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An Artful Dodge
She’s stolen gems, purses, and hearts—but can she steal her life back from the thieving ring that’s claimed it?
Victorian London comes to vivid life in this riveting heist novel about an all-female thieving gang and one young woman’s heroic plan to escape a life of crime.
London, 1879: Twenty-year-old Kit Jimeson has fingers so nimble she can nick a necklace off a lady in a crowded theater without raising alarm. Kit and her dodge partner, Mary, are the highest earners in the notorious all-women thieving ring in South London's Elephant and Castle district.
Kit, whose mother had been a thief before her, dreams of a different life, one where she’s not constantly on the lookout for constables and plainclothes detectives, and where a mistake or pure bad luck won't land her in the hangman’s noose. She has been saving up her earnings so her younger sister, a maid for a wealthy Mayfair family, might have a shot at respectability.
Kit is very close to leaving the life entirely when the legendary former thief Maggie O’Connell brings her plans to a halt. Beautiful, charismatic Maggie has returned to reclaim leadership of the ring after twenty years in a brutal Australian penal colony. But Maggie desires more than mere wealth or She longs for revenge against those who sent her away. Kit, with her quick mind and dangerously clever hands, is Maggie’s best weapon. If Kit wants to walk away with her life, she must carry out a heist that will demand every skill she possesses.
Victorian London comes to vivid life in this riveting heist novel about an all-female thieving gang and one young woman’s heroic plan to escape a life of crime.
London, 1879: Twenty-year-old Kit Jimeson has fingers so nimble she can nick a necklace off a lady in a crowded theater without raising alarm. Kit and her dodge partner, Mary, are the highest earners in the notorious all-women thieving ring in South London's Elephant and Castle district.
Kit, whose mother had been a thief before her, dreams of a different life, one where she’s not constantly on the lookout for constables and plainclothes detectives, and where a mistake or pure bad luck won't land her in the hangman’s noose. She has been saving up her earnings so her younger sister, a maid for a wealthy Mayfair family, might have a shot at respectability.
Kit is very close to leaving the life entirely when the legendary former thief Maggie O’Connell brings her plans to a halt. Beautiful, charismatic Maggie has returned to reclaim leadership of the ring after twenty years in a brutal Australian penal colony. But Maggie desires more than mere wealth or She longs for revenge against those who sent her away. Kit, with her quick mind and dangerously clever hands, is Maggie’s best weapon. If Kit wants to walk away with her life, she must carry out a heist that will demand every skill she possesses.
369 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 2, 2026
About the author
Karen Odden
11 books503 followersKaren received her Ph.D. in English literature from New York University and subsequently taught at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Her first novel, A Lady in the Smoke, was a USA Today bestseller, and A Dangerous Duet and A Trace of Deceit have won awards for historical mystery and historical fiction. Her fourth mystery, Down a Dark River, introduces readers to Michael Corravan, a former thief and bare-knuckles boxer from Whitechapel who has become a Scotland Yard inspector in 1878 London. The sequel, Under a Veiled Moon, is available now in hardback, e-book, and audiobook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
June 3, 2026
Got the audiobook for review from netgally.
Set in victorian England about a female thieving gang. We follow Kit as she navigates huge changes to the gang, her worries about her sister and a slow burn romance. (The romance is very light). Was easy to get immersed in the story and mysteries.
Set in victorian England about a female thieving gang. We follow Kit as she navigates huge changes to the gang, her worries about her sister and a slow burn romance. (The romance is very light). Was easy to get immersed in the story and mysteries.
March 15, 2026
I devoured this book.
I had always hoped for more Inspector Corravan books, but I don’t think I’ll get those, so I was excited Karen Odden had a new book out. Kit is part of a tight knit group of thieves and everything is threatened when the ring is taken over.
Great scene setting and pacing, if a lot of characters to learn all at once. Kit’s world is wonderfully drawn and you’re thrown right into the action. The slowly tightening net around Kit ratcheted the tension and had me turning the pages even as my anxiety rose. I wished for a different kind of retribution for the villain with public humiliation, but she still got what she deserved.
The description makes it sound like Kit desperately wants out from this life, but I never got that impression. She wants better for her sister, but she never was regretful about being a thief. This didn’t bother me, but the blurb implied she always dreamed of a better life. Kit is incredibly observant and perceptive, almost disbelievingly so. But she’s so likable and the story is so gripping I let it go.
Here’s hoping I won’t have to wait long for another Karen Odden historical mystery because they continue to be amazing!
4.5 I received an arc from NetGalley
I had always hoped for more Inspector Corravan books, but I don’t think I’ll get those, so I was excited Karen Odden had a new book out. Kit is part of a tight knit group of thieves and everything is threatened when the ring is taken over.
