Business consultant and full-charge bookkeeper Charlie Montgomery has released a three-book series aimed at helping small and mid-sized business owners protect themselves from an underreported threat: theft by their own bookkeeper. The series, all available now, comprises 36 Ways Your Bookkeeper Steals From You, How To Hire And Manage A Bookkeeper, and Blueprint for a Successful Pickpocket Bookkeeper.
Montgomery's announcement matters because bookkeeper theft is a costly and often invisible crime that can devastate small businesses. With 45 years of experience consulting with small businesses, Montgomery has repeatedly encountered trusted bookkeepers quietly draining cash from the companies that depended on them, sometimes for years before anyone noticed. She was often brought in after a company's books became too inaccurate or incomplete for a CPA to handle, giving her firsthand insight into how these schemes unfold.
The first book, 36 Ways Your Bookkeeper Steals From You, lays out the specific methods Montgomery has uncovered, from skimming cash to manipulating company financial systems, and explains why such theft so often goes undetected. The second, How To Hire And Manage A Bookkeeper, offers practical guidance for owners on vetting candidates, structuring interviews, writing job descriptions, and managing a bookkeeper once hired, so the problem never starts. The series closes with Blueprint for a Successful Pickpocket Bookkeeper, which breaks down how theft schemes are typically set up and escalated, the warning signs owners should watch for, and what to do once theft is suspected or confirmed, illustrated with real case studies, including several drawn from IRS cases.
Montgomery's background extends beyond bookkeeping. She has consulted with more than 100 clients across industries including real estate, construction, retail, and manufacturing, managed large residential and warehouse operations, and helped small business owners navigate PPP loan compliance during the pandemic. That experience shapes all three books into plain-spoken guides rather than academic texts, making them accessible to busy owners who may not have financial expertise.
"Theft by a bookkeeper is a really tough subject to discuss, yet it's much more prevalent than most business owners realize or care to admit," Montgomery said. "This is an underreported crime that is very costly to businesses, and can be especially devastating to small businesses."
For readers, the series provides actionable tools to detect and prevent theft, potentially saving businesses from significant losses. For the industry, it sheds light on a hidden risk that many owners overlook, encouraging stronger hiring and oversight practices. All three books are available for purchase on Amazon.
