To Catch a Thief by David Dodge #BookReview #HeistThrillers

Book Blurb:

The classic mystery that inspired the Academy Award-winning film by Alfred Hitchcock.

“Le Chat” is a legend.  He is a mystery.  He is a jewel thief, famous and elusive for being able to swipe anything and get away clean.  He is John Robie, retired and living a quiet life, tending his rose garden in the South of France.

But his retirement plans are thrown for a loop when a series of robberies too closely resemble the work of “Le Chat,” and the police start digging into Robie’s past.  To keep himself free, and with the help of an equally mysterious young woman, John Robie will have to catch the true thief, before the police catch him.

His Review:

The French Riviera is a popular place for the rich and famous, and also for those who prey upon their fortunes. John Robie is one of those who go to the Riviera to attempt to relieve the wealthy of some of their possessions. Of particular interest are diamonds and pearls, for they can be disposed of through many outlets. Many are trying to capture him; nickname “Le Chat”.

The most likely targets are wealthy ladies who flaunt their jewels and then keep them in the lockboxes or safes supplied by the hotels. The French police and insurance companies know of their expensive baubles and have undercover gendarmes who monitor the ladies and also the comings and goings of known criminals. Disrupting the peace of the rich and famous is not tolerated by the French Ministry of Police.

This book is well written and illuminates the underbelly of life in the South of France. A thief must be very smart, agile, and extremely athletic to pull off some of the burglaries that ensue. The particular setting for these crimes is an old multi-storied hotel with a slate roof and great lighting! I found it a good primer for anyone who wishes to become a cat burglar.  Enjoy the story and the experience. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

 

Book Details:

Genre: Heist Thrillers, International Mystery & Crime, Crime Thrillers
Publisher: Diversion Books
ASIN: B087WN817G
Print Length: 304 pages
Publication Date: February 1, 2015
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US  |  Amazon-UK   |   Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo

 

The Author: David Francis Dodge (August 18, 1910 – August 1974) was an author of mystery/thriller novels and humorous travel books. His first book was published in 1941. His fiction is characterized by tight plotting, brisk dialogue, memorable and well-defined characters, and (often) exotic locations. His travel writing documented the (mis)adventures of the Dodge family (David, his wife Elva, and daughter Kendal) as they roamed around the world. Practical advice and information for the traveler on a budget are sprinkled liberally throughout the books.

David Dodge was born in Berkeley, California, the youngest child of George Andrew Dodge, a San Francisco architect, and Maude Ellingwood Bennett Dodge. Following George’s death in an automobile accident, Maude “Monnie” Dodge moved the family (David and his three older sisters, Kathryn, Frances, and Marian) to Southern California, where David attended Lincoln High School in Los Angeles but did not graduate.

After leaving school, he worked as a bank messenger, a marine fireman, a stevedore, and a night watchman. In 1934, he went to work for the San Francisco accounting firm of McLaren, Goode & Company, becoming a Certified Public Accountant in 1937. On July 17, 1936, he was married to Elva Keith, a former Macmillan Company editorial representative, and their only daughter, Kendal, was born in 1940. After the attack on Pearl Harbor he joined the U.S. Naval Reserve, emerging three years later with the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

[Truncated—see bio listed in Goodreads.]

©2025 CE Williams – V Williams

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