First published 2009
Rare-book dealer Ken Sanders is on the hunt for John Gilkey, a notorious book thief who steals not for profit, but for the pure love of the written word. As Gilkey evades capture, slipping through the book fairs and libraries of America, Sanders grows ever more determined to put an end to his crimes. In this gripping true story, journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett delves into the high-stakes world of rare-book collecting, where a lust for literature can drive people to unthinkable acts.
Genres: crime, non-fiction, biography-memoir, books-about-books
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: cat-and-mouse, obsession
Setting: United States, New York, San Francisco, Berkeley
274 pages · Paperback · Riverhead Books (The Penguin Group)