She sets a thief to catch a thief. Will he also steal her heart? Private investigator Helen Hu must team up with reformed art thief Reuben Costa to rescue her mother, who has vanished while trying to make amends for stealing some bejeweled eggs connected to the Amber Room. Set in Greece and Italy, Once a Thief is Book 1 in USA Today bestselling author Jan Thompson's Protector Sweethearts Christian romantic suspense collection that showcases unsung heroes and heroes behind the scene. This series is a spinoff of Jan's Savannah Sweethearts and Vacation Sweethearts series.Reuben's Record...After his father is imprisoned for murder and dies in prison, Reuben Costa vows never to love or marry. He pours the next several years into expanding his father's art theft organization across Europe, until the FBI Art Crime Team and INTERPOL catch up to him. A few years into his incarceration, they offer him an early release and a new life as a free man in exchange for helping them shut down some jewel thieves even more notorious than his own father was. The work is done, and Reuben is now a free man. Until they require his services again.Helen's Havoc...Past memories have never been darker for Helen as she deals with a long-lost secret that her mother has hidden from their family for fifteen years. Afraid that it will shame her daughter, Mama Hu tries to fix what she has done and redeem herself. Unfortunately, as Helen fears, she disappears. The best way for Helen to rescue her mother is to go underground where thieves and robbers live. Her only ticket into that nefarious world is another art thief. He says he is reformed. Or is he? As Helen and Reuben rush to find Mama Hu before the matriarch gets herself killed, the unlikely partners end up bargaining for not only life and death but also their own hearts and souls.In This Story World...The events in Once a Thief happen after these stories, where Helen Hu makes several appearances. In fact, Tell You Soon is where we first meet Mama Hu. Tell You Soon (Savannah Sweethearts Book 2) Love You Always (Savannah Sweethearts Book 6) Reach for Me (Vacation Sweethearts Book 2) Share with Me (Seaside Chapel Book 1) Step with Me (Seaside Chapel Book 2) Once a Thief can be read on its own without your having previously read any of the above books from Jan's contemporary Christian beach romance collections. PROTECTOR SWEETHEARTS (Christian Romantic Suspense) Book 1: Once a Thief Book 2: Once a Hero Book 3: Once a Spy (More Books to Come)