A Complement of Scoundrels

by S.V. Lockwood

There are many ways to bring down the man who betrayed you—and Myria Cadessa has thought of them all.

Cracking the Elysius Vault should’ve made Myria the richest thief in all Carintheum. Instead, it shattered her crew and left her rotting in jail while her double-crossing master walked away with everything that should’ve been hers.

But now she’s out, and it’s time to settle the score. Reunite her crew? A pleasure. Steal back everything her erstwhile leader took? And then some. She’ll just need to trick the king of all tricksters, with the law on her heels, and a troublesome new ally whose loyalties seem as conflicted as his feelings for Myria. It’s the most audacious heist she’s ever attempted, but she failed her crew once. This time, she’ll make it right—at any cost.

A Complement of Scoundrels is a bold, raucous journey through the underbelly of an empire where the devil’s rules reign, and morality, loyalty, and friendship are values few can afford. But where there’s a wit, there’s a way—and Myria has plenty of that.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Adult, Audiobook, Science Fiction Fantasy

456 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 22, 2026

Reviews

[Kist]

UPDATE: The audiobook, narrated by Gabrielle Baker, is incredible too!

I might be biased (it's the first book from my publishing imprint with Bindery, Kist Reads), check that, I'm definitely biased.. but I fell in love with this fantasy heist story from jump and it kept me hooked all the way through. The prose, characters, dialogue, plot, worldbuilding, pacing etc etc were all so beautifully well done. Can't wait for this to be available so the world can experience what I did while reading this banger.

[romi (s.ia)]

⇒ thank you to net galley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review

dnf at 8%

the pacing is way too slow for my liking, everything feels endlessly stretched out. the characters have not been explored at all, they're just plain names on a piece of paper that we're somehow supposed to know. their motivation for the heist was never even mentioned in the first place

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

✶ ⋆╭ pre-read 𓂃 ࣪࿐ 
TWO WORDS: THE COVER

[Marcie Reads]

🗝️ 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮, 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗿.

Chaotic criminals, clever schemes, sharp banter, and a female lead who immediately won me over—I had so much fun with this.

The comparisons to The Lies of Locke Lamora are impossible to ignore, but rather than feeling like a copy, it captures the same spirit while carving out its own identity. I only wished a few more members of the crew had been given stronger individual personalities.

I also listened to the audiobook, and Gabrielle Baker does a great job differentiating the characters with distinct voices, which really helped bring the chaotic crew to life. Her narration style itself took a little getting used to, but the character work was a definite strength.

Fast-paced, charming, and packed with found-family chaos, this is an easy recommendation for fantasy-heist fans.

Thank you to S. V. Lockwood, Tantor Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this ALC. All opinions are my own.

🎉 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘆, 𝗦. 𝗩. 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱! 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆'𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲! 𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲.

[C. Sinclair]

“Devilish bind, isn’t it? Can’t trust anyone once you’ve stabbed them in the back.”

4.7/5

A Complement of Scoundrels is the kind of fantasy novel that reminds readers how exhilarating imaginative worldbuilding can be when paired with genuine literary ambition and talent. S. V. Lockwood's stunning debut novel constructs a richly realized steampunk-esque setting where every district, invention, and social hierarchy feels deliberately crafted, inviting immersion from the very first chapter. The prose is delightfully loquacious - even indulgent, but deliciously so - embracing an expansive vocabulary that lends the narrative a distinctively prosaic voice and charms the reader with an intelligence that borders on flirtation. Beneath the elegance of the writing lies a sharply executed heist story, propelled by inventive pacing, memorable twists, and a cast of characters whose originality extends beyond familiar genre archetypes. The novel's interpretation of magic is equally refreshing, integrating fantastical elements into the fabric of its world with creativity and internal consistency that make each revelation feel earned.

The persistent current of political intrigue woven throughout its narrative elevates this novel beyond a fantasy-driven Ocean's [#] installment. Dystopian themes emerge organically through the setting and its institutions, enriching the story without ever overshadowing the exhilarating momentum of the central plot. Every major character contributes a distinct perspective, creating a world populated by individuals whose motivations feel authentic, complex, and wonderfully (purposely) chaotic. The combination of sophisticated prose, imaginative worldbuilding, and confident storytelling results in a novel that feels both classically literary and strikingly modern in its execution. Few fantasy novels balance intellectual richness with sheer entertainment so effortlessly, making A Complement of Scoundrels an easy recommendation for readers seeking an inventive, beautifully written adventure that refuses to settle for convention. I was spellbound, captivated, and radicalized in equal measure by this triumph of a tale. To the devious!


*Thank you S.V. Lockwood for the advance reader copy of your fabulous novel, it was a sincere pleasure to read and I can't wait to get my hands on what you publish in future! *

[Richard Derus]

Real Rating: 4.75* of five

The Publisher Says: There are many ways to bring down the man who betrayed you—and Myria Cadessa has thought of them all.

Cracking the Elysius Vault should’ve made Myria the richest thief in all Carintheum. Instead, it shattered her crew and left her rotting in jail while her double-crossing master walked away with everything that should’ve been hers.

But now she’s out, and it’s time to settle the score. Reunite her crew? A pleasure. Steal back everything her erstwhile leader took? And then some. She’ll just need to trick the king of all tricksters, with the law on her heels, and a troublesome new ally whose loyalties seem as conflicted as his feelings for Myria. It’s the most audacious heist she’s ever attempted, but she failed her crew once. This time, she’ll make it right—at any cost.

