Undercover Thief by H. T. King - HIGH

Undercover Thief by H. T. King, 278 pages. Glass Slipper Publications, 2019. $12.

Language: R (49 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

After being abandoned by her parents years ago, Pam was forced to adapt to stay under social services’ radar. Now 14 years old, Pam has a new family, and they have honed their skills to provide for themselves through heist jobs. But their routine is about to be interrupted: the parents are back.

Unrealistic in the most fun way, I hung onto every word of Pam’s story from the very beginning. Starting this book before bed was the wrong move because I couldn’t put it down -- my morning alarm came too soon after finishing. Somehow, King created an engaging character who can seemingly do everything without feeling like a Mary Sue. I felt Pam’s resentment, and I wanted her to succeed. Yes, there were cheesy parts and cliches, but I was so entertained that I didn’t care; I was simply having fun reading Pam’s adventure. I’m looking forward to the sequels. The only reason this book is labeled “optional” instead of “essential” is the swear count.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen