“So this is really a school for criminals.” It was meant as a question, though it came out more as an accusation.
“We are so much more than that,” Caspian said, sitting in a plush leather chair and gesturing for Gabriel to sit in a similar one across the table. “We are a home for the forgotten, a sanctuary for the lost and … yes, a training ground for the greatest crooks of the future.”
13-year-old Gabriel is a brilliant pickpocket, a skill which he uses to keep his often empty belly not quite so empty. And then one day, he’s caught.
But instead of being arrested, he is invited by the mysterious Caspian Crook to attend Crookhaven – a school for thieves. At Crookhaven, students are trained in lock-picking, forgery and ‘crim-nastics’, all with the intention of doing good out in the world, by conning the bad and giving back to the innocent.
But … can you ever really trust a thief?
With a school wide competition to be crowned Top Crook and many mysteries to uncover, Gabriel’s first year at Crookhaven will be one to remember…
Ok, let's get the inevitable Harry Potter comparisons out of the way: Yes, there's a boarding school hidden away from the rest of the world that only takes 'special' people, complete with cool names for themselves. Yes, the main characters include a know it all girl, a boy who knows nothing about the world but is tied to it, and twins who know a bit about the world but not everything. Yes, there's a huge evil looming over them and people in the school may even be involved.
That's where it ends, though. Crook is not Dumbledore, Penelope is not Hermione and Gabriel is certainly not Harry. This is a fast, smart, funny read that leads to some real philosophical questions (is it ever right to steal? Is Spock's needs of the many a viable life rule? How many cool gadgets can one robot have?) Kids will love reading the action, especially the Break In attempt(s)!
This is a really well thought out, engaging read, and I can't wait for Year Two and beyond - Gabriel's going to be a new hero!
That night, Gabriel couldn't sleep...Tomorrow he would take the 9.02 train from Moorheart to Torbridge. Then he would walk through the village he hated most in the world to the woman he loved the most.
Crookhaven publishes on the 2nd of March, 2023. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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