The Great Pearl Heist

London's Greatest Thief and Scotland Yard's Hunt for the World's Most Valuable Necklace

By: Molly Caldwell Crosby

Narrated by: Michael Page

In the summer of 1913, under the cover of London’s perpetual smoggy dusk, two brilliant minds are pitted against each other - a celebrated gentleman thief and a talented Scotland Yard detective - in the greatest jewel heist of the new century. An exquisite strand of pale pink pearls, worth more than the Hope Diamond, has been bought by a Hatton Garden broker. Word of the “Mona Lisa of Pearls” spreads around the world, captivating jewelers as well as thieves. In transit to London from Paris, the necklace vanishes without a trace. Joseph Grizzard, “the King of Fences,” is the charming leader of a vast gang of thieves in London’s East End. Grizzard grew up on the streets of Whitechapel during the terror of Jack the Ripper to rise to the top of the criminal world. Wealthy, married, and a father, Grizzard still cannot resist the sport of crime, and the pearl necklace proves an irresistible challenge. Inspector Alfred Ward patrols the city’s dark, befogged streets before joining the brand-new division of the Metropolitan Police known as “detectives.” Ward earns his stripes catching some of the great murderers of Victorian London and, at the height of his career, is asked to turn his forensic talents to finding the missing pearls and the thief who stole them. In the spirit of The Great Train Robbery and the tales of Sherlock Holmes, this is the true story of a psychological cat-and-mouse game set against the backdrop of London’s golden Edwardian era. Thoroughly researched, compellingly colorful, The Great Pearl Heist is a gripping narrative account of this little-known, yet extraordinary crime.

©2012 Molly Caldwell Crosby (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Great find!

This one should be a movie! Clever cops, handsome robbers, evolving forensic science, LOTS of money in the mix! A fantastic story delightful told. And it really happened!

A good listen

What did you love best about The Great Pearl Heist?

The cast of characters and the history of how London was at that time, how crime was tackled in a time before forensics, fingerprinting was still very new. It all seemed just a little more gentlemanly.

What other book might you compare The Great Pearl Heist to and why?

Diamond Geezers. Although a modern true crime story Diamond Geezer is comparable for their characters and how a crime fixated people.

What does Michael Page bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

A good reader, spoke fluently and with no trouble with some of the foreign names.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I suppose the most extreme reaction was to how 'foreigners' were treated differently in crime than those born English.

Any additional comments?

Enjoyable

Fast, easy and enjoyable!

What made the experience of listening to The Great Pearl Heist the most enjoyable?

The story is very good, the jounalism done for this book is amazing

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Great Pearl Heist?

Everytime Grizzard Was interacting Was memorable

Did Michael Page do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Yes, his voice had a different tone on each character

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The Mermaid tears

Any additional comments?

Please send my regards to Molly Caldwell

great find

What made the experience of listening to The Great Pearl Heist the most enjoyable?

I love real crime and this had both sides. the begin of the heist to the end.

Entertaining Read

I never knew nothing about this subject matter before I listened to this audiobook, but the cops and robbers / detectives and criminals storyline kept my interest the entire time. The fact this is a true story is why it's interesting and why it's not super action packed all the time. The book has plenty of tension and suspense and never gets boring, credit the author and reader for getting me to listen to a book about a pearl necklace.

detective work in the pre-digital era

Interesting story about the planning, execution and finding the bad guys involved in the heist. However, there were so many individuals involved in the crime and the detective work, that I lost track of the good guys vs. the bad guys. Nonetheless, the book solidly illuminated how crimes were planned, carried out and solved in the early 20th century.

ripping yarn

The official outline of this book's content is accurate, so there is no point in my reiterating any of the material there. But I would add that the book held my interest throughout with unexpected twists and turns in the committing of the crime and the ups and downs of the police investigation. Additional interest and context are provided by lively portrayals of the main characters as well as vivid depictions of Edwardian London, the jewelry trade and the market for pearls, early policing, and society across the rich-poor spectrum. It is very well written, and Michael Page's voice, accent, pace, and general presentation are perfect for this book.