Great scene setting and pacing, if a lot of characters to learn all at once. Kit’s world is wonderfully drawn and you’re thrown right into the action. The slowly tightening net around Kit ratcheted the tension and had me turning the pages even as my anxiety rose. I wished for a different kind of retribution for the villain with public humiliation, but she still got what she deserved.
The description makes it sound like Kit desperately wants out from this life, but I never got that impression. She wants better for her sister, but she never was regretful about being a thief. This didn’t bother me, but the blurb implied she always dreamed of a better life. Kit is incredibly observant and perceptive, almost disbelievingly so. But she’s so likable and the story is so gripping I let it go.
Here’s hoping I won’t have to wait long for another Karen Odden historical mystery because they continue to be amazing!
4.5 I received an arc from NetGalley
June 24, 2026
There are far too few heist books coming out these days and perhaps part of the reason is that there are sterling examples like this one that show how interesting, suspenseful, and fun that kind of story can be. What a captivating read this was!
I caught myself thinking "I love this" during the very first scene. Our main character is a member of a ring of thieves who pick pockets, shop lift, and run other kinds of dodges. A past leader of their ring returns, forces their current leader out, and brings about big changes. Our main character has to figure out a way to pull off an impossible theft while protecting herself and the people she cares about. There's a romantic subplot that adds a sweet dimension to the story.
The writing shines here. Karen Odden has such a beautiful way with words! The atmosphere is gritty and fascinating. The motivations of our lead characters are powerfully conveyed. If you step back and think about how strongly you're rooting for thieves, you might laugh a little bit. This is just so well done!
I caught myself thinking "I love this" during the very first scene. Our main character is a member of a ring of thieves who pick pockets, shop lift, and run other kinds of dodges. A past leader of their ring returns, forces their current leader out, and brings about big changes. Our main character has to figure out a way to pull off an impossible theft while protecting herself and the people she cares about. There's a romantic subplot that adds a sweet dimension to the story.
The writing shines here. Karen Odden has such a beautiful way with words! The atmosphere is gritty and fascinating. The motivations of our lead characters are powerfully conveyed. If you step back and think about how strongly you're rooting for thieves, you might laugh a little bit. This is just so well done!
June 2, 2026
✦•┈๑⋅⋯ An Artful Dodge by Karen Odden ⋯⋅๑┈•✦
• 4/5 ☆ •
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
This is not my usual kind of book, but once I settled into the storytelling, I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I expected. Odden’s London is vivid and feels lived in. The noise, the grime, the crowded streets. It's easy to picture Kit moving through it all with the instincts of someone who has survived by being quick and clever.
Kit Jimeson is the heart of the story. She's a talented pickpocket and one of the top earners in an all women thieving ring, but her motivations are simple. Take care of her family and find a way out. She's written with a mix of grit and vulnerability that makes her easy to root for, especially as the pressure around her builds. I liked the tension in her choices, the way she weighs survival against the hope of something better. The stakes rise as Kit realizes how tangled the connections around her really are. The story stays grounded in character, but there are enough twists and turns to keep the momentum moving.
The audiobook narration is excellent. Anna Burnett brings the cast to life with clear, expressive delivery that fits the tone of the world. I was pleasantly surprised by how immersive the audio is. It really adds texture to the setting.
Overall, this is a well crafted historical crime story with a strong sense of place, a compelling heroine, and a cast of women trying to survive a world that gives them very few choices. I'm glad I gave it a chance.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
If you like:
✔️ Victorian heists
✔️ all women crime crews
✔️ morally grey heroines
✔️ historical crime fiction
✔️ stories about survival and loyalty
✔️ immersive audiobooks
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
📅 Pub Day: June 02, 2026 🎧📚
💌 ARC gifted via NetGalley from RBMedia. All opinions are my own.
• 4/5 ☆ •
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
This is not my usual kind of book, but once I settled into the storytelling, I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I expected. Odden’s London is vivid and feels lived in. The noise, the grime, the crowded streets. It's easy to picture Kit moving through it all with the instincts of someone who has survived by being quick and clever.
Kit Jimeson is the heart of the story. She's a talented pickpocket and one of the top earners in an all women thieving ring, but her motivations are simple. Take care of her family and find a way out. She's written with a mix of grit and vulnerability that makes her easy to root for, especially as the pressure around her builds. I liked the tension in her choices, the way she weighs survival against the hope of something better. The stakes rise as Kit realizes how tangled the connections around her really are. The story stays grounded in character, but there are enough twists and turns to keep the momentum moving.
