White Smoke - by Nick Brucker (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A heist thriller in the vein of Ocean's Eleven and Conclave, about a group of thieves who set out to steal treasures from the Vatican alongside a criminal mastermind they're not sure they can trust

The House of God. The Heist of a Century.

When a mysterious criminal mastermind named Dante recruits an eclectic crew of thieves to rob the Vatican, they think they're in for the heist of a lifetime. The plan: break into both the Vatican Secret Archives and the Treasury of St Peter's Basilica, and walk out with pieces of the cross on which Christ was crucified, Henry VIII's annulment petition, records of Galileo's trials and Martin Luther's excommunication, and other priceless artifacts to keep them living in luxury forever. But as the pieces fall into place, the crew suspects that the elusive Dante might have something more than theft on his mind.

Then the Pope dies unexpectedly. Hundreds of Cardinals, their security and staff, and millions of tourists descend on the city-state as the Vatican enters conclave. Undeterred, the team pushes ahead, hoping to use the chaos to slip between the gaps. They impersonate clergy, steal ancient keys, and sneak through secret tunnels that haven't seen human tread since the Renaissance. As the thieves creep closer toward the archives, a new pope is elected, a shocking twist unravels, and they discover that they may be pawns in a far more dangerous game.

About the Author

Nick Brucker is the pseudonym of speculative writer Nicholas Binge. His latest novel, Dissolution, was hailed as one of the best thrillers of 2025 by The New York Times and is being adapted by Sony. His breakout novel, Ascension, was a New York Times Editor's Choice Pick, finalist for the Goodreads' Choice Awards and Ignotus Award, and named a best book of 2023 by Vulture, Goodreads, The LA Times, and The Sunday Times. He lives in the UK.