Crime 101: A Novella

by Don Winslow

A string of high-level jewel heists up and down the Pacific Coast Highway has gone unsolved for years, mostly because the perpetrator has lived by a strict code he calls “Crime 101”. Police attribute the thefts to the Colombian cartels. But Detective Lou Lubesnick’s gut says it’s the work of just one man. Now the lone-wolf jewel thief is looking for that fabled final last score, and Lou breaks all the rules of "Crime 101".

Genres: Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Audiobook, Thriller, Short Stories, Film

Audible Audio

Published July 13, 2021

About the author

Don Winslow is the author of twenty-one acclaimed, award-winning international bestsellers, including the New York Times bestsellers The Force and The Border, the #1 international bestseller The Cartel, The Power of the Dog, Savages, and The Winter of Frankie Machine. Savages was made into a feature film by three-time Oscar-winning writer-director Oliver Stone. The Power of the Dog, The Cartel and The Border sold to FX in a major multimillion-dollar deal to air as a weekly television series beginning in 2020.

A former investigator, antiterrorist trainer and trial consultant, Winslow lives in California and Rhode Island.


Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Em]

lmfao call it a star is born bc this bitch is SHALLOW. serves me right for seeking out any source material with even vaguely interesting adaptation prospects (pedro pascal and chris hemsworth movie). i truly thot this way of writing women was dead but no!

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just a heist story, not just a police investigation, a story about choices and the open road. Lovely.

[Realini Ionescu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crime 101 by Don Winslow was adapted for the big screen by the author and Bart Layton, the latter is the director; the result is a good, if not overwhelming thriller – you find thousands of notes on films from The New York Times’ Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made and other sites on my blog https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... and YouTube channel, which has about ten subscribers


7 out of 10

Crime 101 is entertaining, and that should be the whole ‘review’, except I will keep adding lines to this, with the knowledge that few, if any bother reading this, and that is also some solace, it means freedom to say just about anything…well, saying what I think about the Orange Twat in the White House got me kicked out

Barry Keoghan is not the lead here, but this thespian is outstanding, he has such a wide range, from The Banshees of Inisherin https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... to The Killing of The Sacred Deer and more, he is so talented that he must win a few Oscars, if he keeps acting like this
Chris Hemsworth has the leading role of Davis, a thief specialized in jewelry, which he takes without violence, nobody has been injured in his heists, even if this may be about to change – he has been working with what was called a ‘fence’, although I am not sure it applies here, played by Nick Nolte, who has lost much of his voice

Saltburn is another film in which Barry Keoghan shined, indeed he was the lead there, in the film directed by Emerald Fennell https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... I will have to see Wuthering Heights, her latest creation – well, with the team – quite far from the original
Davis had this plan for a new robbery, and his accomplice, Money aka Nick Nolte, knows about it, and when his partner says it does not feel right, he just gives the details to Ormon – and this is the occasion for a superb performance from Barry Keoghan – who does the job himself, and that infuriates the mastermind

Ergo, Davis confronts Money, it was his scheme, and he would have had to agree to have it handed out to somebody else – after all, we see that work goes into this, if not of the moral, ethical kind – besides, this turned out to be a very violent Heist, think Asphalt Jungle https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... or some other classic
Money says his younger partner (Davis) will have to come ‘with his tail between his legs’, but in the meantime, he wants revenge and thus he tells Barry Keoghan aka Ormon to follow Davis, learn about his new target, and then let him take the diamonds and then rob him, it gets complicated, but it is a thrill, perhaps like Heat https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20...
On a final note, I have met Chris Hemsworth at the…gym, I am not a huge fan, seeing as he has been in Marvel movies (is Thor one of those, I am not sure) and I do not watch those, but he has been excellent in Furiosa, I recognized him, asked if I could take a selfie and I did, he was nice, and indeed, his work in Crime 101 is commendable

[Julio]

"...las leyes están para incumplirlas con normas que han de cumplirse a rajatabla"

