House of Thieves: A Novel

by Charles Belfoure

"The world of old New York comes alive in this beguiling tale of mystery and intrigue... Charles Belfoure definitely has the touch."―Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The Patriot Threat and The Lincoln Myth Gangs of New York meets The Age of Innocence as a society architect in 1880s Manhattan is forced to join a gritty crime ring in this historical thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Architect ! In 1886 New York, a respectable architect shouldn't have any connection to the notorious gang of thieves and killers that rules the underbelly of the city. But when John Cross's son racks up an unfathomable gambling debt to Kent's Gents, Cross must pay it back himself. All he has to do is use his inside knowledge of high society mansions and museums to craft a robbery even the smartest detectives won't solve―the bigger the payout, the faster this will be over. As he hones his talent for sniffing out vulnerable and lucrative targets, Cross becomes invaluable to the gang. But his entire life has become a balancing act, and it will only take one mistake for it all to come crashing down. A fast-paced historical mystery, House of Thieves is perfect for the book club that loved A Gentleman in Moscow and The Art Forger , blending fine society with a brilliant cast of dubious characters. Also by Charles The Paris Architect The Fallen Architect

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Historical, Crime, Adult, Mystery Thriller

432 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

Charles Belfoure is the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Architect, House of Thieves and The Fallen Architect. An architect by profession, he graduated from the Pratt Institute and Columbia University, and he taught at Pratt as well as Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. His area of specialty is historic preservation. In addition to his historical fiction, Belfoure is also the award-winning author of several architectural histories, and has been a freelance writer for The Baltimore Sun and The New York Times. He lives in Westminster, Maryland.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[Ladybug Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Has a good premise but the author doesn't follow through on the good start. He repeats details and the writing is pedestrian. It is too unbelievable that the entire family would independently get involved in the underworld.

[Dorie - Cats&Books :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

House of Thieves is an historical thriller set is 1880’s New York. The main protagonist John Cross is a well established and admired architect who has set high standards in his career as well as his personal life. Being the architect to those in New York’s high society comes with lots of unwritten rules and expectations. One blemish on your record publically or personally can send you spiraling downward quickly, especially when you are a distant relation

On the eve of celebrating his oldest child’s graduation from university, John is approached by what appears to be a gentleman wanting to discuss his son’s future. He quickly finds out that this man, James Kent, is indeed a gangster who has his son being help captive for excessive gambling debts accrued during college which he has failed to pay back. He assures John that his son, George, will be killed if the amount isn’t paid. The amount is staggering and Cross does not have the amount they desire to release his son. But upon finding that John is an architect plans are hatched that will allow him to pay back the loan if he will help the mob with robberies based on his knowledge of building plans.

Initially I was very intrigued with the story. I particularly liked reading about the architecture of the period and the detailed descriptions of the life in the 19th century for the wealthy and the poor. The first few “exploits” also kept me turning pages.

Later we learn that his son has continued his gambling habits and other members of his family are also exploring the world outside of what is acceptable behavior for their class. It was at the point, when even the youngest son begins to explore the underside of the city, that I began to find the story just too unbelievable. It just doesn’t seem feasible that the entire family decides, independently, and at the same time to step outside of the confines of their class. However it does bring up the question of how well we really know even our own family members.

There is some great writing here, descriptions of buildings with hidden rooms, vaults, passages, etc were very interesting and the main character is very well developed.

If the book had perhaps been edited down to fewer exploits by Cross and the team I would have enjoyed it more. Still it was an enjoyable read with lots of facts about New York in the 19th century

[Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gambling debts, robbery rings, and high society​ and​​ ​thugs​ blending together​ for a marvelous read.

HOUSE OF THIEVES takes us back to the late 1800's when women needed escorts and ​when ​men were their protectors. The men definitely​ protected their wives and families and​ kept secrets from them as they carried out their days.

The secret John Cross kept from his wife​, though,​ was one he couldn't keep for long. When he returned home one evening with bruises and cuts, John had to tell his wife about his "deal" with Kent. The secret he kept was that their son, George, had racked up a gambling debt that he couldn't pay, and Kent came to John with ​a ​deal John wasn't able to pass up.