The audiobook narration is excellent. Anna Burnett brings the cast to life with clear, expressive delivery that fits the tone of the world. I was pleasantly surprised by how immersive the audio is. It really adds texture to the setting.
Overall, this is a well crafted historical crime story with a strong sense of place, a compelling heroine, and a cast of women trying to survive a world that gives them very few choices. I'm glad I gave it a chance.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
If you like:
✔️ Victorian heists
✔️ all women crime crews
✔️ morally grey heroines
✔️ historical crime fiction
✔️ stories about survival and loyalty
✔️ immersive audiobooks
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
📅 Pub Day: June 02, 2026 🎧📚
💌 ARC gifted via NetGalley from RBMedia. All opinions are my own.
July 30, 2026
AN ARTFUL DODGE caught my attention, because I love an armchair-trip back to Victorian England. The story centers around Kit and her cohorts who are members of a gang of women thieves. The return of the former leader of the group brings turmoil to their already precarious way of life with her plans for revenge.
The story was solid, but it lacked enough tension to keep me truly invested. The main conflict didn't get started until the halfway mark. However, I did enjoy the narration by Anna Burnett. She did a fantastic job with the big cast of characters.
Thank you to Recorded Books and the RBmedia Team for providing me a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions are my own.
The story was solid, but it lacked enough tension to keep me truly invested. The main conflict didn't get started until the halfway mark. However, I did enjoy the narration by Anna Burnett. She did a fantastic job with the big cast of characters.
Thank you to Recorded Books and the RBmedia Team for providing me a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions are my own.
June 2, 2026
This is officially one of my top 3 favorite books of 2026. I loved everything about this book. The heists, the found family, a strong, clever FMC, mystery, and suspense. Absolutely everything I love in a book.
Kit is one of my favorite characters that I’ve read about in a long time! She’s strong, smart, and is always looking out for everyone else. I found myself relating a lot to her! Kit also wasn’t annoying in the way that other strong and opinionated FMC’s can be. This book was a whole new twist on historical fiction, and I ate it up.
I loved the heist aspect of the book and all of the information I learned (fact and fiction) about the thieving rings of London. I have really never heard anything about them, so it was really interesting to see how the thieving rings worked.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! I will definitely be picking this book up again.
Kit is one of my favorite characters that I’ve read about in a long time! She’s strong, smart, and is always looking out for everyone else. I found myself relating a lot to her! Kit also wasn’t annoying in the way that other strong and opinionated FMC’s can be. This book was a whole new twist on historical fiction, and I ate it up.
I loved the heist aspect of the book and all of the information I learned (fact and fiction) about the thieving rings of London. I have really never heard anything about them, so it was really interesting to see how the thieving rings worked.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! I will definitely be picking this book up again.
June 8, 2026
⭐⭐⭐
“Want something, Kit. Please. Anything.” That’s me an hour in, headphones on, prodding a woman who will not be prodded. The blurb promised someone clawing to get out, one bad day from the noose, counting coins toward freedom. So where is she. Kit’s fine. Kit’s got a decent thing going (decent as a thief’s thing gets I guess), minds her sister, and when the plot lands in her lap she... handles it. Reacts. Worries. Worries some more. I kept surfacing to realise I’d drifted off for a paragraph and hadn’t cared enough to rewind. The book wasn’t happening to me. It was happening over there. Politely.
Blame myself first, that was my instinct. The world’s right there, everyone says immersive and they’re not wrong, the fog, the rooftops gone black with soot, the pubs you could walk straight into. But the temperature’s wrong. These are women a single slip from the gallows or a boat to Australia, and the whole thing’s lit like a Disney matinee, the noose painted on the backdrop where it can’t hurt anyone. A hard, occasionally vicious real-life crew, sanded down into honour-among-thieves so cosy you could lay out a tea service in it. (One Goodreads reviewer caught it too: that loyalty was likely kept by threat, not love. The book goes love, every single time.) People adored this. I believe them. And it’s the exact thing that shut the door on me.
Then the heist, which was supposed to be my rescue. I will follow a good one into any locked building. Six of Crows, Locke Lamora, give me the impossible job and a crew with teeth and I’m gone, I’m theirs. This one walked me through its steps like a recipe I’d already made twice. A gadget shows up and you could set your watch by it, twenty pages on there’s your reveal. Saw it coming. Saw all of it coming. Wow, I thought, at nothing.
And then also Maggie. Returned queen, twenty years in a penal colony, head full of revenge. On paper she’s my whole heart, a villain with an actual “why”. Did the book grow her from the inside out? Couldn’t tell you. I’d checked out so hard she nodded at me from across the room and I nodded back and that was the whole relationship. Unfair, maybe. Or maybe that’s the tell, because a villain worth believing grabs you by the collar, and this one never lifted a hand.
