True Crime Files: Heist at the Museum! (Paperback)

Sam Subity

ISBN 10: 1464261326 / ISBN 13: 9781464261329

Published by Sourcebooks, Inc, 2026

About this Item

Paperback. A fast-paced, high-stakes MG action-adventure that fuses the suspense of I Survived with the intrigue of a historical true-crime caper-the real 1964 American Museum of Natural History jewel theft-into a adrenaline charged page-turner with cinematic action and a heartfelt family arc.A fast-paced, high-stakes MG action-adventure that fuses the suspense of I Survived with the intrigue of a historical true-crime caper-the real 1964 American Museum of Natural History jewel theft-into a adrenaline charged page-turner with cinematic action and a heartfelt family arc.Charlie O'Neill, still grieving his mom and missing his dad's attention, overhears surfers-turned-burglars plotting "the heist of the century." No one believes him-so Charlie does what middle-grade heroes do best: he investigates. What follows is a breathless night of closed iron gates, cut glass, a swaying rope five stories up, and a choice that complicates right and wrong. Rich back matter clarifies exactly what's true (a lot), what's fictional (Charlie's family), who the real thieves were, how the gems traveled, and what was recovered. Illustrated throughout, this is perfect for fans of mystery, history, and museum lore-plus any reader who loves saying, "Wait.that really happened?" Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9781464261329

Bibliographic Details

• Title: True Crime Files: Heist at the Museum! (Paperback)
• Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1464261326
• ISBN 13: 9781464261329
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Ma Van As, Yaoyao
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

The story is unbelievable. The heist actually happened.

Charlie O'Neill is still grieving his mom and desperate for his dad's attention when he overhears three smooth-talking surfers planning the heist of the century. The target? The priceless gems of the American Museum of Natural History. The problem? Nobody believes a kid. So Charlie decides to stop it himself. What follows is a breathless night of locked iron gates, cut glass, a swaying rope five stories up ― and a choice that makes right and wrong a lot more complicated than Charlie expected.

True Crime Files: Heist at the Museum! is inspired by the real 1964 theft of the Star of India sapphire, one of the most legendary jewel heists in U.S. history. The thieves were real. The gems were real. And the story is even wilder than you'd imagine.

• A kid who won't be ignored, a heist that can't be stopped ― when Charlie overhears surfers plotting the robbery of the century, no one believes him. So he decides to stop it himself
• Based on a jaw-dropping true story ― the real 1964 theft of the Star of India sapphire from New York's American Museum of Natural History, one of the most audacious jewel heists in U.S. history
• Perfect for fans of I Survived and true crime ― cinematic action, a heartfelt family story, and a mystery that keeps the pages turning all the way to the end
• A lot of this actually happened ― additional material breaks down what's true, what's fictional, and what became of the real thieves and the stolen gems
• For readers ages 8–12 who love saying "wait…that really happened?" ― mystery, history, and museum lore packed into one adrenaline-charged adventure

About the Author

Sam Subity grew up on a steady diet of books about Encyclopedia Brown and Sherlock Holmes, so he knew from an early age that he would either be a detective or a writer. Then he figured out he could have the best of both worlds by writing about crime-solving kids! When he’s not writing, you might find him running the trails of northern Ohio where the endless, winding miles past rivers and Buckeye trees inspire stories of adventure and mystery.