A Complement of Scoundrels is a bold, raucous journey through the underbelly of an empire where the devil’s rules reign, and morality, loyalty, and friendship are values few can afford. But where there’s a wit, there’s a way—and Myria has plenty of that.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: Woman-led cast in The Count of Monte Cristo, among thieves in *London/Oxford, with less romantic pining. I absolutely co-sign each of these changes as an improvement.

Well? What're you waiting for? Go buy one.

Look, I'm annoyed enough that I can't in good conscience deliver the scathing insult-ridden takedown I threatened that guy Kist with, and there's still eyes looking at me like I should say something else only nice. Get him to restart weekly reading updates on YouTube instead of paywalled and we'll talk.

Yeah, yeah, not the author's fault blahblahblah. You want nice? Go find somebody nice, get them to tell you about Author Lockwood's way with banter that takes in-jokes between strangers and gives us chuckles as well as a sharper picture of the speaker's inner workings.

The world of Carintheum is given inner workings as well, and as deftly and eloquently. I'm pretty fussy about magic systems; I'm not naturally drawn to reading about magic because it doesn't exist, like gawd or vampires or mpreg. It's got to be presented, as it is here, in a way that lets me suspend disbelief; Myria's experience of the magic she and her partners in crime encounter a the very beginning of the book totally convinced me this was well thought out, so I relaxed right away. It was trust well placed because I never had any reason to revisit my decision to believe this was in-universe plausible stuff happening. It's a real pleasure to encounter an author whose assured and enjoyable presentation of prose could disarm my long-ago-acquired suspiciousness so fast.

The initial conditions of Myria's life as we join her set the other facet of worldbuilding, the society in which the magic is used, as a sort of pre-Victorian time starting industrialization...just not quite as we did in our rather fallen world. Magic as a harvestable, refineable resource capable of being extracted led to some very interesting consequences indeed...Myria's unique relationship to the resource is a very enjoyably used take on an old fantasy trope, the magically deprived in a magical society. It also explains the source of her betrayal that would otherwise have made me feel a bit cheated, so very well done indeed Author Lockwood for seeing a problem and turning it into an advantage.

The scoobygroup Myria forms also suffer deprivation on account of her betrayal on top of losing trust in her. It's the reason this revenge plot, very much a thriller wearing lace cuffs and expensive shoes, is so firmly rooted in the complex social and societal webbing Author Lockwood presents. The depth of field means the machinations and the interrelationships don't ever flatten out into that dreadful second-rate diagrammed-sentence feeling padding so very common when an author isn't given time, or space on the page, or guidance in choices, to fully realize the basis of their world and its social network. Author Lockwood was very well served in this regard.

So what happened to that vanished quarter star? I'll tell you, old girl: the catchphrasiness, the very real and human tendency of people to settle into mannerisms, wears thin in a book. It's great when the characters themselves bicker and banter about it, as Leo and Myria do from the very start. But reading a novel is being married, deeply in the hip pocket of the characters without the IRL ability to pat the partner's pate just a touch too hard while saying "oh, very amusing, dear," thus earning a respite from the actually cute and endearing behavior that's annoying you right then. I also felt a case of quibbles coming on with Myria's found-family dynamics resolving neatly...having the crew's emotional hurts coming up in different ways at different times would be more like establishing the firm intent to return to Carintheum as I feel positive is the intent in this author's (and more than likely publisher's) mind.

I can't offer a perfect score but I can most certainly see Author Lockwood's ability to wring one out of me is definitely there.

[Kyle Foley]

ARC received from the publisher via NetGalley for an unbiased and honest review.

Um, what a freaking banger??? I was hooked from the start, and I never wanted to put this down. I plan on re-reading it again before the official release, that's how much I enjoyed this. Heists, beautiful character work, insane world building. What's not to love?

[jana]

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 ⭐

A Complement of Scoundrels had me seated for the heists, the betrayals, the counter-betrayals and, most importantly, the increasingly elaborate schemes of people who really should not be trusted with anything. I went into this expecting a fantasy heist and while I did get that, I think what I enjoyed most was less the action itself and more the machinery behind it. This is very much a book about thinking your way through a problem, pulling at threads, noticing patterns, setting traps and then waiting to see which unfortunate person walks directly into one. If you’ve seen the inevitable Six of Crows comparisons, I can see where they come from, especially with the ragtag criminal crew, revenge-driven plot and elaborate heist structure.

Myria Cadessa was easily my favorite part of the whole thing. Give me a woman who has spent three years planning her revenge and has apparently used every single one of those years to become exponentially more dangerous and I am listening. Her particular brand of cunning was so much fun to reas because she rarely feels like she is simply reacting to what happens around her. She is constantly calculating, manipulating, improvising and, occasionally, lying through her teeth with the confidence of someone who has already planned for you to discover the lie. Her desire to destroy Vixius is personal in a way that gives the heist its emotional backbone, especially because she isn’t just trying to get revenge for herself. She wants to put her fractured crew back together and restore what was taken from them. That sense of loyalty underneath all the scheming was probably what made the story work best for me. Beneath all the cleverness and criminal nonsense, there is a surprisingly earnest story about betrayal, friendship and trying to repair something that was deliberately broken.

