The Great Pearl Heist: London's Greatest Thief and Scotland Yard's Hunt for the World's Most Valuable N ecklace
London, 1913. An exquisite strand of pale pink pearls, worth more than the Hope Diamond, has been bought by a Hatton Garden broker, capturing the attention of both jewelers and thieves. In transit to London from Paris, the necklace vanishes without a trace.
 
Joseph Grizzard, “the King of Fences,” is the leader of a vast gang of thieves in London’s East End. Having risen from the deadly streets to become a wealthy family man, Grizzard still cannot resist the sport of crime, and the pearl necklace proves an irresistible challenge.
 
Inspector Alfred Ward has joined the brand-new division of the Metropolitan Police known as “detectives.” Having caught some of the great murderers of Victorian London, Ward is now charged with finding the missing pearls and the thief who stole them.
 
In the spirit of The Great Train Robbery, this is the true story of a psychological cat-and-mouse game. Thoroughly researched and compellingly colorful, The Great Pearl Heist is a gripping narrative account of this little-known, yet extraordinary crime.
1112796475
The Great Pearl Heist: London's Greatest Thief and Scotland Yard's Hunt for the World's Most Valuable N ecklace
London, 1913. An exquisite strand of pale pink pearls, worth more than the Hope Diamond, has been bought by a Hatton Garden broker, capturing the attention of both jewelers and thieves. In transit to London from Paris, the necklace vanishes without a trace.
 
Joseph Grizzard, “the King of Fences,” is the leader of a vast gang of thieves in London’s East End. Having risen from the deadly streets to become a wealthy family man, Grizzard still cannot resist the sport of crime, and the pearl necklace proves an irresistible challenge.
 
Inspector Alfred Ward has joined the brand-new division of the Metropolitan Police known as “detectives.” Having caught some of the great murderers of Victorian London, Ward is now charged with finding the missing pearls and the thief who stole them.
 
In the spirit of The Great Train Robbery, this is the true story of a psychological cat-and-mouse game. Thoroughly researched and compellingly colorful, The Great Pearl Heist is a gripping narrative account of this little-known, yet extraordinary crime.
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The Great Pearl Heist: London's Greatest Thief and Scotland Yard's Hunt for the World's Most Valuable N ecklace

The Great Pearl Heist: London's Greatest Thief and Scotland Yard's Hunt for the World's Most Valuable N ecklace

by Molly Caldwell Crosby
The Great Pearl Heist: London's Greatest Thief and Scotland Yard's Hunt for the World's Most Valuable N ecklace

The Great Pearl Heist: London's Greatest Thief and Scotland Yard's Hunt for the World's Most Valuable N ecklace

by Molly Caldwell Crosby

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Overview

London, 1913. An exquisite strand of pale pink pearls, worth more than the Hope Diamond, has been bought by a Hatton Garden broker, capturing the attention of both jewelers and thieves. In transit to London from Paris, the necklace vanishes without a trace.
 
Joseph Grizzard, “the King of Fences,” is the leader of a vast gang of thieves in London’s East End. Having risen from the deadly streets to become a wealthy family man, Grizzard still cannot resist the sport of crime, and the pearl necklace proves an irresistible challenge.
 
Inspector Alfred Ward has joined the brand-new division of the Metropolitan Police known as “detectives.” Having caught some of the great murderers of Victorian London, Ward is now charged with finding the missing pearls and the thief who stole them.
 
In the spirit of The Great Train Robbery, this is the true story of a psychological cat-and-mouse game. Thoroughly researched and compellingly colorful, The Great Pearl Heist is a gripping narrative account of this little-known, yet extraordinary crime.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780425253731
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date: 12/03/2013
Pages: 304
Sales rank: 820,949
Product dimensions: 5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range: 18 Years

About the Author

Molly Caldwell Crosby is the national bestselling author of Asleep: The Forgotten Epidemic That Remains One of Medicine’s Greatest Mysteries and The American Plague: The Untold Story of Yellow Fever, the Epidemic That Shaped Our History, which has been nominated for several awards. Crosby holds a master of arts degree in nonfiction and science writing from Johns Hopkins University and previously worked for National Geographic magazine. Her writing has appeared in Newsweek, Health, and USA Today, among others.

Table of Contents

Prologue: Empire of Thieves and Shadows 1

Part I The Heist

1 Queen of Gems 13

2 King of Fences 19

3 The Grizzard Gang 39

4 Hatton Garden 47

5 The Plan 55

6 A Perfect Crime 67

7 The Hunt Begins 77

Part II The Sting

8 New Scotland Yard 85

9 News 99

10 Decoys 107

11 The Expert 121

12 Playing the Fish 141

13 The Sting 155

Part III Justice

14 Searching 179

15 At Bow Street 185

16 Sir Richard Muir 189

17 The Piano Tuner 197

18 A Glimpse 201

19 Old Bailey 207

20 Righteous Judgment 217

Epilogue: The Great War 241

Acknowledgments 251

Notes 253

Bibliography 273

Index 277

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"A ripping yarn...a real-life, old-time Holmesian entertainment."—Salon

"A gem...In her well-researched account, Crosby recounts the theft, the gang of thieves behind it and Scotland Yard's hunt for the culprints. Her story is rich in the lore of London's famed underworld."—Newsday

"A winning true crime tale involving two superior minds—a very capable detective and a wily gentleman criminal—in a jewel heist at the dawn of twentieth-century England...highlights the cases's major influence on British crime detection and the legal system."—Publishers Weekly

"Crosby's thriller-style account is backed up by her intensive research...Another compelling popular history."—Booklist

"A narrative that manages to remain both exciting and informative...plenty of nefarious action."—The Memphis Commercial Appeal

"Rich and evocative...Crosby has written a book that is as enchanting and irresistible as its subject."—Candice Millard

"Fast paced, full of twists and turns, and rich in detail...Crosby tells us a fascinating story rooted in such deep historical research that we can practically watch the drama unfold in real time."—Jeffrey H. Jackson, author of Paris Under Water

Acclaim for the works of Molly Caldwell Crosby

"Engrossing."—The New York Times Book Review

"Riveting storytelling."—Publishers Weekly

"Gripping...Highly readable."—Newsweek
 

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