[riley · Rating 3 out of 5]

02.02.26- Revisiting this novella because the film I was bemoaning actually comes out in a little over two weeks, and since my plea for Chris and Mark to drop out fell on deaf ears, I'm still invested in this novella and its upcoming adaptation. I've increased my rating from 2 stars to 3 on a second read for a few reasons. One, the novella's dramatic ending makes a lot more sense when I'm not zoned out and tired after a long drive and also being subjected to The Fall Guy in between audiobook chapters. I actually liked the ending this go round. Two, I had a clearer picture in my head of what Chris will look like, and I was now picturing Halle Berry in Sharon's place, and it improved the reading experience. Not a fair note and actually pretty antithetical to my reading philosophy in general, but whatever.

However, a lot of the same problems that I identified in my original read are still here, including some new ones. I'll keep it spoiler-free, but if you know you know—The interaction between Sharon and Lou and Sharon's characterization is just completely, utterly misogynistic. (I'm paraphrasing but, "Maybe it's because she's naked that she seems so much more scared." In what world is a woman in her situation not getting dressed before she tells that story?) It's the kind of writing for women that would be more at home in those 60s detective movies these characters are obsessed with, and it makes this pretty modern and slick novella feel dated. I can't shake the masculine energy that permeates every syllable of this novel. The women within it are flat, bitches, and brutalized or shunned by the male characters. There's only 3 of them, mind you. Still, Winslow (who follows me on Twitter, sorry Don) seems to be aware that his main characters are misogynistic and shallow, but decides against mitigating this by neglecting to give any of the female characters any interiority. (Halle Berry's Sharon seems to have gained some in the film, at least judging by the trailers and press material, so here's hoping.)

Back to the ending—although I was much less confused by the ending this time, I was struck by how rushed it seems. We spend more time learning about Lou's infatuation with breakfast burritos than with the progression of the key events leading up to the final heist. Lou and Sharon's encounter is brief and comes across like a quick way to progress the plot rather than a natural crossover of plot lines.

Davis' lack of backstory and lack of personality and lack of motivations is still very frustrating. We know so much about Lou and the way he ticks that Davis, by comparison, comes across as very one-dimensional. There's nothing in that head of his. Why is he so moralistic? How did he get into thievery? I'm not a pre-teen Stranger Things fan, so I'm not going as far as to say these are plot holes, and I'm aware that there's likely an intentional reason why Davis feels so flat, but I'm not getting "mysterious thief" from his character, I'm getting cardboard cutout. Winslow (again, sorry Don) seems way more interested in the life of Lou than Davis, even though Davis should be the far more interesting one. Where did he learn to make a dark chocolate raspberry mousse?

There's probably more that I have to say here, but I'll save it for Letterboxd in a week when I see the movie at a pre-screening. Should I watch The Thomas Crown Affair?

——————————————————

05.21.24- what an absolutely empty shell of a narrative. complete with misogynistic bullshit, cardboard cutout protagonists, and a few homophobic slurs included to top it all off. chris hemsworth and pedro pascal please run while you still can 🙏

**literally an hour after I posted this review the news that pedro pascal had been replaced by mark ruffalo in the upcoming adaptation dropped so now i beg you mark, please run while you still can

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

CRIME 101 is the first thing I've read by Don Winslow, and it made me an instant fan. I'm a sucker for a cat-and-mouse story, and this one hits all the marks.

A thief who's looking to do one last score? Check.
A detective who's alone in his belief on how the thief operates? Check.
Twists and turns? Check and check.

The relationship between the detective and the thief has a HEAT vibe. You can almost see Al Pacino and Robert Deniro in these roles (albeit much younger).

The book is complemented by Ray Porter's absolutely fantastic read.

Just a solid purchase through and through.

[Tom Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winslow is a Master of Noir.