(Small audio gripe: a pile of names all at once and nothing to catch them on. The ebook’s got a cast list, the audio doesn’t. I like setting the pieces down where I can see them before the game starts. Here I just juggled and dropped a few.)
So what’s left rattling around afterward isn’t Kit and it isn’t Maggie. It’s this: what do you do to a real dark history by telling it bright? Does the charm honour these women, or only tidy them into something nicer to spend an evening with? I can’t settle it. I’m not sure the book noticed there was anything to settle. (Underneath it’s the real Forty Elephants, the all-women hoisting ring out of Elephant and Castle, skirts sewn full of hidden pockets, raids on the grand shops. That part I went and read about after. The author’s note is worth the time.)
Anna Burnett reads it and she’s lovely, clear, you can sink into her voice for hours. Not a scrap of this is on her.
Competent, all the way through.
I kept my coat on the entire book, waiting for a reason to take it off, and got none. We just wanted different evenings, this book and I.
Audiobook via NetGalley and RBmedia, given to me to read and review. That has not impacted my thoughts on the book.
“Want something, Kit. Please. Anything.” That’s me an hour in, headphones on, prodding a woman who will not be prodded. The blurb promised someone clawing to get out, one bad day from the noose, counting coins toward freedom. So where is she. Kit’s fine. Kit’s got a decent thing going (decent as a thief’s thing gets I guess), minds her sister, and when the plot lands in her lap she... handles it. Reacts. Worries. Worries some more. I kept surfacing to realise I’d drifted off for a paragraph and hadn’t cared enough to rewind. The book wasn’t happening to me. It was happening over there. Politely.
Blame myself first, that was my instinct. The world’s right there, everyone says immersive and they’re not wrong, the fog, the rooftops gone black with soot, the pubs you could walk straight into. But the temperature’s wrong. These are women a single slip from the gallows or a boat to Australia, and the whole thing’s lit like a Disney matinee, the noose painted on the backdrop where it can’t hurt anyone. A hard, occasionally vicious real-life crew, sanded down into honour-among-thieves so cosy you could lay out a tea service in it. (One Goodreads reviewer caught it too: that loyalty was likely kept by threat, not love. The book goes love, every single time.) People adored this. I believe them. And it’s the exact thing that shut the door on me.
Then the heist, which was supposed to be my rescue. I will follow a good one into any locked building. Six of Crows, Locke Lamora, give me the impossible job and a crew with teeth and I’m gone, I’m theirs. This one walked me through its steps like a recipe I’d already made twice. A gadget shows up and you could set your watch by it, twenty pages on there’s your reveal. Saw it coming. Saw all of it coming. Wow, I thought, at nothing.
And then also Maggie. Returned queen, twenty years in a penal colony, head full of revenge. On paper she’s my whole heart, a villain with an actual “why”. Did the book grow her from the inside out? Couldn’t tell you. I’d checked out so hard she nodded at me from across the room and I nodded back and that was the whole relationship. Unfair, maybe. Or maybe that’s the tell, because a villain worth believing grabs you by the collar, and this one never lifted a hand.
(Small audio gripe: a pile of names all at once and nothing to catch them on. The ebook’s got a cast list, the audio doesn’t. I like setting the pieces down where I can see them before the game starts. Here I just juggled and dropped a few.)
So what’s left rattling around afterward isn’t Kit and it isn’t Maggie. It’s this: what do you do to a real dark history by telling it bright? Does the charm honour these women, or only tidy them into something nicer to spend an evening with? I can’t settle it. I’m not sure the book noticed there was anything to settle. (Underneath it’s the real Forty Elephants, the all-women hoisting ring out of Elephant and Castle, skirts sewn full of hidden pockets, raids on the grand shops. That part I went and read about after. The author’s note is worth the time.)
Anna Burnett reads it and she’s lovely, clear, you can sink into her voice for hours. Not a scrap of this is on her.
Competent, all the way through.
I kept my coat on the entire book, waiting for a reason to take it off, and got none. We just wanted different evenings, this book and I.
Audiobook via NetGalley and RBmedia, given to me to read and review. That has not impacted my thoughts on the book.
June 8, 2026
This was a great, atmospheric tale of thievery in Victorian London. I really enjoyed the characters in this all-female gang of thieves, and there was a fun heist in the plot involved in the story. There was also a sweet romantic subplot, a wonderful sibling relationship between Kit and her sister, and all the friendship and found family you could possibly want. I'll definitely be picking up more of this author's historical fiction.
