Ross is from the famous crime family, The Quests. She wants to have some "normal" life experiences, friendships. The book starts with her family on some jobs. As Ross plans to run away to a summer gymnastics camp, her mom is kidnapped for a ransom of $1 billion dollars. Her only choice to get the money to get her mom back is to take part of the thieves' gambit where the prize for winning is a wish.
Eight players, three phases, and illegal jobs around the world. All the players have strong skill sets. Things are never what they seem. A fun romp into the criminal underworld with plenty of teen drama and romance.
It would be a great read alike for Inheritance Games fans. ( )

The ultimate competition between thieves tests friendships and family ties.

Seventeen-year-old Rosalyn “Ross” Quest, a member of a notorious Black Bahamian family of globe-trotting thieves, has spent her entire life honing her skills and following in her mother’s footsteps. But now she just wants to live a normal life, go to college, and make some friends her age. When her attempt to evade her family and secretly make it to a summer gymnastics camp goes awry, Ross’ mother is left in a life-threatening situation, and the only way Ross can save her is by competing in the Thieves’ Gambit, a potentially deadly heist competition that offers its winner one wish. Ross is up against the biggest names in the game from around the world, including Noelia, a Swiss girl who’s her childhood enemy. Hopping from country to country as she competes in increasingly dangerous challenges, Ross must discern whom she can trust, if anyone, while her feelings for fellow competitor Devroe, a Black British boy, grow. In a manner true to the genre, the pacing is fast, and readers will experience the best kind of whiplash as the story moves from one heist to the next. The characters are also fully realized, and it’s impossible not to root for Ross as she tries to figure out who she’s meant to be.

A fast-paced roller coaster of a read. (Thriller. 13-18)

-Kirkus Review

It didn't take me long at all to be intrigued by Ross and the unconventional upbringing she has had to become a master thief. Even though she was raised to believe to never trust anyone but a Quest, there were breadcrumbs being left that her family may have secrets she doesn't know about. Why the estrangement from her grandparents? Why is the Quest family being cut off by other associates? Is Ross's father really dead? The mom seems to have a lot of secrets.

I love the idea of the Thieves' Gambit with some tension already there with a past rival and some other strong personalities. The combination of urgency to rescue the mom, complete heists, and compete against other experienced thieves, made this a page turner and I was so curious to see how it would all go. This book gave the same feel as Ocean's Eleven and Now You See Me, film franchises that I love, and I could easily see this being turned into a film. I think I saw that the rights have been sold, so this will be amazing to see.

The beginning was fast paced, but then I hit a sort a lull when the gambit first started. By the middle of the second phase, I could not put this book down. The backstabbing and cons and secret motives. Everyone has their own reason for doing things and right when you thought you could trust someone or you hated someone, they did something to change your mind. I was so surprised by the ending. Oh my goodness. The absolute pain that Ross must be feeling, I wouldn't blame her one bit if she cut that person out of her life forever. After she was starting to come out of her shell, trusting other people and making friends, she's reminded why she can't trust anyone.

I really enjoyed this book and I definitely can't wait to see what happens next with Ross, the rest of the Quest family, and Devroe. ( )

Thieves Gambit follows Rosalyn ‘Ross’ Quest, a 17-year-old highly skilled thief from a family of professional thieves. She is invited to compete in an underground thieving contest. She accepts because her mother has been kidnapped and she desperately needs the ransom.
The story hits the ground running and takes the reader on a wild ride filled with twists, turns, high stakes heists, danger, tentative alliances, betrayal and exotic locations. It has a very cinematic feel to it, and, unsurprisingly, the film rights have been bought.
I liked Ross. She was badass with a strong moral center (other than stealing, of course). The other characters were distinct and memorable.
Thieves Gambit is a fast-paced, fun, entertaining, thrilling read. I definitely burned the midnight oil with this one. After that cliffhanger ending, I can't wait for the sequel and am looking forward to the movie. ( )

This is twisty heist action for the teen set. I don't appreciate—but completely understand—the cliffhanger ending. Rights were sold for two books, though the second doesn't seem to have a title or publication date yet. ( )