One of the best crime writers today, Don Winslow spins a tale that checks all the boxes of a great story. All the stock characters are there yet none of them are flat two dimensional stick figures. The sidekick, the Mistress, the Dimwit Brass, all there but real and believable, perfectly woven into a great story that the Reader sees and doesn’t see coming.

Very enjoyable brief Four Star Read. ****

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent novella set on the 101 in Southern California. Fast paced and great twists!

[Kristen N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent story for a novella. Enjoyed the Steve McQueen thoughts and comparisons.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great novella, riveting, fast paced, and twisty. Looking forward to reading (listening) to more in the series.

[Isabella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crime 101 was probably the only good one. Excited for the movie!

[Matt Karess · Rating 2 out of 5]

trash, excited for da movie

[Giuseppe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nerissimo.....

[davidgonzalezsr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good short story with phenomenal narration by Ray Porter.

My Slightly Sarcastic But Ultimately Honest Book Rating System:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 Stars): This book achieved legendary status in my personal library. I will likely reread it until the pages fall out (or my e-reader spontaneously combusts). Consider this my enthusiastic endorsement – you should probably read it unless you actively dislike joy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 Stars): A truly excellent read! I enjoyed it immensely and would heartily recommend it to fellow bookworms. You might even catch me subtly pushing it into their hands.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 Stars): Yep, it was a book I read. I turned the pages, absorbed the words, and emerged...unchanged. It was a pleasant enough journey, like a scenic detour that you wouldn't necessarily take again, but didn't regret.
⭐️⭐️ (2 Stars): This book existed. I finished it. That's about the highest praise I can offer. If you're looking for something truly captivating, maybe keep scrolling. This one's more of a "it filled the silence" kind of experience.
⭐️ (1 Star): Oh dear. This book and I did not get along. It was a literary tumbleweed in the vast desert of good books. Consider this a strong "do not recommend," unless you're conducting research on what not to do in storytelling.

Disclaimer: My enjoyment of the narrator is based on my listening speed. I only leave 5 stars for books I've read/listened to or will read/listen to multiple times.

[Lee Behlman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Diverting enough but painfully derivative.

[Joe Kraus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pro writing about a pro.

As far as I’m concerned, Don Winslow is the heir to Elmore Leonard – at least in the sense that he sits comfortably at the intersection of good noir and accessibility. He knows what he is doing as a writer, and he knows how to build a career. That latter part isn’t as simple as just writing good novel after good novel, which Winslow does. Instead, it’s about jumping back and forth between books with a literary bent and books that just slam the gas pedal and go.

In this one, a tightly plotted novella that a lesser writer would have turned into a book about three times as long, Winslow gives us Davis, a career bandit who hits jewelry stores once every year or two and then flees onto Highway 101.

Davis isn’t just good at burglary. He understands that successful heists have rules to them. He’s boiled them down – as Leonard characters sometimes do – and he shares them with us in our access to his thoughts. As he shares them, he underscores the point. Do it his way, the smart way. It’s “Crime 101.”

At the same time, he’s pursued by Lou Lubesnik, a Jewish LAPD detective who’s dealing with a mid-life crisis. Lou also knows Crime 101, and that gives him the insight into the otherwise hidded “spree” that Davis is committing in slow motion.

From there, Winslow introduces a few background characters, among them Davis’s fence who sells him out to an up-and-comer. I’m tempted to ding the ending since it involves both Davis and Lou disguising themselves as, respectively, the mark’s bodyguard and the bagman delivering the good to the mark. Still, it moves so quickly, and it allows Winslow to resolve this with Leonard-like humor rather than staying full-on noir. So, I let it pass in light of the cleverness of the rest of the piece.

The bottom line here is that Winslow writes like Davis sets out to commit crimes. He knows how to avoid the traps that others fall into – mostly traps of over-explanation or going soft in favor of the characters they’ve invented.

