Vita and her mother have moved temporarily from England to New York to help out her grandfather, who is not doing well since her grandmother's death. Their family home, a castle on the Hudson, has been stolen by an evil man named Victor Sorrotore. When Vita finds out that Sorrotore is up to no good, she begins a plan to save her grandfather's home and recover the emerald necklace hidden there. When Vita meets Arkady, Samuel, and Silk, they band together to fight Sorrotore and his hitmen. Will the children be able to accomplish their task in the face of great danger?

This middle grade novel is a delight for young people as well as adults. I loved the setting in Prohibition-era New York, the suspenseful plot, and the unique, determined characters. I couldn't put the book down until I reached the very satisfying ending. The characters are from diverse backgrounds, and Vita has a physical disability that she overcomes multiple times throughout the story. The writing is descriptive and lovely in spite of the somewhat gritty subject matter, and though there is some peril, it is a clean read that I highly recommend to anyone. I am recommending it to the local school library. This book is a keeper, and I look forward to reading the author's other works.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Heist stories have been popular in YA fiction for several years, and it's fun to see a heist story for middle-grade readers. Historical details really help the 1920's setting come to life, and the suspense builds slowly to a heart-pounding conclusion with a few tricks up its sleeve. Highly recommend to fans of Rundell's previous work or to fans of historical mysteries/suspense.

A part of me feels certain that, had I been seven-years-old and stumbled upon <i>The Good Thieves</i> by Katherine Rundell, it would have been one of the best books I'd ever read. I'd have fallen in love with at least two of the characters, Vita and Samuel. It would have been the sort of book I would treasure as I grew into my teenage years and, eventually, adulthood. And for many kids now, I imagine this book is just that. For me, at twenty-six, this was still a pretty exceptional read.

<i>The Good Thieves </i>follows Vita and her group of friends as she sets out to steal back her grandfather's castle from a man who tricked him into losing it. There's some sort of legality that allowed this evil man to take ownership of the property by depositing two hundred dollars into his bank account and crediting it as a sale. Though apparently the agreement had been that he would restore the property while the old man remained living on it. And this is the piece where the story was a little hard for me to believe, though I don't imagine any kid really picking up on it.

Moving forward, when Vita's confrontation with the man who basically stole her family's castle doesn't work and she learns of the treasure hidden within it, Vita recruits some kids living nearby to help her sneak in and steal it back. She intends to use it to fund the services of a lawyer who will be able to overturn Victor Sorrotore's fraudulent actions. And all in all, it serves for a decent plot.

Did I love the story? Well, it's not something I see myself reading again. Nor do I picture it's the sort of book I'd want to read to any child I may have in the future. But I wouldn't mind getting it for them, if these were the kinds of books they enjoyed. I didn't care for some of the characters, some of the events in the story felt pointless or didn't leave me feeling anything at all. And while it was well written, nothing really stood out to me. I'd pin <i>The Good Thieves</i> as a <i>good book</i>, just not a great one.

<i>I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell is a fun and lively adventure about a young girl, Vita Marlowe, who wants to reclaim her grandfather's ancestral home after he's swindled out of it by the evil, opportunistic billionaire, Victor Sorrotore. 

At times both sweet and suspenseful, The Good Thieves is a fast-paced early middle grade adventure that explores what happens when the unscrupulous rich exploit the less powerful poor, and what happens when even the most unassuming individuals take a stand. Young readers will love following Vita, Arkady, Samuel, and Silk as they plan a righteous heist to get back her grandfather's castle and expose the villainous billionaire for the theiving criminal he is.

The Good Thieves is a blend of excitement, humor, and heart. I would recommend this book to kids who like adventurous tales where spunky characters prevail in the battle of good versus evil.

*I received an eARC via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review —views and opinions expressed here are my own.*