William Mason is arguably the greatest jewel thief who ever lived. During a 30-year career her charmed his way into the inner circles of high society and stole over USD35 million worth of fabulous jewels from people such as Robert Goulet, Armand Hammer, Phyllis Diller (twice), Bob Hope, Margeaux Hemingway, Truman Capote, Johnny Weissmuller and even the Mafia. Along the way he seduced a high-profile Midwest socialite into leaving her prominent industrialist husband, nearly died after being shot in a robbery, tricked both Christle's and Sotheby's into fencing stolen goods for him, was a fugitive for five years and the object of a nation-wide manhunt, and yet spent less than three total years in prison despite the best efforts of law enforcement authorities from several states as well as the federal government. Shadowy, elusive and intensely private, Mason has been the subject of many magazine and newspaper features but no journalist ever came close to knowing the true story. Now, in his own words and with no holds barred, Nine Lives: Confessions of a Master Jewel Thief reveals it all, and the real story is far more incredible than any of the reporters, detectives of FBI agents who pursued Mason ever imagined.