May 28, 2026
In Victorian London Kit is part of an all-female theft ring. And she's one of the best. WIth her younger sister in service and desperate for Kit to leave thieving, Kit is looking to make enough money to feel stable. Since Kit's father left and her mother died several years ago, the sisters only have each other, and their work.
When the theft ring is unexpectedly taken over by a different woman, Kit suspects their new leader has a hidden agenda, and the safety of the girls is nowhere on the list. As Kit is drawn into a dangerous dodge to protect those she loves, she will have to use all of her skills to extricate herself from a deadly game of cat and mouse. Can she save her sister and the other girls?
When the theft ring is unexpectedly taken over by a different woman, Kit suspects their new leader has a hidden agenda, and the safety of the girls is nowhere on the list. As Kit is drawn into a dangerous dodge to protect those she loves, she will have to use all of her skills to extricate herself from a deadly game of cat and mouse. Can she save her sister and the other girls?
June 16, 2026
4.5 stars A suspenseful heist story with sympathetic main characters & details that transport. Karen Odden is a talented, under-appreciated author. I've so enjoyed her books!
June 2, 2026
A slow story that asks the question, am I being brought through the crime or being tricked? The characters were each complex in a way that separated intentions and actions. The interwoven history with the horrors of the time gave a realistic image of the setting. The romance, friendship and found family were used well in a way that gave hope to the narrative. The pacing was slow, but it was consistent. Kit was a great heroine to follow, as she learned to trust her instincts. The twists and the reveals were done in a way that had me saying, 'what' out loud! Overall a great story!
June 5, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up.
“The city was full of people pretending to be something they were not.”
An Artful Dodge follows Kit, a young woman living within a Victorian London thieving ring, whose life becomes increasingly complicated when a dangerous job pulls her into a web of secrets, stolen jewels and murder.
I absolutely flew through this one. Kit was a fantastic protagonist; intelligent, resourceful and impossible not to like. I loved following her journey and became completely invested in what happened to her. The supporting cast was equally strong, particularly the members of the thieving ring. Their friendships, loyalties and tensions added so much depth to the story and made the characters feel incredibly real.
The Victorian London setting was one of my favourite aspects of the book. The descriptions were vivid and atmospheric, bringing both the glamour and the grime of the city to life. I could picture every street, alleyway and room.
The plot was layered and cleverly constructed, with multiple threads gradually weaving together. There was always something new to uncover and I found myself eager to keep reading “just one more chapter.”
Most of all, this was simply a hugely enjoyable read. It was exactly the kind of historical fiction I love: character-driven, atmospheric and thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC.
“The city was full of people pretending to be something they were not.”
An Artful Dodge follows Kit, a young woman living within a Victorian London thieving ring, whose life becomes increasingly complicated when a dangerous job pulls her into a web of secrets, stolen jewels and murder.
I absolutely flew through this one. Kit was a fantastic protagonist; intelligent, resourceful and impossible not to like. I loved following her journey and became completely invested in what happened to her. The supporting cast was equally strong, particularly the members of the thieving ring. Their friendships, loyalties and tensions added so much depth to the story and made the characters feel incredibly real.
The Victorian London setting was one of my favourite aspects of the book. The descriptions were vivid and atmospheric, bringing both the glamour and the grime of the city to life. I could picture every street, alleyway and room.
The plot was layered and cleverly constructed, with multiple threads gradually weaving together. There was always something new to uncover and I found myself eager to keep reading “just one more chapter.”
Most of all, this was simply a hugely enjoyable read. It was exactly the kind of historical fiction I love: character-driven, atmospheric and thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC.
June 2, 2026
Second generation thief Kit Jimeson is part of an all-female thieving gang in Victorian London. Karen Odden brings the dark streets and bright shops of London to life in An Artful Dodge. Kit and her partners use their nimble fingers to enrich themselves and their ring, while always on the lookout for plainclothes detectives and police. Being caught can lead to the noose or a one-way sentence to Australia. Odden ratchets up the suspense as Kit is forced into a high stakes heist. If there is a sequel, I'll be there! Thanks to Netgalley and Soho Press for a chance to read an advance copy.
June 5, 2026
Kit, an intelligent young woman in a thieving ring in Victorian England, has a lot to lose when the ring is to be turned over to a new manager. After the death of her mother, Kit is barely making ends meet. We know she is scrimping and saving to support herself and her younger sister, yet Kit's an "honorable" thief who turns in cash she pickpocketed in addition to the objects of her assigned lift (or "dodge"). All this is to make her sympathetic to us reader... which works, because we want Kit to succeed, not just in her "dodges" but in eventually making an honest life for herself and her sister.
