Fiction like TV Show Leverage: hackers, con artists, thieves working WITH Law enforcement. Maybe as an alternative to prison, or they fancy themselves a modern day Robin Hood

[Amy*skye.rhyme]

Looking for Adult Fiction from ANY genre (incl. romance, suspense, paranormal) that has hackers, con artists or thieves that work WITH Law enforcement for whatever reason. Maybe as an alternative to prison, or they fancy themselves a modern day Robin Hood.

Think the TV show Leverage or the FBI Vidoq program.

Here are 3 examples but I'm hoping there are more. Adult Fiction from any genre will work. Thanks!

Up in Smoke by Tessa Bailey
Perfectly Twisted by Kristine Mason
Hostage Taker by Stefanie Pintoff

[MJ]

Estelle Ryan has a series that includes cons & hackers ending up on the good guys team. Each of the books/titles is based on a *artist* followed by *Connection*. Dantes Connection is one, but don't think it's the first.

[TinaNoir]

Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg's Fox and O'Hare series . The first one is The Heist

[Amy*skye.rhyme]

MJ wrote: "Estelle Ryan has a series that includes cons & hackers ending up on the good guys team. Each of the books/titles is based on a *artist* followed by *Connection*. Dantes Connection is one, but don't..."

Thanks for the recommendation MJ. I looked up the details for that series and it does look like something I might enjoy!

[Amy*skye.rhyme]

Tina wrote: "Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg's Fox and O'Hare series . The first one is The Heist"

Thanks Tina. Can you believe I actually forgot about Janet Evanovich? I need to buckle down and read that series that starts with The Heist.

[Melanie]

The Elite Crime Unit series by Michele Hauf is similar to what you're looking for if you're okay with romance. The first book is The Thief.

https://www.goodreads.com/series/1919...

[Ann aka Iftcan]

some of Jennifer Crusie's books have this. A thief or a conman (or woman) helping out the police for one reason or another.

Me, Myself and Why? and the other books in this trilogy have that too. A diagnosed psychopath working with the FBI and local cops to catch those who are worse than he is. This one is very humourous, just a word.

[rue]

Can't Buy Me Love has a hacker working with the law, and it's a major part of the story, but it's not the center, if that still interests you

[Peter]

Put A Lid On It by Donald Westlake is about a career thief who will be released from prison if he can help the President out of an embarrassing jam. I suppose this is only suitable to your request if you see career politicians as the good guys, but it's a good book.

The Hot Rock, also by Westlake, is the first in his excellent series about John Dortmunder, a brilliant thief with terrible luck. In this one Dortmunder is recruited by a small African nation to steal a jewel that was stolen from the country by their hated rival nation. Not exactly easy to call anyone involved the good guys, but it's a great read.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Damnation Alley is a sci-fi short story/novella with this idea. It takes place in the future, after some kind of disaster (sorry, it's been more than a few years since I read this) and the MC, who's father named him Hell, is a con and smuggler who gets roped into helping get some badly needed medicine through "Damanation Alley" which is the nickname of the area between 2 different parts of the U.S. It was made (badly) into a movie with very little resemblance to the story and which starred George Peppard and Jan-Michael Vincent.

[Amy*skye.rhyme]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions, many of these sound great.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Shelly Laurenston has this happen in a few of her Pride stories. The "police" they are helping are those who help control crime among the shifter set. Bear Meets Girl is one. But it's a very minor part of this book.

Bite Me also has it, but again, it's a side-bar to the story. And the "con artist" has been straight almost her entire life (except for the habit of breaking into peoples empty homes to crash there.) But her family is full of those thieves, cons etc.

These books have a lot of humour in them, and, as I said, most of the "law enforcement" is more keeping humans from finding out about shifters by controlling the lawless elements.

[Amy*skye.rhyme]

Ann aka Iftcan wrote: "Shelly Laurenston has this happen in a few of her Pride stories. The "police" they are helping are those who help control crime among the shifter set. Bear Meets Girl..."

Thanks for more ideas Ann. I've read everything Shelly Laurenston has ever written, only I wish it weren't so cuz then I could fall in with them all over again. My favs are The Beast in Him & The Unleashing, although I'm mentioning them as a sidenote, they don't fall under this specific plot thread. She writes the best quirky characters I've ever read! Followed closely by Suzanne Wright!

As far as pnr thieves and cons that I love, Georgette St. Clair has a great street kid character called Pixie that you meet in "The Alpha Meets His Match" and then she gets her own book in "Pixie The Lion Tamer". That whole series is also great for funny paranormal misfits!

If anyone knows of more along the same lines, I'd love to know. Basically the plot theme I love is...

"Sure, TECHNICALLY I'm a criminal, but I'm really good at it and it's for all the right reasons!"

,

[Amy*skye.rhyme]

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