Review by Booklist Review
In Gilded Age New York, magician's assistant Cora picks the pockets of wealthy spectators to further her goal of buying back the foreclosed-upon family farm. Between performances at the home of one of the city's richest families, Cora is caught in the act by an aristocratic guest--but not before she discovers that the purported Grand Duchess of Württemberg, a troubled Germanic nation, is actually a con artist named Alice. The two women form a grudging alliance--Alice won't turn Cora in if Cora agrees to play a part in an elaborate con to persuade five ruthless robber barons to sink their fortunes into nonexistent emerald mines. To prepare, Cora must pass as a debutante. Cora comes to think of Alice's small band of accomplices as a family, but Alice herself is interested only in revenge against the men who cost her father everything. Kelly and Thorne's latest is a worthy successor to The Starlets (2024), a fast-paced, female-led caper with humor, heart, and historical detail. Devotees of TV's The Gilded Age will revel in the sumptuous setting and high-society drama, while fans of feminist caper novels like Kirstin Chen's Counterfeit (2022) and Alex Hay's The Housekeepers (2023) will appreciate the dynamic between Alice and Cora.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