It's a story that recounts the deplorable conditions of the time while crafting a spunky heroine who might just beat the odds. The audiobook is very well narrated and was an excellent companion to a full day of gardening! 4.4 stars
My thanks to the author, publisher, @RecordedBooks, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook of #AnArtfulDodge for review purposes. It is currently available.
It's a story that recounts the deplorable conditions of the time while crafting a spunky heroine who might just beat the odds. The audiobook is very well narrated and was an excellent companion to a full day of gardening! 4.4 stars
My thanks to the author, publisher, @RecordedBooks, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook of #AnArtfulDodge for review purposes. It is currently available.
June 26, 2026
Page-turner weekend read! I started An Artful
Dodge for the historical setting and got thoroughly caught up in the relationships portrayed between sisters, friends, and lovers. Loyalty emerges as a theme as we learn about this all-women thieving gang that operated in Victorian London. And what a fun a surprise to encounter a familiar character, Inspector Stiles, in the story. I hope there is a sequel to come!
Dodge for the historical setting and got thoroughly caught up in the relationships portrayed between sisters, friends, and lovers. Loyalty emerges as a theme as we learn about this all-women thieving gang that operated in Victorian London. And what a fun a surprise to encounter a familiar character, Inspector Stiles, in the story. I hope there is a sequel to come!
July 7, 2026
A historical heist novel about a group of female thieves in Victorian London? Yes please! Kit was a great protagonist, the central mystery was very interesting, and I really enjoyed the cinematic writing. The ending wasn’t my favorite though - a little too tidy and sweet for this gritty story. But overall a strong, enjoyable read.
June 2, 2026
Fantastic work! This was a very intriguing and captivating read. The reader was amazingly talented and did a great job with the dialogue. The mysterious characters and plot are unique.
Read
July 14, 2026Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!
July 30, 2026
This had me with the premise of Historical Girl Gang Heist, but I found myself really rooting for Kit as a protagonist and enjoying Odden’s writing. Overall, a quick and engaging read.
June 3, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Recorded Books for an advanced preview of the audiobook.
Karen Odden’s An Artful Dodge gets right into the story, which I really liked. There’s no long buildup before things start happening, and I was pulled into Kit’s world pretty quickly. In fact, I listened to 50% of the audiobook in a single day because I kept wanting to know what would happen next.
One thing that didn’t quite work for me was the book’s description, which makes it sound like Kit is trying to leave her life of thievery behind. That wasn’t really my take. Before Maggie showed up, Kit actually seemed to have a pretty good thing going. As good as a thief’s life can be, anyway. To me, she’s mostly just trying to get by while looking after her sister and the people she cares about. She doesn’t seem all that focused on turning over a new leaf so much as dealing with the chaos that suddenly lands in her lap.
The story really picked up for me when the leadership changed and Maggie, a woman connected to Kit’s late mother, showed up. That added an interesting new layer to the story and gave the plot a nice boost.
My favorite parts were Kit’s observations and inner thoughts when she was sizing up potential marks. Those scenes were really interesting and showed just how sharp and skilled she is. I will incorporate these should I ever decide to become a thief.
I also enjoyed all the details about everyday life in Victorian England. Odden does a great job making the setting feel vivid, from the huge gap between social classes to the everyday struggle of getting by. The historical details never felt forced and helped me feel immersed in Kit’s world without slowing the story down.
On the downside, Kit spends a lot of time worrying, and after a while all the fretting started to get a little repetitive. It’s understandable given everything she’s dealing with, but it did wear on me at times.
Anna Burnett does an excellent job as the narrator. She brings Kit’s voice to life and does a great job distinguishing between characters, which made it easy to stay engaged with the story. Her performance added to the overall experience and kept me invested in what was happening.
I also really appreciated the author’s note at the end. It was interesting to learn how Odden came up with the idea for the story, and I liked that she included recommendations for further reading. Those extra details added some helpful historical context and made me even more interested in the real-world inspirations behind the novel.
Overall, this was a fun historical mystery with a likable heroine and an engaging plot. I’d especially recommend it to readers who enjoy Victorian London, clever thieves, and stories about women doing whatever they have to do to protect the people they love.
Karen Odden’s An Artful Dodge gets right into the story, which I really liked. There’s no long buildup before things start happening, and I was pulled into Kit’s world pretty quickly. In fact, I listened to 50% of the audiobook in a single day because I kept wanting to know what would happen next.
One thing that didn’t quite work for me was the book’s description, which makes it sound like Kit is trying to leave her life of thievery behind. That wasn’t really my take. Before Maggie showed up, Kit actually seemed to have a pretty good thing going. As good as a thief’s life can be, anyway. To me, she’s mostly just trying to get by while looking after her sister and the people she cares about. She doesn’t seem all that focused on turning over a new leaf so much as dealing with the chaos that suddenly lands in her lap.
