If you have read any of Simon R Green's Nightsider books, or his Hawk and Fisher, then you already have a sense of what this book is like. Whether you enjoy that or not is a different matter - Green has a definite style, and it's on display here. (There's a level to which it's true of the Deathstalker books, too, although they have a whole other thing going on as well.)

Green's style happens to work very well for me, as a rule, now that I know what to expect. Witty banter, cheerful playing with tropes, a courteous if shallow nod to the notion of substance, with a narrative that's mostly flash and style in a "I'm fabulous and loving it" way. It's not quite textual candy floss - there's a bit more substance than that - but maybe it's... candied peanuts. Tasty, some nutrition, pretty sweet, and even I can't eat toooo many of them at a time. But I love it when I do have them. (And some people hate them.)

This book is a heist story and it doesn't pretend to be anything else. Characters literally call it a heist and the section headings do too. So you know what you're getting, and it delivers. The first part, therefore, is getting the team together, which is often my favourite part of such stories. Our narrator is now called Gideon Sable - we don't know who he used to be. His first recruit is Annie Anybody, master of disguise (who, I now realise, is therefore much like Face in the A-Team) who is also Sable's ex, which of course is going to lead to some tension. Then there's a Ghost - who is actually a ghost; the Damned (... who, I now realise, is something like BA... in the A-Team...), who is damned for a dreadful misdeed but is spending his remaining time on earth killing bad people just to stick it to Hell; and Johnny Wilde (...who is... a lot... like Murdoch...), aka the Wild Card, who does terrifying things to reality.

(I'll just stop here and think about the A-Team similarity. Sable doesn't smoke a cigar and there's no tanks; I don't think this is actually deliberate. It's just that those tropes - disguise, muscle, the spanner in the works - are exactly that; tropes, and useful ones at that.)

Team gets together, team plans heist, team attempts heist, hijinks ensue. The fun thing with a relatively standard narrative is knowing what to expect, AND the ways the author gets to spin expectations - and with Green, have fun and do ridiculous things along the way. Because, as this is Green, it is of course no ordinary setting: this is the magical side of London (a well-traveled path, I know), which means objects that defy reality and people with terrifying abilities and a ball point pen that can stop time (only briefly though).

This is a fun book. At times silly, always fast-paced, it's also short at about 160 pages in my e-copy - so there's no mucking around.

This was an enjoyable book to read. The story follows a thief, Gideon Sable (yes thief agenda manifests bc the identity itself is stolen), as he gathers up an unlikely crew of awfully powerful and renowned misfits in their own rights, to take on an impossible heist. Set in a magical London, with supernatural, biblical creatures and artifacts, The Best Thing You Can Steal was a thrilling tale to read about!

The Character work on the entire team was spectacular, all of them had unique and different backstories and they developed as characters throughout the book, which was a great thing to see! The plot itself while nothing phenomenal or brilliantly planned out, it was enjoyable to read about. I think more so than the plot itself, the premise behind the plot and the characters moved the story. And for me personally the ghost, the damned and johnny wilde as characters had a strong hold on me and kept me entertained!! On top of this, the past history between characters was a great tool to maintain tension and intrigue!

I have some nitpicks with the book. As we went chapter by chapter in the first part, and we got the backstories one by one, it felt like the author was running out of things to say with each new character and by the last introduction, the “backstory” was barely a paragraph. I’d have gotten more invested with the characters if these characters were explored with more depth and nuance. As with the romance, i really did not care for it at all and the way it (romantic aspect and ending itself) ended was just disappointing to say the least. Going into the book the idea of a heist had my expectations really high so id have loved if the author had put in better plot twists, more planned out and psychological aspects, because the plot itself fell short on nuance and creating tension. The stakes really weren’t there.

One other thing is, the author had written down these characters to be iconic and legendary from the beginning. So the author set up expectations IN WRITING and TOLD us these characters are a particular thing (exceptionally good at what they do), but there were no exceptional feats done by them in the story. And this would not have been a problem if the author didnt set up expectations for the readers that in most cases would not be met.

With the writing style, i think it’s a difficult writing style to get into, but once i got in, it was an okay ride!

