The Guild of Thieves

by Mattias Luukkonen

On the morning of his fifteenth birthday, Tanase Balan expects to begin his future as an apprentice in his father’s medical practice. Before noon, that future is gone. By nightfall, it has given way to a quest for revenge.



When soldiers of the provincial ruler Lord Danesti murder Tanase’s parents and abduct his little sister, Tanase escapes with nothing but the clothes on his back. Alone and desperate, he knows he’s living on borrowed time as he tries to survive. But after stealing food at the local market, he is confronted by a mysterious man with an enticing continue living like an outlaw until you’re caught, or join our secret society, and we will help you avenge your family.



Tanase is trained in the arts of theft and deception, while a bold plan to unseat the Danesti family from power is slowly being hatched. Smuggled into the lord’s impregnable treasury, Tanase is tasked with stealing the royal scepter that is entrusted to Danesti’s care. But standing in his way is Radu, a brutal enemy who wants him dead, and the discovery that his sister is still alive, imprisoned inside the castle.



Now Tanase must choose between completing the mission that would give him retribution or risking everything to save the only family he has left.

208 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 12, 2026

About the author

Mattias Luukkonen was born in Sweden and grew up in Vejbystrand, an idyllic fishing village on the west coast. He studied microbiology at Lund University and molecular biology at the Karolinska Institute School of Medicine in Stockholm and the European Molecular Biology Institute in Heidelberg, Germany. He moved to California in 1999 and in 2002, graduated from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California.

Although he spends most of his days drafting mind-bogglingly boring contracts, he has always had a keen interest in fiction writing that was initially encouraged by an amazing middle school teacher. In 2014, when work forced him to spend far too much time alone in hotel rooms in San Francisco's East Bay, he one night picked up the laptop and started writing what would become his first adult full-length novel, Uncommon Good, about a grisly murder and the forensic clues that lead a snarky young defense lawyer to the mind-bending truth. Uncommon Justice followed a couple of years later, featuring the same protagonist, this time trying to defend a friend charged with murder ... the only problem being the friend does not want to be defended and seems hellbent on going to prison.

Mattias is a partner in a global law firm. When not writing contracts or books, he is an ardent student of wine and has been awarded the prestigious WSET Diploma from the Wine and Spirit Educational Trust. He lives in Rancho Santa Fe, California, with his wife.

Reviews

[Dean Vargo]

From Revenge to True Retribution and Mysteries Solved

‘Guild of Thieves’ by Mattias Luukkonen isa detailed adventure that guides the reader through Tanase Balan’s intense training and quest leads him to discovery of his kidnapped sister Raluca. Much like real life, circumstances change plans.

I like how the author offers a major clue in the beginning, pus it on ice through Tanase Balan’s moral complexities, then offers it again at the end to lend the reader a glimpse into the next adventure!

Luukkonen’s patient narrative style is absent foul language or profanity, which in my opinion will make it stand the test of time. The text is highlighted depth, creating layers that will be appreciated by mature readers. Consequently, I recommend for late teen and up.

4.5 stars for a solid effort!