William Mason is arguably the greatest jewel thief who ever lived. During a 30-year career he charmed his way into the inner circles of high society and stole over 35 million dollars worth of fabulous jewels from people such as Robert Goulet, Armand Hammer, Phyllis Diller (twice), Bob Hope, Margeaux Hemingway, Truman Capote, Johnny Weissmuller and even the Mafia. Along the way he seduced a high-profile Midwest socialite into leaving her prominent industrialist husband, nearly died after being shot in a robbery, tricked both Christie's and Sotheby's into fencing stolen goods for him, was a fugitive for five years and the object of a nation-wide manhunt, and yet spent less than three total years in prison despite the best efforts of law enforcement authorities from several states as well as the federal government. Shadowy, elusive and intensely private, Mason has been the subject of many magazine and newspaper features but no journalist ever came close to knowing the true story.
Now, in his own words and with no holds barred, Nine Lives: Confessions of a Master Jewel Thief reveals it all, and the real story is far more incredible than any of the reporters, detectives or FBI agents who pursued Mason ever imagined.
- ISBN10 055215105X
- ISBN13 9780552151054
- Publish Date 4 July 2005 (first published 1 May 2004)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 10 August 2021
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Transworld Publishers Ltd
- Imprint Corgi Books
- Edition New edition
- Format Paperback
- Pages 480
- Language English