Book ~ "The Buffalo Job" (2014) Mike Knowles

From Goodreads ~Wilson should have just walked away when three men came looking for a way to boost a valuable piece of art. But the heist was more than just a job for Wilson; it was a chance to get off the sidelines and back in the game.

The art came off the wall, the alarm screamed thief and Wilson walked away clean. But it turned out that job was an interview for an even bigger heist. A dangerous man wants Wilson to get him something more valuable than a painting. Problem is Wilson only has a week.

Wilson and his crew crosses the border to Buffalo to steal a 200-year-old violin. Four men cross but four don’t come back. A lot of people are interested in getting their hands on the instrument and none of them are shy about killing to get it.

The job starts like a bad joke - a thief, a conman, a wheel man and a gangster get in line to cross the border - but the Buffalo job doesn’t end with a punch-line. It ends with blood. 

Wilson lives in Toronto and, using his experience and skills of his former employment working for the Italian mob in Hamilton, he now works as a criminal consultant.  He helps thieves develop strategy for jobs that will pay off big-time.  But Wilson is getting tired of living on the sidelines and is looking for something juicy he can sink his teeth in himself.

He is approached to steal a 200-year-old violin worth $8 million in Buffalo and the job will get him a big payoff.  He puts together a team and away they go across the border.  But they discover that they aren't the only ones after the violin and things get a lot messy before it's over.

This is the fifth in the Wilson series.  Though it is part of series (I've read them all except for the latest one), it works as a stand alone.  As with the previous ones, I liked the writing style.  It's written in first person perspective from Wilson's point of view.  It was blunt and to the point and there were lots of twists and turns.  As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.

I like Wilson ... he is straight to the point and no nonsense.  It was fun to have Miles, a con man, as part of the team Wilson puts together ... he was amusing and added some humor to the writing.  I hope Miles will hook up with Wilson again.

I look forward to reading more books by this author.