And honestly, the plotting is where this book had me most invested. I loved watching information accumulate slowly and then suddenly click into place. Felix’s investigation was especially fun because it gave the story that delicious feeling of watching someone realize that the thing everyone else has accepted as fact is actually riddled with holes. His little investigation basically became a separate mystery running alongside Myria’s plans, and I enjoyed seeing the two threads gradually move toward each other. The book understands the appeal of letting characters be clever. Even when I could see certain twists coming, I still enjoyed watching the characters arrive at them through deduction, deception, and increasingly questionable decisions.

The world itself is also wonderfully ambitious. Carintheum has this very fun steampunk-ish setting, with arcana being woven into everything from technology and infrastructure to politics and warfare. I especially liked the idea of magic becoming something that can be harvested, commodified, bottled, and fed into an arcanic grid. It’s fascinating to watch a fundamentally personal, almost bodily form of magic turning into an industrial resource. The excerpts involving the manufactories and the exploitation of arcana were some of the moments where I really wanted the book to slow down and let me look around. Whenever the book gave me a clear glimpse of how this world functioned, I was genuinely intrigued. The problem was that I often wanted /more/ of those glimpses.

That was probably my biggest issue with the book. The fantasy elements needed more room to breathe. There are quite a few terms, concepts, magical abilities, technologies, institutions and pieces of history introduced throughout the story, and while I could usually understand what was happening contextually, I wasn’t always sure that I understood how everything actually worked (not ruling out the possibility of this being a skill issue for me ;-;).

I also had a bit of a complicated relationship with the dialogue. The characters have plenty of banter and there were definitely lines that made me laugh, but the particular slang and speech patterns occasionally pulled me out of the setting. After hearing “old boy” and “old girl” approximately seventeen thousand times, I started to become emotionally invested in the phrase’s eventual downfall. Some of the one-liners and quips also began losing their impact because the book leaned on that rhythm so consistently. I appreciate the commitment to a distinctive voice, and there were moments when it absolutely worked for me, but there were also moments when I could practically hear the author nudging me in the ribs going, “isn’t this charming?” and yes, I get it. The characters are very charming. Please put the old girl down.

I also wish some of the supporting characters had been given more room to exist outside the orbit of Myria and Felix. Whenever the story gave me a glimpse of the others’ histories, personalities, or relationships, I wanted more, especially because the crew dynamic is one of the strongest parts of the premise. I wanted to understand what made these people choose each other, what their relationships looked like before everything went spectacularly wrong and what exactly they were carrying with them after the Elysius robbery. The found-family aspect is there, and I liked it, but I think it could have hit much harder with a little more development.

Still, for all my complaints, I had a genuinely fun time with this book. The pacing is brisk, the premise is immediately entertaining, the heists are clever and there is a wonderfully theatrical quality to watching these characters scheme their way through increasingly ridiculous situations. There are also a few convenient plot devices that made certain problems resolve a little more easily than I would have liked, and I occasionally found myself thinking that the characters had been handed exactly the tool they needed at exactly the right moment. Even so, the momentum usually carried me past those moments. I cared more about seeing what Myria and her collection of delightful disasters were going to do next than I cared about nitpicking every mechanism that got them there.

Ultimately, I think A Complement of Scoundrels is a debut with a very strong foundation and an even stronger sense of what makes a fantasy heist fun. It has clever criminals, complicated loyalties, political intrigue, magic with genuinely interesting implications, betrayals upon betrayals and a protagonist who can weaponize a smile just as effectively as a knife. I would have loved a more thoroughly explained magic system, deeper supporting-character development, and dialogue that felt a little more naturally integrated into the world, but the sheer entertainment value kept winning me back. This is the kind of book for readers who enjoy watching a clever plan unfold with a ragtag group of charismatic misfits, particularly when said plan involves revenge, questionable ethics, and approximately fourteen opportunities for everything to go horribly wrong.

There is a lot here that I wanted more of, which feels like a pretty good problem for a debut to have. I finished this thinking less about the things that didn’t quite work and more about the parts of the world I wanted to see expanded, the characters I wanted to know better, and whatever fresh criminal nonsense this crew might get themselves into next. To the devious, indeed.

[Jacob]

Wow, what a romping good time! I thoroughly enjoyed this story, my first in the "fantasy heist" but certainly not my last! I thought the author did a wonderful job of creating some characters with unique personalities and voices. The interplay and banter both between the main character group as well as their relationships with external parties was really fun to read and I found myself chuckling many times at the various quips and one-liners. The world Lockwood built is unique and well thought out, and I found it very easy to imagine myself in that world. The plot was well paced and I was on the edge of my seat more than I anticipated. I loved how everything was wrapped up and overall this was a fantastic tale that I would recommend to anyone looking for a thrilling, fast-paced heist with fun, playful banter and excellent characters.

[annie]

Based on the premise alone, A Complement of Scoundrels should have been right in my wheelhouse. An intricate fantasy heist with a ragtag, morally grey crew set in a historically inspired world? I'm sat. I'm locked in. Let's go. While there's a lot to enjoy about this one, there were a few structural issues that made things feel a little off-balance and kept the story from living up to its full potential.

This might be a small pet peeve, but there's a lot of original slang peppered throughout the dialogue, and much of it heavily clashes with the Ancient Rome inspired world we've been introduced to. The cadence of almost every characters' speech has a very mid century, Transatlantic mob boss energy to it, which is cemented by everyone calling each other "old boy" and "old girl" every other page. I can respect the author for taking a risk, but it unfortunately landed into cheesy territory.

