This is a prequel to Code Name Verity. It takes place in Scotland the summer that Julie is turning 16. It's a lighter book than either Verity or Rose Under Fire, but it's still a lot of fun. It has some of the plot twists you'd expect, but much less of the darkness of the wartime books. Julie is testing her own limits and gets caught up in a mystery involving her family's legacy, historical archives, and her new Traveler friends. Wein did a great job of writing Julie's character, as I can see the beginnings of the woman she will become later on. It was also fun to read about her life with Jamie and the rest of the family before the war.

Julie is sixteen and making one last visit to her late grandfather's Scottish estate with her family before ownership passes to a private school. She finds herself involved in the suicide (or is it murder?) of a historian cataloging artifacts on the estate and befriends a brother and sister who are Travellers, just as familiar and in love with the estate as Julie herself.

The Pearl Thief can be read entirely on its own or as an introduction to Wein's earlier novel, Code Name Verity. I'll make no secret of it - I love Code Name Verity; the characters of Rose and Julie speak to me. So this novel felt like a welcome visit with an old friend.

Why read <i>The Pearl Thief</i>?

The answer is simple. Julie Beaufort-Stuart is one of the greatest young-adult heroines to grace the printed page. Honestly, is there another character--male or female--who could pop in and out of the World War II Era, Indiana Jones-style as well as Julie could? While Wein has written a sequel to <i>Code Name Verity</i>, the only way fans were going to see Julie again was in prequel form, which is what Wein gives readers in TPT.

The setting here is Scotland, on Strathfearn estate of Julie's recently deceased grandfather. His family, the Murrays, have fallen on hard times and are busy turning over the estate to a boarding school while cataloging an extensive collection of historical artifacts at the local library. The most valuable items in the collection are river pearls, many of which were collected on the Murray estate, and some of which were worn by Mary Stuart, the famous "queen of Scots."

Returning early for her summer holiday, Julie is attacked on the bank of the River Fearn, waking up a few days later, unable to recall details of her assailant. Her rescuers, Euan and Ellen McEwan, are treated terribly (suspiciously) by town officials because they are gypsies or "tinkers." As Julie's friendship with the McEwans grows, she will try to protect them, even as details of her assault, as well as pieces of evidence, arise.

Julie's adventurous, daring nature is evident everywhere. Despite the fact that she's a few weeks shy of her 16th birthday, she flirts with and kisses the dashing foreman, Frank Dunbar. Later, looking boyish in a kilt, her hair shorn after the attack, she'll steal a kiss from an unwitting lassie, too. Add to this learning how to drive and clambering across castle ruins, and fans of <i>Code Name Verity</i> will recognize "future Julie" in these scenes.

It is fun, reading for early glimpses of "Verity" here. One example:
<blockquote>I would like to be a theatrical escape artist, I think, like Houdini, or a circus owner like Bertram Mills. I want to dazzle people and be applauded for it. I am good at it, and it is thrilling, [like] walking a tightrope when you've had too much to drink, dangerous and wonderful</blockquote>

I can't close this review without bringing out details of Scotland, which Wein layers throughout the story. Scottish history--hundreds of years before 1938, in which the novel is set--seems to be everywhere, from Mary Stuart to ancient burials. Wein finds beauty in the nomadic lives of "Tinkers," as well as in the aristocratic set, if which Julie is a member. Of course there are Robert Burns lyrics aplenty, too.

<i>The Pearl Thief</i> will be a welcome reunion for fans of <i>Code Name Verity</i>. For those who haven't read CNV, it is a mystery, a vivid glimpse of Scotland, and an introduction to one of the most fascinating YA characters of recent years.

Special thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Fans who didn't get enough of Julie in Code Name Verity will want to check out this prequel, which takes place the year before the start of World War II, when Julie was just turning sixteen. Returning home for the summer to her family's Scottish manor--which has been sold to pay debts following her grandfather's illness and death--she becomes an important witness in the case of a missing man. Although she may have been one of the last people to see Hugh Housman--the man hired to catalog her grandfather's collection of antiquities--alive, she can barely remember it because she was hit on the back of her head shortly afterwards.

Like any good mystery, Wein's story is full of twists and turns, and little is what it appears to be. Julie herself takes great pleasure in fooling others, and as a result seems especially adept at recognizing what many fail to see--a trait that will serve her well in the future. As in her previous books, Wein has created a cast of characters that are fully nuanced. No one is completely good or bad, but rather complicated combinations of the two. Readers will delight in watching Julie develop the characteristics that made her such a compelling character in Verity, as she discovers who she is and begins to consider what she might become.

