A cleverly constructed thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. I must admit to being slightly disappointed with the ending but still a must read.

I really tried to get in to this book, especially knowing that there was a movie based on it. However, I struggled.

The plot moves at a fast pace but I'm not that up on hitman style books and this had lots going on with people being assigned 'jobs' and lots of talk that I didn't understand.

I tried to read it a few times but gave up after the first three chapters.

I feel this is more of a case of a good book but bad reader!

The best ending EVER! A must-read book

Sami Farhan and Michel Maloof have been invited by an old man they both know, who is a recluse and lives in a forest with only his eight Labradors to keep him company. He has a proposition to make, a robbery of G4S. If they are successful, they could all walk away with millions. He suggests that Maloof befriends a girl called Alexandra Svensson who works there. He is sure that Michel, with his charm, will be able to get her to give him all the information he needs to find out all the necessary details to carry off this heist. Maloof immediately contacts Zoran Petrovic, a man of many talents and who has all the right connections.

I loved every character, Sami, Michel, Zoran and all the others who became part of this robbery. The story follows each person from the moment that Sami and Michel meet with the old man. They had all sworn that “doing another job” was never going to happen, but the rewards they could reap from this one-off were far too big to be overlooked.

They are criminals, but they still had so much “humanity and empathy” – Sami in particular, was the father of two very young children, who he adores and family plays a huge part in his life. Michel is a smart man with an interesting past. Possibly the most complex is Zoran, undoubtedly a man of many talents. He’s always managed to remain under the police’s radar thanks to his legitimate businesses.

Each person involved has a specific role to play. They come with the unique skills required to pull off this “once-in-a-lifetime” act. Even the police, who are desperate to find them, find themselves at the group’s mercy. Not in a violent way, but only because the group has considered every possible scenario and set up a contingency plan.

Jonas Bonnier has based his story on the helicopter heist that took place in Sweden on 23 September 2009. He also interviewed many of those imprisoned for their part in the heist. This is reflected in the empathic and sympathetic descriptions and details of the protagonists. He has added some brilliant touches. The ending is something I didn’t see coming but should have guessed!

A truly brilliant and well-written story. READ IT!

Treebeard

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

I have to admit, my first thought when I saw the author's name was whether Jonas Bonnier was in some way related to the company who have published his book. Being me, I decided to look it up and I was correct in my assertion, Jonas Bonnier is the former CEO and president of the Bonnier Group. It makes sense for his book to be published under their guidance.

"The Helicopter Heist" is what I would call a non-fiction thriller. based on a true story it lacks none of the drama present in a fiction thriller. After all, the truth is stranger than fiction! The rights to it have already been purchased in 18 territories. The heist is not something I had any previous knowledge of, probably as it happened in Sweden.

At the beginning, the pace is pretty slow, it does soon pick up to a much quicker pace and becomes more enjoyable, as a result. What is unusual about this book is that it is based around the four Swedish men who masterminded the crime, rather than from the perspectives of the investigating detectives. I imagine this took a great deal of detailed research, moreso than may have been required had it been told from the opposite angle.

The theft takes place at the most secure cash depot in Stockholm on 23rd September 2009 and is known as the Västberga helicopter robbery. The four men involved each have a different motive for taking part - Sami, after a business deal goes sideways wonders how he is going to provide for his newborn daughter, Michel, who grew up surrounded by criminals and poverty can't seem to escape his past, Niklas, who craves excitement and the rush of adrenaline, and Zoran, wants to get rich by any means necessary. The men behind the daring robbery are now behind bars, but the $6.5 million they stole has never been recovered.

Genuinely, one of the most engaging non-fiction outing i've experienced in recent times. Highly recommended to crime fiction/thriller fans and true crime fans alike. A riveting read!

Many thanks to Bonnier Zaffre for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.