The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam

By: Chris Ewan

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

Charlie Howard travels the globe writing suspense novels for a living. To supplement his income - and keep his hand in - Charlie has a small side business: stealing for a very discreet clientele on commission. When a mysterious American offers Charlie 20,000 euros to steal two small monkey figurines to match the one he already has, Charlie is suspicious; the job seems too good to be true, and of course, it is. He soon finds the American beaten nearly to death, while the third figurine has disappeared. Back in London, his literary agent, Victoria (who is naive enough to believe he actually looks like his jacket photo), tries to talk him through the plot problems in both his latest manuscript and in his real life - but Charlie soon finds himself caught up in a caper reminiscent of a Cary Grant movie, involving safe-deposit boxes, menacing characters, and a beautiful damsel in distress.

©2007 Chris Ewan (P)2011 AudioGo

No cliche left unused

I approached with anticipation--wonderful title--quickly grew bored, but slogged on for a while. The rakish, ne'er-do-well protagonist takes on a job against his better judgment. All goes wrong, of course. People lie, he gets arrested, he gets kidnapped and beaten, he makes a clever escape, he discovers more layers of lies, etc. This is a time-honored formula that requires interesting, well-drawn characters, a clever stylist, and/or some kind of emotional grabber early in the story to make the formula fresh. This novel has none of those characteristics. And the protagonist is puzzling about the significance of plaster monkeys when there's a prized first edition of Dashiel Hammett framed on his wall? Duh! It's not badly done; it's merely so boring that I don't care "who dunnit."

a light and entertaining read

Any additional comments?

I got this book because the publishers summary was interesting and I like Simon Vance. Also, it was in one of audible's sales, so it was worth it. I was relatively happy with this book. It is a light mystery novel, where the hero Charley is a thief, but isn't a merciless killer like many people in mystery novels are these days. The writing was a sort of bantering tone, whitch kept me interested and entertained threwout. Now this novel didn't do anything special or different, except combine a crime novelist with a thief, whitch was amusing. However, the writing was good and not too repetitive, the plot was fairly solid, and the characters kept one focused on the story. The only problem with the book was I thought the ending was rather long winded and pompous for my taste. It took Charley forever to explain who the killer was, even though I was pretty sure I already knew who it was. I admit I was only partially right, but I still think it took longer than it should have to conclude the story. However, I will say that the author did a good job of putting together all of the loose ends. To finish things off the narrator did a fantastic job as always. He got all of the accents perfectly and kept all the characters straight effortlessly. I will say that at some point I may buy the next book, when I get a chance and I definitely recommend it to mystery readers and book lovers in general alike.

So-so & denouement strained credulity

Would you try another book from Chris Ewan and/or Simon Vance?

No, not another book in this series by this author.

What was most disappointing about Chris Ewan’s story?

This thief was ridiculously cool under pressure. Totally unruffled when arrested by police for murder & grilled. Totally unruffled when hit w/baseball bat & kidnapped & wakes up tied to chair. Not only not afraid but emotional vacuum. The denouement was unbelievable to me because POLICE allowed themselves to be summoned by a (former) murder suspect and KIDNAPPERS came to such a meeting with police present (and their illicit deeds were discussed). I also doubt some others there would attend. And everybody sits around in a circle while the Thief of Amsterdam holds forth on his theory of the murder?! I don't think even the prestigious Sherlock Holmes could have managed to round up this diverse crew for such a denouement.

What three words best describe Simon Vance’s voice?

Smooth. Polished. Calm.

Was The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam worth the listening time?

Can't say I think it was.

Any additional comments?

Sigh.

Entertaining!

What made the experience of listening to The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam the most enjoyable?

It kept moving, and never stayed in one place too long

What did you like best about this story?

That I felt surprised each time they discovered something, I coudln't easily predict where the book was going

Which scene was your favorite?

the reveal!

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

Laugh, no tears though

Any additional comments?

A good way to spend your time

Peculiar but not interesting

Would you try another book from Chris Ewan and/or Simon Vance?

Probably not.

What could Chris Ewan have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Give more convincing clues for his last analysis.

Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favorite?

The intellectual thief is an interesting one.

Do you think The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Maybe. I can see a follow up book. But not the way this book is written.

Any additional comments?

I bought this book because of the narrator. And he did not disappoint. And I appreciate a new way to write detective story. It just did not do a good job. English with foreign accent is effective used properly. Too much of it is tiresome.

Solid if Predictable

A bit too easy to guess before the end. But solid enough writing and good story telling. Got me through a day of gardening.

Read to me, Simon Vance!

Any additional comments?

What a hoot! I love our burglar/hero and his droll sense of humor, and I found myself chuckling even as I teased through the many threads of this intricate plot. In fact, I wasn't paying enough attention to the mystery here, and was surprised to find how many details I'd missed as I arrived at the final chapter.

I look forward to the next in this series, and I promise not to let my puzzle mind get distracted by this charming thief!

Wow, no.

Would you try another book from Chris Ewan and/or Simon Vance?

Not likely. I wouldn't disqualify a book if it were narrated by Vance but I also wouldn't search them out.

Would you ever listen to anything by Chris Ewan again?

I doubt it. His main character was unbelievable, the thieves were flat, the woman was there to have sex with the main character, the plot was convoluted and never made me care about any of the characters or the outcome.

Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favorite?

The female police person. She was not insipid and did not exist merely as a foil. That said, the character was super minor so there wasn't a lot about her.

Did The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam inspire you to do anything?

Return it...

Any additional comments?

The unveiling of the 'bad guy' was horrendous. It was filled with detailed descriptions of how he physically appeared to be angry while making him completely non-threatening. Ridiculous. Also, during that scene the thieves step in front of the main character, ostensibly to protect him from the bad guy, but there is zero reason for them to care if he dies. They don't know him and don't owe him anything. It's like he just threw a bunch of characters into an empty building and then drew cards to see who the killer would be. I kept having to replay parts because it kept putting me to sleep...:/

Entertainment

Loved the narrator and I would definitely look for a book by this author again

Good Story, Great Narration

Would you listen to The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam again? Why?

Probably not. I'm not one to re-read. Though I am extremely pleased that I did pick this book. I enjoyed it VERY much, and I do plan to read others in the series.
I have always really enjoyed these kind of mysteries. In the case of this series, I look forward to the different international locations. The author tells you about the location, without droning on, but weaves the colour of the area in quite seamlessly. ,

Who was your favorite character and why?

I really enjoyed, Charlie, the lead character. Not just because he was the lead, but because he has many layers. I found myself seeing him as a friend I'd like to have. He has his faults and can be, when necessary, has no problem being quite honest about the certain less known.... yet he still has his one confidant that he can trust. That's more and more unlikely as far as my reality, as I grow older. He is charming yet, your always aware that he's very much hu(man). Smart at his craft as a thief, yet, will admit occasionally, "why didn't I think of that."

Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favorite?

Other than Charlie the lead...I can't say one, but the variations in his Dutch accent were quite awesome.

Any additional comments?

SIMON VANCE, narrator, is very talented. I was impressed with his abilities. I could tell very soon in the book, which character was speaking immediately. I very much enjoyed that part of my experience. That's saying a lot considering how many different characters. He had a lot of different degrees of dialects to master....KUDOS to Mr. Vance and his talents.