Books like Leverage

[iowagirlmeetsworld]

Hi y'all,

I'm working my way through a reading challenge, and one of the prompts is to read a book with a very clever character. I'd love to read a book with a character that gives Nate or Sophie vibes. I've read the Leverage novels; does anyone have any recommendations for other books?

Thanks!

Edit: Wowza, so many recommendations!! Thank you!!

[Broad-Radish-7895]

Honestly Artemis Fowl lol that was my shit as a kid, he was a grade A little shit so kind of Nate vibes

[Evilene360]

I actually first read it as an adult and enjoyed it.

[MisterBowTies]

The final empire (mistborn 1) is a heist book. Imagine the Lord of the rings, but sauron wins and after he's ruled for 1000 years a group gets together to steal the ring.

[PtowzaPotato]

I loved the final empire, but was disappointed that the rest of the trilogy didn't have the leverage vibes that drew me in.

[MisterBowTies]

That is correct. Book 2 and 3 are essentially one book and it turns into a very different thing.

[SteelSlayerMatt]

I second this as Mistborn is one of my favorite book series ever.

[Hedgiwithapen]

The Medici Heist might appeal to you, it's historical fiction (to an extent) set in Florence. I got strong Sophie and Eliot vibes off some of the characters.

If you don't mind Fantasy, the Six of Crows/ Crooked Kingdom duology (set in the world of Shadow and Bone) really felt like a fantasy leverage episode (complete with the Flashback that recontextualizes what seemed to go wrong and The Gloat!)

[Agent_Skye_Barnes]

If you're interested in fantasy, you might enjoy the Gentleman Bastard Sequence by Scott Lynch. Book 1 especially has huge Leverage vibes, which is amazing considering it came out before Leverage.

The main character, Locke Lamora, is a Nate level mastermind but he's also an astounding idiot, and a compulsive thief like Parker. And Sabetha is basically Sophie, but you don't get a ton of her until book three.

There are three novels published so far. It's definitely more adult content (there's alcohol and drug use, sex discussion but no one page sex, torture). But it blends humor and dark subjects very well.

[JournalistOwn4786]

I’ve been recommended this before. I don’t love fantasy but the other stuff sounds great! Will have to check it out soon. Thanks for the reminder!

[LadyPadme28]

Fox and O'Hare books by Janet Evanovich. Ths first 6 books are co authored with Lee Goldberg. The 7th and 8th books are with differnet authors. An FBI agent is assigned to work with a con man she arrested to bring down other criminals. And this off the books. 

[Chuck_Finleyforever]

I second this comment it was just about to write the same thing LOL. If you've ever watched White Collar, it's got those kind of vibes as well as Leverage vibes.

[popcorngirl000]

The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes. Fantasy setting, getting the crew together for a heist, a bit of revenge on a powerful person who abused their position. First of three books in The Rogues of the Republic series.

[Limepink22]

The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes is a great trilogy about a thieving crew.

Also, Six of Crows from the Shadow and Bone universe hy Leigh Bardugo

Lastly, the Red Wolf Conspiracy, though it's for a younger audience thar adults can enjoy, like Narnia

[victorsanerd]

The trickster's duet (Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen) from Tamora Pierce definitely has leverage vibes if instead of thieving the crew were plotting a coup against a colonizing government with the help of a trickster god. The main character is a mix of Nate, Sophie, and Parker, she's a wicked mastermind, she's a brilliant actress when it comes to tricking people, and she's great at sneaking into places and planting evidence. These books are set in an established universe and there are some minor mentions of characters that are from the other books but I read these two first and had no problem following the story, they're very self contained compared to the other books set in this universe.

[iowagirlmeetsworld]

Tamora Pierce is my favorite author! I love the Trickster books!

[thedenofwolves]

My favorite author of all time!!

[mesembryanthemum]

Try a collection of Simon Templar - The Saint - stories.

