Among Thieves

Kuhn debuts with an electrifying fantasy that takes readers into the seamy heart of Dresdell, one of the five kingdoms of Thamorr, where rival crime syndicates vie for jobs. When Toliver Shadowwood, the King of Edale, arranges a meeting with the Kestrel Crowns, Ryia Cautella, an infamous member of the Saints of the Wharf, snoops on their rendezvous. She discovers that Shadowwood is after an ancient, magical quill belonging to the Guildmaster of Thamorr, the most powerful person in all the five kingdoms. It’s this quill that gives the Guildmaster his uncanny powers, so when the Crowns reject the offer, Ryia seizes the opportunity to poach the job, bringing the intel to her boss, Callum Clem. The Saints prepare for a sea voyage to the Guildmaster’s island—but just as they’re setting out, Callum is arrested. The rest of the Saints must forge ahead without his guidance, suddenly stripped of any concrete plans to carry out their death-defying heist. The plot thickens as the Saints near their goal, with hints of deception and betrayal among the crew. Though the supporting characters feel sketchy at times, Kuhn successfully builds a fast-paced mystery around both the quill’s powers and Ryia’s troubled past. Fantasy fans won’t want to miss this.[em] Agent: Abby Schulman, Rebecca Friedman Literary. (Sept.) [/em]