City of Saints and Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson

Pages: 401

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Contemporary / Crime mystery

Notes for Parents: Contains violence, illegal activities, and descriptions of mature scenes.

The Back Cover

After fleeing the Congo as refugees, Tina and her mother arrive in Kenya hoping for a better life. They can’t believe their luck when Tina’s mother finds work as a maid for the Greyhills, one of the city’s most illustrious families. But there’s a dark secret lurking behind the family’s immense fortune, and when Tina discovers her mother shot dead in Mr. Greyhill’s private study, she knows he pulled the trigger. And she’ll do whatever it takes to prove it.

But there’s more to the murder than meets the eye, including harrowing secrets from Tina’s past that will change everything she thought she knew and reveal the painful truth behind her mother’s death.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The story begins five years after Tina’s mother’s death, as she puts her plan for revenge into action.

What’s good?

Tina has spent years planning how to ruin the life of the man responsible for her mother’s death. It should have been cut and dry, but a chance encounter with a childhood friend complicates everything. The plot is sophisticated and engaging. What begins as simple revenge develops into a complex mystery that involves gangs, warlords, illegal gold, and her mother’s hidden past. The female lead is strong, the setting is gritty and full of danger, and the overall tone remains tense throughout.

Best Part: As she tells the story, Tina shares the rules of being a good thief.

What isn’t good?

The pace is uneven, unfolding slowly with only the occasional burst of action. The mystery of who killed Tina’s mother is predictable when it comes to who didn’t do it. The ending is tidy, but maybe too tidy.

Worst part: The romance, although limited, was still unnecessary.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4/5)

Set in the unforgiving streets of Kenya, this story is a different kind of contemporary thriller. The main character is an orphan, a thief, and a survivor, risking everything to avenge her mother’s death. The story is intense, albeit a bit slow, but worth the read. Recommended.

Anderson, Natalie C., City of Saints & Thieves. New York: Speak, 2017.