I really enjoyed this book! It was just the book I needed to read to finish off an amazing run of books in July. I really enjoy a cozy crime story, and this one had the added bonuses of being funny and set in a place I know well, I love a but of location familiarity! I also loved the main character, Charlie (if that is his real name) is funny, charming, cunning and an author, whats not to like 😉

The story revolves around Charlie, who is an author or crime novels but who is also a burglar himself on the side. In fact more than on the side, he seems to spend a lot more time breaking and entering than he does sat in front of a laptop churning out words! As the title suggests, he is in Amsterdam finishing off his latest book when a mysterious American approaches him with a proposition. From that point on, Charlie becomes embroiled in a crimes old and new, battling with Amsterdams finest and elements of the criminal underworld to clear his own name and to solve the mystery.

There are enough twists and turns to keep the reader interested and the finale is gripping and well surprising in equal measures. I especially love the finale at the end of the finale, but I won’t say any more than that to prevent spoilers.

As I mentioned earlier, I know Amsterdam pretty well and the places and locations were ones I knew well (apart from the red light district of course….) and it was lovely to be able to picture the scenes from my own experience of them as well as the colourful descriptions in the book.

Thoroughly enjoyable and easy to read in just a few days I couldn’t recommend this one enough!.

The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam