Thieves' Gambit book review & characters: A fun heist thriller

Thieves’ Gambit synopsis:

The Inheritance Games meets Ocean's Eleven in this cinematic heist thriller where a cutthroat competition brings together the world's best thieves and one thief is playing for the highest stakes of all: her mother's life.

At only seventeen years old, Ross Quest is already a master thief, especially adept at escape plans. Until her plan to run away from her legendary family of thieves takes an unexpected turn, leaving her mother's life hanging in the balance.

In a desperate bid, she enters the Thieves' Gambit, a series of dangerous, international heists where killing the competition isn't exactly off limits, but the grand prize is a wish for anything in the world--a wish that could save her mom. When she learns two of her competitors include her childhood nemesis and a handsome, smooth-talking guy who might also want to steal her heart, winning the Gambit becomes trickier than she imagined.

Ross tries her best to stick to the family creed: trust no one whose last name isn't Quest. But with the stakes this high, Ross will have to decide who to con and who to trust before time runs out. After all, only one of them can win.

Thieves’ Gambit characters.

The main character is Rosalyn “Ross” Quest, our clever and skilled female main character with intense trust issues, who narrates the book.

We have an interesting cast of supporting characters, from Ross’ mother and aunt, to the stakeholders of the Gambit itself, including the organisers and the competitors.

Below is a list of all the Thieves Gambit characters

• Rosalyn “Ross” Quest

• Rhiannon Quest

• Jaya Quest

• Count

• Devroe Kenzie

• Noelia Boschert

• Kyung-soon Shin

• Mylo Michaelson

• Lucas Taylor

• Taiyō Itō

• Adra Laghari

• Yeriel Antuñez

• Nicholi Boschert

• Suvetlana

Thieves’ Gambit book review. 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4/5

I’ve seen that the film rights for this book have been bought before this book has even hit shelves, and I understand why. Kayvion Lewis has written a really fun, cinematic, fast-paced YA action mystery-heist reminiscent of your favourite movies and books (think elements of Six of Crows, Inheritance Games, and Oceans Eleven) combined with elements of a less macabre Hunger Games or Squid Games (being YA) while creating incredibly diverse characters, spanning many cultures and continents, with authentic cultural names (never forget Cho Chang from HP), who are also likeable (mostly!) in the competition.

I had a lot of fun diving headfirst into the action with FMC Rosalyn ‘Ross’ Quest. She’s a 17-year-old high-calibre thief who could rival Danny Ocean, who then gets invited to join an underground thieving competition, which she accepts to save her kidnapped mother. The challenges in the Gambit are outrageous and outlandish, but I embraced them with open arms. I was always unsure about each character's motives, and unravelling who to trust in the “Thieves Gambit” was part of that fun. I loved the intriguing rivalries and friendships formed during the Gambit. I'm also pleased to announce the Bechdel test was passed with flying colours!

There were some plot points that felt a little bit too convenient and required an extreme suspension of disbelief here and there, and a lot was going on at the end, with twist upon twist, that I was nearly out of breath. However, all in all, I definitely recommend this book if you’re a fan of similar genres, it’s an easy and fun ride.

The ending definitely left it open for a sequel, which I am definitely going to put on my TBR if and when announced.

My thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and author Kayvion Lewis for the opportunity to read this work, which will be published in September 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

View my Thieves’ Gambit book review on GoodReads.

If you enjoyed Thieves’ Gambit, you may also enjoy reading:

• Slay by Brittney Morris (YA sci-fi techno thriller)

• The Shadow Sister by Lily Meade (YA magical realism mystery thriller)

• Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim (YA Fantasy)

• The Stolen Heir by Holly Black (YA Fantasy)

• Fourth Wing (Hunger Games vibes)