The Helicopter Heist: A Novel Based on True Events

Jonas Bonnier (Author) Alice Menzies (Translator)



A fast-paced, riveting novel inspired by the true story of a group of four young Swedish men who pulled off "one of the most spectacular heists of all time" (Time).

Sami has a new child to provide for, so after years of petty crime, he's training as a chef. But when a business deal suddenly goes sideways, Sami is left wondering how he'll ever provide for his newborn daughter.

Michel and his family fled a bloody civil war in Lebanon, and he grew up in the suburbs of Stockholm surrounded by poverty and criminals. He's trying to turn over a new leaf, but the past just won't let him go.

Niklas has traveled the world and made an effort to become the sort of person people talked about. He followed through on his vision...and no good has come of it.

Zoran is a businessman who knows everyone and seals a deal with a handshake. When he was young, the ambitious Yugoslavian had a dream--to get rich, by whatever means necessary.

And Alexandra? She's the reason that the four men found themselves plotting to rob a Stockholm cash depot in September 2009.

At first, the plan seems foolproof. Every contingency is covered, and the payoff will make them all rich for life. No one would even get hurt. But not everyone is who they seem. Even as the gang's stolen helicopter is lifting off from the cash depot with $6.5 million inside, questions remain unanswered. What secrets does each man hold?

Product Details

Other Press (NY)
Publish Date
May 28, 2019
5.4 X 0.9 X 8.2 inches | 0.95 pounds
BISAC Categories:

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About the Author

Jonas Bonnier is a screenwriter and journalist as well as a novelist. He was the CEO & President of the Bonnier Group from 2008 to 2014. Bonnier lives with his wife in Miami and in Stockholm.

Alice Menzies holds a master of arts in Translation Theory and Practice from University College London, specializing in the Scandinavian languages. She lives in London.


"Bonnier's novel is a rapturous account of the biggest, and perhaps most audacious, heist ever to occur in Europe. Meticulously researched, this thriller unfolds with incredible humanity, capturing the wit and intelligence of the men and women who executed a true crime so wildly far-fetched it seems the stuff of fiction." --Jake Gyllenhaal

"Unputdownable. Four diabolically brilliant criminals, one stolen helicopter, and enough dynamite to blast through a G4S roof--definitely the heist of the century. Bonnier's intensive research and in-depth interviews offer unparalleled characterization and a heartfelt human voice in this real-life thriller. Oceans 11 meets Heat with a Swedish twist." --K.J. Howe, author of The Freedom Broker

"Spirited...imaginative...a satisfying read." --Kirkus Reviews

"Impossible to put down." --Publishers Weekly

"Riveting...A splendid based-on-reality crime novel, and a real treat for lovers of Swedish crime fiction." --Booklist

"Bonnier's fast-paced thriller of a heist gone wrong, based on a daring real-life crime, promises to be the perfect read for fans of Ocean's Eleven or The Italian Job." --CrimeReads, May's Best International Crime Fiction

"The Helicopter Heist actually IS real--and that's sure to make every twist and tragedy hit that much harder...Bonnier portrays these characters as arrestingly human." --Bookstr

"A truly riveting read that will go down well with non-fiction and fiction readers alike--and the fabulous twist at the end is not only unsuspected but also fits perfectly into the plot." --Crime Review

"An exhilarating read...gripping." --Sunday Times (South Africa)

"Skillfully constructed and immensely thrilling." --Svenska Dagbladet

"A ferociously entertaining novel." --Arbetarbladet

"The prose and depictions are effective, dense; the characters are neither glamorized rebels nor tough beasts, simply human...Read and learn, aspiring crime writers." --Expressen

"A tremendously thrilling, almost unimaginable story." --Senioren