A Gentleman and a Thief

“Delectably entertaining … vividly recounts the life and times of the notorious criminal — and tabloid fixture — Arthur Barry. …Jobb, whose fondness for cold chapter-opens matches that of Law & Order’s writers, seems incapable of penning a dull moment.”

“It’s a Roaring Twenties treat of a tale filled with derring do (he robbed seemingly every rich person in NYC) and high drama. If George Clooney hasn’t optioned this yarn, we don’t know nothing.”

“Dean Jobb has long been a master of narrative nonfiction, rummaging through the past to uncover lost gems of history. And in this mesmerizing tale about a Jazz Age gentlemanly thief, Jobb has found his own perfect jewel.”
 

“An enthrallingly propulsive, unpredictably twisty biography of one of the most fascinating criminals of the 20th Century. Dean Jobb’s immersive writing and in-depth research brings this startling true story to life. I was hooked from the very first heist.”
 

"A dazzling triumph of narrative nonfiction. Dean Jobb writes as nimbly as his 'gentleman thief' moves through the darkened homes of his wealthy targets – and delivers a roaring tour of 1920s high society."

“The chapters are short, the energy propulsive, the research prodigious.” –Carl Hoffman

“Dean Jobb has unearthed a long-forgotten anti-hero from the annals of true crime and spun a tale so deliciously wicked I wish I’d written it myself. I was enthralled by the audacious exploits of jewel thief Arthur Barry, who is so wonderfully drawn that I couldn’t help rooting for him. A Gentleman and a Thief is an irresistible slice of New York and Jazz Age history.” 

“This captivating tale will charm its way into your affections like the charismatic rogue at its heart. A Gentleman and a Thief is the glittering jewel of its genre. Once more, Dean Jobb proves he’s a master storyteller.” 

“A top-shelf work of true crime… Jobb tells Barry’s tale with both rigor and pathos, painting a tender portrait of a crook who was never fearsome. This is liable to steal readers’ hearts.”

“Breezily told. Barry’s escapades have elements of our favorite fictional thieves and con men.” 

“Prepare to be charmed by an anti-hero. This true story of a Jazz Age gentleman burglar — and the lengths he'd go to for the love of his life — is a delight.”

“Jobb brings [Arthur Barry] vividly to life in this topflight true crime narrative… What sets Jobb apart is the way he approaches his subjects with perception and compassion. This belongs in every library’s true crime section for every reader of this ever-growing genre.”

“An entertaining history of a criminal mastermind… A rousing tale of true crime that elicits sympathy for both victims and perpetrator.”

“In this glittering gem of a book, which follows the rise, fall and eventual redemption of one of America’s most delightful jewel thieves, author Dean Jobb proves that, like his subject, he is a master of the craft. A Gentleman and a Thief is an addictively readable, don’t-miss story.”
 

“Dean Jobb’s meticulous and entertaining excavation of the Jazz Age uncovers the charming Arthur Barry, a once-celebrated and now nearly forgotten 'second-story man'—a high society jewel thief of the first order. This gem of a book brings the Roaring Twenties back to life.”

"Dean Jobb gives us a real-life character like no other, an audacious jewel thief working the society parlors of Jazz Age New York. Here is a book to put alongside the other greats of narrative non-fiction, as cinematic and vivid as any in the catalog of true crime storytelling." 

"A potent cocktail of high-end grift and Roaring Twenties opulence, Jobb's latest page-turner sparkles like a trove of stolen diamonds. F. Scott Fitzgerald himself couldn't have made up this story." 

“If you enjoy narrative nonfiction, true crime, glamour, and New York history, you’re going to love A Gentleman and a Thief. …absolutely captivating, full of marquee names… .”

“As Dean Jobb tells it in his brisk, beautifully written new book, [Arthur] Barry … was the antithesis of the crude oafs frequently featured in the era’s popular true-crime magazines.”

“I can’t tell you what a great book this is … such a powerful, powerful nonfiction book … this deserves to be a bestseller.” –Rick Kogan

"A master criminal capable of even pushing flying legend Charles Lindbergh off the front pages ... exhilarating [and] scrupulously researched."

"Terrific true-crime ... Dean Jobb has written a book you will not want to put down."

“The rollicking, caper-filled rise and dramatic downfall of this master thief is a high-speed ride told in stylish prose.” 

"The rollicking tale of a Gatsby-esque rake who delighted in diamonds ... irresistible ... Jobb once again plunges into a real-life, forgotten tale of an audacious criminal and emerges with a story that supports the cliché that truth is stranger than fiction." 

“Told with brio, historical details galore, dramatic chapter openings, and attributes familiar from top-drawer crime fiction, it’s a love story, to boot. It is, in the end, a gem of tale.”

“We love true crime and author Dean Jobb’s new book, A Gentleman and a Thief hits all the right notes!”

“Fantastic. Arthur Barry’s exploits will appeal not only to fans of true crime and the Roaring Twenties but to anyone who loves a clever, elaborate heist and the debonair criminal who can pull it off.”

“Jobb’s impeccable research and captivating writing style takes the reader into the heart of 1920s New York, crafting an intelligent, thoughtful and exciting account of the life and times of one of the United States’s most infamous lawbreakers.” 

"The fascinating double life of Jazz Age anti-hero Arthur Barry ... will appeal to fans of exhilarating true crime stories and stylish narrative nonfiction alike."

"[A] stylish biography ... Jobb entertainingly describes Barry’s most notable heists."

“An immensely readable book that is part biography, part history of the early 20th century …. Engaging and engrossing.”

"I was totally drawn in by the life and crimes of Arthur Barry in Jazz Age New York. The sheer effrontery of the man .... Unputdownable!" –Liz Fielding

“A Gentleman and a Thief needs to be on your TBR list! ... A mesmerizing tale of heists, love and the Age of Jazz … an unforgettable true crime page-turner.”