The balance between expositional info dumping and leaving readers in the dark is a challenging one, and when it comes to the magic system, I think the author leaned slightly more into the latter. The rules seem murky at times and there were certain terms that could've used a bit more explanation in the beginning. Even a simple glossary, map of the city, and/or a couple of fun diagrams like Katabasis and Blood Over Bright Haven include would've been the icing on the cake for for a more immersive experience.

Most of the supporting characters also feel underdeveloped, especially Leo and Cassia; I would've liked to learn more about their backstories and motivations, but they mostly fade into the background from scene to scene.

Despite its quirks, A Complement of Scoundrels was a fun read overall. The plot is exciting, the pacing is brisk, and it has a gritty atmosphere that fans of Six of Crows and the Rook & Rose trilogy would definitely enjoy.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bindery Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Sunhi]

I had literally no expectations of this book. I received it quickly from NetGalley and I couldn't see much about it but the cover was stunning and the description intriguing. I was literally worried I'd hate it.

Two days in, I finished the book. I could not put it down. It took over my life. Sure, there are flaws, but they fell by the wayside. The heists and tricks and plot had a chokehold on me.

Myria and her crew were fun though I wish I had gotten to know Cass and Leo better. Felix and Myria run this story, almost to the point of pushing other characters off the story and page, even though I found them delightful.

My biggest complaint is that Felix stays stupidly loyal much longer than feels comfortable to his intelligent character. I also wish we could have seen more of the world. When we get clear glimpses of it, I fall in love.

I highly recommend this for anyone who likes a fantasy heist or found families.

[Talia N]

thank you to netgalley and kist reads for an arc of this book.

in my mind, the lies of locke lamora is *the* benchmark for all heist fantasies and while i can fully recognise that that is an incredibly high bar to meet, it also means that it inevitably (and unfairly) influences my perception of all other novels in this subgenre. so personally, while a complement of scoundrels has its strengths, i also found that there were a few things that hindered a fully immersive reading experience.

just to start us off, the worldbuilding is 100% one of this book’s highlights. the setting and magic system really draws you in and i can see a lot of potential in this world and its magic but at the same time, i wish those elements were fleshed out even further so that their impact could be fully realised.

i did enjoy reading about the characters and they were all decently likable but i found their dynamics to be slightly underdeveloped. save for myria, the rest of the crew oftentimes felt like npcs, lacking in the depth and interaction that would help us understand their relationships better (i’m trying my hardest not to compare absolutely everything to locke lamora but the gentlemen bastards really set the bar way up there). i think more banter and more camaraderie would have enhanced the emotional moments, especially after the crew gets back together.

now, this might just be a me problem but i kind of struggled to fully engage with the writing style. it took me quite a bit of time to get into the flow and the ‘tell not show’ narrative style left me wanting more, particularly when it comes to the characters inner motivations and thoughts, and their planning their heists. a lot of the key measures seemed to be a little too conveniently explained during the execution of their plans and it made the process feel just a bit too easy, taking away some of the tension that was built.

i also had mixed feelings about the roman inspired names - while they can definitely enhance and enrich a narrative, it felt less integrated compared to novels like the will of the many or red rising. i would say stories that take some sort of inspiration from the roman empire will typically explore systemic injustices or broader themes, things that add depth and layers to the story but unfortunately, a complement of scoundrels doesn’t delve into these larger, societal-scale issues, making me feel like the use of roman inspiration feels a little wasted.

like i mentioned earlier, the magic system, while intriguing, lacks the clarity that i, as an avid fantasy reader, would have appreciated. i found myself wishing for more detail on its limitations since the vagueness kind of detracted from the stakes within the story. additionally, after the crew gets back together again, comments like ‘if anyone could do xyz, it would be so and so person’ felt unearned, given the earlier lack of established crew dynamics and individual capabilities.

despite these critiques though, the ending tied up the story nicely and provided a satisfying conclusion. this book really does offer a captivating world and a promising magic system but left me with a desire for deeper character exploration and a slightly more cohesive narrative structure. overall, a solid debut novel.

[Beau]

*Thank you to Bindery Books and Tantor Media for a complimentary arc and alc of a Complement of Scoundrels. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Every now and then, I read a book that is so good I struggle to find the words to talk about it or review it. It’s been a minute, but this one was one of those. I had a feeling, from just reading the synopsis, that I would love this book - unless the synopsis oversold it and I’d hate it for simply not meeting my expectations - however, the only negative thing I have to say about A Complement of Scoundrels, is that the synopsis didn’t prepare me for how much I would love this.

I love stories with heists and cons, and Lockwood gave me one of my new all-time favourites here. It gave me all the mystery, intrigue and delight following along with the scheming from the first page. The betrayal and revenge plotting that follows had me so hooked I would keep thinking of the plot every time I put the book down, and the banter between the characters and the witty remarks had me forgetting to stop at the end of most chapters.

My only complaint about A Complement of Scoundrels, is that the world building was so good I wished for more of it to explore on the page. While at first getting an understanding of the magic system threw me off a little, as usually happens with new fantasy worlds, it didn’t take me long at all to follow how the system worked. With the actual geographical parts of the world, I would’ve wished a map had been made for reference - but hopefully we’ll get one in the future or along with the release.

