Thieves’ Gambit

By Kayvion Lewis, Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Hardcover edition, published 2023; paperback edition, published 2024.

Background information of author. In an interview with Raegan Revord, of “Read with Raegan”,  Kayvion’s said her first job was a children’s librarian and she “realized how books are so cool and kids can be so inspired by books.” She was so in awe of people who create books but never thought that she should be the one to write one. When she was moved to another department, she decided one day to write a book. “I wanted to write young adult because that’s mostly what I read even though I was an adult by then.” 

Synopsis Thieves Gambit is a young adult thriller about nine teenage thieves from nine different countries who are all invited to compete in an international underground thieving competition. This competition takes them around the world doing crazy over-the-top heists. The prize? The winner is granted any wish. Kayvion says “it’s basically my personal around the world adventure fantasy.”

All nine thieves want to win and be granted their wish. For Rosalyn Quest (aka Ross) the main character, her wish is to save her mom’s life. She must win in order to get one million dollars to pay the people who kidnapped her mom. Winning will not be easy  because the other thieves are just as skillful and smart as Ross.  These other thieves include Kayvion’s childhood nemesis, Noelia, who comes from a long line of thieves, an East Asian, a Hispanic, an Indian, a Japanese, and Devroe, a handsome, smooth talking guy. Although Ross is immediately attracted to him, she doesn’t trust him and maintains a respectable distance.  However, as the heists become increasingly difficult and complex, Ross realizes she has to trust him in order to win. 

What works: Lewis’s world building is engaging and effective. Her characters are diverse, authentic, extremely skillful and smart. Lewis’s competitions are filled with action, suspense and surprises. The heists start out “easy” like stealing an item from a museum to more complex tasks like stealing particular extemely valuable items from public places during public events. The different methods and techniques to steal items are varied and intriguing. Lewis describes the thefts with such detail that the reader can visualize the action as if it was a movie.  In fact, the book is in the process of becoming a movie.

What doesn’t work: I had to remind myself that this is an adventure fantasy, although the thefts seem very realistic.  

Pass it or grab it: Grab it! Thieves’ Gambit surprise ending leaves an opening for a sequel. The sequel, Heist Royale, has been published with more thefts, more action, and I want to read it. Young adults who love action, cut-throat competition, and a little bit of romance will want to read Thieves’ Gambit and Heist Royale, too.