{"product_id":"9781443468534","title":"A Gentleman and a Thief","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eCatch Me If You Can\u003c\/em\u003e meets \u003cem\u003eThe Great Gatsby\u003c\/em\u003e in this Jazz Age tale of crime, detection and a master jewel thief who charmed celebrities and hobnobbed with New York’s millionaires while planning audacious heists to relieve them of their treasures.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSmart, smooth and a skilled con artist, Arthur Barry was one of the most successful burglars in history—“the greatest jewel thief who ever lived,” according to \u003cem\u003eLife \u003c\/em\u003emagazine. He was adept at slipping in and out of bedrooms undetected, even when his victims slept only inches away. He became a folk hero, a gentleman bandit touted in the press as the “Prince of Thieves” and an “Aristocrat of Crime.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the span of seven years, Barry stole pearls, diamonds and other precious gems that would be worth almost $60 million today. Among his many victims were a Rockefeller, an heiress to the Woolworth’s department store fortune, an oil magnate, Wall Street bigwigs, a top executive at General Motors and members of the Royal Family who were touring America. He befriended the Prince of Wales, Harry Houdini and other luminaries. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Gentleman and a Thief \u003c\/em\u003eis also a love story. To protect his wife, Anna Blake, Barry confessed to dozens of burglaries. Sentenced to a twenty-five-year term, he staged a dramatic prison break—triggering a bloody inmates’ riot—when Anna became seriously ill, so they could be together for a few more years as fugitives.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe rollicking, caper-filled rise and dramatic downfall of this master thief is a high-speed ride told in stylish prose by author Dean Jobb. Page-turning escapism sparkling with insight into the allure of gemstones and our fascination with well-planned heists and the suave, clever criminals who pull them off, \u003cem\u003eA Gentleman and a Thief \u003c\/em\u003eis perfect reading for true-crime fans who relish the exploits of con artists and high-class crooks.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Dean Jobb (CA)","offers":[{"title":"HarperCollins |  Paperback \/ softback  |  2024-06-04","offer_id":44829866098943,"sku":"9781443468534","price":25.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0329\/9075\/7001\/files\/BNCImageAPI_9cfcc284-4015-4ad3-aff0-52f054594f61.jpg?v=1708538987","url":"https:\/\/riverbookshop.com\/products\/9781443468534","provider":"River Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}