What do Mother Theresa, Honest Abe, and Mahatma Gandhi have in common? They're all too upstanding to be included in Thrilling Thieves: Liars, Cheats, and Cons who Changed History.

Sure, you'll find some familiar faces like Queen Elizabeth I and Thomas Edison in here, but you'll learn that behind their angelic smiles were cunning con artists who stole their way to gold, glory, and greatness.

Follow the twisting trail of twelve troublemakers to learn what really made the Mona Lisa the most iconic painting in the world, meet the most powerful pirate from history (it's probably not who you're expecting), and watch empires rise and fall with the theft of a simple tea plant. Turns out our world owes a lot to those who dabble on the dark side.

If you're not scared of crooks, cons, and criminals, take a peek at this new side of history. Tales of twelve troublemakers inside include:

• The Venetians
• Francisco Pizarro
• Queen Elizabeth I
• Catherine the Great
• Madame Cheng
• Robert Fortune
• Robert Smalls
• William Tweed
• Thomas Edison
• Vincenzo Peruggia
• Klaus Fuchs