This is book number 3 in the Little Thieves series.
“Folklore, magic, and mystery pair perfectly with this exploration of mental health and the power of choice. In this trilogy conclusion, Vanja reflects on her choices and realizes that she would never have been ready for the future she craves without those choices.”
— Kaitlyn Reed, Read Between the Lynes, Woodstock, IL
It's been nearly two years since Vanja brought down the cult she started, and she’s still paying the price. As the Pfennigeist, she bucks the law in order to help the desperate and haunt the corrupt all across the empire—and no matter what, she works alone.
But an impossible killer is tearing through royalty, and leaving Vanja’s signature red penny on every victim. Suddenly the Pfennigeist is no longer a folk hero but a nightmare. When even the Blessed Empress falls, the empire’s seven royal families must gather to elect her successor within a matter of weeks, or risk the collapse of reality itself… even though it puts every house in the killer’s sights.
Vanja tells herself she’s wading into the royalty’s vicious games only to save the name she made, and the loved ones also in jeopardy. But the Order of Prefects has also put their sharpest official on the case, the one who swore he’d always find Vanja—until she broke his heart. Journeyman Prefect Emeric Conrad may no longer be the boy Vanja knew, but they’ll have to work together one last time to have any chance of surviving the deadly catastrophe coming for them all.
With bloody conspiracy, sinister magic, and old adversaries closing in, it will take everything Vanja has to save not just the people she loves, but the future she’s fought for. In this thrilling final chapter of the Indie Next series Little Thieves, New York Times-bestselling author Margaret Owen shows us the pain and beauty of choosing which demons to face, and which to forgive.
Margaret Owen was born and raised at the end of the Oregon Trail and has worked in everything from thrift stores to presidential campaigns. She is the author of the instant Indie Bestseller Little Thieves, which received five starred reviews and was a Kids' Indie next pick and YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection. Her debut, The Merciful Crow duology, was an NPR Best Book of the Year, a Tor.com Best of the Year, and a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection.
In her free time, she enjoys exploring ill-advised travel destinations, raising money for social justice nonprofits through her illustrated work, and negotiating a hostage situation with her monstrous cats. She lives in Seattle, Washington.
"Owen’s writing will make readers laugh and cry within a single sentence, painting heartfelt nuance onto an intricate plot three books in the making. A tour de force trilogy for all collections. This final installment of the Little Thieves trilogy makes every page count as Vanja’s character arc comes to a close, grappling with forgiveness and restitution."—School Library Journal, Starred Review
"...Owen unfurls a narrative that grapples with the limitations and obligations of power. Incisive social commentary, lush worldbuilding, some truly gorgeous turns of phrase, and evocative spot art from the author help bring this work to vivid life, but as with the earlier installments, its true beating heart lies in its characters."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
Praise for Painted Devils:
THREE STARRED REVIEWS!
An Instant New York Times bestseller!
"Owen writes at the top of her game, with this installment even stronger than Little Thieves. This series is a must-have for library collections." —School Library Journal, Starred Review
"[M]asterful storytelling. . .Another winding tale of intrigue and adventures that leans heavily on the heart." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"Owen writes [Vanja's] story with the compassion and wit that will leave readers holding her close." —Booklist, Starred Review
Praise for Little Thieves:
"Gorgeous prose, delicious magic." —V.E. Schwab, bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
FIVE STARRED REVIEWS FOR LITTLE THIEVES!
"Part heist, part adventure, with a slow-burning romance at its heart...a story to savor."—Publisher's Weekly, Starred Review
"Packed with heists, gods, and monsters...readers will love rooting for Owen's clever antiheroine with ambition....Highly recommended and not to be missed."—School Library Journal, Starred Review
"A lush and lively adventure replete with romance, revenge, and robbery."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"A breathlessly inventive, never-a-dull-moment adventure of found family and second (or fourth or fifth) chances. If you're not careful, it'll steal your heart, too."—Booklist, Starred Review
"An endlessly entertaining fantasy tale about characters on their worst behavior learning to be their best selves." —BookPage, Starred Review