It was in the years before World War I, when Britain ruled the world and all power seemed to reside in London.  Wealth flowed through the nation like water down the Thames.  And pearls were among the most luxurious items you could own.  One necklace was especially valuable, being worth in today’s terms around $80 million.  More than the Hope Diamond.

And of all the preposterous things, it was sent from Paris to London in the mail.  The mail — not armored car, not with armed guards, not with a caravan of protection … but through regular post.

Unsurprisingly, it was stolen.  And thus began the story of the decade.  High end gentlemen thieves, crooked postal workers, Parisian jewelers out for a reward, and shockingly intelligent Scotland Yard detectives all become part of the story.

The Great Pearl Heist: London’s Greatest Thief and Scotland Yard’s Hunt for the World’s Most Valuable Necklace tells it all, and tells it well.  Which is great because soon World War I was upon the nation — indeed the whole world — and simple stories like a stolen necklace faded from the public scene.  But it’s a great story, with lots of heroes and villains. Though to be fair the villains are hard to dislike.

This is a fun book, well worth the read.  It’s short, simple, and (from what I can tell) accurate.  Perhaps it doesn’t develop the characters as well as it should.  Maybe we don’t get the full human impact like some great books accomplish.  But this is still a fun book with a fun story.  Well worth your time. Think of it as a work of historical fiction … that just happens to be true.