John wasn't able to pass it up because it was a good deal. John wasn't able to pass it up because ​it was a deal that he had to ​accept to ​keep his family safe. If he didn't go along with Kent, John saw what​ Kent was capable of.

The deal took every waking minute of John's time and was something he would never dream of doing or being a part of.​ If he got caught, he would ruin his family, but better to be ruined than dead.

The characters ​seemed quite authentic. John Cross made me afraid for him, Kent was despicable and ruthless, George made me angry that he would continue to ​do what he did to ​put his family​ in this situation even​ after his father told him he knew​ of his dangerous obsession​.​ Kent seemed as if he were just playing John Cross and his son's debt would never be settled, but John Cross had to keep finding homes and banks to rob so his family was safe.

You will get pulled into the time period and the storyline as you wonder how someone could be as evil and cunning as Kent and ​as your ​fear for John Cross​ and his family mounts.​
.​
Mr. Belfoure has authored another intriguing, well-​written, captivating​ book. Mr. Belfoure​ pulls you in with his marvelous research and storyline about the life styles of the wealthy as well as the poor during this era.

​If you enjoy being treated to history, an alluring storyline, and an "oh my goodness" ending, HOUSE OF THIEVES will take you there.

One chapter after another keeps you mesmerized as unbelievable, possible events happen. 5/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review. ​

[Lewis Weinstein · Rating 2 out of 5]

In the beginning, this seemed like it would be a good read, but that did not last. I found the plot repetitive and not believable, and no characters were likable, except for the unfortunate detective. I only finished reading because of an obligation to my book club. My hope that the entire Cross family would be arrested was dashed by a less than satisfactory ending. The descriptions of New York in the 1880s were excellent.

Not even close to “The Paris Architect” which I found to be a well conceived and thrilling plot very well told.

[Meredith (Trying to catch up!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The House of Thieves is pure fun! This novel offers a modern take (filled with winks and nods) on Old New York society. I highly recommend!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked The Paris Architect so I was eager to read this new novel by Charles Belfoure. I wanted so badly to like it but, for me, it was only an ok story.

It started off in 1886 New York and the reader is bombarded with every conceivable name of note from both sides of society. There were lots of snippets of information that felt like research regurgitated without a context in this story.

Then as I read on the story felt like it was written at a very young level. I've read in a couple of places that this actually might be written for younger readers as well but if that is the case then perhaps the subject matter is not totally appropriate (opium dens, prostitutes, rat-baiting, etc).

There were some really fun aspects to the story and the title tie in made for a fun twist.

Sadly, this one wasn't a favorite.

[martin eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took that book because I was interested in reading a novel written by an architect. I was wondering if his writing style would be influenced by his job. And I also wanted to plunge again into New York of the 19th century: gangs, Irish people, newcomers, social class struggle, aristocrats, etc. I was fully satisfied!
Belfoure's book is like a mansion where the small chapters would be rooms leading to the ballroom which would be the end, the conclusion. These small chapters are quite disturbing at the beginning (I'm too used to read books with very long chapters). But they increase the suspense as we are going from one character to another one very rapidly so it was actually a great idea.
I also liked to see how Belfoure was closing the trap, leading his characters (and the reader) to a dead end, making them dive into the world of crime.

[Vonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Paris Architect was much better. But this was still good. More to say at a later date.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars! Can you give 6?
I absolutely loved this book! First of all, you've got a society family with a son with a gambling problem who's gonna die until he tells Kent that his dad is an architect. Then Kent decides the dad can pay the son's debts by getting him into banks and houses. Then the daughter is mesmerized when she sees a good looking pickpocket at work and starts hanging out with him. Then you've got a younger son who makes friends with an urchin on the street and learns the ways of stealing and getting by as a street person. Then the mother finds out what the father is doing and gets involved by telling the father who has the best stuff and where they keep it. And then you have a House of Thieves. Of course, that's just a slight overview of what the whole book is about. It's about so much more.

