A genius heist. Three unlikely senior suspects. The Picasso Ransom is a hilarious Aussie cosy crime, perfect for readers of Richard Osman and Benjamin Stevenson.

'Can we try escaping just a little slower?'

Fact: In 1986, Picasso's Weeping Woman was stolen from the National Gallery of Victoria. To this day, the culprits have never been identified.

Here's what happened.

Maybe.

Phoebe is about to turn 70, and has grown sick of retirement. She enrols in an evening arts school course, where she befriends fellow retirees Eva and Dave. They also happen to be studying across the road from a two-million-dollar Picasso.

The trio make a promising start, only to find that the school is to be closed due to arts cuts implemented by a blundering government minister. The protests of the students' activist group - under 30s only - fall on deaf ears.

Enter Phoebe, Eva and Dave, who decide to take matters into their own hands ...

'Art is theft. All artists steal.'