Cursed Saint Caper

Nanshe Chronicles #3

by Jessie Kwak

Wanted: a cursed saint's relics. Easy money, right?

Helping a holy order find a missing sister should be a simple enough job—and Ruby owes the Aymaya Apostles everything after they took her and her brother in as children.

Simple enough, until the missing holy sister's trail takes an unexpected turn, landing Ruby and the rest of the crew in the middle of a high-society soiree—and into the crosshairs of Ruby's ex girlfriend, Kitty. Something sinister is lurking beneath the surface of whatever Kitty and the missing holy sister are caught up in, and the skills of the entire crew are soon put to the test when they go head to head with the ultimate con artist.

Their prize for winning? Well, it might just be a curse.

Genres: Science Fiction

306 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2022

About the author

Jessie Kwak has always lived in imaginary lands, from Arrakis and Ankh-Morpork to Earthsea, Tatooine, and now Portland, Oregon. As a writer, she sends readers on their own journeys to immersive worlds filled with fascinating characters, gunfights, explosions, and dinner parties. When she’s not raving about her latest favorite sci-fi series to her friends, she can be found sewing, mountain biking, or out exploring new worlds both at home and abroad.

She is the author of supernatural thriller From Earth and Bone, the Bulari Saga series of gangster sci-fi novels, and productivity guide From Chaos to Creativity. You can learn more about her at www.jessiekwak.com, or follow her on Twitter (@jkwak).

Reviews

[Karen Eisenbrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am hooked on the Nanshe Chronicles. Every book in the series has been engaging, entertaining, and touching. Cursed Saint Caper is no exception!

Aya Marga, a member of the convent that raised Ruby and Alex, is missing, along with the convent’s funds. The crew of the Nanshe signs on to look for her. Clues gleaned from a book Marga was writing lead to a prominent spiritual adviser to the rich and successful, and a retreat she’s hosting on a distant station. Is it a con? A cult? Or could she really be the reincarnation of a saint? Everybody goes undercover to investigate, rescue, and maybe run a con of their own.

I especially enjoy the found family of lovable, capable misfits that makes up the crew of the Nanshe. They’re a wonderful ensemble cast, each with a distinct voice and concerns, coming together as a solid team built on trust. It is so much fun when they use their criminal skills for good. The simmering romance between Raj and Lasadi continues to entice and frustrate. I’m rooting for them!

[Regina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent adventure!

While book #2 had a more Indiana-Jones-adventure-y feel, Cursed Saint Caper gave me more of a "Leverage" vibe - which I found equally entertaining as the previous books.
Seeing Ruby and Raj go undercover - to help out the convent where Ruby and Alex grew up and find their missing aya - was a lot of fun, and the story kept me up way past my bedtime.

I loved seeing the crew grow even closer yet over the course of this new adventure, and I appreciate how they are truly becoming this tight-knit (found) family I can't help but root for. I especially enjoyed getting to know Ruby better, her POV chapters offered some insights I had not expected.
And as much as I like Las and Raj, I hope we get to spend some extra time with the other crew members in the future, too. :)

This series has me hooked for sure, and I can't (don't want to) wait for the next book!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the latest adventure for the Nanshe crew, an aya is missing from the convent that Alex and Ruby grew up in. It is under mysterious circumstances, but the crew discovers a suspicious group that might be involved, especially since the leader is obsessed with Saint Alixhi, which is the aya’s speciality. Going undercover, Ruby and Raj pose as a rich couple, and need the help of Ruby’s ex, Kitty and her brother, the reluctant Absolon, and all of the skills the crew can bring to bear on the problem. This is a dangerous mission, but with this crew nothing will stop them from bringing home all its members, no matter what. We get some more relationship tension between Raj and Lasadi, which leads to wondering if this couple will ever figure out that they're perfect for each other? Of course I think they’ll figure it out, they’re smart people, they just have a lot of baggage to get rid of first. This was another fun, action-filled adventure and I look forward to reading more of the Nanshe Chronicles soon.

[Shaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my absolute favorite authors and series from 2022! The Nanshe Chronicles follow the adventures of Lasadi and her growing crew of accomplices on the not-quite-pirate ship-but-definitely-less-than-legit vessel Nanshe as they ping from caper to caper across known space.

In Volume 3, we find that as usual, no good deed goes unpunished -- and it can be hard to figure out what 'good' is, anyway. This was another chapter in a series of excellent, entertaining stories, this time exploring the past of Ruby and her brother Alex.

Kwak has constructed an expertly-drawn and lovingly-rendered set of characters, done solid world-building, and overlaid it all with creative plot twists and fun, precise and vivid writing.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent new adventure for the Nanshe crew. I'm liking how each book incorporates the back story of a crew member into the tale, while still taking us on an exciting and new adventure. This time we learn more about Ruby and Alex, the case involving the convent(?) that they grew up in. A nun has gone missing and the convent's money with her! It should be an easy solve but it isn't.... but it is fun! We also get some growth in the dynamics of the team, it's really gelling quite nicely... hard to believe it's only been about a month since they got together. I look forward to seeing this series continue.

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I burned through this 3rd Nanshe Chronicles book during my breaks at work and before bed in a few days.

I like the switching perspectives- I get to where I start to wonder "what's happening with Raj/Lasadi/Ruby" and it switches to one of the others.

These are very fast paced due to the present tense - when I read them it's like a movie. I like it when people ponder on something but it's not pages of pondering where you wonder what are the other people thinking about this person while they relive these 3 pages of memories or whatever. So the pace fits my mood well and the opportunities I have for reading at the moment. I'll start reading #4 this afternoon 🙃😅

[A.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruby & Alex were raised in a holy order, and now the order needs their help. One sister is missing, and she has taken the Order’s funds. Why would she do that?

They discover she was obsessed with a Saint who was an artist. Her work is highly collectible and very valuable, but the first clue leads them to what feels a lot like a cult. Ruby & Raj go in as a rich married couple but start to run into people they knew in their past lives.

~~~

I really liked this one. The team is starting to feel more like a team, the back stories of all of them are interesting and intriguing, and leave plenty of threads for more.

4 stars

[Riju Ganguly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel, the third 'episode' in the Nanshe Chronicles, is one of the best adventure cum mystery that I have read in recent times. Once again it picks up right at the point where the 2nd book in the series had ended. But then it develops the team into a more cohesive and warm unit. And this time we get involved in the backstory of Ruby— that drags us into a far more complex and dangerous web.
And the ending was brilliant in all senses.
Loved the book. Would start the 4th one as early as possible.
Highly recommended to all lovers of Firefly and various sagas of crime in space.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed book 3 a lot. I was entertained by the exploits of the crew of the Nanshe. Once I started the audiobook, I had to listen until the end, as I just had to find out what happened. I appreciated the crazy fun and growing relationships between the crew members. I am looking forward to more books in this series. J.S. Arquin's narration was great, and his performance enhanced the story's entertainment. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.

[L.G. Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this 3rd novel instalment of the Nanshe chronicles. I love how we're able to see more of Artemis City (especially since the novella prequel 'Artemis City Shuffle' was such a fun read!) + we're exploring more of the star system & characters. (Ruby gets her own PoV Chaps :D)

PS Those IASC agents came in clutch :)

[sharon davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arggg

I have finished enjoying rhe entire series and the other series (Bulari Saga, and Durga System) and now I have to be patient while this amazing author writes more books
ARGGGGGG

[M.J. Blehart]

Frenetic fun

The complex interweaving of characters and situations and a great crew dynamic is fantastic. I'm thoroughly enjoying this series, and if you're a fan of sci-fi, mystery, and excellent storytelling, this is totally for you.

[AJ Kerrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series continues to hit the spot for me. It's cozy but not quite Becky Chambers cozy, has a nice blend of heisty slickness and great characters.

And now that we're getting deeper into the characters, it just keeps getting better.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another complex good deed.

[Trina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book in this series. More great world building this time we visit colonies further out. Characters from other series make an appearance. The slow burn romance between Raj and Las has finally been settled. An interesting recovery this time with lots of action. Look forward to the next adventure for this ‘family’.