The goods were kept in a secure room under constant scrutiny, deep inside a crowded building with guards at the exits. In the Depression, some fellows were willing to try anything-- even a heist in the rare book room of the New York Public Library. McDade tells the gripping tale of the worst book-theft ring in American history, and the intrepid detective who brought it down. The goods: a first edition of Edgar Allan Poe's Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems. A fascinating look at the history of crime and literary culture.

The Antics of the Leading Industrials -- The Accumulated Wisdom -- A Purloined Poe -- Scholarship and Investigation -- The Boston Scene -- Someone Qualified as a Bookman -- The People of the State of New York and their Dignity -- That's the End of the Rare Book.