured in the era’s popular true-crime magazines.” – From the introduction to my Q&A with Kevin Canfield in CrimeReads 

“The rollicking tale of a Gatsby-esque rake who delighted in diamonds ... irresistible ... Jobb once again plunges into a real-life, forgotten tale of an audacious criminal and emerges with a story that supports the cliché that truth is stranger than fiction.” – Washington Independent Review of Books

“Although it may seem fantastical, Jobb’s latest true crime biography is indeed true – and just plain fantastic. Arthur Barry's exploits will appeal not only to fans of true crime and the Roaring Twenties but to anyone who loves a clever, elaborate heist and the debonair criminal who can pull it off.” – The BookBrowse Review

“A Gentleman’s Touch: Thanks to his impeccable manners, Arthur Barry ingratiated himself with Jazz Age millionaires – then stole their jewels.” – Read my Air Mail feature on this incredible story

“Set against the backdrop of Long Island's Gold Coast in the Gatsby era, the book chronicles Barry's robberies, arrest, prison break and more.” – Read the Q&A in Newsday

“A Gentleman and a Thief needs to be on your TBR list! … A mesmerising tale of heists, love and the Age of Jazz … an unforgettable true crime page-turner.” – What We Reading, “11 Best New True Crime Books From 2024”

“Told with brio, historical details galore, dramatic chapter openings, and attributes familiar from top-drawer crime fiction, it’s a love story, to boot. It is, in the end, a gem of tale.” – The Rap Sheet. Read the full review and my Q&A with editor J. Kingston Pierce

“The fascinating double life of Jazz Age anti-hero Arthur Barry ... will appeal to fans of exhilarating true crime stories and stylish narrative nonfiction alike.” – “10 Beach Reads For History Buffs,” The Archive

“I can’t tell you what a great book this is … such a powerful, powerful nonfiction book … this deserves to be a bestseller.” – Rick Kogan, WGN Radio, Chicago. Listen to the interview

“An entertaining history of a criminal mastermind … vivid … a rousing tale of true crime that elicits sympathy for both victims and perpetrator.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Jobb brings [Barry] vividly to life in this topflight true crime narrative .… This belongs in every library’s true crime section for every reader of this ever-growing genre.” – Booklist

“You can’t help but root for the glamorous gentleman jewel thief at the center of Dean Jobb’s immersive true crime saga … breezily told … Barry’s escapades have elements of our favorite fictional thieves and con men.” – BookPage

“A true-crime caper.” – Library Journal

“Jobb strikes the perfect balance between real-life history and crime thriller with this account of Arthur Barry.” – BookBub

“So many near misses and close escapes that it was a wonder the thief was not caught earlier … I got sweaty-palmed just reading these accounts.” – Terre Haute Tribune-Star

“Spellbinding … a treasure trove of Promethean daring.” – Durango Telegraph

 “An immensely readable book that is part biography, part history of the early 20th century …. Engaging and engrossing narrative nonfiction.” – Historical Novel Review

“Captivating … a great nonfiction beach read for 2024 due to its engaging narrative, colorful characters and fascinating blend of true crime and high-society intrigue.” – BiblioLifestyle

“Terrific true crime ... Jobb has written a book you will not want to put down.” – Red Carpet Crash

“The chapters are short, the energy propulsive, the research prodigious.” – Washington Post

“Most professional criminals do not hobnob with English royalty. But then, Arthur Barry was not most professional criminals … Jobb chronicles Barry’s complicated history and bold thefts – and, yes, a future King of England makes a memorable appearance.” – My interview with InsideHook

“[A] rollicking story of Jazz Age excess … [Barry] was like a jazz age Cary Grant.” My Q&A with author and journalist Joe Pompeo’s A Little History newsletter

“Fantastic … I have always appreciated Jobb’s ability to make time periods come alive as much as the characters he is writing about.” – My interview for the History Nerds United podcast

“One of the most colorful criminals of the Jazz Age.” – My interview with Erik Rivenes for Most Nortorious! A True Crime Podcast

“What surprised me the most was how much of the story was true. Despite the often-sensationalist press coverage of his time, most newspaper reports on Barry’s major heists proved to be accurate.” – My Q&A with Deborah Kalb

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Canadian Reviews, Interviews & Media Coverage

“A rollicking real-life heist story .... Whether it’s political and social events or the weather, Jobb is a consummate scene-setter and context-provider, making this a book about more than just the stylish thief who furnishes its through line.” – The Globe and Mail

★ A National Bestseller – 6 weeks on the Toronto Star bestseller list and 3 weeks as a Globe and Mail bestseller

★ A Chapters/Indigo Bestseller & Most Anticipated Book /A Canadian Indie Bookstores bestseller

Selected for the Toronto Star “Spring preview: 21 books to put at the top of your reading list” and a Zoomer magazine Hot Beach Reads Pick

“A master criminal capable of even pushing flying legend Charles Lindbergh off the front pages ... exhilarating … scrupulously researched [with] a tenacious attention for detail.” – Featured in the National Post, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Vancouver Sun & other Postmedia newspapers

“The rollicking, caper-filled rise and dramatic downfall of this master thief is a high-speed ride told in stylish prose.” – CBC Books

“Jobb’s impeccable research and captivating writing style takes the reader into the heart of 1920s New York, crafting an intelligent, thoughtful and exciting account of the life and times of one of the United States’s most infamous lawbreakers.” – Winnipeg Free Press

