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Theater of Thieves #3
The Face Stealer
A puzzling mystery pulls the thieving Fitzglen family back to a shocking crime committed in the time of Catherine the Great in this third instalment of the spellbinding Theatre of Thieves gothic mystery series set in Victorian England.
London, 1909. The Fitzglens combine running London’s finest theatre with a very profitable side-line in stealing. But while they might be thieves, they still have principles. They never pinch anything their victim couldn’t afford to lose.
When a stranger approaches Jack Fitzglen after a performance, claiming that a Fitzglen has committed a grave crime in his village in faraway Russia, Jack knows exactly who’s to the unpleasant Saintly Simeon, who was chucked out of the family for breaking their code.
Simeon has stolen three valuable, and oddly frightening, Stone Heads, the likenesses of children who vanished over a century ago. The Heads were locked away from the world in a remote Russian monastery . . . though whether to protect the priceless sculptures, or to protect the villagers from the Heads themselves, no one can say.
Jack joins forces with fellow actor Viola Gilfillan to retrieve the stolen goods and put things right. But as they investigate, peeling the layers of history back to the treacherous court of Catherine the Great herself, the ominous power of the Stone Heads begins to draw them down into a darkness from which they may never be able to escape . . .
This unsettling gothic historical mystery from acclaimed British author Sarah Rayne will appeal to fans of Daphne du Maurier, Laura Purcell, Rebecca James, Sarah Waters and Stuart Turton.
London, 1909. The Fitzglens combine running London’s finest theatre with a very profitable side-line in stealing. But while they might be thieves, they still have principles. They never pinch anything their victim couldn’t afford to lose.
When a stranger approaches Jack Fitzglen after a performance, claiming that a Fitzglen has committed a grave crime in his village in faraway Russia, Jack knows exactly who’s to the unpleasant Saintly Simeon, who was chucked out of the family for breaking their code.
Simeon has stolen three valuable, and oddly frightening, Stone Heads, the likenesses of children who vanished over a century ago. The Heads were locked away from the world in a remote Russian monastery . . . though whether to protect the priceless sculptures, or to protect the villagers from the Heads themselves, no one can say.
Jack joins forces with fellow actor Viola Gilfillan to retrieve the stolen goods and put things right. But as they investigate, peeling the layers of history back to the treacherous court of Catherine the Great herself, the ominous power of the Stone Heads begins to draw them down into a darkness from which they may never be able to escape . . .
This unsettling gothic historical mystery from acclaimed British author Sarah Rayne will appeal to fans of Daphne du Maurier, Laura Purcell, Rebecca James, Sarah Waters and Stuart Turton.
277 pages, Hardcover
Published August 5, 2025
About the author
Sarah Rayne
68 books310 followersAka Frances Gordon, Bridget Wood
After a convent education, which included writing plays for the Lower Third to perform, Sarah Rayne embarked on a variety of jobs, but - probably inevitably - returned again and again to writing. Her first novel appeared in 1982, and since then her books have also been published in America, Holland and Germany.
The daughter of an Irish comedy actor, she was for many years active in amateur theatre, and lists among her hobbies, theatre, history, music, and old houses - much of her inspiration comes from old buildings and their histories and atmospheres. To these interests, she adds ghosts and ghost stories, and - having grown up in the Sixties - good conversation around a well-stocked dinner table.
After a convent education, which included writing plays for the Lower Third to perform, Sarah Rayne embarked on a variety of jobs, but - probably inevitably - returned again and again to writing. Her first novel appeared in 1982, and since then her books have also been published in America, Holland and Germany.
The daughter of an Irish comedy actor, she was for many years active in amateur theatre, and lists among her hobbies, theatre, history, music, and old houses - much of her inspiration comes from old buildings and their histories and atmospheres. To these interests, she adds ghosts and ghost stories, and - having grown up in the Sixties - good conversation around a well-stocked dinner table.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 12, 2025
This is the third in Sarah Rayne’s series of the Fitzglen family. This theater family has been producing and performing plays in their London theatre for over 100 years at the time The Face Stealer begins in 1909. The family has a sideline too, what they call filching; but it’s done in the manner of Robin Hood by only stealing from the rich, never the poor.
This story begins in London of 1909 as the Fitzglens learn of the Stone Heads in Russia and their connection to Catherine the Great and one of her lovers, an Englishman said to be Harry Fitzglen, founder of this family. In the same conversation, after learning of Harry’s visit to Russia in the 1760s, they also learn of another distant family member who has been there very recently and up to nothing good. These Stone Heads, said to be unsettling to anyone who should see them and to have a mysterious history, have disappeared from the place they were stored, and kept from public sight. They need to be found and returned.
