Review by Booklist Review
Jobb follows his spellbinding The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream (2021) with the true story of Arthur Barry (1896--1981). Though barely remembered today, in the 1920s, Barry was one of the world's most audacious and successful jewel thieves. He got an early start, committing his first robbery at 15, and before he was finally caught, he stole millions from some very high-profile people. He was a rascal and a charmer, a cad and the life of the party, and Jobb brings him vividly to life in this topflight true crime narrative. What sets Jobb apart is the way he approaches his subjects with perception and compassion. Barry might have been a criminal, but the author doesn't want us to see him as a bad guy; rather, he was a man with a special talent, and not unlike the wealthy people from whom he stole, proud, entitled, and secure in the belief that he deserved the riches he acquired. This belongs in every library's true crime section for every reader of this ever-growing genre.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Jobb follows up The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream with a top-shelf work of true crime focused on lovestruck "gentleman thief" Arthur Barry (1896--1981). A con artist since his teens, Barry returned to New York City after serving in WWI and used the city's Social Register to identify targets for a spate of jewel thefts from 1920 to 1927. During the same period that he was slipping in and out of second-story windows belonging to Manhattan's rich and famous, Barry met and fell in love with young widow Anna Blake. After the two were married, Blake began assisting Barry in his criminal activities. When authorities finally caught Barry in 1927, he confessed to several crimes Blake had committed in order to spare her jail time. While Barry was incarcerated, Blake was diagnosed with cancer, and he staged a prison riot to escape and be with her until she died. After his subsequent arrest, return to prison, and parole, Barry became a minor celebrity. Jobb tells Barry's tale with both rigor and pathos, painting a tender portrait of a crook who was never fearsome (one victim described him as "charming"). This is liable to steal readers' hearts. Agent: Hilary MacMahon, Westwood Creative Artists. (June)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Narrator Mike Chamberlain provides a lively reading of Jobb's (The Case of Murderous Dr. Cream) true crime about the infamous Arthur Barry, a skilled Jazz Age jewel thief known for his genteel manners. Barry, who came from an Irish working-class family in Worcester, MA, began in his criminal ways as a teen. After serving in World War I, he returned to what he knew best, employing his keen intelligence, meticulous attention to detail, and astonishing audacity to great effect. Barry stole an estimated $60 million of jewels from 1920 to 1927, targeting the wealthy elite, including John D. Rockefeller's nephew, department-store heiress Jessie Woolworth Donahue, and even visiting members of Britain's royal family. In a story that rivals any Hollywood drama, he married widow Anna Blake, confessing to additional crimes to save her from jail time. Chamberlain's narration is perfectly attuned to Jobb's tone--engaging and entertaining, even as he presents a wealth of deeply researched information. Despite his nefarious acts, listeners may find themselves drawn to this debonair crook who was a romantic at heart. VERDICT An intriguing portrait of a charming career criminal, perfect for fans of Frank W. Abagnale and Stan Redding's Catch Me If You Can.--Sarah Hashimoto
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
An entertaining history of a criminal mastermind who, like most such geniuses, got caught in the end. Jobb, the author of The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream, lands quite the subject with Arthur Barry, an Irish kid who, hanging out in the streets of a gritty Massachusetts factory town, learned to mimic the manners of the upper crust and put his gift to advantage. He charmed his way into the inner circle of the British royal family, and after one quick job, he wandered away with the equivalent of $250,000 in precious gems. Barry, as Jobb deftly paints him, was a man of parts: a war hero who returned home to don debonair disguises and sneak into the soirees and homes of the very wealthy, but who, even though remembered by a socialite as "a rather gallant burglar," also was not above using violence to achieve his nefarious ends. Setting aside deadly force, a would-be jewel thief could learn a thing or two about the trade from reading Jobb's vivid account of Barry's career. Like any good tactician, Barry believed in endless planning and intelligent action. Would-be victims might learn, too, that it's rarely a good idea to appear with one's best jewels on the society page. Even though Barry's haul in the 1920s alone was $60 million in today's dollars, he frittered away much of that money. Reflecting on the fact that he'd also spent nearly two decades in prison, he also expressed regret to an interviewer. In listing his crimes, he said, "When you put down all those burglaries…be sure you put the big one at the top. Not Arthur Barry…robbed the cousin of the King of England, but just Arthur Barry robbed Arthur Barry." A rousing tale of true crime that elicits sympathy for both victims and perpetrator. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
