Lost Lake
  • Home
  • Blog
  • All Books
    • New Releases
      • Kindle
      • Print
    • Upcoming
      • Kindle
      • Print
    • By Title
      • Kindle
      • Print
    • By Author
      • Kindle
      • Print
  • Romantic Suspense
    • New Releases
      • Kindle
      • Print
    • Upcoming
      • Kindle
      • Print
    • By Title
      • Kindle
      • Print
    • By Author
      • Kindle
      • Print
  • Mysteries
    • New Releases
      • Kindle
      • Print
    • Upcoming
      • Kindle
      • Print
    • By Title
      • Kindle
      • Print
    • By Author
      • Kindle
      • Print
  • Reviews
    • By Title
    • By Author
  • Authors
    • Bios
    • Interviews
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookies Policy
    • Contact Us
    • Blog
  • For Authors
Lost Cause

Once a Thief: A Thief to Love… An International Christian Romantic Suspense (Protector Sweethearts Book 1) (Kindle eBook)

January 17, 2026 By The Suspense Zone

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 series of books that showcase Private Investigator Helen Hu, her associates, and friends. This collection is a spinoff of Jan’s Savannah Sweethearts beach romance and Vacation Sweethearts travel romance collections.

Reuben’s Record…


To protect the woman he loves whom he cannot have because she is another man’s wife, Frederico Costa goes to prison and leaves his art theft crime organization to his only son, Reuben.

When his father dies in prison, Reuben vows to never love or marry. He pours the next several years into expanding his father’s activities across Europe, all the while sacrificing his own personal happiness.

Some years into Reuben’s incarceration, the FBI Art Crime Team and INTERPOL offer him an early release from prison and a second chance for a new life in Greece if he helps them to catch a bigger criminal. Reuben agrees, and is now a free man.

Until they require his services again. This time, he must visit his own family’s past in order to help private investigator Helen Hu find her missing mother and twelve Petros eggs, keys to the lost Amber Room…

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. Is he, really?

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.

PROTECTOR SWEETHEARTS (Christian Romantic Suspense)


  • Book 1: Once a Thief
  • Book 2: Once a Hero
  • Book 3: Once a Spy
  • (More Books to Come)

VACATION SWEETHEARTS (Christian Travel Romance)


  • Book 1: Smile for Me
  • Book 2: Reach for Me (Romance with Suspense)
  • Book 3: Wait for Me (Romance with Suspense)
  • Book 4: Look for Me (Romance with Suspense)
  • Book 5: Cheer for Me
  • Book 6: Pray for Me
  • Book 7: Care for Me

SAVANNAH SWEETHEARTS (Christian Beach Romance)


  • Prequel: Ask You Later
  • Book 1: Know You More
  • Book 2: Tell You Soon (Romance with Suspense)
  • Book 3: Draw You Near
  • Book 4: Cherish You So
  • Book 5: Walk You There
  • Book 6: Love You Always (Romance with Suspense)
  • Book 7: Kiss You Now
  • Book 8: Find You Again
  • Book 9: Wish You Joy
  • Book 10: Call You Home

BINARY HACKERS (Inspirational Romantic Thrillers)


  • Book 1: Zero Sum
  • Book 2: Zero Day
  • Book 3: Zero Base
  • (More Books to Come)

SEASIDE CHAPEL (Christian Small-Town Romance)


  • Book 1: Share with Me
  • Book 2: Step with Me
  • Book 3: Sing with Me
  • (More Books to Come)

Jan Thompson
Once a Thief: A Thief to Love... An International Christian Romantic Suspense (Protector Sweethearts Book 1)

  • Kindle Edition
Once a Thief: A Thief to Love… An International Christian Romantic Suspense (Protector Sweethearts Book 1)
By Jan Thompson (Georgia Press LLC)
Release date: September 12, 2017
Author Bio
Interviews

 

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 series of books that showcase Private Investigator Helen Hu, her associates, and friends. This collection is a spinoff of Jan’s Savannah Sweethearts beach romance and Vacation Sweethearts travel romance collections. Reuben’s Record…To protect the woman he loves whom he cannot have because she is another man’s wife, Frederico Costa goes to prison and leaves his art theft crime organization to his only son, Reuben.
 
 

Filed Under: Books

Bestselling Steele Guardians series by Top Christian romantic suspense, author Susan Sleemaan


Support Us
Join Our Mailing List

Thank you for stopping by The Suspense Zone, your one-stop site to preview Christian and Clean Read Suspense and mystery books.

Christian Romantic Suspense Author Susan Sleeman

Your host, bestselling Christian romantic suspense author, Susan Sleeman has gathered thousands of Christian romantic suspense, mystery, and suspense books by the best Christian authors for your enjoyment.

With over two million books in print. top Christian romantic suspense author Susan Sleeman has published over 60 books. Her bestselling series include:

Lost Lake Locators
Shadow Lake Survival
Steele Guardians
Nighthawk Security
Homeland Heroes
Truth Seekers
Cold Harbor
White Knights
Agents Under Fire
Read more about Susan's edge of your seat romantic suspense books at her website.

Brought to you by bestselling Christian romantic suspense, author Susan Sleeman.

Copyright © 2026 · TheSuspenseZone.com • Susan Sleeman