I enjoy reading Rayne’s novels generally. And this episode was enjoyable for the most part too. My only hesitation is my sense of some fragmentation of the story involved in moving from present to past to present several times throughout the novel. At times this broke the flow up too much for me. But I found the final third of the book moved very well, with the pacing adding to my enjoyment. The story really needed the breaks in the time frame, so this may have been a personal issue for me, though I’m usually not bothered by this type of narrative change. All in all, in the end I enjoyed the book and the reading experience.
3.5* rounded to 4*
Thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.
This story begins in London of 1909 as the Fitzglens learn of the Stone Heads in Russia and their connection to Catherine the Great and one of her lovers, an Englishman said to be Harry Fitzglen, founder of this family. In the same conversation, after learning of Harry’s visit to Russia in the 1760s, they also learn of another distant family member who has been there very recently and up to nothing good. These Stone Heads, said to be unsettling to anyone who should see them and to have a mysterious history, have disappeared from the place they were stored, and kept from public sight. They need to be found and returned.
I enjoy reading Rayne’s novels generally. And this episode was enjoyable for the most part too. My only hesitation is my sense of some fragmentation of the story involved in moving from present to past to present several times throughout the novel. At times this broke the flow up too much for me. But I found the final third of the book moved very well, with the pacing adding to my enjoyment. The story really needed the breaks in the time frame, so this may have been a personal issue for me, though I’m usually not bothered by this type of narrative change. All in all, in the end I enjoyed the book and the reading experience.
3.5* rounded to 4*
Thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.
October 12, 2025
early 1900s London, the Fitzglens run London’s finest theatre with a profitable side-line in stealing. While they might be thieves, they still have principles, never stealing anything their victims can’t afford to lose. When a stranger claims a member of the Fitzglen family has committed a crime in Russia, Jack Fitzglen suspects Simeon, thrown out of the family for breaking their code. Simeon is suspected of stealing valuable Stone Heads, made in the likenesses of children who vanished over a century ago. The Heads were locked away from the world in a remote Russian monastery.
Jack joins forces with fellow actor Viola Gilfillan to retrieve the stolen goods and put things right. But as they investigate, peeling the layers of history back to the court of Catherine the Great, the dark power of the Stone Heads begins to draw them down into a darkness from which they may never escape.
While this is the 3rd book in a series, it can be read as a stand alone.
This dark, ominous Gothic story centres around a family of thespian thieves, who you can't help but like. The story is told over 2 timelines, moving between the early 20th century London and the time of Catherine the Great in 18th century Russia. The plot is intricately woven, moving between the 2 timelines smoothly and blending the stories together well. I enjoyed the family dynamics and rivalries (both amongst the Fitzglens and with another family of theatrical rivals) with which addes another layer to this historical mystery. I'd not heard of this author before reading this story but felt a real appreciation for their writing style and look forward to reading more from them.
Thank you @netgalley and @severnhouseimprint for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐⭐⭐.5
Jack joins forces with fellow actor Viola Gilfillan to retrieve the stolen goods and put things right. But as they investigate, peeling the layers of history back to the court of Catherine the Great, the dark power of the Stone Heads begins to draw them down into a darkness from which they may never escape.
While this is the 3rd book in a series, it can be read as a stand alone.
This dark, ominous Gothic story centres around a family of thespian thieves, who you can't help but like. The story is told over 2 timelines, moving between the early 20th century London and the time of Catherine the Great in 18th century Russia. The plot is intricately woven, moving between the 2 timelines smoothly and blending the stories together well. I enjoyed the family dynamics and rivalries (both amongst the Fitzglens and with another family of theatrical rivals) with which addes another layer to this historical mystery. I'd not heard of this author before reading this story but felt a real appreciation for their writing style and look forward to reading more from them.
Thank you @netgalley and @severnhouseimprint for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐⭐⭐.5
May 10, 2025
I am a huge Sarah Rayne fan having read all of her novels, over the last 15 or more years. 'The Face Stealer' is the third in her relatively new series starring the Edwardian theatrical Fitzglen family of actors, stage managers and thieves (or 'filchers' as they call themselves) and now in book three, Rayne is well and truly into her stride with the characters, (especially Jack and his amorata, Viola), the period setting and the twisty, interlocked plots.
As usual with her novels, you have a linked narrative set in two or three time periods; this time it's 1909 London with the Fitzglen family, the 1760s onwards with Catherine the Great in Russia - including (fictionalised) excerpts from her private diaries, and a fictional love affair with a historic Fitzglen (who founded the Amaranth Theatre) as well as gruesome goings on in a monastery above an isolated village, involving a murderous monk, missing children, and a macabre rhyme maker. Somewhere amidst all this madness and murder is the eponymous 'face stealer' and a secret worth killing for which is inscribed in the stone heads. There are flashbacks to the monk's childhood, revealing the roots of his tragic life and destiny.
