To Deal with Kings

Thieves & Kings #2

by M.K. Lobb

Zaria and Kane, alchemologist and con man, are a match made in hell—yet they'll have to team up again to stay out of jail, as new threats arise and rival kingpins clash throughout London's slums.

Zaria Mendoza doesn't think she'll ever see Kane Durante again. In fact, she thinks he's dead, burned up in the flames that destroyed the pawn shop where she lived with her best friend Jules. All Zaria has left is the necklace they stole from the Crystal valuable not just for its jewels, but for the magic it holds within as a rare primateria source. Yet why did Kane slip it into her pocket right before everything went up in smoke? Why did he give her what she needs most, after she betrayed him?

With the previous kingpin dead, Kane feels adrift, even though he's the one who pulled the trigger. He may be the natural successor as kingpin of Devil's Acre, London's worst slum, but not everyone in his crew respects him as leader. Yet Kane has bigger fish to fry. Inspector Price knocks on his door and demands his help in discovering the identity of a mystery man calling himself the Curator, who has installed an unidentifiable alchemological device in the Crystal Palace—the location of the heist Kane pulled off with Zaria. He has ten days to find the Curator. Otherwise, he and his estranged best friend Fletcher end up in jail, Zaria alongside them.

Trouble faces Zaria and Kane from every side as they're forced to team up once again, to save themselves, and maybe even all of London. Because Zaria's being manipulated by Vaughan, a faceless man calling himself the new kingpin of the Seven Dials slum, and he's hiding more secrets than anyone bargained for...

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Romance, Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy

432 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 24, 2026

About the author

M. K. Lobb is a fantasy writer with a love of all things dark— be it literature, humour, or general aesthetic. She grew up in small-town Canada and now lives by the lake with her partner and their cats. When not reading or writing, she can be found at the gym or contemplating the harsh realities of existence.

Her debut novel, SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS, releases Feb 7, 2023 from Little, Brown. The sequel, DISCIPLES OF CHAOS, is to follow in 2024.

Reviews

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you to hachette for the eARC of To Deal With Kings! this was a great sequel and end for this duology. I loved seeing Zaria and Kane's developments, both individually and their relationship. Their respective friendships with Jules and Fletcher really shine through and M.K Lobb does a great job balancing the main romance and those friendships. I'm gonna miss reading about these characters.

[Ashley | A Pair of Readers]

MK Lobb never disappoints. I know when I open her books I am in for a good time and To Deal With Kings is no exception. MK delivers a gritty game of chess between ruthless kingpins desperate to take control of London's underworld for themselves.

The story picks up after the eventful cliffhanger, with Zaria under the thumb of a dangerous criminal, Kane in control of the Devil's Acre, and my boys, Fletcher and Jules trying to keep it altogether. I loved the character growth from several of our characters in this conclusion to the Thieves and Kings duology. Kane, learning (at times) he cannot control all things and all people. Zaria learning she doesn't have to carry the weight solely on her shoulders. Also, I loved that we finally got closure on Fletcher's search and his story by the end of the book.

The plot moves quickly as the group walks a tight rope chasing a new foe, The Curator, who threatens their freedom. The Curator's taunts and games drive the group closer together despite the fallout amongst them -- tying this group together and forcing them to trust each other in order to survive.

I am sad to leave those world behind, but I loved how MK wrapped everything for us. This duology is a wonderfully fun and morally grey tale of a magical and gritty London.

[lucia]

AHHHHH YESSSSS SEQUEL INCOMING
brb raiding the amazon book warehouse

[Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Little Brown Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. A thrilling conclusion! Zaria is now in the clutches of Vaughan, a faceless man who calls himself the new kingpin of the Seven Dials slum, and who is hiding a plethora of secrets. She never expects to see Kane again, even believing he died in the fire. But she has the necklace they stole, what she doesn’t understand is why Kane slipped it to her after her betrayal. Kane is know the successor of the Devil’s Arce, but not everyone respects him as a leader. And that doesn’t include the trouble he finds in a mysterious man who calls himself the Curator. The Curator has installed an alchemical device in the Crystal Palace, where Kane and Zaria stole the necklace. He’s give ten days to find the Curator otherwise him, Zaria, and their friends will end up in jail. The two are forced to work together again in order to save themselves and possibly all of London. But with trouble at every side can they really trust each other? This story is every bit as exciting as the first! I love a morally gray character and Kane and Zaria are totally shades of gray! M.K. Lobb really delivers with this one! It’s dark and dangerous, with a lot of intriguing that kept me hooked!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zaria and Kane return in this stellar YA duology conclusion, 𝘛𝘰 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴.

