Just Watch Me

by Jeff Lindsay
358 pgs

Riley Wolfe is a thief. But he's not the typical steal-your-identity, snatch-a-purse, shoplift, or even rob-a-bank variety. Those things are all far below Riley and the jobs he pulls off. For Riley, who doesn't need the things he steals, or even the money he could get from selling them, it's the challenge of stealing something that no one in their right mind would go after that drives him and makes him feel alive. If he's going to steal a piece of art, it's going to be the Mona Lisa. If he's going to break into a vault, it's going to be Ft. Knox.

Just Watch Me begins with Riley's successful theft of a 12.5-ton sculpture in downtown Chicago on the day of its unveiling. But soon afterwards, he falls into a state of near depression, feeling like what he does has become too easy for him. He needs to find the next great, and possibly impossible challenge

It's a diamond called Daryayeh-E-Noor that eventually brings him back to life. Riley learns that it, along with the rest of the Iranian crown jewels, will be traveling to New York, on loan from Tehran in the coming weeks and Riley knows what kind of security will be protecting it. Stealing that diamond is exactly the type of challenge that gives meaning to Riley's life.

Just Watch Me is obviously a heist story, and as such, it's the meticulous planning and tireless preparation needed for pulling off the job that sucks me in, and it's here where Jeff Lindsay's story shines the brightest. Ever since he wrapped up his Dexter series a few years ago, I've been excited and anxious to see what he would come up with next. Thankfully, Just Watch Me is a pretty good second act. I didn't find Riley to have the same appeal as Dexter did (not sure what that says about me), but the story was entertaining and fun, enough so that if I'm right in assuming this is the first book in a new series, I'll be picking up the next book as soon as it's out.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