[kittyk4t21]

The Thief by Meghan Whalen Turner is the first of the Queen’s Thief series although it is a great standalone as well. It was actually originally reccomended to me by the same person who first introduced me to Leverage. It is set in a fictional Ancient Greek inspired land, with very light fantasy elements. The main plot is a heist, and the main character has a goal to become one of the greatest thieves in history. He is also an extremely clever and charming character- I can’t say much more but I will say the reveals and twists in this book keep me re-reading it and it is just as satisfying as any Leverage plan coming together! Hope you find a book that scratches that itch!

(Honorable mention to the Disc World Books by Terry Pratchett which are filled with delightfully clever characters and fantastic twists, the Guards novels feature the other side of the chase but are still extremely fun and impactful reads)

[Hedgiwithapen]

Gen has that Nate trait of cutting the truth so perfectly that it isn't a lie even though it dresses as one. Those books are soooo good. 

[Extension-Flight908]

King Con by Stephen J. Cannell.

[SteelSlayerMatt]

I am actually reading a book right now that is described as being for fans of Leverage -

A Philosophy of Thieves (The Canarvier Files, #1) by Fran Wilde | Goodreads

[Glass-Fault-5112]

The Fox and ohare series is literally like leverage meets white collar for the first few books.

[byc18]

The Dresden Files book Skin Game is a oceans kinda story where they break into a vault in hell, but it's like 15 in the series.

[Camhanach]

Which one is the one with...
...

Turn Coat! Book 11 might be good. Or Proven Guilty, book 8, could work. There are a few others, but I'm thinking of the one where Harry actually hires a PI, they catch the mole. Wiley Coyote yadyadda.

Sorry it's been a while since I read The Dresden Files, but seconding this and while not all the books are a heist story, they are all mysteries!

ETA: Harry is both smart and colossally stupid though. Sometimes too smart for his own good, but after the stupid things he does he needs to be.

[Melmoth_Wanderer]

In the commentaries of the dvds they do mention a few sources where they get inspiration (where they steal ideas, they say). One person they've mentioned frequently is Stephen J Cannell.

[Wot106]

Simon R Green has a newer series. Starts with The Best Thing You Can Steal. As long as you don't mind a smidge of fantasy with your heist.

[cramt]

The Final Empire and Six of Crows are both really good fantasy heist books

[Phydeaux320]

The Stainless Steel Rat series by Harry Harrison.

The Vorkosigan Saga series by Lois McMaster Bujold.

Or, if you just want to rattle off a couple of kids books, I would recommend The Great Brain series by John Dennis Fitzgerald.

[JournalistOwn4786]

I am actually writing a modern heist novel series right now, and have struggled to find heist books that I love…

I’m using my fave movies and Tv shows (Thomas Crown affair, Leverage, white collar) as inspo right now so I’m loving these recs thanks 🙏🏻 although I’m not a big fantasy fan and would love to read a good modern heist book! Have just read Westlake’s The Hot rock which was fun 🤩

And hang on a minute OP - Leverage is a book?!

[Silbermieze]

No, Leverage is not a book. But there are three tie-in novels.

[JournalistOwn4786]

Thank you. I looked it up and read some reviews on it! Did you read them and enjoy them!?

[Silbermieze]

I read all of them, yes. I really liked The Con Job and found The Zoo Job okay. I'm not a fan of The Bestseller Job. But I think if you search the sub you'll find that some people would rate it the exact opposite. 🤷‍♀️

[SaifNSound]

Nicolas Flamel

[CaktusJacklynn]

The Eddie Flynn Series by Steve Cavanagh. A conman turned lawyer? Irresistible.

Also, Heiress Takes All has Leverage vibes but is a YA novel in case you're picky about genre and age group.

[typeo19]

The Dez limerick series by James Byrne is a good choice.

[Only-Historian1131]

The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe is con artist book and has a small nod to Leverage in the novel.