The book uses a blend of black humour, strong language, violence and references to literary and artistic works such as Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett.

The plot of The Sacred Art of Stealing tells the story of American Zal Innez, a witty and intellectual art-loving thief, who is being blackmailed by crime boss Alessandro Estabol to do one last major job for him.

As a warm up to their main heist, Zal and his team of fellow failed artists rob a Glasgow bank of approaching a million pounds.

During the raid they use unorthodox methods such as firing itching powder at armed police, carrying fake guns, staging plays and drawing works of art for their hostages to keep casualties to a minimum.

During this robbery Zal meets and falls for a woman police officer, Angelique de Xavia, heroine of Brookmyre's previous novel, who is under-appreciated by her bosses.