Scan barcode
amothersmusings1's review against another edition
5.0
"The Helicopter Heist" is billed as a fast paced, race against time thriller and it was definitely that! The amount of tension building up to the heist and then the actually robbery itself was so suspenseful I couldn't put the book down until I knew whether or not it was executed successfully and whether the robbers got away or were caught. I wasn't aware myself of this crime in real life but I was intrigued enough to research it and was stunned by just how cunning and well planned this heist actually was. Knowing then that this story was based on incredible true events and created into a fabulous thriller made it all the more entertaining and in my opinion the author has done an excellent job in doing so, to a point the reader doesn't know what parts are fact and which are fiction. It's obvious a huge amount of research has been carried out to write this book and I can see it's a crime that the author has really taken a huge personal interest in.
Set in Vastberga, Sweden in 2009, I did struggle a little with place names and locations but it didn't detract from the enjoyment of the story and was an interesting setting for an extraordinary crime.
What I particularly liked about how the author wrote this book is how we were introduced to each character in the book no matter how small their part was, giving us their background, current situations and ambitions to a point you really did get a clear picture of each person and their role in the story. I liked all of the four main characters especially Sami and although they were planning an unbelievable helicopter heist that could result in the theft of millions of kroner you couldn't help but root for the plan to succeed. The fabulous twist at the end was very unsuspecting and I loved how it fit in so well with the plot.
The author Jonas Bonnier was once the CEO and president of the publishing company Bonnier Group and to have a book published by the company must be both very exciting and fulfilling for him. Full of drama, tension and a really compelling plot this is a truly riveting read that will go down well with non fiction and fiction readers alike. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book over a weekend and would have no hesitation in recommending it.
5 stars
Set in Vastberga, Sweden in 2009, I did struggle a little with place names and locations but it didn't detract from the enjoyment of the story and was an interesting setting for an extraordinary crime.
What I particularly liked about how the author wrote this book is how we were introduced to each character in the book no matter how small their part was, giving us their background, current situations and ambitions to a point you really did get a clear picture of each person and their role in the story. I liked all of the four main characters especially Sami and although they were planning an unbelievable helicopter heist that could result in the theft of millions of kroner you couldn't help but root for the plan to succeed. The fabulous twist at the end was very unsuspecting and I loved how it fit in so well with the plot.
The author Jonas Bonnier was once the CEO and president of the publishing company Bonnier Group and to have a book published by the company must be both very exciting and fulfilling for him. Full of drama, tension and a really compelling plot this is a truly riveting read that will go down well with non fiction and fiction readers alike. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book over a weekend and would have no hesitation in recommending it.
5 stars
bruandthebooks's review against another edition
5.0
This is definitively one of the best books I have ever read. It’s based on the true helicopter robbery that happened in Västberga, Sweden in 2009. I researched more about the real robbery and it is fascinating! The people behind the planning are real-life evil geniuses and reading about them and their strategy is just amazing. The book is impossible to be put down for the latter half as you get completely engrossed in the story.
Sami and Michel are ex-criminals and the story starts when they meet up with an informer. He tells them about a huge amount of money that is kept on the top floor of a company called G4S. He found out one of the women that works at the cash deposit is on a dating app and it would be the perfect opportunity to get information.
Sami is now a family man and is trying to leave his criminal days behind. But it seems that having a regular low-paying job is not for him.
Michel is single and attractive so he contacts the employee at G4s, Alexandra, and starts dating her. She’s very talkative and likes attention so it isn’t hard for Michel to get the information they need.
Zoran Petrovic is a very wealthy man who is “financing” the robbery. Together, they start planning and building their team. One early obstacle is the fact that there is a police station just a block away from the building. There’s no way they can just break into the building, go upstairs, and come back downstairs before the police arrive. They decide the best course of action is to get a helicopter and go through the roof.
Now all they need is a helicopter and a reliable pilot to complete their mission; but another problem arises. One of them is a fraud and gave information about the robbery to the Swedish police. The police now know exactly when and how they’re planning to pull it off.
They still manage to complete their plan and when the author describes the night of the robbery – minute by minute – your heart starts pounding and it’s impossible to stop reading! Only a few books have made me feel this way and the final plot twist is just unbelievable.
nietzschesghost's review against another edition
4.0
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.
"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.
More...