Steal It All: Donovan: Thief for Hire

by Chuck Bowie

The third story in the series Thief For Hire, begins with a brutal daylight murder of an English citizen in the Canadian embassy in London, England. The ambassador calls upon a combination of Scotland Yard and the RCMP . Then there’s the ace up his sleeve. Sean Donovan, a thief for hire who doubles as a security consultant. But Donovan isn’t nearby. He’s in Canada, learning about the business of winemaking and thinking about his new girl, and contemplating his recent exit from the business of theft. Even as he inches away from a life of crime, an art collector he owes a favor to, approaches is he willing to do the tiniest of thefts? Would Donovan track down a missing piece of art? Can the collector, Gaia, be trusted? Of course not. Can Donovan resist? Of course not. Is there easy money to be made? Oh, yes. Nothing is ever easy for him. Donovan may be betting his life on this gig.

248 pages, Paperback

Published June 20, 2018

About the author

Chuck Bowie lives on the East Coast of Canada, and his writing is influenced by the study of human nature and how people behave, habits he picked up as his family moved nineteen times in his first twenty one years. Chuck loves food, wine, music and travel and all play a role in his work.
His writing will often draw upon elements of these experiences to round out his characters and plotlines. He has just published this sixth thriller: Lost in London in the international suspense-thriller series: Donovan: Thief For Hire. This follows Her Irish Boyfriend, The Body On The Underwater Road, Steal It All, Three Wrongs and AMACAT. All of his published novels have been paperback best-sellers in New Brunswick. He has published the third novel in a new cozy mystery series: Old Manse Mysteries, set in a fictional town in New Brunswick, and is working on the follow-up in this series, due in October, 2025.
Chuck and his wife Lois live in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
Email: chuck.bowie33@gmail.com

Reviews

[Jim Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed reading all three of the Thief for Hire novels and what I chiefly appreciate about them is the absence of vulgarity, gratuitous sex and excessive violence. Mr Bowie keeps a tight focus on the story, keeping it moving along at a brisk pace. Sean also works primarily with his brain, taking the time to think out his next steps, but not afraid to ruffle a few feathers if he thinks it will stir up some information. Beth, his companion is no deadweight to Sean, in fact, she is just the opposite, having recently survived her own personal hell, coming out stronger, wiser and more determined to help Sean (see book #2). As a matter of fact, all of Mr Bowie's female characters are strong in their own way, they are definitely not fluff nor window dressing within the narrative, thus making this series engaging to readers of both sexes. There are detailed references to items such as places, wine and food, all drawn from Mr Bowie's personal experiences and love of travel and the finer things in life. The fourth book is in the works, titled The Body On The Underwater Road, and is the first in the series with scenes from his home province of New Brunswick.
If you enjoy a good story, with action, intelligence and international intrigues, then I encourage you to purchase all three of these novels.
(I rated this a four-star story. AMACAT, or book #2 was a five-star read.)

[Jane Tims · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third book in the Donovan: Theif for Hire series will have you scrambling to read the first two, if you haven't already! The characters are well drawn and their story arcs are compelling. One of the newer characters, Gemma, a detective from New Scotland Yard, is wiry, smart and a great addition to the team. Gemma's process as she tries to escape from the bad guys is worth reading all by itself; she gives new meaning to the word 'determined'. Donovan says he prefers to work alone, but the action more than quadruples when he becomes part of a group of four. Great book, hard to put down.

[Kay LaLone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strong, believable characters. Sean Donovan is a thief for hire who doubles as a security consultant. What better way to solve a crime than to hire a thief. Good gripping mystery that kept me turning the pages. Touch of romance left me wanting to read more. I received this book free for a honest review.