Uncommon Criminals

Carter builds the story like a classic caper: the team assembles, plans are drawn, a disguise or two is required and something always goes wrong at the last moment. Kat's crew is back, including the charming and wealthy Hale, her glamorous cousin Gabrielle, the bickering Bagshaw brothers and Simon, the tech expert, and their banter is a big part of the fun.

This instalment is especially good on the theme of being outplayed. Kat is used to being the cleverest person in the room, and watching her lose, regroup and rethink is satisfying. The romantic tension with Hale grows nicely without taking over, and the international settings add glamour.

Readers new to the series should start with Heist Society, as relationships and backstory carry over. The plot twists come fast and occasionally strain belief, but that is part of the genre's pleasure. Clean and suitable for younger teens. Carter also gives Kat's family of thieves a surprising moral code, which makes it easy to root for the crew even as they break the rules, and the clever final twist is a real treat. About 304 pages in the Disney Hyperion paperback.