With the audiobook, while the narration was easy to follow and fall into, I did feel like it often sounded a little robotic and unnatural. It didn’t particularly help immerse me into the story, and it somehow didn’t feel like it brought out the prose and voice Lockwood used on the page as I would’ve hoped. Aside from that, I still had fun with the audio as I did with the written version, and it only made me crave a future reread of the written version more.

I cannot wait for this one to hit the market so everyone else can fall in love with this like I did, and I apologise in advance to all the people in my life I will force this book onto.

[M. Stevenson]

I had a good time with this one! If you like the fun and flash of a heist but don't want to be stressed out along the way, this fits the bill. The world building is kind of Roman Empire meets steampunk, which was an entertaining blend I haven't seen before.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

[Nancy ☾.⋆]

I cannot begin to scratch the surface of A Complement of Scoundrels without gushing and spoiling it for everyone else. One of my best fantasy reads this year, and I can't wait to read more from this author. It has been far too long since I've liked a group of characters as much as these scoundrels. The story was told in dual POVs and featured two characters who were strong leads in their own right. They underestimated each other from the start, which made it fun as one character uncovered deceptions of the other. Over time, they became reluctant allies. They had great banter with each other and with other characters.

I wasn't familiar with arcane magic, so it was difficult for me to grasp the workings of the magic system. Still, the author did a splendid job of setting physical limitations and boundaries of certain magic abilities. The presence of magic was central to the world and swayed politics, economics, infrastructure, and more.

An outstanding book! I would recommend.

[CJ Alberts]

Read for work, Myria, I’d rob any bank with you old girl!!!!

[Kels Taylor]

Summary - When a group of scoundrel thieves cracked the Elysium Vault, it should have been their greatest achievement. Myria was ready to walk side by side with her Master, and the team she led was going to be the richest thieves alive. That was until her Master double-crossed them all. After plotting her revenge while rotting in jail for three years, she is out and ready to bring her master's world crashing down. First, she must reunite with her crew, steal what is owned, all while keeping a certain Prefect from finding out who she really is. Will he be a new ally, or are his loyalties to his master? Myria has already failed her crew once; she will not make that mistake again, and absolutely no one will get in her way—not even the new potential ally—as she will make it right at any cost.

Thoughts - This is not normally a genre I like to read. I am not fond of revenge plotlines because, typically, the story is really hard to digest (it’s frustrating and annoying for me), but the author did exceptionally well creating this story with just the right amount of revenge woven through it. I will say I struggled to understand what I was reading to begin with, and there were a lot of new words I learned. That being said, I managed to grasp the story, and the further I went, the better I understood. The words kind of threw me, and I was not sure where or when the story took place, and the magic system really baffled me. Trying to understand the government, the world, the transportation, and the way the magic is used within this story was difficult at times, but I managed, and while I have missed things I am sure, I really dove into this, and it was a fun adventure. My understanding of this world was a steampunk city with a mechanical industrial atmosphere, similar to worlds like Mortal Engines and Arcane.

The magic system is interesting; it’s an energy that builds up within the human body and is the central power that is exploited throughout the book. It is stolen and harvested from individuals to create the glamorous empire, which is built on stolen magic and blood by the devils who hide behind the empire. The whole subplot of harvested Arcane was quite dark and horrifying, and really showed what the main character had gone through. While we are trained to condemn those who are branded scoundrels in this story, I really sympathised with the characters, and you empathise with what they have been through. It is always the case, I feel, that those who are branded bad are somewhat more ethical and honorable than those who seek power and influence. This story shows it. It was a very political read, and it shows the manipulation and deception that those in power can create.

While the main crew were not innocent, as they did steal for a living, it does provide the reason for their transgressions. In a world where you need to fight—fight for those who can’t, fight for yourself, and fight for the greater good—you sometimes have to make bad decisions. While I don’t believe that anyone is above consequences, which is what the crew had to endure, sometimes wrong and right are on the opposite sides of humanity. Sometimes those who fight for the right reasons are manipulated into thinking that they are on the right side, such as Felix. Those who fight to live and to fight for those who can’t sometimes do it in a very wrong manner, such as Vixius. Then there are those who are the power-hungry manipulators whose façade shows nothing but goodness, and that would be Gloriana. While she wasn’t exactly pure evil, she had those qualities. There are also those who simply wish to exist and be part of something extraordinary. However, they often veer off course and are morally complex, which can lead to negative outcomes. This was the case for the main character, Myria, and her crew.

Their whole revenge heist scheme was excellently executed, and Myria was a strong female character who showed resilience, was highly intelligent, and was skillful with a heroine complex towards her fellow team, always wanting justice for those who were wronged in the beginning. It was a very nuanced and intricate read, done in a way that kept you interested until the very end. While the start may have been complicated for me, I truly enjoyed it until the end. It was definitely something different from my normal genre, and for that, it helped broaden my taste. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants morally ambiguous and complex characters, rich themes, and a strong female protagonist lead.

[Taryn]

4.5 rounded up to 5 ⭐️ for Goodreads

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC

RTC

[Michelle Parent]

For this being S.V. Lockwood's debut novel, I'd say well done. The story follows Myria and her team of thieves after they're double crossed and they set out for revenge. I really enjoyed the book's unique magic system and the world the author created. It explores themes of friendship and loyalty, with a fun dose of hijinks and tomfoolery along the way. While the pacing felt uneven in parts, it still kept me entertained overall, and I'm glad I picked it up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for my ARC copy and my honest review.

Expected Publishing date: September 22, 2026.

