The Good Thief's Guide to Las Vegas

Charlie Howard, the self-mocking narrator of Ewan's Good Thief Guide series who's both a mystery writer and smallscale thief, once again shows he's not terribly good at either in his diverting third outing (after 2008's The Good Thief's Guide to Paris). Set largely in the fictional Fifty-Fifty hotel and casino in Las Vegas, Nev., the book opens with Howard picking the pocket of Josh Masters, the casino's resident magician. Armed with Masters's wallet, Howard visits Masters's suite (with a nice bit on breaking into the magician's personal safe) only to discover what appears to be a dead body floating in the bath. The stakes rise when Masters disappears during his own magic show— during a trick using Howard's literary agent, Victoria, as a volunteer—and the casino's security men detain the pair. Those looking for suspense or intricate plotting will be disappointed, but fans of light comic capers will be rewarded. (Aug.)