A Heist Before Bedtime: True scrapes and escapes from the bestselling Reverend Richard Coles

by Richard Coles

Trains, diamonds, gigantic bridges, maple syrup, pirate ships, and a pair of rare birds... all make up some of the most famous, bizarre and peculiar heists and crimes of all time.

Prepare to uncover stranger-than-fiction TRUE stories of dastardly heists, daring escapes, and best-laid plans.

These unbelievable true stories will entertain all readers aged 8 and upwards.

224 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 9, 2026

About the author

The Reverend Richard Coles (born 26 March 1962) is a Church of England priest, broadcaster, writer and musician. Richard Coles was born in Northampton, England and educated at the independent Wellingborough School (where he was a choirboy)and at the South Warwickshire College of Further Education, Department of Drama and the Liberal Arts. He is known for having been the multi-instrumentalist who partnered Jimmy Somerville in the 1980s band The Communards, which achieved three Top Ten hits. He later attended King's College London where he studied theology from 1990. Richard Coles co-presents Saturday Live on BBCR4. In January 2011 The Reverend Richard Coles was appointed as the parish priest of St Mary the Virgin, Finedon in the Diocese of Peterborough.

Reviews

[Steph]

Not the usual thing I pick up but I love a heist and this promised to be good! I really enjoyed the different true stories that it talked about - I even learned a few things as I read this! I liked the tone it was written in and I think kids will love this. Can’t wait to start recommending it to children!

[Deborah Burkill]

Perfect to dip in and out of reading.