[Demeter]

First of all, many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
This was a blast. Favourite read of June for sure. The introduction was a bit daunting, especially if you’re not familiar with Roman Republic terms and offices, but after the first few chapters I got the hang of the titles and a better grasp of the city and its society. The world building combines the Roman Republic, the advancements of the late 19th century and an expansive world of magic, and the result is great. We follow our lovely con-woman, Myria, and Felix, the wounded veteran, from their very different respective recent past to a present that entangles their journeys, for better or for worse. I loved the plot, the twists and turns, the backstabbings and victories. I wouldn’t have said no to some more character development for our little merry band of rascals, but at the same time the focus was elsewhere and it was understandable. The ending was, to me, satisfactory on all accounts which is usually not the case with stories like this one. All in all, a wonderful read. I sure hope there’ll be more in the future. *slides over 5 dollar bill* I’d be much obliged if they also kinda kissed a bit in the next one. No? Just me? Oh well, you can’t blame an old girl for trying

[Jamedi]

Review originally on JamReads

I wasn't sure what I was going to find in A Complement of Scoundrels, a debut that sounded lit as it flew through my radar; and honestly, it was worth it: not we have a superb heist fantasy story in a steampunk like setting that allows its characters to shine, but also a brilliant political commentary hidden underneath the layers, while delivering a revenge story in the best vibe of The Italian Job.

Myria Cadessa and her crew should have become the richest thieves in all Carintheum after cracking the Elysium Vault; but treason landed with all the band rotting in jail. After being freed three years later, it's time to settle the score: reunite the old crew and give Vixius a taste of what she had to pass. An almost impossible heist that will require simple things like tricking the most powerful thief of Carintheum while a law officer is on her heels; but Myria is determined to not fail her crew a second time.

Lockwood takes a series of bold decisions that eventually pay off, starting with choosing to have more than simply Myria's POV, introducing Felix, a former soldier that, after suffering big magic harm in a heroic action, is serving as a law officer, whom will be trusted with following Myria on her first freedom days. While I was a bit sceptical with Felix, his POV was excellent as a balancer with the own crew, allowing us to know more about the complex power equilibrium that governs Carintheum and acting as the link between the crew and the higher powers. How he slowly starts accepting that blindly following orders might not be acceptable, and how he ends up becoming an important part of the crew is probably one of my favourite arcs in the entire book.
Myria herself is an incredibly charismatic character with a soft side that I greatly enjoyed, especially as we see her struggling in private, trying to be that fearless leader the crew needs if they want to pull an audacious heist. Following her, especially during the "reuniting the crew" phase, was super super fun, and it helped to learn more about the secondaries on the crew, each one playing their role to perfection.
The crew itself can be a dealbreaker in this kind of stories, and Lockwood managed to pull it, especially putting care in reflecting how they have a past together and how awfully the things went, how they pretend to bring down a metaphorical giant and how Myria is a bit of the glue that maintains them together.

Outside of characterisation, I was glad to see how Lockwood decided to go for a different route with the story, morphing this heist into something bigger, taking the opportunity to give us a deep look at the steampunk-inspired Carintheum and its politics, which eventually end up as a main plot point. From a heist to almost a revolution, those are the stakes I love to read about, especially if you still manage to keep the snarky and fun writing intertwined with darker themes such as military conflict, prison work, and the usurpation of a goverment system.
The pacing was excellent, fast but not too much, giving enough space to naturally introduce the reader to its world and its characters while laying the foundation needed for the plot to make sense.

A Complement of Scoundrels was a superb novel, the kind of heist fantasy story that I love because it's bold and ambitious, with a touch of wittiness in the tone that suits it; if you are looking for something that feels like The Italian Job or Locke Lamora, this one should be on your list. An amazing debut by S. V. Lockwood!

[Didi]

I honestly picked up this book just because of the cover—it’s gorgeous. But it actually fits the story so well, which made it even better. Also, anything with heists, thieves, and secret missions? I’m in. I’ll devour that every time.

The story starts with Myria and her group, the Graysiders, pulling off a heist on the richest vault in the city. They actually succeed, but then everything goes wrong when their master betrays them. He kills her whole group, including her teacher, which was honestly heartbreaking. Myria only survives because her teacher sacrifices herself and puts a curse in place, taking the blame for everything. Even though she survives, she’s still basically marked for death because of the crime. Somehow, someone behind the scenes saves her, gives her a fake identity, and she ends up in prison for three years instead.

From there, her only goal is revenge and saving her crew. She spends those three years planning how to kill her former master. When she finally gets out, she’s not completely free—she’s assigned a prefect, Felix, to watch her. Felix used to be active in the military but got injured and has been kind of stuck ever since. Watching Myria gives him something to care about again. The two of them end up living together, both hiding things, both trying to figure out what they’re doing with their lives.

I’ll be honest, the power system and all the terms were a bit overwhelming at first—it took me a while to wrap my head around it. But by the end, it all made sense. And I really liked how the plot developed, especially seeing how everything ties back to the master’s plan. Overall, I just really enjoyed it—it gave me exactly what I wanted: a good heist story with some emotional weight behind it.

Final rating. 4.5/5

[Megan Dodds]

“He betrayed us all… if you’re in this, you’re in it to the death”

Heists? Betrayals? And curses oh my!

