Play Book Tag discussion

The Great Pearl Heist: London's Greatest Thief and Scotland Yard's Hunt for the World's Most Valuable Necklace 3 1/2 stars-rounded up.

PBT NOTE It took me forever to find the right book for London. This was not beautiful writing, or great literature. It was a short easy read, fun, interesting and full of descriptions of the bygone days of London and the characters that lived it.

In 1913 a pearl necklace, designed by jeweler Max Mayer, was insured by Lloyds of London for 135,000 pounds. In U.S. dollars that was the equivalent of $650,000-$750,000. Today, the amount would be closer to $15 million. This is the story of the thief, who stole the necklace, and the Scotland Yard detective who worked tirelessly to get the necklace back.

Molly Caldwell Crosby takes the reader on a marvelous romp, crisscrossing London through the book, from the streets of the East End to the Jewelers district in Hatton Garden. Her writing is descriptive and enhances the experience of London-you see the smog, you smell the sewers. Caldwell, in her author notes, admits writing the book was like trying to solve the crime. Much of the detail came from memoirs of thieves and the sensational Newspapers of the time, and the archives of Scotland Yard. Because of the time period this heist took place in, the characters are in deed just that-A Gentlemen Thief, A hard-nosed Detective and heist that in this day and age might be laughable.

If you like a good true crime book, this one is worth the time. I am only sorry it is too late in the month for some you to pick up and enjoy!