Review: Heist Society by Ally Carter

Heist Society by Ally Carter

publisher: Disney Hyperion

released: February 9th, 2010

paperback, 287 pages

intended audience: Young adult

rating:





source: from publisher for honest review

description: When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster's art collection has been stolen, and he wants it returned. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat’s father isn’t just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it’s a spectacularly impossible job? She’s got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family’s (very crooked) history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

Review: This was my first time reading Ally Carters work, and her reputation definitely preceded her. Luckily, I wasn't mislead by all the great word-of-mouth! Heist Society is a fun, super-fast-paced story with great, memorable characters, and a plot that has the nostalgia and class of the old original Ocean's 11-style capers.

Kat is a great character with a voice that is almost wholly formed by her family's way of life. With every thought, there is a pause to think of what her family would do in her situation, what they would say, although she is incredibly smart in her own right. She's carefully conned her way into a normal life at a normal school, but that all comes to a halt when her father is threatened. She's pulled back into the "family business" to try and save his life.

The pacing of this one is rocketed ever forward by a literal countdown that happens through the book. With every day that is counted down (3 days to Deadline, 2 days to Deadline, etc..) the tension builds as time runs out and Kat and her friends scramble to throw together a plan and pull off a heist that no one, especially not anyone their age, has dared before. I loved the progression of the characters, especially Gabrielle and Hale and their relationships with Kat. Absolutely loved the Bagshaw Brothers, I couldn't help but picture them as two of my other favorite twin mischief-makers, Fred and George Weasley. :)

This is a great story about family, trust, beauty, and bravery when things looks downright hopeless...I can't wait to see what happens next for Kat and her brilliant crew! Look for my review of Uncommon Criminals soon!

Visit Ally Carter's website here!

Purchase Heist Society at: Amazon • BN.com • BookDepository • Indiebound