🖤 Feminine Rage
✨ Fantasy Heist
🖤 Imaginative World Building & Magic System
✨ Political Intrigue

SV Lockwood’s debut novel proved a unique sense of world building that wasn’t only imaginative but their eloquent prose pulls you into their thieving world of scoundrels. The magic system and how the world is built around the commodification of it was so well thought out that it makes it difficult to leave this world behind as a stand alone book. I particularly loved the heavy use of curses as opposed to just one small component of a magic system.

There is nothing more satisfying than a wit filled FMC who uses her cunning for a revenge mission. There is actually nothing I appreciate more? After 3 years of astute calculations, her relationships with her crew rounded out an in depth, fascinating magical world. The whole cast brought something special to the story.

Narration by Gabrielle Baker was stellar, fitting the bold energy of the story and made listening fun. Personally I like to physically read more complex world building as opposed to listening to ensure I don’t miss anything. This is not a book you can listen to in the background - but trust me you’ll be paying attention once you’ve started!

This is a book to pick up (or put your headphones in), and watch for SV Lockwood’s future work… I know I will!
🖤 ALC thank you Netgalley 🖤

[Carly]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4! I had a fun time with this one, although there were a few elements that kept it from being a knockout read for me. I’ll start by saying I thought this had a very solid foundation that truly just needed more time for development. I appreciated the quick pacing that kept me engaged and I thought the heist aspects were clever.

Here’s what didn’t quite work for me:
The Fantasy aspects of this story needed to be more fleshed out. Truly, things were just too vague. There are many terms linked to the world that are thrown around but the explanations are glossed over and murky at best. I think if an author isn’t going to explain new terms then they should at least give the reader a terms glossary for reference.

I wasn’t really ever certain of the setting but it primarily gave me victorian london, steampunk type vibes based on the advanced technology and location descriptions. The dialogue leans very heavily British, almost to the point of transatlantic, which is completely fine but the author seemed to be trying so hard to emphasize this type of dialogue that it came off a bit…cheesy? For example, the use of “old girl” and “old boy” as a term of endearment made sense the first few times. But the amount of times this term was used was actually crazy. There was other repetitive dialogue as well, making the heavy one liners lose their potency as time went on.

There were a bit too many plot devices for convenience that allowed everything to work out pretty easily. Although there were a few twists that were good! I liked the cunning and deviousness of the main female character and her plotting was my favorite part of the story. Overall, a very thoughtful debut that needed some finessing but was still a fun time.

Thank you Bindery, Kist Reads, and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy

[Alicia Griffin]

A captivating, whimsical, scandalous good time! Wow let’s start with HOLY DEBUT! This is a great heist story told within a high fantasy world. This book will absolutely not be for everyone but boy was it for me. Myria just entered into my list of favorite FMCs of all time! I can’t wait to see what else Lockwood has in store for us because old girl can write 👏👏

This book is made for: 1) people whose Roman Empire is the Roman Empire; 2) fans of Mistborn; 3) readers who enjoy being dropped in with no glossary and no training wheels; 4) someone who is looking for a book that stretches their vocabulary; 5) fantasy readers looking for something fresh that doesn’t involve a romance

This book is NOT for 1) readers who want a breezy, “vibe” read (I love those too - no judgement!) but your brain needs to be turned fully on to comprehend what’s happening; 2) fantasy readers who dislike magical realism/soft magic with no rules

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bindery for allowing me to read this arc!!

[Lauren]

The best thing about this book is that the world is so thoroughly built, and gives off the vibe of a steampunk-ish Roman Empire. It is so thoroughly built, that it is was a bit too slow-paced for my tastes and I didn't feel like I got enough of everything else. Lockwood has a great writing style, though and I enjoyed her storytelling.

This promises one large revenge heist, but there are many smaller gambits and plots throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bindery Books, and S.V. Lockwood for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Mimi Schweid]

Just noticed this at work today, appreciate seeing Nicholas Eames and John Gwynne quoted on it. Plus the dedication being ''To my dearest Mamma, who brough me up better than the following novel may suggest.''

[Kate Smith]

DNF at 5%
I can’t get myself to pick this up. I have tried on multiple occasions and can’t get invested. There are unfortunately a lot of other books that are calling to me stronger.

[Signe S. Brummerstedt]

Thank you to Bindery Books for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review received through netgalley.

There are good books you enjoy reading. and then there are great books who completely transport you to another world.
A Complement of Scoundrels was definitely the latter.

The books follows Myria and Felix, condemned criminal and former soldier, as they must work together to take down an infamous criminal - and get some answers in the process.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from the first page, and seeing all of Myria and her crews antics as they planned, executed and lied their ways through the world for revenge was amazing! They all felt like a family all throughout.

If you enjoy a fantasy heist, such as Crooked Kingdom or even Mistborn, you’ll have a lot of fun with this book and this crew! It really scratched the heist itch for me, and in the best way possible.

An easy 5/5 star read, and you all best buy it the minute it comes out!

