This was fun historical romance. I liked that the heroine was not an innocent, niave girl. Instead, she had been a criminal in a former life and was now trying to tow the straight and narrow. This book has some great dialogue and was a fun read. I liked that the couple would work things out and talk with each other and express their opinions and thoughts and not be afraid to change their minds after hearing the other person's side. ( )

The story of a family living with new names and a fabricated past in Victorian England, with a large helping of romance, mystery and danger!

I really liked this book. The story was realistic, the people talked like real people, their actions suited their characters, and the romance was sweet, but not saccharin. The mystery kept me guessing until the very end, and the denouement was suspenseful and satisfying.

This book would be a great read for those who like mysteries, those who like romance, and those who like historical fiction. And especially to those who just want to read a good book.

edited because I just now found out this is #1 in a series!??!!? Hooray!!!


**eARC netgalley** ( )

fun romance - adult section (but late in book) - likable characters - reasonable dramatic structure ( )

4.5 stars
A TALENT FOR TRICKERY is a historical romance wrapped up in a mystery/suspense. Several art robberies and the murder of a former friend of Lottie’s father, all crimes with an encrypted message left behind, bring Owen back into Lottie’s life after eight years. He needs her help to break the encryption and find a killer.

Lottie and Owen indeed have a past, just not a romantic one. This isn’t your typical second chance romance due to the fact that one, the other, or both screwed it up the first time. A TALENT FOR TRICKERY is a second chance for Lottie and Owen to finally admit their feelings to themselves and each other, feelings that still endure after eight years of separation. Despite the extensive past the characters share, the reader never feels they’re coming in belatedly. There’s no sense of loss or missing out on large pieces of the story. In this case, the past history adds richness and depth to the story and characters.

The lively, yet more mature, slow boil, romance between Lottie and Owen suits their characters to a tee.
The secondary characters are as vivid as the hero and heroine, easily holding their own and hopefully foreshadowing coming installments in the series. The dialog is witty, humorous, and intelligent.

All aspects of A TALENT FOR TRICKERY are perfectly balanced and the character development, dialog, and pacing are wonderful. This all adds up to The Thief Taker series being an auto read for me. Fingers crossed the next book focuses on Samuel and Esther.
Reviewed for Novels Alive TV ( )