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 "The Good Thieves" is an unusual "journey" story. Vita, a survivor of polio, wants to help her grandfather; he has been cheated out of his estate in a town near Hudson, in the 1920s. It's Vita's understanding that a priceless emerald is hidden on the estate. If she can recapture that emerald, she can help her grandfather to buy back his home.


Vita is just a child, and she seems to have mainly one talent, an ability to throw knives. She can slice an apple in half--even if she is throwing from a great distance. Fortunately, Vita finds herself in New York City, and many oddball New Yorkers turn up to support her. A little boy across the street tames elephants in a ballroom above Carnegie Hall. Another can perform acts of bravery on a flying trapeze. An unsentimental kid down in the Bowery is able to offer her impressive "pickpocket" talents.

As the four children approach their goal, they must think on their toes. A loud cry from one team member seems to convey a specific message, unless it might be a code to represent the exact opposite of its literal meaning. Vita has an opportunity to commit a murder, but a sense of ethical obligation intrudes. But if she isn't going to kill, she needs to find another route to her goal. An outstretched hand means that you might have a chance to hurl yourself onto a speeding train. But, also, you might lose your life.

I really enjoyed Katherine Rundell's use of detail and her deep knowledge of her four starring characters. The novel is like a notably thoughtful fable. I can see why Rundell has become a "name" for bookish kids.
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