The Fake Museum: A Heist Novel

by Ronin Parker

The heist is real, but the museum is fake.Master thief Brady Dillinger has a plan. Greedy millionaire Malcolm Lessaker has created a fake museum to avoid paying taxes on his art collection, and Brady wants to teach him a lesson. Assembling a team of old pros and one feisty newcomer, Brady plans the perfect heist, but forgets to consider the Russian mob. Soon people are pointing guns at him, and his payday is in jeopardy. Will he be able to get out of this situation with the art and his life?A witty and stylish thriller, this is a must-read new series for fans of comic heists, Ocean's 11 movies, the Lupin TV series, Donald E. Westlake's Dortmunder, and Lawrence Block's Bernie Rhodenbarr.

230 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 17, 2021

Reviews

[Laura Dragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a terrific heist story where you can't help but root for the thieves. I loved the funny commentary that was reflected in the musings of the main character Brady. He fashions himself a social justice warrior taking from the Haves and
making sure that he as a Have-Not has their wealth redistributed to himself and his likeminded accomplices. Of course giving his targets their comeuppance in the media, courts and with the Russian Mafia leaves him feeling like he has actually done a good deed for society rather than a criminal act. The author injected great humor into his writing and I truly appreciated it. I hope that there is a follow up caper in the works. Brady Dillinger is a character I would love to have lunch with, but I'd make sure I was holding onto my wallet, phone and watch very tightly.
*I was given this book through Book Sirens to read and review. That in no way influences my opinion.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well worth reading. 4*
I find comic heists very entertaining to watch but somehow I hardly ever read this genre. I am so glad I chose this book because I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author's penmanship is a class better than many of the other authors' work out there. It was a delight to read the text without typos, grammatical or spelling errors. I found the characters well described and the dialogues scene-appropriate and witty. The plot was well explained and executed. I am more than happy to recommend everyone this, often thrilling novel.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Teresa Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a review copy from BookSirens and this is my honest opinion. This is a very enjoyable art heist caper with the typical team of "heisters'. It is along the lines of Ocean's Eleven, though not quite as good. I appreciated the touch of dry humor the author spread throughout the book. There are the "bad guys", who aren't really the bad guys because they commit art theft for a good reason; and then there are the really "bad guys". This is not a shoot 'em up, beat 'em up thriller, but there is enough action to keep the reader engaged. I recommend this one and will be looking for any additional books by this author.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m friends with the author (under a different name) so take that under consideration for this review.

I love books that have nice catchy hooks and this has that. “The Heist is real, but the museum is fake”
Very fun and a nice phrase that piques your interest.

This is a comedic heist so the criminals are likable and ones you wouldn’t mind to run into. If you’re gonna get robbed, hope it’s by these folks. Though - they seem to target a holes (so if they do rob you, think about your life choices).

I wanted a bit more threat at the end but otherwise a very fun, quick read in all the good ways a crime novel can be.

[Jude P · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a dry, funny heist caper. Brady is dry & sharp, and you root for him and the rest of his crew. There are shades of Robin Hood here - the crew steal from the rich and undeserving and wealth is redistributed.

This is a snappy, fast paced read and Brady Dillinger and his crew are fun to spend time with, even if you wouldn't trust them to house sit for you. I would definitely want to read about their next heist.

[Mary Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. This type of book is not so common, at least in my reading experience, so it was a nice change from the usual police procedurals or psychological thrillers.

I liked the characters and the dialogue was very witty, making this so easy and quick to read. The plot was good and held my attention. I would certainly like to read more from this author.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Fake Museum is a fun and enjoyable example of the art heist genre. It’s more of a comedic heist than truly suspenseful. There are little pop culture nuggets sprinkled throughout the narrative, which made it fun to read. But, I do wish the heist itself felt a little more heightened. It felt fairly low-stakes. Ultimately though, I did have fun reading this and that’s what matters.

[Michael Scullin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharp, feisty protagonist, well-defined team, comic relief in all the right places. I need more of this genre, please. Details well thought through, yet the thief keeps running into unforeseen developments. A delightful caper with a satisfying conclusion.