All in all this was an okay read for me, nothing memorable but i don’t hate it!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I unhappily parted ways with Simon R. Green some time back when I just wasn't enjoying his books any longer. This first book in a new series has a title that just screams LOOK AT ME so I did and found myself intrigued. This was fun to read because of the lighthearted way it's written plus I wanted to know how Gideon Sable, master thief, was going to pull off the biggest heist in this magical London setting. Be careful when you walk down those steps to the Underground; you may be going further underground than you will feel comfortable with.

Gideon spends a lot of time finding the people he wants to be members of his crew. Hmm, maybe "people" isn't quite the right word since one of them is a ghost. Each of the members of his new crew have specific magical abilities that Gideon knows will be necessary to steal a whopper of an item from Fredric Hammer, the most dangerous and vindictive man in London. Two crew members are the Damned and Johnny Wilde, the Wildcard, who go a little too far for me into the loveable fuzzball direction before the book is finished but it turned out okay. The final member is Annie Anybody, the ex-girlfriend Gideon just can't get out of his system even though she hates his guts. So, the field is set for a confrontation between the almost good guys and the most awful man in the world.

This book was fun to read, has an interesting concept and will almost surely get even better as the series goes along. I'm willing to stick with it for the next one to see how it develops.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House Publishing and Canongate Books for an e-galley of this novel.

Gideon Sable is a master thief and con man in a magical version of London. He has even stolen his current identity from another thief as well as several very useful magical items. He's been asked to plan a major heist and has assembled a crew who all want revenge on Frederic Hammer, the man they are to steal from. Gideon's employer is the man's vengeful ex wife. Together they had an amazing collection of magical artefacts, but divorce has left her with only a few trifles and she now wants Gideon to enter his secret, highly guarded vault and steal the thing that matters to Frederic the most.

Gideon's carefully selected crew includes some of London's best: Annie Anybody, an ex lover of Gideon's who can take on any persona she wants with the right clothes, make-up and attitude, The Damned, who has an incredibly powerful set of armour, Johnny Wilde, a distracting wild card of a man and last, but certainly not least, The Ghost who can enter any premises. Together they make a formidable force - but they'll need to be as well as very smart and extremely wily to get past everything Frederic can throw at them.

If you enjoy a bit of urban fantasy then this is a really fun read. Fantastic characters, terrific humour and witty dialog and great little plot twists. And best of all this is book one so there's more to look forward to!

Simon R Green is a prolific English science fiction and fantasy author with plenty of well loved series to his name including the Nightside and Deathstalker series. The Best Thing You Can Steal can be read as a stand alone but given it is subtitled as “A Gideon Sable Novel” if is likely to be the start of another long running urban fantasy franchise.
The main character of The Best Thing You Can Steal is called Gideon Sable but is not actually the famous master thief. Rather it is another person, whose real name the reader never learns, also a thief, who has stolen Sable’s identity and many of his eldritch equipment. His plan is to carry out, essentially on Sable’s behalf, the heist to end all heists. His plan is to plunder the secret vault of Frederick Hammer, who as the book progresses emerges as the most amoral and nasty characters around. His target is a television that can see into both the past and the future, and he is armed with some knowledge of what the real Gideon had seen on the TV about the heist itself.
Like all good heists, Sable needs a team and almost the first half of the book has him tooling around Green’s fantasy-inspired London to put that team to together. This includes learning why they all have reasons for taking revenge on Hammer. The team includes Sables old girlfriend Annie Anyone who has a magical affinity for machines and a knack for disguises, a man called the Damned for muscles, a ghost and a man called Charlie Wilde, or the Wild Card, who has seen “behind the curtain of reality” and cannot unsee what makes the universe works.
The rest of the book goes as you would expect – Sable puts the team together, they do a trial run, they go off to do the heist and nothing goes according to plan, or does is it? There are absolutely no surprises here and most of the narrative is just that… narrative: plenty of telling rather than showing. And while the milieu that Green creates, a London full of magic with some religious overtones, is interesting, it is not enough to carry what is a boilerplate heist tale.

"Welcome to London, but not as you know it. A place where magics and horror run free, wonders and miracles are everyday things, and the dark streets are full of very shadowy people...

Gideon Sable is a thief and a con man. He specializes in stealing the kind of things that can't normally be stolen. Like a ghost's clothes, or a photo from a country that never existed. He even stole his current identity. Who was he originally? Now, that would be telling. One thing's for sure though, he's not the bad guy. The people he steals from always have it coming.

