Island of Skulls

The School for Thieves #2

by Peter Burns

Tom’s latest assignment is uncovering the hidden bounty of a remote estate in this sequel to the New York Times bestselling The School for Thieves, an upper middle grade boarding school adventure full of heists, danger, and secret plots perfect for fans of Spy School and Keeper of the Lost Cities.

In the aftermath of the attack on the Shadow League, the crimson flu is rampant at The Beauford School for the Deceptive Arts. Each house is sent to a remote location for the summer to quarantine, and Tom’s house, led by the Corsair, is sent to a private island in the Mediterranean, once owned by the notorious Duke of Nimes.

The duke is said to have hidden a spectacular treasure in one of the caves that pepper the island—as well as a terrifying weapon. And the students are tasked with tracking down his hiding spot. But what is this mysterious treasure? And who are the deadly opponents sabotaging their efforts? The most valuable lesson Tom might learn this summer trust no one.

Genres: Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2026

Reviews

[Nocturne Pages]

The School for Thieves: Island of Skulls is the second installment in The School for Thieves series by Peter Burns. Island of Skulls releases on September 1st, 2026. This series is categorized as a Middlegrade Adventure with elements of “spooky” incorporated throughout. Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for this opportunity to read and review this installment honestly. My question going into this was: why isn't this also considered a Historical Fiction/Thriller Suspense? It has real historical details accentuated from the very prologue, so that threw me off a tad. (But I appreciated the Easter eggs) However, other than the missed opportunity at an accurate genre tag, this book offered a lot for the imagination. I learned, I explored, but unfortunately I didn't enjoy myself that much. The parts that were full of action just managed to fall flat and not truly thrill me. I just couldn't connect to any of the characters. BUT REALLY, WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM AN ISLAND CALLED “ISLAND OF SKULLS”? PEACHES AND CREAM? 3 ⭐ 

[PlotTwistMija]

Island of Skulls was a really fun continuation of Tom’s story. I loved the island setting and how it transformed from a simple treasure hunt into a thrilling fight for survival. The traps, hidden caves, and constant danger kept the adventure moving, and I especially enjoyed having the Corsair leading the mission. Tom’s growth was my favorite part of the book, watching him evolve from the boy he believed he was into someone willing to step up as a true leader made the ending especially satisfying.

There were a few moments where I wasn’t completely sure what was happening, but the action, the twists, and seeing former enemies forced to unite against a much greater threat more than made up for it. Overall, this was an exciting adventure with great character development, and I’m looking forward to seeing where Tom’s journey goes next.

[Cheryl Bagley]

First, I want to thank NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book early. Wow! Adventure and mayhem abound in this middle grade book. The houses within the School for Shadow Thieves have been sent to different locations. This book follows Guile house to Skull Island in search of a mythical treasure. Read the book to find out what they find and the adventures and danger they face along the way. This one is just as good as the first one!

[Rachel Stites]

Thank you to netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Aladdin for this digital copy. I
loved this book, it was very entertaining. Reading books is my favorite, and this book kept me entertained. I loved the part when the twins ended up betraying them, and when the Coursair got rescued. This book had lots of twists and I give it 5 stars. -13 year old son