Crime is a dirty business, so Davis knows to keep as much distraction out of the way as possible. Winslow couldn’t have said it any better…except that he’s the one saying it here on Davis’s behalf.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six short stories, four of which are connected by characters appearing in multiple stories, all underpinned by the common theme of the brokenness of individuals. The original title of the book is 'Broken' after the first story but is a better indication of the essence of each of the stories.

Both 'Broken' and 'Crime 101' are excellent. We see cops put into unthinkable situations having to make choices reflecting their brokenness and in the case of 'Broken' lose perspective of what is normal heathy behaviour.

'SanDiego Zoo' has a peculiar beginning, a runaway chimp holding a gun, but has good reflections of a good honest cop seeking to make a name for himself so he can move into the Robbery Unit.

'Sunset' - an enjoyable story of a group of PI's helping their mate, Duke, rescue Terry Maddux from himself, so Duke can get repaid what Terry owes him. Duke's business is shutting down and he needs the money to help pay his staff. The story reflects a good group of men connected by surf and loyalty towards each other.

'Paradise' - a different story. 3 young dope sellers move onto Kaui in Hawaii to grow their business. However, the locals don't like it one bit. A battle of wills and long standing relationships all set in the paradise of the Hawaiian island.

'The Last Ride' - a sad story to end the collection. Demonstrates the issues of cross border immigration when a child is separated from her parents and the hardship she endures. A lone ICE agent tries to do something about it and to restore the little girl with her mother back in Mexico. Twyla, a fellow agent, is suffering terribly from PTSD, and is broken by her time spent in the military. Sad ending when an heroic act is viewed as criminal and results in an unnecessary death.

Winslow's staccato style adds pace and edginess to the stories and his insights into human brokenness are well written.

Recommended.

[LindaJ^ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

This is an excellent novella by Don Winslow. Published in 2021, it is available only from Audible.com. I'm sure I read it before, but did not rate or review it, so will do so now.

We have a smart crook and a smart detective. The crook has rules for when he will commit a crime and he religiously follows them, until he doesn't. He's a thief who does not use force and has never hurt anyone. He's also never been seen. For 10 years he's been stealing jewelry and gems up and down the Pacific Coast Highway, the 101. He likes nice cars and has a lot of them. He just about has all the money he needs to live comfortably for the rest of his life - just a few more jobs to go. Then he is given info that would allow him to do one last job and be set for life. There are issues though. It doesn't fit the Crime 101 rules he's followed but he just can't resist.

The detective, contrary to most everyone else, believes one guy has been doing the 10 years of unsolved jewelry heists. He sees a pattern because there is no pattern other than they are unsolved robberies up and down the 101. There are never two in the same jurisdiction in a row and no one ever sees anything. The pattern is Crime 101.

Neither believes in coincidences.

Lots to like in this one. Plenty of twists and turns on both sides. And the narration of the audiobook is also excellent.

[Timothy Patrick Boyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

[NOTE: I did not listen to this audiobook. But I did reread this story in anticipation of the film, and have decided to count novellas and select novelettes this year, and this was the only way I could log this story on its own.]

Crime 101: Never be predictable.

Don Winslow's Crime 101 —now a film starring Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo & Halle Berry—is a slow-burn about a jewel thief and the cop hunting him that relies very heavily on vibes. Whether it's the calculated calm of our outlaw main character, the intoxicating appeal of life along the 101, or the unpredictably explosive end to which the events throughout are leading us, Winslow captures the vibes of his inspirations with the exact level of contagious cool you'd hope for from a story dedicated to Steve McQueen.

Always do what Steve McQueen would do.

7.5/10

[Lars Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

After seeing trailers for Crime 101, I looked the movie up and saw it was based on a short story by Don Winslow, an author Stephen King praises consistently. I got my hands on a used paperback right away.

This is reminiscent of the types of crime stories that I’ve grown up reading and watching and almost always love (when done well). Both the career criminal and the lead detective are really dual protagonists, whom we learn just the right amount of backstory about, there’s one last job / one last score, and a lawman who’s conflicted between cuffing his man and taking the score for himself.