I picked this book up this morning and I just could not put it down. It was just so good. I loved the family - that family that steals together loves together, HA! There were some laugh out moments and definitely some sad moments and even more definitely some moments when you just wanted to slap the crap out of the oldest kid, the little weasel.

I loved this author's first book and was excited to get this one. However, this one had a much different tone. It wasn't as serious. I actually liked it a whole lot better and I loved the first one. If this dude can keep pumping them out and they keep getting better, where's he been all this time? I've been waiting for you! HA!!! Kudo's on a great job on your second book!

Thanks to Sourcebooks and Net Galley for providing me a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review. I highly recommend this entertaining and enjoyable read!

[Claire - The Coffeeholic Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the 1880s, House of Thieves introduced us to the successful architect, John Cross and his family of misfits. Well, at first I thought they were harmless, until we get to meet his son, George who's got tangled up in a web of thugs, debts, and organized crime. In order to settle his huge debt, George revealed his father's profession and their connections. The gangsters made a deal with his father. Soon, a family living in simplicity became engrossed in pickpockets, sleight of hand and robberies until they became a bunch of thieves.

At first this book reminds me of Ocean Eleven movie and the Heist Society novel by Ally Carter. But as the story progressed, my thoughts changed and I soon found myself wondering how this family could pull off a big time heist.

I liked how this book was written. It was descriptive, thus making it easy for me to imagine and see what the characters were doing. The book also makes you think and guess and fail. It makes me say, "Oh golly, I didn't know that!" "Oh Yes!" "Oh No!" "This is great!"

Clarles Belfoure set up the pace to high-profile action-crime stories and I applaud him for keeping me interested with Cross's family until the last page of the book. Thumbs up!

[Skip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nowhere near as good as The Paris Architect. John Cross is a successful architect in late 19th century New York City. His son George has accumulated substantial gambling debts, and his creditor (gentleman gangster James Kent) forces John to set up robberies of prominent New York citizens using his architectural expertise. The entire Cross family seems opposed to the strict social mores of the times, the so-called Knickerbocker code, and each has found a diversion. John's brother is a Pinkerton detective and is called upon to stop the crime wave. I thought the ending was silly, but liked the location/event.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charles Belfoure ("The Paris Architect") is an architect by profession and training, and that comes through in his entertaining but paper-thin second novel, "House of Thieves."

The good news is that Mr. Belfoure has a command of setting and the ability to create a terrific potboiler of a plot. As an architect, it should be no surprise that Mr. Belfoure has an eye for detail. In "House of Thieves," the New York City of the late 19th century comes alive. A successful architect, John Cross, lives the stereotypical life of a society gentleman. He is respected and wealthy, but he must be stoic on the outside - a single whiff of scandal will see him and his entire family exiled forever from the good standing among the Knickerbocker families. His wife, Helen, is brilliant and gorgeous, but John more or less ignores her because society expects him to (and forces both of them into stupidly rigid roles). His eldest son, George, is a Harvard graduate and seems destined to be a great academic. His daughter, Julia, will be the belle of the New York society debutante scene, and his younger son Charlie is cute and adorable.

But all the Crosses have their own sins (get the pun?) that threaten to bring ruin to all. Worst of all is George's gambling addiction, which puts him in hock to the criminal underworld. To pay off his son's debts, John must use his knowledge of building design to help the gangsters rob from the elite of New York society. And, of course, once Cross proves that he's pretty good at it, the gangsters find ways to keep him part of the family . . . or else his will be erased forever.

All this is great stuff, and there are other departures from the Straight and Narrow for the other members of the Cross clan.

As long as Belfoure describes what people are doing or the world they are living in, "House of Thieves" is a fine, first-rate entertainment. Belfoure offers a lot of Architecture 101, but he never does so at the expense of the plot or story, and he has a keen sense for the Upstairs/Downstairs life of Manhattan at the time.

But, unfortunately, when Belfoure's characters talk to each other, the sand gets in the gears, often painfully so. Writing dialogue is extremely difficult, and the dialogue of "House of Thieves" is workmanlike at best. Belfoure unfortunately underlines his dialogue with adverbs, such as: "'I am so sorry . . . ,' he said apologetically." He already said that he's sorry - why throw in "apologetically"? Dialogue is too often used for the recitation of basic facts - the exposition gets old.

Belfoure also doesn't quite have a handle on his characters. The Crosses are a mercurial bunch. One moment, John Cross is an out-of-shape flabby architect, the next he's putting pistol shots through a window from a moving elevated train car. Cross learns that he enjoys the thrills of stealing, but at other times he's horrified by what he's done. I'm fine with people vacillating, but the problem with Cross is that he seems to forget either that he enjoys stealing or was bothered by it . . . he just bounces from one emotion to another. And this pervades all the Crosses - each of them in their own way finds their way to a double life, and it all goes far too easy for them except for the occasional passage of unease.

Supporting characters are for the most part threadbare, and once their use is up Belfoure can dispose of them with unseemly speed . . . the body count of "House of Thieves" is pretty high, but Belfoure is content to rip off the bandage rather than build a more appropriate level of tension and terror.

All in all, "House of Thieves" is a good book. I hope Hollywood pays attention - with a first-rate screenwriter, this could be adapted into one hell of an entertaining movie. (Heavily adapted, mind you.)

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

House of Thieves is a fascinating leap into the Gilded Age in New York City. The author, Charles Belfoure, is an architect like the main character, John Cross. The Cross family is related to the famed Knickerbocker who established a strict code of manners that guided the lives of high society. They are also related to the Astors who were nouveau riche.

John Cross’s son, George, lacks the artistic ability needed for architecture picked mathematics and graduated from Harvard. He thought that he had an advantage when it came to gambling, his knowledge of the laws of probabity. But instead of discouraging him, he saw only the possibilities of winning. He quickly falls into debt to a loan shark. He runs up an enormous debt of $47,000 which is a huge number in those days. The head of the criminal gang (Kent’s Gents), James T. Gent has the idea of making the father, John Cross to pay it off with architectural expertise and personal knowledge of the buildings to be robbed.

John Cross, shocked and upset with his son can see no way out other than to help the criminal. He naively thinks that things will return to normal after the debt it paid. One by one, different members of the family get exposed to the lower class and criminal activities. But each tries to keep it a secret from the others. What we learn besides what the gangs were like during the 1880s, about the strict code that the upper class was supposed to live by is the incredible poverty that forces children out onto the street to fend for themselves. The author lures us into to this what may seem a simple story at the beginning but turns out to be a complex of family relationships and the trap of getting out of robbery and gambling as difficult as freeing yourself from the mess from a spilled bottle of glue. I highly recommend it, it is engaging, entertaining and you will learn about the Gilded Age.

I received this Advance Copy of House of Thieves as a winner of a contest on the condition that I answer a set of questions about book and sharing my thoughts in social media and on other reading websites.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This man can tell a story! I didn't find it totally believable, but I did find it totally enjoyable. Set in the 1880s it gives the readers a sense of what it was like to live in New York City in that time period. From the many sometimes suffocating rules of etiquette for the upper classes to the stifling poverty of the lowest classes you can get a good sense of that time and place. The story itself is a page-turner. Architect John Cross is approached by a member of a New York gang and given an offer he daren't refuse. Use his architectural knowledge of the buildings of the city to help the gang plan robberies to pay off a huge gambling debt incurred by his son George. The author is an architect and there is a fair amount of architectural description in the book, but this serves to enlighten the readers and not to bog them down with too much jargon. The characters are well-drawn though not always likeable. I think this would appeal to readers of historical fiction as well as those of good suspense novels.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't as grand and excellent as the Paris Architect by same author but it is always so hard to compare books. The stories are not even close.
But this is a good historian tale of New York City in the late 1880's. I loved reading about buildings, the high society, the rules, butlers, housemaids, chamber pots and gangsters.
It seemed a little far fetched on some of the story details the most obvious and annoying one is the cost of some things seemed either oddly low or insanely high for the time period. Uhmm those boys got a ten dollar bill back then in their pocket (in the 80's I babysat for a dollar an hour) or the cat cost just a few dollars. Even the gambling seemed too out of control for the day. Who gambles away $48,000 back then when you just get out of college. That was a fortune back then, so the finances did not seem accurate to me, I can overlook that for a good tale of deceit and thrill of the steal!

