Heist Society »

Even though Ally Carter is the author of the popular Gallagher Girls series, she has never told anyone she loved them and then had to kill them. She does, however, frequently cross her heart and hope to spy. You can learn more about Ally and her books by visiting her (declassified) Web site, allycarter.com.

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster's art collection has been stolen, and he wants it returned. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat’s father isn’t just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it’s a spectacularly impossible job? She’s got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family’s (very crooked) history—and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

Publishers Weekly

The daughter of notorious thieves, Kat Bishop has enrolled in the exclusive Colgan School to escape the family business and try to live a normal life. But when she is kicked out, Kat has to return to her roots. She is informed that five priceless paintings have been taken from the powerful mobster Arturo Taccone, and that her father is Taccone's only suspect. It is up to Kat to return the paintings before Taccone takes matters into his own hands. Kat embarks on a daring, dangerous heist, immersing herself in the world of art, money, and extreme power. With the help of her friend (and crush), Hale, and a band of teenage coconspirators, Kat crisscrosses the globe to locate Taccone's paintings. Carter takes on large themes—family, friendship, loyalty, and good versus evil—and effectively gives readers light lessons in geography and art, as well as thought-provoking commentary on artwork stolen during the Holocaust. With a smart and stealthy heroine who should appeal to Gallagher Girls fans, Carter's story is fast-paced and popcorn-ready. Readers will likely look forward to Kat's next adventure. Ages 11–up. (Feb.)