The story really picked up for me when the leadership changed and Maggie, a woman connected to Kit’s late mother, showed up. That added an interesting new layer to the story and gave the plot a nice boost.
My favorite parts were Kit’s observations and inner thoughts when she was sizing up potential marks. Those scenes were really interesting and showed just how sharp and skilled she is. I will incorporate these should I ever decide to become a thief.
I also enjoyed all the details about everyday life in Victorian England. Odden does a great job making the setting feel vivid, from the huge gap between social classes to the everyday struggle of getting by. The historical details never felt forced and helped me feel immersed in Kit’s world without slowing the story down.
On the downside, Kit spends a lot of time worrying, and after a while all the fretting started to get a little repetitive. It’s understandable given everything she’s dealing with, but it did wear on me at times.
Anna Burnett does an excellent job as the narrator. She brings Kit’s voice to life and does a great job distinguishing between characters, which made it easy to stay engaged with the story. Her performance added to the overall experience and kept me invested in what was happening.
I also really appreciated the author’s note at the end. It was interesting to learn how Odden came up with the idea for the story, and I liked that she included recommendations for further reading. Those extra details added some helpful historical context and made me even more interested in the real-world inspirations behind the novel.
Overall, this was a fun historical mystery with a likable heroine and an engaging plot. I’d especially recommend it to readers who enjoy Victorian London, clever thieves, and stories about women doing whatever they have to do to protect the people they love.
June 9, 2026
In South London’s Elephant and Castle district, Kit and her thieving partner Mary are the top earners in a ring of female thieves. But Kit is saving up for a better life for her and her sister, Sarah. When Maggie takes over as the head of the thieves, she has a heist in mind especially for Kit. The payout will pave the path for a new life for Kit and her sister, but is it worth the risk?
This book was slow to hook me, but I eventually got into it. I liked Kit as a character, but her romance with James was excruciatingly slow and lacking chemistry. I know that wasn't the focal point, but the lack of chemistry didn't give me much buy in to their relationship. In the end though, I enjoyed the heist story and the relationship between Kit and her sister.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. Anna Burnett was a fantastic narrator and I really enjoyed how she brought Kit to life. I would recommend this book.
This book was slow to hook me, but I eventually got into it. I liked Kit as a character, but her romance with James was excruciatingly slow and lacking chemistry. I know that wasn't the focal point, but the lack of chemistry didn't give me much buy in to their relationship. In the end though, I enjoyed the heist story and the relationship between Kit and her sister.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. Anna Burnett was a fantastic narrator and I really enjoyed how she brought Kit to life. I would recommend this book.
June 13, 2026
I really enjoy a good historical fiction novel and this scratched that itch. The narration by Anna Burnett was phenomenal, she did such a good job embodying Kit and conveying emotion. An all female thieving ring in Victorian London is endlessly interesting to me and this book was not short on intrigue.
I really enjoyed reading about Kit’s life and absolutely loved her as a character. I was hoping for the book to be sapphic but I was pleasantly surprised by the male LI, James. Their romance was sweet and believable. Kit’s relationship with Sarah and her friends amongst the ring were a highlight. Maggie was a great sympathetic villain and I would have loved hearing more about her story.
The only thing that put me off a bit was Mr. Stiles and what felt a bit like copaganda at the end but I appreciate the happy ending. I’d be interested to check out more books by this author. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.
I really enjoyed reading about Kit’s life and absolutely loved her as a character. I was hoping for the book to be sapphic but I was pleasantly surprised by the male LI, James. Their romance was sweet and believable. Kit’s relationship with Sarah and her friends amongst the ring were a highlight. Maggie was a great sympathetic villain and I would have loved hearing more about her story.
The only thing that put me off a bit was Mr. Stiles and what felt a bit like copaganda at the end but I appreciate the happy ending. I’d be interested to check out more books by this author. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
An Artful Dodge is a fast paced historical fiction read that centers around a thief named Kit. She may be known for her efficiency as a thief, but she desires to build a different life. Her plan to save enough money and leave the life behind slips away when someone from the past seeks revenge on Kit.
An Artful Dodge is a book that checks many boxes including romance, family, strong and powerful women, and a future worth fighting for. I enjoyed this story so much, but did not feel that I could really immerse myself in the audiobook. The narrator still did a great job in voicing many diverse roles and keeping them separate from each other.