[Laurie • The Baking Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Review: The premise of an upper class professional suddenly forced to use his knowledge of New York City's elite to work with a crime boss in order to save his son was quite intriguing to me. Belfoure is an architect himself and like his first novel, The Paris Architect (2013), his protagonist in this novel is also an architect.

Belfoure's love of architecture is apparent throughout the book with the descriptions of architectural details of buildings during New York City's Gilded Age. While they were sprinkled throughout the book they weren't overdone or took over the story and I quite enjoyed getting a view of a much younger New York City. The reader is also given details about other aspects of life during that time: the Pinkertons, the debut of the Statue of Liberty, the rampant poverty in some areas as well as a look into the lives of New York's upper crust and how blatantly ignorant and bigoted they were to those less fortunate.

I'd have to say that I was surprised that this book was a much lighter historical fiction read than I was expecting. It was much more in line with Josephine Cox's style of writing and not as captivating as I was hoping especially after reading and enjoying The Paris Architect at the beginning of this year. Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed many of Cox's books over the years but I was expecting something more from Belfoure. More history. More energy, believable characters and a more realistic story line.

The realism is what bothered me the most with this book. I just couldn't get behind the idea that so many people from this upper crust family suddenly, and independent of each other, decide to leave their comfortable (and yes stifling and restrictive) world to hang out with people much, much lower on the social scale. We're talking about debutantes enjoying watching rat baiting and a rich kid eagerly learning the art of pick pocketing from a Fagin-type character. I just couldn't get behind the changes in their characters. There were too many double lives happening within one family to be believable and the ending was tied up too nicely.

Even though this wasn't my favourite Belfoure novel House of Thieves kept my interest and showed the lengths parents will go to protect their children and I liked it. This would make a good beach read for fans of lighter historical fiction who enjoy period pieces set during 19th century America.

My Rating: 3/5 stars

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to SourceBooks and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary e-book copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

**This book review can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca) where I share hundreds of book reviews and my favourite recipes. **

[Terri Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah.what satisfaction it is to read another excellent novel by Charles Belfoure. I adored his novel The Paris Architect which I highly recommend and now have had the pleasure of being introduced to some remarkably well drawn characters in this book.

Like the lead character in The Paris Architect and like the author himself, our antihero here is an architect John Cross who is leading an upper crust lifestyle in New York in 1886 and tied, along with wife Helen, daughter Julia (17), Charlie (10), and a grown son George who has just graduated from Harvard. They seem to be a prim and proper family following all of the dictates of high society headed by Aunt Caroline Astor when all hell breaks loose in their lives.

Part of what happens is because of idiotic George and his gambling addiction but part of it is a strong dissatisfaction with the burdens of living within the tight constraints of the upper class lifestyle which is both artificial and boring. George owes $48,000 in gambling debt to a high society criminal named Kent who runs a successful criminal ring called Kent's Gents. When George is kidnapped and Cross is approached to save his son by helping the gang rob homes of the rich that he had designed, banks he designed, museums and more, he wants to save George but balks at the idea of the robbing. He tries to see the Astor family's lawyer who planned to tell police but the next day Cross finds the dead head of a terrified looking lawyer in a block of ice delivered to his home and gets the message.

Cross had not being close and intimate with his gorgeous wife Helen who was preparing their 17 year old Julia for her coming out but before we know it, society matron Helen is giddy with delight at helping John plan and he is so excited, he makes love to her. As George continues to create more gambling debt, Julia follows and meets a thief she falls for who introduces her to the seedy side of town while Charlie gets involved with a young newspaper boy/thief who lives in a boiler (no kidding!) and before long, the whole family has gotten involved in crime.

Unfortunately for John, Kent has no intention of ever letting him leave the group, another thug group leader wants to recruit John for his group (or kill him if he won't), and John's brother Robert comes to town as a Pinkerton officer seeking to solve the crimes. Uh oh.