Ranye writes with her usual historical flair and panache, blending the disparate threads and characters into a whole which hums with deceit, death and betrayal. There is even a guest cameo from M.R.James himself which amused me. A mausoleum features in a significant and eerie way which would no doubt please James.
If you enjoy historical mysteries with twists and Gothic drama, this is for you.
As usual with her novels, you have a linked narrative set in two or three time periods; this time it's 1909 London with the Fitzglen family, the 1760s onwards with Catherine the Great in Russia - including (fictionalised) excerpts from her private diaries, and a fictional love affair with a historic Fitzglen (who founded the Amaranth Theatre) as well as gruesome goings on in a monastery above an isolated village, involving a murderous monk, missing children, and a macabre rhyme maker. Somewhere amidst all this madness and murder is the eponymous 'face stealer' and a secret worth killing for which is inscribed in the stone heads. There are flashbacks to the monk's childhood, revealing the roots of his tragic life and destiny.
Ranye writes with her usual historical flair and panache, blending the disparate threads and characters into a whole which hums with deceit, death and betrayal. There is even a guest cameo from M.R.James himself which amused me. A mausoleum features in a significant and eerie way which would no doubt please James.
If you enjoy historical mysteries with twists and Gothic drama, this is for you.
September 2, 2025
Sarah Rayne keeps coming up with fascinating plots and this one is just spectacular. We’re once again immersed in the world of the FitzGlen family of actors/thieves who only “filch” from people who can afford it. Here we are treated to an origin story that explains how the family came to own the Amaranths Theatre where they perform their popular plays. The story of patriarch Harry FitzGlen’s relationship with Catherine the Great is done with Rayne’s usual one-two punch of softness (their relationship) then a quick jab to the throat (murder & court intrigue).
Rayne excels in writing creepy characters that make your skin crawl and Brother Quintus is no exception. He’s wily, deceitful, sly, and most certainly unhinged. His role in the plot to murder Peter III and the follow up to that is shiver-inducing.
I continue to be stymied by the fact that so many of my American friends don’t know about this fabulous author. All of her series are well-researched and skillfully written, and most of them bone-chillingly scary. The Face Stealer is one of the best horror mysteries I’ve read in a while.
Recommended for those looking for a clever, knuckle-whitening story of historical murder and mayhem.
Rayne excels in writing creepy characters that make your skin crawl and Brother Quintus is no exception. He’s wily, deceitful, sly, and most certainly unhinged. His role in the plot to murder Peter III and the follow up to that is shiver-inducing.
I continue to be stymied by the fact that so many of my American friends don’t know about this fabulous author. All of her series are well-researched and skillfully written, and most of them bone-chillingly scary. The Face Stealer is one of the best horror mysteries I’ve read in a while.
Recommended for those looking for a clever, knuckle-whitening story of historical murder and mayhem.
February 16, 2026
The Fitzglen family are a theatrical group primarily but as we all know the arts have always been chronically underfunded so to supplement their incomes they are also 'filchers'. Or if you want to be blunt, thieves. But they're not the bad type of thief, oh no they only steal from those that can afford it and do it with such charm you'd probably be left saying "oh those cheeky rascals' if you were one of their victims. But even thriving families have black sheep and theirs is Simeon Fitzglen. He'll steal from his granny if he thinks it's worth it and would probably sell her too if he thought he'd get a good price. When the family is approached by a young Russian teacher telling them that a Fitzglen has stolen valuable stone heads, the death masks of three lost children from his small village they know it's Simeon straight away. He's broken the family code so it's up to them to put it right.
Sarah Rayne is incapable of writing a bad book in my opinion. And this isn't at all bad. It's just after all of her fantastic stories and characters I find that I just don't like the Fitzglens very much. When the story goes back to 19th-century Russia it's enthralling, but the Fitzglens left me a bit cold.
Sarah Rayne is incapable of writing a bad book in my opinion. And this isn't at all bad. It's just after all of her fantastic stories and characters I find that I just don't like the Fitzglens very much. When the story goes back to 19th-century Russia it's enthralling, but the Fitzglens left me a bit cold.
June 26, 2025
Thank you to the author and publisher and Net Galley for providing an ARC in exchange for my review.
I'll admit, I'm a Sarah Rayne fan. I discovered her books about 10 years ago, and they have been hard to find her book here in the US, but I'm always on the look out for her books. I love her writing style and character development. I haven't read the previous 2 books in this series - now they are all on my wishlists!
This series is about a family of actors who then get involved in heists. How can you pass that up? In this book, the family is asked to find artefacts from the reign of Catherine the Great; Russian in origin, are linked to a story that is rather grisly to read. MR James' book "The Treasure of Abbot Thomas" is referenced and MR James is also cameoed in this book.
Raynes books are almost always very spooky, very atmospheric with well developed characters and clear plot lines. The family rivalry is a great addition to this one. Can't wait to read the first two, and then re-read this one!
IF you like a spooky, creepy, historic mystery, look for this books and others by the author.
5 stars - loved it and I will re-read!
I'll admit, I'm a Sarah Rayne fan. I discovered her books about 10 years ago, and they have been hard to find her book here in the US, but I'm always on the look out for her books. I love her writing style and character development. I haven't read the previous 2 books in this series - now they are all on my wishlists!
This series is about a family of actors who then get involved in heists. How can you pass that up? In this book, the family is asked to find artefacts from the reign of Catherine the Great; Russian in origin, are linked to a story that is rather grisly to read. MR James' book "The Treasure of Abbot Thomas" is referenced and MR James is also cameoed in this book.
Raynes books are almost always very spooky, very atmospheric with well developed characters and clear plot lines. The family rivalry is a great addition to this one. Can't wait to read the first two, and then re-read this one!
IF you like a spooky, creepy, historic mystery, look for this books and others by the author.
5 stars - loved it and I will re-read!
April 26, 2025
Third in the Theatre of Thieves series - I hadn't read the other two but realised it's about a family of thespians who get involved in heists.
This time round, the Fitzglens are asked to find some Russian artefacts which are linked to a very grisly story during the reign of Catherine the Great - stone heads which are the images of murdered children and which also hide an explosive secret. Plus they discover links to their own family history, and the fact that one of their own (a baddie) is involved - and they flush him out by acting out a version of MR James' 'The Treasure of Abbot Thomas' (as an MRJ fan, I thoroughly enjoyed that and MRJ's cameo!).
Very spooky and atmospheric; good characterisation, and I like the way there's clearly some rivalry with another family (Shakespeare's threaded through very nicely).
This time round, the Fitzglens are asked to find some Russian artefacts which are linked to a very grisly story during the reign of Catherine the Great - stone heads which are the images of murdered children and which also hide an explosive secret. Plus they discover links to their own family history, and the fact that one of their own (a baddie) is involved - and they flush him out by acting out a version of MR James' 'The Treasure of Abbot Thomas' (as an MRJ fan, I thoroughly enjoyed that and MRJ's cameo!).
Very spooky and atmospheric; good characterisation, and I like the way there's clearly some rivalry with another family (Shakespeare's threaded through very nicely).
February 6, 2026
A spellbinding masterpiece of gothic intrigue. Sarah Rayne’s Chalice of Darkness is a pitch perfect blend of velvet draped mystery and daring theatricality. The Fitzglens, a family of charming stage artists and discreet thieves, leap off the page, pulling you into a world where every shadow holds a secret and every heist is a performance. Rayne’s prose is rich with atmosphere, weaving a tale of a cursed relic and ancestral scandal that is as clever as it is chilling. Utterly immersive, deliciously dark, and brilliantly plotted, this first installment promises a series as enthralling as the family at its heart. A tour de force in historical suspense.
March 26, 2026
The book started off a little slow for my liking. Upon finishing I realized there were two books written prior but I did not feel like I was missing anything by having read the third first. Maybe I wouldn’t have felt the beginning was so slow had I read the previous two books. I’ll probably give those a read soon.
I throughly enjoyed reading this book. It was a wonderful read and the suspense was built very well. The timeline jumps were very well written and I think they flowed well and added great detail and intricacy to the storyline. Amazing novel and would 100% recommend, 4.5/5.
I throughly enjoyed reading this book. It was a wonderful read and the suspense was built very well. The timeline jumps were very well written and I think they flowed well and added great detail and intricacy to the storyline. Amazing novel and would 100% recommend, 4.5/5.
May 17, 2026
Not my favorite by her. It was a little contrived and not nearly spooky enough.
The murder at the heart of it was unrealistic. I never believed the main character was evil enough to have done it - perhaps because he wasn’t in the story enough. He pops in as a different iteration - schoolboy, monk, tormented, vengeful - without enough development. It read like a play with far too many characters.
However, I did love the guest appearance by M. R. James.
The murder at the heart of it was unrealistic. I never believed the main character was evil enough to have done it - perhaps because he wasn’t in the story enough. He pops in as a different iteration - schoolboy, monk, tormented, vengeful - without enough development. It read like a play with far too many characters.
However, I did love the guest appearance by M. R. James.
July 30, 2025
I've enjoyed the Fitzglen series, but "The Face Stealer" is less about the theatrical family dynamics, and more about a gruesome history on stone artefacts involving dead children. The gothic drama was more than I had bargained for. I'm not sure I'll pick up the next in the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 9, 2025
3.5/ 5
Jumped in at the third book, confused for the first bit and enjoyed the rest! The writing style was a fun change of pace and the whole idea within her books are always a treat
Jumped in at the third book, confused for the first bit and enjoyed the rest! The writing style was a fun change of pace and the whole idea within her books are always a treat
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews