Stealing the Ruby Slippers

by Amanda Michelle Moon

Jared Canning is out of money and out of time. His gambling debts are due, and his creditors are not the kind that grant extensions. An old friend offers him a job: break into a small town museum, steal a pair Ruby Slippers Judy Garland wore in the Wizard of Oz, and share the profits when they are sold to a buyer in New Orleans.

On August 25, 2005, Jared pulls off the heist perfectly.

The next day, Jared watches Hurricane Katrina slam into New Orleans. His buyer, and his money, are gone.

Jared has a creditor with a thirst for blood on his tail, the police knocking on his door, and the most famous shoes in the country hidden in his dirty laundry. He needs to outsmart a sexy, scheming girlfriend, a drunk buddy who saw too much, and just possibly himself in order to find his way out.

Stealing the Ruby Slippers imagines wild possibilities for a real life mystery, blending fact and fiction to keep you guessing until the last page.

202 pages, Paperback

First published May 11, 2014

About the author

Amanda Michelle Moon is the author of two books in the Ruby Slippers series. Stealing the Ruby Slippers tells the story of the real-life mystery from a fictional criminal’s perspective, and Finding the Ruby Slippers continues the search. Both books are works of her imagination but full of facts and details of the actual theft and life in Northern Minnesota. A native of Hill City, Minnesota, she currently resides with her family in Minneapolis where she is working on two more novels. Her previous publications include articles for Pilates Digest, and 2nd & Church, and personal essays for Radiant Magazine. Read more at www.amandamichellemoon.com.

Reviews

[Jayda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moon did a great job of blending fact and fiction for this awesome novel. It was one I could not put down.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable mystery despite the ending. I can't believe the authorities expects us to believe this is the real ending, with everyone dead and the rugby slippers still missing ( even if they are still missing in real life). The most moving moments were when the police broke into Jarrod's apartment and found him half dead and later when they were taking Kelly in and they told him Jarrod was dead. I didn't believe it. I thought it had to be a police trick. It brought tears to my eyes when I realized it wasn't. Jarrod was definitely the guy with the worst luck.

[Amanda up North]

A page turner! I couldn't put it down.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting concept on an event that actually happened. Judy Garland's Ruby Slippers were stolen from a museum and not recovered. Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans around the same time. The characters in this book are purely fictional. However, the story woven by Ms. Moon makes you feel that they actually stole these slippers. The main character who was portrayed as the one who did the heist is trying to use them to pay off a gambling debt. Nothing goes right for this poor guy. With a little help from his friends, he hides the slippers and the loan shark is on his trail in an effort to get his money. The book toward the end was hard to put down because I needed to find out how this played out. I enjoyed the book and I recommend it to anyone, especially if you want to find out what happens next!

[Katie Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good fiction read based on a true story, so fun!!

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. I hated the ending, which ruined the story for me, along with killing off the main character, Jared, partway through the story.