You won't be able to put this down. I kept being stunned be events on page after page. I only hope that Charles Belfoure is hard at work writing the next book!

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

House Of Thieves
By
Charles Belfoure


What it's all about...

Seriously? This book is about an architect...John Cross...who enters into a "life" of crime with a gangster...James Kent...to save his son. His son...George...has amassed huge gambling debts. The time period for this book is the late 1800's. John's hand was forced by an evil and chilling gangster disguised as a gentleman. Just wait until you read about the "mistaken" ice delivery...then you will understand what I am talking about. Of course John's son...George...doesn't learn his lesson at all which means that even more gambling exploits are ahead for him. That is not good for John and the rest of the family. Sigh! And then the exploits of the rest of the family? You won't believe them! And George Cross...did he learn his lesson? Did he stop gambling? Hmmm....

Why I wanted to read it...

I wanted to read this book because it sounded intriguing. I loved this author's style...the book mixed serious issues with humor. I loved reading about NYC during this time period. The houses, the dinners, the coming out parties, the dresses...the lives of these characters were incredibly interesting. The bad guys were really bad for that time...and the good guys battled with their consciences and struggled...especially John...at first.

What made me truly enjoy this book...

I loved the gangster who had a price for his evil deeds...$19.00 to break a leg...$15.00 to bite off an ear...the list goes on and on. The edginess of this book was good, too. I guess bad guys never really change. That under current of threatening behavior? James Kent was brilliant at it.

Why you might want to read it, too...

Readers who love "heist" kinds of novels...breaking into banks, stealing treasures, stealing art...should love reading this book. I enjoyed this book but didn't really love it.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mesmerizing entertaining read! Set in the Gilded Age this page-turner filled with the glitz and glamour of the monied where a whisper of a scandal shuns them from their privileged position meets the grittiness of the underworld as architect John Cross will have to successfully navigate both worlds to repay his son’s gambling debts and save his family. I greedily read this suspenseful tale in one night as I was anxious to see how the “arrangement” would play out for George, especially as intriguing actions by his family and the appearance of an estranged brother pushes the plot along in delightfully unanticipated ways. Ethical dilemmas, family loyalty, and desperation are the backdrop for murder, greed, deceit and duplicity facing the characters. The author’s architectural eye provides the vivid detail of the buildings and streets making them as important as the characters. Kudos to the author for keeping me in the time and place of this tremendously fun book so much I did not mind when the actions seem a little less than plausible. This is my first read by the author but I will definitely looking forward to reading more of his books. I recommend this book to readers looking to immerse themselves in a gripping amusing storyline that satisfies on all counts.

[Ruth Casie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the New York City of 1886, John Cross, a successful architect related to the well-heeled Astors finds his life of predictability turned upside down when his son has racked up an overwhelming gambling debt to James T. Kent. Prompted to save his son’s life and his family’s good name he makes a pack with Kent, to use his knowledge of high society’s mansion and museums to craft a robbery event even New York’s finest won’t be able to solve. But the greedy villain wants more of John Cross’s talents. One slip and Cross can lose everything.

I haven’t read historical fiction in a while but I was intrigued with the back cover copy of this book and I was not disappointed. There is a very clear sense of the social requirements and NYC in this era. I thoroughly enjoyed the character growth of Cross and his wife from a formal, distant society couple, to a devoted pair that are as thick as thieves (smile). Well done.

I received an ARC at the BEA in New York.

[Jacqie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was set in late nineteenth century New York. To me, it read like a poor man's Edith Wharton. The descriptions of houses and society's conventional mores reminded me strongly of The Age of Innocence. However, the writing in House of Thieves is serviceable, but not enjoyable. It felt just a bit clunky. The plot is also serviceable: an architect is drawn in by a crime lord who is threatening to kill his son over a gambling debt. To repay this debt, the architect reveals the secrets of how to access the structures he's designed, maybe also with a word on when the occupants will be gone. I confess I didn't get much beyond the set-up. While the concept is interesting, the writing didn't draw me back and honestly, having read Edith Wharton, the contrast between her insightful and sophisticated work and this book, which is just supposed to be pulpy and fun, is glaring.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[JanB · Rating 3 out of 5]

As payment for his son's gambling debts, an architect uses insider knowledge to help a gang of thieves pull off heists. Meanwhile his wife and children, unbeknownst to one another, also discover the thrill of a life of crime.

I liked it, didn't love it. It was well-written but I didn't like it as well as the author's first book, The Paris Architect. He lost me when I couldn't buy into the premise that independently of one another the entire family would get involved in the criminal underworld. And enjoy it. But if, unlike me, you can suspend disbelief, it would be a great read that makes the The Gilded Age, with the stark contrast between the have and have-nots, come alive.

[Lisa Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Architect, Teacher and Author Charles Belfoure sets the House of Thieves in New York in the 1880's. This book was original, beautifully written and my favorite of 2016 so far. The beauty of fiction is creativity and latitude; as a lover of adult fiction I want my realty suspended. details thought provoking, action and sex sprinkled into the story and characters who I'd like to become in my own fantasy world. Belfoure delivers on all accounts as his writing style is not strictly genre or literary but somewhere wonderfully in between.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, captivating work of historical fiction which takes the reader into high society and crime in nineteenth century New York.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any book that can draw me in from the beginning and can keep me going is a great book to me. It is an historical novel set in the late 1800's in New York City. I think the author did a wonderful job of contrasting the high society set to the downtrodden of the city. A fun read, in my opinion.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an exciting historical novel set in Gilded Age New York City. I am usually very nit-picky about fiction set in this era as not all authors are attentive to detail. They set the social season in the wrong time of year or have their unmarried female characters walk around unchaperoned. But I can find no fault with Belfoure's historical knowledge. It is spot-on and immaculate.

So many historical novels focus on affluent young people, willful aristocrats, impetuous heroines, lots of flirtations.... thinly-disguised romance novels, basically. It's refreshing that the protagonist of this novel is a married middle-aged architect, a lower-ranking member of the elite, related to the Astors by marriage. He is prosperous but keeps only four servants which is very few for a 19th-century family of means. John Cross is forced into a life of crime to pay off his son's gambling debts. Although he resents being compelled to commit acts of thievery using his architectural expertise of grand homes, at the same time, he finds himself thrilled by the endeavors. He confides in his wife and she too becomes addicted to the thrill of stealing from their wealthy friends.

The Cross children are secondary characters. George, the gambler, has a despicable problem and might have paid his debts many times over but for the fact that he does not know when to stop, so he inevitably loses it all again and again. And yet he has good qualities. He teaches poor children for the Children's Aid Society and genuinely enjoys doing so, generously buying them candy and treats with his own money. He openly dates a high-class courtesan and does not conceal his relationship with her. He is a mixed bag. The youngest son, Charlie, tells his family he is at dance or art lessons but really is cavorting with his newsie friend, learning to sell papers, to swim in the East River, and to catch rats to sell to the rat pit. Julia, the Cross daughter, also consorts with a gentlemanly pickpocket, John Nolan, attending rat baiting, cock fights, and other low-class entertainment.

The three children seem to enjoy slumming. Even their grandmother, Julia's escort, is fond of smoking opium and happily remains at a well-appointed opium den while Julia walks out with John Nolan, which would normally be forbidden to an unmarried lady.

The end feels a bit rushed, as Cross takes desperate measures to free his family from the threat of George's debtor Kent, who threatens to murder the Cross family if his debt is not paid. But even when the debt is paid, he refuses to release Cross from his thieving duties, leading Cross to take desperate measures.

The problem is that Cross enjoys thieving and it's not clear why he must take such drastic actions to free himself from doing what he continues to do anyway. In fact it becomes a family endeavor with Charlie and John Nolan helping to execute burglaries. It is true that Cross does not murder, unlike Kent and his gang, but he clearly isn't bothered by stealing from his own friends, justifying it with the fact that they are wealthy enough to replace all that was stolen. He doesn't need the money. The thrill of crime did revive his flagging marriage, as his wife is just as addicted to it as he is. The Cross family is not exactly a heroic lot. That makes them more realistic, as they aren't entirely good, they are a mixed bag. But it struck me as odd that Cross was so desperate to end his criminal obligations to Kent, but once Kent was no longer a threat, he kept right on stealing even though he doesn't need the money.

