Who can you trust?
by Kayvion Lewis
Thieves’ Gambit is a riveting Young Adult thriller that masterfully weaves a tale of high stakes, cunning plans … and morally grey characters.
In Kayvion Lewis’s cinematic heist thriller, a cutthroat competition brings together the world’s best teenage thieves – and one of them is playing for the highest stakes of all: her mother’s life.
Thieves’ Gambit transcends the usual tropes of the genre to explore deeper themes of morality, loyalty and the thin line between right and wrong through the eyes of the protagonist, a socially inept Rosalyn Quest.
Seventeen-year-old Rosalyn was raised by a famous family of thieves with one rule: trust no one. When her mother is kidnapped, her only chance to save her is to win the Thieves’ Gambit and the prize of a wish granted.
The narrative is fast-paced, with twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Lewis has a knack for detailed descriptions, whether it’s the intricacies of the heist plan or the adrenaline-filled execution. The characters are well-developed, each with their backstory and motivations, making them feel real and relatable. The dialogue is sharp and witty, often serving as a light relief in an otherwise tense storyline.
Thieves’ Gambit is not without its moral quandaries. The glorification of thieves as heroes can be problematic. Lewis portrays the protagonist and her fellow thieves as Robin Hood-like figures, stealing from the powerful and corrupt. While this creates sympathy for the characters, it also romanticises a life of crime and conveniently overlooks the fact that thieves are commissioned in their work by other rich, powerful and corrupt people.
Should we be idolising those who break the law, even if their intentions are noble?
And the final message of the book will not help teenagers struggling with mental health problems: Trust no one – not even your own mother.
Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis is published by Simon & Schuster Children’s UK, September 2023.
Price £8.99 (paperback)
A Radio 2 Book Club pick
Learn more about Kayvion Lewis