HOUSE OF THIEVES by Charles Belfoure

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Pub. Date: September 15, 2015

Genre: Historical Fiction, mystery

Source: Print ARC

Rating: 3 Stars

GOODREADS

Blurb:
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 take better include some cash too —the bigger the payout, the faster this will be over.
With a newfound talent for sniffing out vulnerable and lucrative targets, Cross becomes invaluable to the gang. But Cross’s entire life has become a balancing act, and it will only take one mistake for it all to come crashing down —and for his family to go down too.


 Review:
House of Thieves was an exceptionally written historical thriller set back in New York in 1880. John Cross, the main character, is a well rounded society man and respected architect. The night his son George graduates college, Cross leaves some pretty disturbing news. His son, who has a bright future ahead of him, is gambler. One who owes a butt load of money. Money that he won't be able to pay off; can't lay off because it's such a high amount. James Kent, a gangster and the man who took George, wants his money. And he wants John to pay it off or he'll have to say goodbye to his son. Forever.

John is sent on a crazy journey as he fights to find a way to save George. Will it be too late? How will Cross come up with a way to find enough money and save his son from being killed? Well, the thugs hatch up a plan for John to use his expertise in architecture to help rob the places he built based on his knowledge on the building plans. It must be done whether he likes it or not. His sons life depends on it as well as the family it will initially effect.

Overall, I liked reading about this time period and the wonderful descriptions the author had. It was an interesting book that taught us about family value. And how far will your family go for you if you were to be in trouble? I'm lucky to say I have a wonderful family who would do just that for me. I look forward to reading more of the author's works. I feel as if he can write well developed characters that I can connect with. Pick this up if you're in for a thrilling ride!

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Amazon UK

About the Author:
Charles Belfoure is the nationally bestselling author of The Paris Architect, and the forthcoming novel, House of Thieves. 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, and he has published several architectural histories, one of which won a Graham Foundation national grant for architectural research. He has been a freelance writer for The Baltimore Sun and The New York Times. He lives in Maryland.