What do you think?
Rate this book
Thiefcatcher: A Revolutionary Heist Fantasy
"A gripping, character-driven steampunk tale." "An absolutely brilliant second installment." -Readers' Favorite ★★★★★
For readers of The Lies of Locke Lamora, Six of Crows, Mistborn, and Foundryside
Their talent made them famous. Now it makes them prey.
In Azoria, sanctioned heists were once a city-wide spectacle, until the year-long ban scattered Lars Harrow’s crew and left their legend in ruins.
Now the ban is over, and a single daring job could restore their place among the greats. But the streets have changed. A masked thiefcatcher hunts the city’s former stars with ruthless precision, and when one of Lars’s own vanishes, the comeback turns into a fight for survival.
In a city where thieves once played heroes, the only thing more dangerous than losing is what they must become to win.
Start the series with By Hook & Crook (Kings of Copper Trilogy Book 1)!
For readers of The Lies of Locke Lamora, Six of Crows, Mistborn, and Foundryside
Their talent made them famous. Now it makes them prey.
In Azoria, sanctioned heists were once a city-wide spectacle, until the year-long ban scattered Lars Harrow’s crew and left their legend in ruins.
Now the ban is over, and a single daring job could restore their place among the greats. But the streets have changed. A masked thiefcatcher hunts the city’s former stars with ruthless precision, and when one of Lars’s own vanishes, the comeback turns into a fight for survival.
In a city where thieves once played heroes, the only thing more dangerous than losing is what they must become to win.
Start the series with By Hook & Crook (Kings of Copper Trilogy Book 1)!
525 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 1, 2025
About the author
S.G. Karam
2 books10 followersS.G. Karam is a software professional, lifelong geek, reader, educator, cook, traveler, tinkerer, blogger, amateur guitar maker, tech book writer, and for the first time, a sci-fi/fantasy novelist.
Reading fantasy has been a huge part of his life, starting with Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, Robert Asprin, Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, Tolkien, and continuing into authors like Brandon Sanderson and George R. R. Martin.
Reading fantasy has been a huge part of his life, starting with Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, Robert Asprin, Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, Tolkien, and continuing into authors like Brandon Sanderson and George R. R. Martin.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 4, 2025
Lars and the crew are back!
After a year of forced retirement, our favorite crew of thieves reassemble to pull off another impossible heist. It’s the archetypal “reassemble the old team for one more job,” except that the reunion is less than seamless: in their time apart, romances have grown strained, friendships are faltering, identities have eroded, and our heroes have become their own greatest enemies (well, second-greatest; we haven’t seen the last of Vivienne).
This is in every way a more mature book than its predecessor. All the characters are in some way struggling with the loss of identity and purpose that comes from being forced out of the glamorous world of high-stakes theft, and it's fun to watch them work messily through those changes as they come back together. The crew also has a delightful new member, the adorable bruiser Bunny, who further complicates the dynamic just because his presence means things can't go back to exactly the way they were before.
This book is less about the heisting (though there’s plenty of that, too) than the political intrigue, scheming, backstabbing, and betrayal, which takes center stage as Vivienne tightens her hold on the city and a mysterious hitman starts picking off thieves. All in all, it’s a darker, moodier follow-up to By Hook or Crook, and I’m looking forward to Book 3!
After a year of forced retirement, our favorite crew of thieves reassemble to pull off another impossible heist. It’s the archetypal “reassemble the old team for one more job,” except that the reunion is less than seamless: in their time apart, romances have grown strained, friendships are faltering, identities have eroded, and our heroes have become their own greatest enemies (well, second-greatest; we haven’t seen the last of Vivienne).
This is in every way a more mature book than its predecessor. All the characters are in some way struggling with the loss of identity and purpose that comes from being forced out of the glamorous world of high-stakes theft, and it's fun to watch them work messily through those changes as they come back together. The crew also has a delightful new member, the adorable bruiser Bunny, who further complicates the dynamic just because his presence means things can't go back to exactly the way they were before.
This book is less about the heisting (though there’s plenty of that, too) than the political intrigue, scheming, backstabbing, and betrayal, which takes center stage as Vivienne tightens her hold on the city and a mysterious hitman starts picking off thieves. All in all, it’s a darker, moodier follow-up to By Hook or Crook, and I’m looking forward to Book 3!
March 6, 2026
Thiefcatcher was everything I was hoping for in this sequel and then some! I loved the first book and was so excited to see where the story went for Lars and crew. Things took a darker more emotional route which really deepened the connection and care I felt for these characters. Karam did a masterful job conveying the weight of choice and dynamic inner conflict. The twists and turns kept me hooked from beginning to end. And that superbly executed, high-tension ending left me eagerly awaiting the sequel. I cannot wait to see how this series ends!
January 20, 2026
Thiefcatcher is an epic steampunk adventure that focuses on the kingdom of Azoria. Most of the main characters are former thieves pining away for a heist after administrator Vivienne's year-long ban.Although I haven't read Book 1: By Hook & Crook I had no difficulty picking up the narrative. Character development is one of the book's strengths. Liora, one of the former thieves, starts out as a brilliant city engineer. Legendary thief Lars begins pretending to be a respectable gentleman. During a botched heist, Lars' girlfriend is kidnapped by a superhero-like masked character. Lars' solution is to offer a king's ransom worth of coppers for her safe return.
I was hooked into the plot by nonstop action and plot twists within these pages. The worldbuilding, including Azoria and the neighboring countries, added a significant dimension to the story. S. G. Karam did a superb job, especially with the fast-paced finale.
I was hooked into the plot by nonstop action and plot twists within these pages. The worldbuilding, including Azoria and the neighboring countries, added a significant dimension to the story. S. G. Karam did a superb job, especially with the fast-paced finale.
January 24, 2026
Thiefcatcher is a razor-sharp fantasy thriller where fame, loyalty, and survival collide in a city that no longer celebrates its heroes. The tension is relentless, and the masked hunter twist makes every page feel like a race against time.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews