A Beautiful Heist, Kim Foster (4 stars)

About A Beautiful Heist (Agency of Burglary & Theft) 

File Size: 547 KB
Print Length: 289 pages
Publisher: eKensington (June 6, 2013)

Everyone has a talent. Some are just more legal than others. Cat Montgomery steals jewels for AB&T, the premier agency for thieves in Seattle. Career perks: good pay, great disguises, constant adrenaline rush. Drawbacks: the possibility of jail time…or worse. Now she’s taken on a lucrative side job—recovering a priceless Faberge egg for an alleged Romanov descendant.

Though Cat is working solo, there are plenty of interested players. Her FBI ex-boyfriend is nosing around, as is her former mentor-turned-nemesis. Then there’s the charming art thief helping—or is he hindering?—her mission. If her luck holds out, this could be the case that allows Cat to retire with her conscience and her life intact. If not, it’ll be her last job for all the wrong reasons…

Review

An ethical criminal. Seems like an oxymoron, doesn't it?

Cat Montgomery is a thief, but she's a thief with rules. She only steals from those who are wealthy and have insurance, and she specifically takes the one items her agency (AB&T) hires her to procure. But more than that, she's looking for the assignment that makes her feel whole again and washes away a job she didn't take--one that cost her sister her life.

Thanks to the IRS on her heels, she takes a side job with a big payoff and high stakes. In addition to avoiding the FBI and police, which includes her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend, she also faces an ex-colleague who is determined to see Cat pay. Will Cat finally find peace? Can she survive this latest assignment?

Instead of just page after page of action and intrigue, this story looks deeper. Cat struggles with what her parents think of her and with matters of the heart. Should she give in to her feelings for Jack, an ex-FBI agent, or Ethan, a thief and someone who can understand her? In addition, her one-time friend is trying to take her down at every turn. 

Although it was interesting to see how Cat's parents reacted to finding out their daughter's real job, at times I felt like there were two many subplots going on. But, they ultimately helped build an interesting and memorable character main character, so it's hard to really complain.

If you are a reader who enjoys thrills coupled with well-developed characters, pick up A Beautiful Heist. Not only will it have you on the edge of your seat at times, it will also give you a character who promises to only get more interesting in future installments.

Rating: 4 stars

About Kim Foster

Kim Foster is a practicing physician, a novelist, and a mom. She’s also an active health blogger and writer. (You can read those blogs here, and here.) After thirteen years stitching people’s lacerations, treating their sore throats, and checking their blood pressure, she is now about to become a published novelist, too, thanks to a brand spanking new 3-book deal with Kensington Books. Her first novel is slated for publication in June 2013.

To learn more about Kim and her work, please visit her website, kimfosterwrites.com, follow her on Twitter, or become a fan on Facebook.

Thanks to TLC for my review copy.

Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.

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