Gideon's planning a heist, to steal the only thing that matters from the worst man in the world. To get past his security, he's going to need a crew who can do the impossible...but luckily, he has the right people in mind. The Damned, the Ghost, the Wild Card...and his ex-girlfriend, Annie Anybody. A woman who can be anyone, with the power to make technology fall in love with her.

If things go well, they'll all get what they want. And if they're lucky, they might not even die trying..."

A delicious black black market world!

“’How did you find me?’
‘I stole a lucky charm from a scumbag banker, just an hour ago,’ I said. ‘I came here, and the charm arranged things so you’d be here, too.’
Annie frowned. ‘But I talked Danny into bringing me here yesterday … long before you stole the charm!’
‘I know!’ I said cheerfully. ‘Freaky, isn’t it?’”

The Best Thing You Can Steal is a novel by British science fiction and fantasy-author, Simon R. Green. The master thief who now identifies as Gideon Sable has a plan, and he has already settled on the four people best suited to help him carry it out. With a paying client, some secret weapons and a hidden agenda, and Gideon is fairly confident he can convince his chosen to participate.

Even finding and approaching the members of his team can be more or less challenging, but he soon has them going along with it: Gideon has the gift of the gab, and the opportunity to exact revenge on their target, to make him really hurt, is virtually irresistible.

Frederic Hammer is a collector of the unusual, some of which is displayed in his museum, while his most precious items are safely secreted within a heavily guarded vault. He is both hated and feared, so Gideon’s proposal to steal his most prized possession is an audacious one.

Annie Anybody, a mistress of multiple personas whose life was ruined by Hammer, will bring her unique gift into play despite the grudge she still holds against Gideon. Her ability to charm any machine will come in handy. The Damned is a man who strikes fear into most hearts and will provide the necessary muscle when the golem guards come to life.

The Ghost will be useful against the poltergeist dogs that guard the vault, as well as scouting ahead unseen. The infamous, notorious and entirely unpredictable Wild Card, Johnny Wilde will provide the element of surprise, while Gideon will be relying on the information his namesake has left behind, and some useful aids: “The pen that could put Time on pause, the skeleton key that could unlock anything, and the compass that would always point to what I needed.”

Gauging the strength and quality of Hammer’s security involves attending an exclusive auction of what he considers his lesser treasures, mostly being sold so rival collectors might envy even more the things he still possesses. A range of weird, wonderful, dangerous and bizarre items are for sale, and as Gideon and his team peruse the wares, an incident is initiated for the reaction of the personnel: it does not end well, but it provides the team with even more impetus to carry out their daring plan.

Green set up his novel like a three-act play and titles the chapters thus “Sneaking Up on the Sleeping Dragon While Being Very Careful Not to Trip Over Anything”. Fascinating little tales within the main story provide a potted history of the principal protagonists.

Green gives the reader a very different modern-day London: one with plenty of magic and a generous helping of the paranormal. His characters are appealing, his plot is clever and there’s loads of humour in the dialogue. Imaginative and funny, this is a very entertaining read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Canongate Severn House.

Thank you NetGalley, loved this book. It has something going on all the way through and constantly keeps your interest. I found this to be very well written and easy to keep turning the page. I wanted to read the next chapter to find out who the next character would be. Did get a little confused on who was the damned, kept getting the names mixed up. The only slight thing I didn’t like was the very last sentence, I personally think the book didn’t need that adding. It felt like it was explaining the book, otherwise would absolutely recommend

Such fun! This is the first book I've read by Simon R. Green. A paranormal book about a heist that included a superb cast of characters. Gideon Sable (but not really - he's stolen the name of a person who was considered a master thief) is the ringleader. He wants to gather together a specific group of people to pull off the greatest theft imaginable - to steal the most important item from the worst man in the world. To do this he needs to convince The Damned, the Ghost, the Wild Card . . . and his ex-girlfriend, Annie Anybody to participate in his plan. Only - he doesn't tell them everything.

This was a short novel, but I had a blast reading it. Loved how it was played out and I was certainly surprised! There are some great magical items in the book I would love to have. Very well done Simon R. Green!

Thanks to Canongate Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

I received an Advanced Reading Copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and Cannongate books.