I think a few more chapters at the end would have helped the ending seem more plausible. It was an exciting page-turner of a read.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy novel set in Old New York, be sure not to miss House of Thieves by Charles Belfoure. This historical thriller mash-up is a pure delight. John Cross is a respected architect in 1886 New York. Related to both the Astor family, nouveau riche but certainly defining the current mores, and the Knickerbockers, responsible for the code of manners that defines the upper classes, Cross is enjoying his successes, both personally and professionally, when he receives the jolt of a lifetime. Contacted by James T. Kent, Cross learns that his son George, a recent graduate of Harvard, has amassed a large gambling debt owed to Kent’s Gents, a notorious gang. Kent, also a society man, will let George, and the rest of Cross’s family, live with the condition that the architect use his knowledge of building design to recoup the balance of George’s debt. With each robbery Cross becomes more and more valuable to the gang, and Cross struggles to balance the two parts of his life. Meanwhile, Cross’s daughter and youngest son become entangled in the unseemly side of New York. Will Cross be discovered and ruin the family position in society? From the mansions surrounding Central Park, to the Opium dens and gambling halls, Belfoure explores the problems that plagued the city in the 1880s. Full of period detail and populated with unique characters, House of Thieves is an entertaining, fast paced read that should not be missed.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The House of Thieves by Charles Belfoure is a story about the double lives a family chooses to live. Set in New York City in 1886, the story involves the wealthy high society and the scum of the criminal world. John Cross is a wealthy architect whose son George has a serious gambling addiction. In order to save his son, he chooses to repay his debt to James T. Kent by joining his notorious gang of thieves. Cross uses his architectural knowledge to help Kent rob the homes of his wealthy friends. Kent has an insatiable appetite for murder and theft and will not allow Cross to be free of him. With the help of his entire family, Cross finds a way of escape.

I really enjoyed this book. It has a interesting and rich array of characters and it is very well-written. I particularly enjoyed the historical setting for the story. The book is rich with discussions of the architecture of the period, the life of New York high society and the norms that dictated their lives, the poverty and homeless conditions of so many in the city, and the criminal world of drugs, gambling, and thievery.

A most enjoyable read. Highly recommended.

[Margo Tanenbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the Paris Architect and looked forward to Belfoure's next novel. Like the Paris Architect, this is historical fiction with an architectural focus; i.e. once again the protagonist is an architect and his knowledge of architecture figures extensively in the plot. Set in New York in the Gilded Age, the plot revolves around a society family whose son has gotten into trouble gambling, accruing a large debt held by some gangsters. The only way the father can save the son is by joining the gangster's gang of thieves, and providing inside architectural knowledge to break into his wealthy society friends' houses. As the plot develops, the daughter and younger son also become involved, separately, with criminal elements of the city, until the whole household winds up involved in this underworld. The book is well researched and highly entertaining, but the coincidence of all the family members becoming involved in the nefarious underworld of New York seems a stretch to the realism of the plot. Still, recommended as an entertaining read, if not great literature.

[Ray Palen · Rating 4 out of 5]

1886 New York City is nicely depicted in this literary thriller by Charles Belfoure.

Architect John Cross learns of his son George's enormous gambling debt to the head of the gang called Kent's Gents and agrees to do anything to repay the sum. In turn, John's son and family will not be harmed --- but at what price? Kent utilizes the successful architect to help select places to rob --- the richer the better. Just when John Cross thinks the debt is repaid he quickly learns Kent had no intention of ever letting him go and make Cross a permanent member of the gang.

Making matters worse is the fact that John's brother, Robert, is a Pinkerton Agent working to take down the gangs of NYC. How will John get out of this deadly arrangement without he or his family being harmed? It is that question which keeps the pages turning in this terrific thriller that consistently surprises right up to the very end.