“A fast-paced yet thorough account … I chuckled, I gasped, I pondered and sighed throughout this well-written history lesson that was intriguing, impressive and masterful …. If Dean Jobb wrote the history books available in schools, I think I would have liked history class!” – The Miramichi Reader

“[A] historical true crime story showcasing Jobb’s mastery of the genre … told at a good clip [and] meticulously researched.” – The Seaboard Review

“The robbing hood who stole from the rich and gave to himself.”– Q&A in Atlantic Books Today

“The criminal exploits of Arthur Barry, one of the most successful thieves in history.” Featured in “26 works of Canadian nonfiction coming out in spring 2024” – CBC Books

“[Jobb] has razor-sharp instincts for finding a story.” – The Coast

A Seaboard Review Pick as Best Nonfiction Read of 2024

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UK Reviews, Interviews & Media Coverage

“[A] lively biography ... Jobb is excellent on the teeming social life of postwar New York ... a well-researched account of a singularly accomplished burglar.” – Times Literary Supplement

“I was totally drawn in by the life and crimes of Arthur Barry in Jazz Age New York. The sheer effrontery of the man …. Unputdownable!” – The Strand Magazine

“Con artist and cat burglar Arthur Barry was the most famous jewel thief of Jazz Age America, rubbing shoulders with its wealthiest families … some of his most famous victims were British.” - Daily Express (London)

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Excerpts

One night in 1924, a charismatic thief took the Prince of Wales on an unforgettable tour of Prohibition New York City – CrimeReads

Lord and Lady Mountbatten were guests at the Long Island estate of oil tycoon Joshua Cosden when a burglar spoiled the party – Novel Suspects

The Great Rockefeller Gem Heist – Digital Party

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Audiobook Reviews

“A lively reading … Chamberlain’s narration is perfectly attuned to Jobb’s tone – engaging and entertaining, even as he presents a wealth of deeply researched information.” – Library Journal

“Narrator Mike Chamberlain makes this true-crime story seem like a novel … [and] keeps the interest high with his entertaining delivery.” – AudioFile Magazine

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Looking for a Great read for your Book club?

Here’s a list of discussion questions, via BookBrowse

Advance praise

“Dean Jobb has long been a master of narrative nonfiction, rummaging through the past to uncover lost gems of history. And in this mesmerizing tale about a Jazz Age gentlemanly thief, Jobb has found his own perfect jewel.” – David Grann, New York Times #1 bestselling author of The Wager and Killers of the Flower Moon

“A Gentleman and a Thief is an enthrallingly propulsive, unpredictably twisty biography of one of the most fascinating criminals of the 20th Century. Dean Jobb’s immersive writing and in-depth research brings this startling true story to life. I was hooked from the very first heist.” – Michael Finkel, bestselling author of The Art Thief and The Stranger in the Woods

“A dazzling triumph of narrative nonfiction. Dean Jobb writes as nimbly as his ‘gentleman thief’ moves through the darkened homes of his wealthy targets – and delivers a roaring tour of 1920s high society.” – Mitchell Zuckoff, New York Times bestselling author of Lost in Shangri-La and Ponzi’s Scheme

“Dean Jobb has unearthed a long-forgotten anti-hero from the annals of true crime and spun a tale so deliciously wicked I wish I’d written it myself. I was enthralled by the audacious exploits of jewel thief Arthur Barry, who is so wonderfully drawn that I couldn’t help rooting for him. A Gentleman and a Thief is an irresistible slice of New York and Jazz Age history.” – Abbott Kahler, New York Times bestselling author (as Karen Abbott) of The Ghosts of Eden Park

“In this glittering gem of a book, which follows the rise, fall and eventual redemption of one of America’s most delightful jewel thieves, author Dean Jobb proves that, like his subject, he is a master of the craft. A Gentleman and a Thief is an addictively readable, don’t-miss story.” – Deborah Blum, Pulitzer-prize winning author of The Poisoner’s Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York

“A potent cocktail of high-end grift and Roaring Twenties opulence, Jobb's latest page-turner sparkles like a trove of stolen diamonds. F. Scott Fitzgerald himself couldn't have made up this story.” – Joe Pompeo, author of Blood & Ink: The Scandalous Jazz Age Double Murder that Hooked America on True Crime

“Dean Jobb gives us a real-life character like no other, an audacious jewel thief working the society parlors of Jazz Age New York. Here is a book to put alongside the other greats of narrative nonfiction, as cinematic and vivid as any in the catalog of true crime storytelling.” – Michael Cannell, author of A Brotherhood Betrayed and Incendiary

“This captivating tale will charm its way into your affections like the charismatic rogue at its heart. A Gentleman and a Thief is the glittering jewel of its genre. Once more, Dean Jobb proves he’s a master storyteller.” – Lindsey Fitzharris, New York Times bestselling author of The Facemaker

“Dean Jobb’s meticulous and entertaining excavation of the Jazz Age uncovers the charming Arthur Barry, a once-celebrated and now nearly forgotten ‘second-story man’ – a high society jewel thief of the first order. This gem of a book brings the Roaring Twenties back to life.” – Glenn Stout, author of Tiger Girl and the Candy Kid and Young Woman and the Sea

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Find A Gentleman and a Thief on Goodreads

“The No. 1 Jewel Thief of the rip-roaring twenties.” – New York Daily News

“One of the most fabulous crooks of all time.” – Newsday

“An elegant devil … cool as a glacier peak.” – American Weekly