Review: Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

Series: Heist Society (#2)
Pages: 304
Publisher: Lothian
Published: June 28th, 2011
IBSN: 9780734411938

Kat Bishop: Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. Or simply, the girl who robbed the greatest museum in the world...

Now she's been asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners.

Trouble is, not only is the gem elusive - it's cursed.

Kat might be in way over her head but help is at hand. She enlists the gorgeous Hale and the rest of the crew from Heist Society on a heart-stopping round-the-world search. But this time, Kat - who knows every trick and con in the book - is making up her own rules.

After a long stint of solo heists, Kat is back with the team -- Gabrielle, Simon, the Bagshaws, Nick, and of course, Hale -- to steal what even their legendary Uncle Eddie couldn't: the Cleopatra Emerald. But getting their hands onto the crystal may not even be the most difficult part of the mission.

Uncommon Criminals brings back the loveable cast from Heist Society, the heart-stopping action, and the cleverly built world that make you wonder if Ally Carter is a spy herself. This instalment will not disappoint fans of the first book.
The story was well-paced, without a dull moment, and constantly suspenseful. The plot took sharp turns and had unexpected twists, and before you could even finish thinking that you've got it figured out, something happened that threw you off. A fast, edge-of-your-seat read.

This exciting story is told in seamless omniscient third person narration. It informs us about the context and flits between different characters' perspectives smoothly, giving us a comprehensive understanding of the plot without giving away too much in suspenseful moments. Ally Carter skilfully pulled off a difficult narrative style that was very appropriate to the story.

The bonds between the characters are explored further in Uncommon Criminals. Kat's burgeoning romance with Hale grows, and more of her family dynamic is shown. Kat herself is developed further, too. Though the distance created by the third person narration between Kat and us was always minimal, we feel closer to her in this instalment as she struggles with where she fits into the thieving world.

An exciting and tense story of cat burglary, complete with a subtle romance and sense of humour.

I give Uncommon Criminals a 4 out of 5.