The book picks up immediately following the thrilling, action-packed ending in 𝘛𝘰 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘴. Zaria finds herself caught between dangerous kingpins, one who is ruthless and holds her heart, and the other who leverages her absent mother to pull Zaria's heartstrings, motivating her to spy on Kane. She's desperate - everything has fallen apart following her betrayal of Kane, and she's lost Fletcher's friendship and her home, clients, and final reminders of her father. As her interests once again align with Kane's, they're forced to work together as the mystery of the alchemological necklace deepens.

Lobb pens Zaria's story in lush, enjoyable prose that strongly emotes in readers. It's easy to feel the tension and loneliness Zaria and Kane are experiencing, and their yearning is at its peak due to the set up from the duology opener. Zaria's alchemology talents play a central role in the plot, allowing her character to shine. Kane is broken and struggling to process his emotions, conditioned to conceal as a sign of strength. Side characters are also further developed in this sequel with Jules becoming more involved with the crew alongside Zaria, Kane, and Fletcher.

The world feels dark, dangerous, gritty, and I love the complicated, morally gray characters. The pieces of the story fit seamlessly together, making for a well rounded duology. I couldn't put either book down; I loved the pacing with the heist plot of the first book and the resulting aftermath chaos in the second book.

Thank you to Little, Brown and NetGalley for the advance reading copy!

[Mackenzie Busalacchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

To Deal with Kings is the gripping, action-packed, edge-of-your-seat sequel in M.K. Lobb's epic historical fantasy series. Somehow, the stakes are higher, the romantic chemistry is tenser, and the banter is even wittier. In To Deal with Kings, Zaria and Kane are forced back into a partnership in order to save themselves and their friends. Once again, I love how the author makes the reader obsessed not only with the main characters but also the side characters and friends.

I absolutely love this duology - I'm obsessed! Zaria and Kane are two of my favorite fantasy heist characters ever. They're both so broken and morally gray and yet have such redeeming qualities. I truly can relate to them both. I loved their character arcs; throughout the book, I could tell the author deeply respected them and wanted what was best for them as characters. To Deal with Kings is easily one of my top five favorite books I've read this year. I will absolutely be recommending this duology to all my fantasy-loving friends. Easy five stars!!!!

[kyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything about this has been so much fun. I went into the series for a fun heist, but stayed for characters. They were so well developed and I feel like I gained some grey hairs watching them grow. The pacing kept me on the edge of my seat, and the magic system was so unique. I've never been so nervous while reading and that really speaks to how tangible the story feels. I can't wait to force everyone I know to read this

[Shalini Abeysekara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rife with kingpin battles and an electric will-they-should-they romance, To Deal With Kings marks an explosive end to the Thieves and Kings duology. Lobb brings her signature alchemy of intricate worldbuilding and searing angst to cast a new shadow over steampunk Victorian London. Utterly unputdownable.

[M.K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some reason this book was so hard to write - maybe because book 1 had been sitting in my head for so long that it felt easy, whereas I’d never dared to dream about the sequel. There was so much I wanted to do, and only so many pages in which to do it. That said, I’m very proud of the final product, and I hope you enjoy!

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was more interesting than the first one. It had less character development than I expected, and I’m sorry but you simply cannot get me to care about the best friend character (Jules) who exists exclusively as a plot convenience. Also don’t know how I feel about the evil girl boss ending.

Thank you to Net Galley and Little Brown Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Samantha Kert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come!!

[Yennefer]

I haven't even finished TO STEAL FROM THIEVES yet, and I've already put the sequel on my future TBR. What can I say, I love a good heist