[debchan]

i wasn't completely charmed but it was a pretty solid debut, humor hit all the right notes and the cast was very likeable

i did pick up this book because kistreadsbooks on tiktok who had a hand in publishing this and coming up with the title was loving it so much and i trust those recommendations. i wouldn't quite compare it to locke lamora or even six of crows, because it evokes a whole different vibe personally and i do think there were aspects that could be tighter or worked on more. however for a debut, i had a pretty enjoyable time following myria on her path of schemes.

sv lockwood just throws the reader into the middle of a heist and you kinda have to float there with all these new terms. i think similar to six of crows, a page at the beginning with the descriptions of all the different types of magic would have helped. because even after finishing the book i'm sat here like what actually was that magic system? it just works and we're not really sure how or what limitations there are on it. as for the worldbuilding, it's sort of a roman empire but called carintheum (corinithian mayhaps? that's all i could think of) in an era of pax carintheum (pax romana) and all the names are very roman sounding. except with magic added to it, we have things like magic cars (phaetons if i recall) except again i couldn't be sure bc it wasn't the magical world that drew me in.

and it wasn't the prose or dialogue even. gun to my head i'd say sv lockwood was british bc there was no reason for there to be so much british mannerisms and namecalling. but no lockwood is australian which may explain the "mate" but not everything else. the last thing i want in a book is for the characters to constantly be calling each other "chap" "old sport" "old boy" "old girl" likeeee what am i reading here. why so british. why are they everywhere. i'm not even exaggerating when i say you couldn't go 5 paragraphs without one of those dropped in. capital! might have worked for abercrombie's first law trilogy in an environment of british military old fuddy duddies but not so for a roman-esque gang of thieves who are young and hip. besides the british namecalling, it felt like the banter was forced, not a product of a group of friends teasing each other. each setup you could see was contrived and strived to set up a situation where a joke could be squeezed out. i did smile at a couple but 400 pages of it becomes predictable and forced.

myria was more reminiscent of locke than kaz to me and that's a compliment. i'd much rather have charming wisecracking genius plotter than the grumpy emotionally barren one (don't get me wrong i love kaz). but myria appears to take nothing seriously and that's where her talent lies. she puts on the appearance of being laissez-faire when in reality she is constantly scheming. and she's a decent person too. she freely admits that she's revealing information because it gives her an advantage and instead of the whole miscommunication of "how could you reveal this to me now" she straight up tells the truth knowing that even the truth won't throw her off her game. what a refreshing change of scene. she positions things to her advantage and that endears her to her friends and to me. she had a horrible childhood and instead of wallowing in it she shrugs and commits to a selfless act despite it.

felix a former soldier who is assigned to help myria back into society. that's an interesting job to have, to be dragged around by a recently released convict. but he finds himself in the midst of all the plans and is used as a bargaining chip. first of all when he was convinced myria was up to no good and he vowed to follow her around i was just like who told you to do all that. but i guess the mark of a soldier is not that easy to shrug off. the division of his loyalty warred within him but tbh when you read these kinds of books you just know what he's going to do no matter how long we draw it out.

leo had the coolest ability i too would love to teleport anywhere i wanted. picture a lounging cat and that's about who he is, casual and sarcastic. i wish i could say more of his personality.

cassia to my knowledge had the ability to change everything about her at will. but as to what her actual abilities were that she did like spinning arcana threads of magic in the air was unknown to me. i wished there was more of her relationship with myria bc we did get a lot of mryia/felix and myria/leo and even myria/lysander but for the myria/cassia relationship it felt underbaked and could've used so much more to it. if leo was the typical relaxed jester then cassia was the brash muscle with large fists. they both could've done so much more and been more fleshed out. alas.

lysander thank you shakespeare for having such an impact with this goated name in midsummer night's dream it's such a beautiful name. he was the therical surgeon and by that who knows that that means, to my understanding he could manipulate the threads of magic down to its very essence. but at this point i don't question the magic usage in the world. he was an elderly gentleman who always felt very fatherly and was the one who comforted myria and even helped out felix via his magic.

i liked the characters well enough individually, but the found family could've been hammered into the reader more. we lost that by only getting myria's perspective and felix's who knows nothing about the gang. but myria constantly says she prioritizes her team and sure they joke around and do a lot for each other but i would've liked some genuine friendship besides bantering at each other. one way locke lamora did that was having them combine for a heist. yet here everytime they do something it's myria who goes in alone and if leo goes with her it's under disguise and not with the whole team. the myria/leo relationship felt quite strong it was just that this was a group of people and it didn't 100% feel like that. closer perhaps to hired on hands.

the schemes were fun especially when the ball got rolling on the evander money things. i even enjoyed following myria at the "baths" bc we got to see her wit. i enjoyed the midnight waste cart and the visits to the bank. were the twists predictable? i don't think one could even say there were that many twists, more like hitches that were smoothed out instantly. but the concept of scamming evander of his money and then immediately being like "omg someone scammed you of your money" was such a fun idea and a new one. another personal thing i liked was the lack of romance woohoo, this is a family, no doomed friend group inter-romances here. of course one could make a case of myria/felix and i wouldn't even mind - they start off with mutual understanding and grow to know each other better and learn to trust each other. that makes for a great base for potential romance. but the lack of hormones exploding in the air made very rational characters. (one could also make a myria/leo case and i wouldn't mind at all there either).

this book had a lot of good things, but not quite great. this crew with higher stakes and a more fleshed out world would really shine. i don't think sv lockwood is going to write more but i would be so down to read it. i just know lockwood's writing will get better and i'd gladly follow these characters wherever they go and whatever they do, so long as they go together.

[G]

I received an early copy from NetGalley. This was a fun and interesting heist story! I loved the cat and mouse game between our two POV characters and there were lots of twists and turns throughout regarding the heist and different characters’ motivations. I thought the magic system could’ve been fleshed out a little bit more, as well as the supporting cast of characters, but it was still a really good read overall.