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Napoleon of Crime: The Life and Times of Adam Worth, Master Thief
Napoleon of Crime: The Life and Times of Adam Worth, Master Thief | Ben Macintyre
4 posts | 8 read | 11 to read
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF A SPY AMONG FRIENDS He is the Napoleon of crime, Watson.He is the organizer of half that is evil and of nearly all that is undetected in this great city.He is a genius, a philosopher, an abstract thinker. . . . --Sherlock Holmes on Professor Moriarty in "The Final Problem" The Victorian era's most infamous thief, Adam Worth was the original Napoleon of crime. Suave, cunning Worth learned early that the best way to succeed was to steal. And steal he did. Following a strict code of honor, Worth won the respect of Victorian society. He also aroused its fear by becoming a chilling phantom, mingling undetected with the upper classes, whose valuables he brazenly stole. His most celebrated heist: Gainsborough's grand portrait of the Duchess of Devonshire--ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales--a painting Worth adored and often slept with for twenty years. With a brilliant gang that included "Piano" Charley, a jewel thief, train robber, and playboy, and "the Scratch" Becker, master forger, Worth secretly ran operations from New York to London, Paris, and South Africa--until betrayal and a Pinkerton man finally brought him down. In a decadent age, Worth was an icon. His biography is a grand, dazzling tour into the gaslit underworld of the last century. . . and into the doomed genius of a criminal mastermind.
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Bookwomble
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Pickpick

#NoPlaceLikeHolmes @Cuilin (apologies for co-opting your hashtag 🙇‍♂️)
Well, it's been about 35 years since I read this book, but it has stuck in my memory as it's about the inspiration for one of literature's greatest villains: Adam Worth, the original Napoleon of Crime upon whom Doyle based Professor Moriarty.
Worth is in the top roundel, his suitably inscribed headstone in the middle, and Macintyre's book at base. ⬇️

Bookwomble The hogtied gentleman is Jack "Junka" Phillips, Worth's musclebound butler (!), bodyguard and heist accomplice, seriously not wanting his mugshot taken by the Pinkertons! 2mo
Bookwomble At the time I read this book, I was working at Tesco head office in Hertfordshire, their training centre being in a nearby manor house they'd purchased, Ponsbourne Park, where I spent a number of riveting days over the years. I was, therefore, quite pleasantly surprised to read that it was from this house that Worth stole a Gainsborough painting. Training days were never quite the same after that! 😆 (edited) 2mo
Cuilin Oh thank you for this post. # completely appropriate. Who knew working at Tesco head office would lead to such an exciting story. I‘d be telling that at every dinner party, pub chat, coffee morning etc 😆 2mo
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GingerAntics Ooooooooh I need to read this book now! What a cool fact about the Tesco head office! I cannot wait dig into this gem! 2mo
Bookwomble @Cuilin I looked to see if there was any info at the hotel re the noteworthy theft but there wasn't. Maybe the hotel clientele of mainly wedding parties and visiting business people wouldn't have appreciated it🤷‍♂️ I dealt with insurance claims & litigation for Tesco, including one re this hotel when a groom cuckolded on his wedding day punched his best man through a dining room window, followed by their respective wives having a punch up 😄 (edited) 2mo
Bookwomble @GingerAntics My autism needs to clarify that the actual head office was based at Cheshunt in my day, in a Brutalist concrete edifice resembling a KGB black ops detention centre. Ponsbourne Park was a few miles up the road, a former stately home part run as a hotel, part converted to host management training courses and seminars. Thank you for your patience and indulgence! ♾️😄 2mo
GingerAntics @Bookwomble my autism greatly appreciates that clarification! I am still in love with this story of how you came to this book! 2mo
dabbe Incredible information! Thank you! And you can co-opt #NoPlaceLikeHolmes anytime. You're a de facto member of our group! 🤩🤩🤩 2mo
Bookwomble @GingerAntics My autism says "You're welcome" ? 2mo
Bookwomble @dabbe Aww, thank you! 🥰 2mo
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WildQuibble
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#adventrecommends day 17!

This is a great book about a fascinating guy - the moniker “the real Moriarty” hasn‘t just been applied for marketing purposes, it was according to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

ljuliel That cover is so neat ! 5y
WildQuibble @ljuliel It‘s what caught my eye in the first place 😍 5y
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Vivlio_Gnosi
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Adding this #Nonfiction #historical book to my #TBR stack for #NFNov.
@rsteve388 @Clwojick

rsteve388 1 pt 5y
5 likes1 comment
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Leelee08
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Gotta love a good library and used bookstore haul!📚💚

Reagan The Library at Mount Char ❤️ 7y
Leelee08 @Reagan-reads I've heard mixed reviews about this one. And that it's bat-shit crazy. Lol. That intrigues me. 7y
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Leelee08 @rabbitprincess Ooh, I need to read that one! 7y
Reagan @Leelee08 is is definitely batshit crazy! I was a little put off at the beginning and completely confused. If you can push through the initial WTF, it is worth it. 7y
Leelee08 @Reagan-reads I will definitely try to push through! 7y
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