Today's Read: Just Watch Me by Jeff Lindsay

What's a successful professional thief with a silent conscience to do after he's already pulled off the most audacious burglary ever? Riley Wolfe has an idea: Why not steal the prize diamond of the very heavily guarded crown jewels of Iran?

Here's the beginning of the story about our new favorite anti-hero:

It was supposed to be almost spring. It didn't feel like it. Not if you were standing outdoors on the brand-new Nesselrode Plaza. A hard and bitter wind with a cold edge to it blew across the wide open space of the plaza. Nobody was surprised. This was Chicago, the Windy City. It was tough to be shocked when it lived up to its name.

—Just Watch Me by Jeff Lindsay (Dutton, Dec. 3, p. 1, ARC)

Quick Facts

• Setting: Chicago, New York, and elsewhere, contemporary times
• Circumstances: Riley Wolfe may be a thief, and sometimes a murderer, but he has his standards. The greedy, selfish one-percenters need to be brought down a peg or two, especially those who prey on the unwashed masses. Despite his questionable morals, Wolfe isn't all bad . . . after all he loves his mother and has a complex relationship with his ex-lover art forger, who sometimes helps him pull off his capers. Wolfe also has skills: he's a master of disguises, can scale the sides of tall buildings, is extremely patient and thorough, and can remain cool-headed under stress. Although Wolfe hasn't yet been caught, he isn't totally off the radar: FBI agent Frank Delgado is dead set on catching him red-handed. Can Wolfe pocket the $15 million diamond before Delgado cinches the net?
• Genre & themes: thriller, caper, suspense
• Gleaned from reviews: The plotting is supposed to be very tight with few clues to how the book is going to end. Riley Wolfe is one of those bad guys you can't help but root for. I haven't started Just Watch Me, but it's on my December list.
• Something to know: Jeff Lindsay is the author behind the Dexter Morgan character (inspiration for the Showtime series Dexter); he's no stranger to creating a good anti-hero.
• Audiobook information: Read by the author (Penguin Audio; 12 hr, 22 min).
• Acknowledgments: Thanks to the publisher for the review copy of Jeff Lindsay's Just Watch Me.