The greatest untold crime saga of the Victorian Era: the extraordinary
true story of four American forgers who tried to steal five million
dollars from the Bank of England.
In the summer of 1873, four American forgers went on trial at the Old
Bailey for the greatest fraud the world had ever seen: the attempted
theft of five million dollars from the Bank of England. In The Thieves
of Threadneedle Street, Nicholas Booth tells the extraordinary true
story of the forgers' earliest escapades, culminating in the heist at
the world's leading financial institution. At the heart of the story is
the charming criminal genius Austin Bidwell who, on the brink of
escaping with his fortune, saw his luck finally run out.
There were double crosses and miraculous escapes. There were chases
across rural Ireland, through Scottish cities, across the Atlantic on
ships heading toward Manhattan and -- most exotic of all -- Cuba, where
the most elusive thief would eventually be captured, only to escape
again. Hot on their trail was William Pinkerton, "the greatest detective
in America," scion of the famous detective agency.
With its cast of improbable villains, curious coincidences, and
extraordinary adventures, this is an astounding international caper with
twists and turns that often defy belief. With access to previously
unopened archives, Nicholas Booth has unearthed the greatest untold
crime saga of the Victorian Era.
