Book recommendations: Top 5 literary heists

I am an absolute sucker for heist story. There is something about focusing on the planning and preparation of a theft of this magnitude that I adore. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love lists and plans, so a story that revolves around those two things immediately makes me happy. But the planning stage is only a part of a good heist novel: it also needs to include the execution of the plan - complete with something going wrong they need to regroup. While the tropes may be common, they provide enough predictability it allows me to know what to anticipate and fall in love with how the author pulls it off. As a result, I have plenty of heist novels I love and have narrowed them down to the ones I feel do it best.

1. Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Whenever someone asks about a good heist book, the first recommendation I will always give is the amazing duology by Leigh Bardugo. The worldbuilding, methodology of planning, and characterization are so top-tier I consider these books perfect. I also feel like it is a much more interesting look at the Grishaverse. The Shadow and Bone trilogy is a traditional YA heroine story - though I truly enjoyed how it played with some of the traditional tropes we see in those stories. But these books? They decided to explore the world through an entirely different lens. There are no fully good or fully bad characters here, instead, they all function in various shades of morally gray. So fascinating heists and amazing worldbuilding? Sign me up, they are worth the read.

Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom are available through Macmillan Publishers

2. Heist Society by Ally Carter

Heist Society was one of the first heist books I remember reading. And I am convinced it was the story that convinced me to fall in love with heists. Ally Carter's Gallagher Girl series defined my high school experience, but these books? They defined my taste in fictional men. I am willing to bet the W.W. Hale the Fifth to Xaden Riorson pipeline is real. But in addition to being a fun YA addition to the list, this book is full of Ally Carter's signature comedy and wit. The heists are interesting and I love they show teenagers are constantly underestimated. A fast read, it's the perfect starter heist book - though after this one it'll be hard to put them down!

Heist Society is available through Hachette Book Group

3. The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste

In my review of The Poisons We Drink, I never categorized it as a heist novel. In fact, I am sure some people will say it doesn't belong on my list. But considering the plot revolves around stealing blood from various influential people, each with careful planning and skill, it is truly a very unique heist novel. With a truly one-of-a-kind magic system, this will have you not only look at the world through new eyes, but at the heist genre as a whole.

The Poisons We Drink is available through Sourcebooks.

4. A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal

Vampires and heists in the same book? Hearing those two traits was all I needed to know about this book to want to pick it up. While slow to start, it picks up and delivers an unpredictable story readers can't put down. In addition, it superbly looks into the themes of colonization and discrimination which are important for us to focus on in today's world. With a sucker-punch of an ending, you'll be anxiously awaiting its sequel - and can only hope there will be yet another exciting heist in the next book.

A Tempest of Tea is available through Macmillan Publishers

5. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

With how many fantasy stories include heists in them, I had to include the book the word "fantasy" was created for: The Hobbit. At its core, this book is a quest to get the Arkenstone and to steal back the home of the Dwarves who recruited Bilbo for their mission. While it has plenty of side adventures, in the end, it doesn't stop it from being a heist at its core. Not to mention, Tolkien's rich worldbuilding and his playful use of language always make his books an incredible adventure to go on.

The Hobbit is available through HarperCollins Publishers