Elizabeth Wein knows how to write historical fiction with a flourish and adds a dash of mystery to make it interesting. The Pearl Thief is about a young girl who is returning to her grandfather's estate which is being sold and made into a posh school. This would be upsetting enough but after Julia is attacked, can't remember anything and then befriends the local Scottish gypsies, called travelers, the village is up in arms. Old tensions and prejudices against the travelers begin again when the body of a wealthy landowner is found. Julia's new friends try to get to the bottom of the attack and some missing pearls. The history of the famous river pearls is interesting and the description of this beautiful English countryside will make you want to book a flight immediately. For young adults but adults will find much to love.

Review based on a digital review copy provided via Netgalley

As a big fan of Code Name Verity (seriously one of the best books I have ever read) and Rose Under Fire, I was at once nervous and excited to read a pre-war story about Julie. She is a strong, feisty character, one whose determination and lust for life I find enthralling. While this was a much quieter story than Code Name Verity, there was something about it that was compelling. I thought about the story when I wasn’t reading it and I wish I could return to the story now that it is finished.

The basic premise is that Julie, returned to her ancestral home, has stumbled upon a mystery regarding ancient Scottish pearls. I don’t want to go into it too much – there is just too much possibility of giving something away. While I had an idea about where the plot was headed, and in most cases, I was correct, that did nothing to ruin my enjoyment of this gem.

While the story takes place in 1938 Scotland, there are parallels that can be drawn between that world and this, with regards to discrimination, social justice, and abuse of power. Julie is at the heart of the mystery and provides the frame for what unfolds for her family and her friends. Each character is well drawn, although some are more fleshed out than others. Ellen, Mary, Euan, Jamie and the others are each given their due, but it is their relationships to Julie that matter and that take precedence over their particular character traits.

The back matter will be of interest to history buffs and anyone wanting to learn more about certain aspects of the story. Again, I won’t go into this too deeply, as that might spoil the story. Suffice to say, there is a lot of meat to delve into here.

Fun, light, yet serious at the same time, this book is nearly pitch perfec

I enjoyed this, but not as much as some of Wein's other books. I just didn't connect as much with the main character. I appreciate having a bisexual character, or whose sexuality is fluid, but I feel like at the time period this story takes place, a girl of her age might have been a bit more conflicted about wanting to kiss girls than she was. Granted, I'm not an expert in Scottish historical culture...maybe homosexuality was very accepted in 1930s Scotland, but it doesn't seem likely. I am happy for the character that she wasn't conflicted about her feelings or feel shame for having them, but it didn't strike me as realistic in a historical fiction novel.

I was more than a little wary when I saw that a prequel to my beloved Code Name Verity--ONE OF MY TOP FIVE ALL TIME FAVORITE BOOKS--was being released, but this story--involving a teenage Julia at her recently deceased grandfather's estate in Scotland dealing with some missing pearls and a missing scholar--is a different kind of story altogether. But Julia is still Julia, and spending time with her--and her friends, including a librarian with a genetic disorder and a shotgun, and two Traveller teens--is a delight (even if she didn't solve the mystery as quickly as I did). Plus, I am now positive that Julia is canonically bisexual, for those who are interested in that little factoid! This is another great story about friendship and family and overcoming the odds and archaeology and everything great in the world (aside from two scenes featuring unwanted sexual advances, anyway). Elizabeth Wein, thank you for giving me a little bit more Julia. A/A-.

Completely different from Code Name Verity, but it still employs the same elements in many ways. By no means a show stopper, but it tells a realistic story of a teenage girl coming into her own. I can absolutely see how Julie the 15-year-old grows up to become a spy. Here she's just a greener version of that person - courageous, privileged, a little thoughtless, in love with being in love, and totally mercenary. In fact the mercenary side of her was nearly as enjoyable as the stuff that reminded me of the courage she displays in
Code Name Verity.

This was basically a cozy mystery, but it touched a lot on prejudice and also the nuances of sexuality. The two latter topics gave a fairly straightforward story added depth. This was primarily about loss, and ended not a little wistfully. Not what I expected, but it was better for it.

The Pearl Thief is one of the best books that I have read all year. The setting, pre-World War II is one of my favorites. The character of Julie, who readers have previously met in Code Name Verity, is as vivacious and clever as ever. It was so delightful to read of her adventures before her work as a spy. The murder and mystery add just the right amount of intrigue and suspense. I highly recommend this book for lovers of historical fiction and for those who enjoy brilliant and detailed writing with fun and enjoyable characters and plot twists.

Another literary masterpiece from Wein. Readers who have not yet read Code Name Verity will hopefully be intrigued enough to pick up that title next. Julie is a flawed but captivating character, and her friendships with Travellers surprise her, having grown up in privilege. During the course of the novel, she will discover how different her life experiences have been compared to others, and her worldview will shift. It's part coming-of-age, part history, and part mystery, with a little romance. Wein adds background notes and sources for further reading.

Thank you Netgalley and Disney for the ARC. This book is a prequel to Codename Verity and takes place the summer before at the estate of her Grandfather where a murder occurs. I enjoyed the story and the tone.