Victorian London comes to vivid life in this riveting heist novel about an all-female thieving gang and one young woman’s heroic plan to escape a life of crime, from the USA Today bestselling author of Down a Dark River.
She’s stolen gems, purses, and hearts—but can she steal her life back from the ring of thieves that’s claimed it?
London, 1879: Twenty-year-old Kit Jimeson has fingers so nimble she can nick a necklace off a lady in a crowded theater without raising alarm. Kit and her dodge partner, Mary, are the highest earners in the notorious all-women thieving ring in South London’s Elephant and Castle district.
Kit, whose mother had been a thief before her, dreams of a different life, one where she’s not constantly on the lookout for constables and plainclothes detectives, and where a mistake or pure bad luck won’t land her in the hangman’s noose. She has been saving her earnings so her younger sister, a maid for a wealthy Mayfair family, might have a shot at respectability.
Kit is very close to leaving the life entirely when the legendary former thief Maggie O’Connell brings her plans to a halt. Beautiful, charismatic Maggie has returned to reclaim leadership of the ring after twenty years in a brutal Australian penal colony. But Maggie desires more than mere wealth or power: She longs for revenge against those who sent her away. Kit, with her quick mind and dangerously clever hands, is Maggie’s best weapon. If Kit wants to walk away with her life, she must carry out a heist that will demand every skill she possesses.
Genre: Historical Mystery
She’s stolen gems, purses, and hearts—but can she steal her life back from the ring of thieves that’s claimed it?
London, 1879: Twenty-year-old Kit Jimeson has fingers so nimble she can nick a necklace off a lady in a crowded theater without raising alarm. Kit and her dodge partner, Mary, are the highest earners in the notorious all-women thieving ring in South London’s Elephant and Castle district.
Kit, whose mother had been a thief before her, dreams of a different life, one where she’s not constantly on the lookout for constables and plainclothes detectives, and where a mistake or pure bad luck won’t land her in the hangman’s noose. She has been saving her earnings so her younger sister, a maid for a wealthy Mayfair family, might have a shot at respectability.
Kit is very close to leaving the life entirely when the legendary former thief Maggie O’Connell brings her plans to a halt. Beautiful, charismatic Maggie has returned to reclaim leadership of the ring after twenty years in a brutal Australian penal colony. But Maggie desires more than mere wealth or power: She longs for revenge against those who sent her away. Kit, with her quick mind and dangerously clever hands, is Maggie’s best weapon. If Kit wants to walk away with her life, she must carry out a heist that will demand every skill she possesses.
Genre: Historical Mystery
Praise for this book
"Dickens fans - if you ever yearned for Nancy to kick Bill Sykes to the curb and go off thieving with Bet and the Dodger, this is your new favorite book. Vibrant with the authentic sights and sounds of Victorian London, An Artful Dodge is the riveting tale of a gang of female thieves and what one clever dodge artist must do to survive when the gang's old boss returns seeking power - and revenge. A crime novel that centers the power of family bonds both natural and chosen, this thrilling adventure will have you frantically turning the pages." - Mariah Fredericks
"A triumph! The story of one whip-smart young thief's audacious battle for her freedom, integrity, and true love." - Susan Elia MacNeal
"Engaging characters, unusual story, and impeccable research make An Artful Dodge a thoroughly engaging novel. The icing on this cake is Odden's beautiful prose. Here's a writer who cares about her craft. Brava." - Sara Paretsky
"A triumph! The story of one whip-smart young thief's audacious battle for her freedom, integrity, and true love." - Susan Elia MacNeal
"Engaging characters, unusual story, and impeccable research make An Artful Dodge a thoroughly engaging novel. The icing on this cake is Odden's beautiful prose. Here's a writer who cares about her craft. Brava." - Sara Paretsky
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