Crime 101 is fast paced, fun, and can be read in a sitting or two. To the reviewers saying this is “shallow,” or “cops, robbers, voluptuous women defined by the male gaze,” you’re right. Not everything needs to be that deep. Sometimes you can fire up a joint and sit down to watch “Heat” or “The Town” or you can read this in less time than either of those movies.

4 stars. Excited to check out more stories and books by Winslow.

[Joe Joyce]

Real pleasure in how much of an unabashed throwback it is. Wears its influences on his sleeve, you can only bring up Steve McQueen so many times before even I take notice. Pulpy, clipped sentences. Process detail, step by step instructions on how to commit jewel theft is basically ASMR to a certain class of men, myself included. Also deeply retro in its complete lack of regard for women, I’m no bleeding heart but this has such an incuriosity for women’s interiority, even when we’re inside the woman’s head.

Reads like a film treatment, a very successful one too because I saw the film last week. Most of the film changes were necessary just for the run time, this runs lean and mean. Also appreciate filling in the backstory for Davis, who reads like wish fulfillment in the book and is more admirably pathetic in the movie. Finds a way to earn the ending, which felt more like the author running out of runway on page 90.

[Joseph Randazzo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I preferred the movie to the novella. Lou was great in both, but the Davis character was better fleshed out on screen. He was one-dimensional in this. I didn't expect it to be the exact same thing, but given how much more thought went into Lou, I was a bit disappointed.

While it's not fair to judge this based on a movie that came way after, it wouldn't end up being one of my favorite works by Don Winslow, if it didn't exist.

I'm surprised they made this into a movie before the Force. Now THAT is a banger by Don.

[Valerie Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a sharp, fast-paced crime story with the kind of tension and cool atmosphere that makes it hard to put down. Winslow does a great job building the characters and pulling you into this world of crime, ambition, and obsession.

There were a few parts that lost me a little bit, and some moments felt less engaging than others. But overall, it was a really strong read and a great crime novella. If you like smart, gritty crime fiction with strong pacing and style, this one is definitely worth picking up.

[John A. Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read several of Mr. Winslow’s novels and picked this up before I realised it included Crime 101, which I have now seen.
Each of the stories is self-contained, although there are a few overlapping characters in some of the California based ones. The stories give us brutal revenge, heists, bail bondsman, and border patrol amongst many characters. The characters are varied and interest, and all are good reads – Crime 101 and Sunset might be my favourites.

[Larry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of Winslow. He’s a very good writer. I have read most of his novels and picked this ‘novella’ only because I could find anything else at the time. It’s a short read – but it’s complex. … I just thought that some of the crime details didn’t seem as if they would pass a thorough police examination.

[Steve Horan]

So I read this a second time after watching the movie, just released. I enjoyed it as much the second time and learned the movie was fairly faithful to the book, with only a few minor emendations. Kudos to both the book and the movie. - Feb 14, 2026

++++++++++++++++++++++

This is my first Don Winslow read and it won’t be my last. The author has been recommended to me before and is I decided to pick this up prior to the upcoming movie. As the title suggests, the genre is crime fiction. The jewel thief operates on the 101 in California and lives by a set of rules that has kept him hidden from the law. Until now. In search of his final score he breaks his own rules but the story ends with an unexpected twist. Wonder if the movie will stay true to this ending.

On to the movie coming out this week. - Feb 9, 2026

[Thomas Terence · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting short story from the master of crime fiction. Even though this is a short story, the characters are very well-drawn. Winslow does a great job of providing details that the story didn't necessarily need but is so much better because they are there.

[S Petrich · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first read from this author. Didn’t like it as much as many other readers. Probably my tastes. I think it has a masculine POV that doesn’t appeal. He redeemed himself IMHO with “The San Diego Zoo.” So funny.

[Dee’s Cozy Corner Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read

[Seamus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick and a good little story, though I didn't love it as much as the other shorts by Winslow I've read.