Sometimes when I start reading an ARC book that I requested, I forget the reason what drew me to request the book in the first place. But a few pages, in I was reminded of the reason - it must have had the word “heist” in the description! Anyway, I’m glad that i did request it.

Yes, this is a heist story. But it’s a heist set in a London underground world where magic, ghosts, undead and demons all exist. It’s weird as heck but it’s a fun read.

Gideon Sable is a thief who (like in most heist stories) has the perfect plan and assembles the perfect team to carry it out.

It’s an imaginative, fun story with some great (and really weird) characters and lots of magical gadgets. There’s some humour thrown in as well. This looks to be the first book in a new series and I’m looking forward to the next one.

#TheBestThingYouCanSteal #NetGalley

Bonus points for being a fairly short book and a stand alone book! The story moves at a very fast pace. The characters and situation are introduced and the action happens quickly. Since the characters are introduced so quickly they are lightly sketched but each still stands out with clear motives. If you enjoy a heist story I recommend this one highly. I’ve read some of the other books by this author and have enjoyed them all but I think this might be on of my favorites of his books!

This book was received as an ARC from Canongate Books - Severn House in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

From the description, I did not know what to expect from this book. It sounded very interesting and unique than most psychological thrillers but oh did this book blow my mind. I was however confused at first due to the out of the box concept of stealing items that are unknown to others. Throughout the chapters I kept wondering in my head how these things are to be stolen but then as I read on, it all started to make sense. There were many moments where my heartrate was skyrocketing up and my jaw was wide open at some parts. I know we will have this book heavily circulated in our collection at the library and this could potentially be a future book club book.

We will consider adding this title to our Mystery collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

This book about Gideon was impressive for a novella. I honestly did not know it was one because it has the length of other books that are "full novels", funny how that works sometimes. If you read the description and think "hmmm, interesting", let me be the first to tell you it will blow you away.

This novel is an incredible example of how to world-build via action rather than exposition. The novel launches immediately into the action and doesn't take its foot off the gas until the very end.

Gideon Sable is a thief – he even stole his name. He specialises in things that are impossible to steal and to this end he plans a heist to steal the best thing in the collection of the worst man in the world. For this he needs to put together a team who can do the impossible, starting with his ex-girlfriend, Annie Anybody, mistress of disguise, plus the Damned, the Ghost and the Wild Card. This is interesting for the characters (and we do get their backstories). To be honest it's a neat idea and it kept me reading, but it didn't blow me away.

Simon R. Green always produces original stories. He has an unique style and he prove it yet again with his new book. Different kind of science-fiction, unique, a bit hard to describe or compare, but try it! You'll thank me later!

Simon KNOCKS IT OUT OF THE PARK YET AGAIN!!! A new series, a redemption story and right up my alley!! THANK you Mr Green!

Simon Green presents us with another story of the world beneath the real world. Fans of his "Nightside" and "Secret History" series will really enjoy it.

A man looking to remake and redeem himself puts together an unlikely crew to hurt the man that ruined their lives. With a few gadgets and a lot of charm, Gideon seeks to steal the impossible.

The book moves along at a fast pace but not at the expense of character depth. Green uses his imagination to well to paint a supernatural "Ocean's" style heist. The story is well thought out and fun to read.

My only complaint is I felt the ending could have been more dramatic. It just...finishes. A little disappointing after such a great build-up.

Sometimes I choose books because of an interesting title... and sometimes because I'm already a fan of the author. This time, it was both. Who can withstand such a great title?
The book turned out to be great too. Gideon Sable - the néw Gideon Sable as he says himself - needs to find a couple of people to help him steal something very valuable from a very horrible man. He ends up with three other people, who all have their own reasons for wanting to rob the horrible man of something - including his life.
Follows a sometimes very serious, sometimes hilarious, account of how Gideon and his friends set to work. The book is full of surprises, great atmosphere and wonderful characters. The story is a wonderful mix between magic, horror and the 'normal' world - but what is 'normal'?

Thanks to Netgalley for this review copy.

A new character from Simon R. Green! Gideon Sable has stolen the ORIGINAL Gideon Sable's identity and now, with a select group of associates, is out to steal the star of an evil collector's hoard.. Cheerfully over-the-top, much as I remember the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comics series...a quick read and lots of fun.