An Artful Dodge is a fast paced historical fiction read that centers around a thief named Kit. She may be known for her efficiency as a thief, but she desires to build a different life. Her plan to save enough money and leave the life behind slips away when someone from the past seeks revenge on Kit.
An Artful Dodge is a book that checks many boxes including romance, family, strong and powerful women, and a future worth fighting for. I enjoyed this story so much, but did not feel that I could really immerse myself in the audiobook. The narrator still did a great job in voicing many diverse roles and keeping them separate from each other.
August 1, 2026
Another winner from Karen Odden! As noted in my reviews of her other books, her research into Victorian London is impeccable, and her plots exciting and historically convincing.
This one, set in the Elephant and Castle area in 1879, stars a young female thief who is blackmailed into staging a brazen heist in Hatton Garden. Using her talent, her wits and her friends, she outsmarts the criminals and delivers them to justice while putting herself and her younger sister on the path to a better life.
Thanks to the detailed descriptions of the routes and locations, I was once again able to follow the action through the streets and waterways of London on my large-format A to Z.
This one, set in the Elephant and Castle area in 1879, stars a young female thief who is blackmailed into staging a brazen heist in Hatton Garden. Using her talent, her wits and her friends, she outsmarts the criminals and delivers them to justice while putting herself and her younger sister on the path to a better life.
Thanks to the detailed descriptions of the routes and locations, I was once again able to follow the action through the streets and waterways of London on my large-format A to Z.
July 3, 2026
I literally had to force myself to finish this. I started this at the beginning of June, wasn't drawn in enough to read much at all, took a break from reading in general, and finally finished it at the beginning of July. There was simply nothing intriguing about it.
I love a good heist story, but this really didn't revolve around a heist; it was just a slightly more elaborate robbery than our main character was used to.
None of the characters were anything special, the plot was mediocre, and the historical aspect wasn't as rich as I would like. Simply a book to forget quickly.
I love a good heist story, but this really didn't revolve around a heist; it was just a slightly more elaborate robbery than our main character was used to.
None of the characters were anything special, the plot was mediocre, and the historical aspect wasn't as rich as I would like. Simply a book to forget quickly.
July 20, 2026
This book was so well written and well crafted. I couldn’t put it down. I’ve read it in one night. Everything came together so well. At first, it was a little slow to pick up just because the author was making sure we understood the various characters and their backgrounds but after chapter 7, the book picked up and it was so interesting. One of the best books I’ve read all year. The female lead was an unreliable narrator, but she had a great thought process and she had great self-awareness and I know that those two ideas collide, but while she was slow to understand her emotions, she was great at putting together pieces. While I had my curiosities about the characters and the story all of my questions got answers and I wasn’t left perplexed I was left in awe. I loved this book.
June 7, 2026
A simply fantastic book. Within these pages, you are rapidly engrossed into Kit's world. Odden has done an amazing job of creating multifaceted characters, a real environment, and above all, a story that you won't want to put down. (And best of all, there's romance without smut!!!)
If you're looking for an intricate heist story with an unusual perspective and setting, I couldn't recommend An Artful Dodge more!
If you're looking for an intricate heist story with an unusual perspective and setting, I couldn't recommend An Artful Dodge more!
August 4, 2026
3.5 ⭐️, rounded up!
An all-female thievery ring taken place in Victorian England (think the movie, Ocean’s 8 with Rihanna, crossed with Peaky Blinders).
First half of the story was slow, with lots of character, setting set-up, and the second half picked up quickly. I enjoyed the twist in the heist, as well as, the old-timey phrases, though some were hard to decipher. Just like in Ocean’s 8, the story had a theme of women empowerment, with the women (*most) coming out on top.
An all-female thievery ring taken place in Victorian England (think the movie, Ocean’s 8 with Rihanna, crossed with Peaky Blinders).
First half of the story was slow, with lots of character, setting set-up, and the second half picked up quickly. I enjoyed the twist in the heist, as well as, the old-timey phrases, though some were hard to decipher. Just like in Ocean’s 8, the story had a theme of women empowerment, with the women (*most) coming out on top.
June 11, 2026
One of the best historicals I've read in ages! Karen Odden brings Kit's Victorian thieves' world to life with vivid details and well-drawn characters. The plot has some real twists and turns, and kept me hanging on 'til the very end! Kit is absolutely matter-of-fact about why she does what she does, and yet maintains a fundamental moral core that keeps the reader rooting for her.
June 2, 2026
I loved this book. Karen Odden has such a unique style - simple, yet full of detail. The world lived in here is dangerous and thrilling, yet none of the characters are ever over-the-top. Narrator Anna Burnett’s performance was hugely impactful by keeping the characters’ tones calm and melodic. She truly made listening to this story a pleasure.
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