Clara Johnson can commune with spirits, acting as a reluctant intermediary between her world and Over There. When things start to go terribly amiss in Clara’s neighborhood, she enlists both friends and new faces alike for a heist that ends up being a lot more than anybody bargained for!

The writing of this story was absolutely incredible. Author Leslye Penelope writes with a strong voice that adds to the story immeasurably. The characters, main and secondary, were all fleshed out in a way you truly don’t see that often. Any member of the heist crew could easily have their own story after the solid foundations Penelope gave them. Zelda in particular, whose backstory included being sold to a circus as a sideshow act, could have been a set dressing with quippy one-liners like a lot of best friend characters tend to be. But she had this whole big LIFE and actually added a great deal to the story besides comedic relief. Most of the characters struggled with the repercussions of ill-fated deals, and the emotions that wrought were almost palpable at times. The setting— Washington, DC in the 1920s— was also really well done. Penelope mentions in the author’s notes that she had originally planned to set the story in New York City, but I really liked the muggy DC atmosphere and am glad she chose it.

I’ve seen a few reviews that characterize this as a fun, quick heist novel, but I’m not sure that characterization is 100% accurate. Yes, it was quick paced and certainly fun at times, but a lot of the story centers on racism and classism. There are also instances of police brutality, abandonment, death, and assault. Penelope tackles very real issues that many people deal with today, and some readers may be sensitive to that. This book is wonderful and I recommend it with my whole heart, but I don’t want anybody to be caught unaware.

THANK YOU SO MUCH to Redhook Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an eARC in exchange for an honest review!