My Favorite Thief

When Charlotte Kent was first introduced in Karyn Monk's The Prisoner, readers fell in love with the sweet-natured child who suffered with a permanently injured leg. Since then, we've waited for Charlotte to grow up and have a book of her own. In My Favorite Thief, Ms. Monk doesn't disappoint as she presents the very unconventional story of Charlotte and Harrison Payne, the earl of Bryden.One of Ms. Monk's trademarks is to challenge her characters and really make them earn their happy ending. My Favorite Thief is no different. Both Charlotte and Harrison must deal with personal demons from their respective pasts. Charlotte's arrives in the form of her scurrilous, blackmailing, abusive biological father. Harrison must figure out who is now determined to destroy him with a past secret, and also face his fear that he might be following his deceased father down the road to madness. Unusual circumstances bring these two people together and soon they realize that, if they can rescue each other, they just might be able to save themselves and the families they hold dear.All this drama could be heavy in the hands of another author, but Ms. Monk is known for imbuing her novels with delightful humor and unforgettable characters. Charlotte's family is back in full force -- she and all her "siblings" were rescued from London's dark streets and prisons as children and adopted by Haydon and Genevieve, Lord and Lady Redmond. So, too, are the hilarious band of servants that watch out for Charlotte and the collection of young prostitutes and thieves she herself is sheltering from the streets.My Favorite Thief tickles the funny bone and touches the heart in equal measure. It is another one of Ms. Monk's books that should not be missed!

Intimately familiar with the challenges of poverty and necessity, Charlotte "Lottie" Kent offers her abductor advice rather than resistance during a foiled robbery attempt. Little seems to faze this sassy young woman who is under the guardianship of the Marques of Redmond. The administrator of a London refuge shelter for unfortunate women and children, Lottie attends high society events hoping to secure support for the shelter. While attending a social event, raise money for her center. While at one of these galas, Lottie interrupts a robbery attempt, and helps the wounded thief, dubbed Dark Shadow by the press, escape.It does not take Lottie long to identify the thief as Earl Harrison Payne, and when her deadbeat father shows up demanding money, she is forced to resort to extortion to protect her family and the shelter. Specifically, she demands that Harrison heist jewels that she might sell to dodge her father's threats. Lottie's demands bring about an unexpected chain of events. Harrison cannot resist the quiet charm of this crippled woman with a heart of gold. But they both will soon find themselves in danger and must join forces to identify their common enemy.Author Karyn Monk pens an unexpectedly delightful Victorian romantic suspense with MY FAVORITE THIEF. With a quick moving plot and original characterizations, Monk draws upon expected qualities which make her work sparkle. Seldom does fiction allow a less than physically perfect heroine, but both Lottie's physical challenges and family challenges lend her an unexpected yet delightful vulnerability. Harrison's motives especially will keep readers guessing with his dark reputation and high societal position. With an unexpected and intriguing conclusion, readers will find themselves quite satisfied with this delightful read. MY FAVORITE THIEF comes highly recommended.

In 1875 the Marquess of Redmond is the guardian of respectable Charlotte "Lottie" Kent, who runs a London refuge shelter for unfortunate women and children. Lottie attends high society events hoping to raise money for her center. While at one of these galas, Lottie interrupts a bungled jewel robbery and abets the wounded Dark Shadow enabling the thief to escape. Lottie knows that Earl Harrison Payne is the thief, but her intentions are to ignore him. When someone blackmails her threatening to expose her past, Lottie worries for her guardian and her refuge center. Feeling she needs to pay off the blackmailer, Lottie tries to blackmail Harrison. However, he cannot picture the beautiful woman who risked everything to rescue him trying to embezzle money from him. As they share notes and fall in love, neither realizes that a common enemy lurks for the moment to destroy both of them.MY FAVORITE THIEF is an action-packed Victorian romantic suspense that hooks the audience from the moment that Harrison and Lottie meet while he botches his assignment. Lottie is a superb protagonist combing reticence and courage that blend very well together within her. Though the villain seems superfluous except perhaps in Lottie's childhood memories, fans of the era, author or those just wanting to read a good novel will enjoy this tale and some other favorites by Karyn Monk (see THE PRISONER and THE WEDDING ESCAPE).Harriet Klausner

Setting - London 1875 --- Stumbling upon a masked man in Lady Chadwick's bedroom, Miss Charlotte Kent should have been terrified, but discovering that he seemed to be slightly inept for a burglar, she found herself devising several options for him to escape once a maid stumbled upon them and sounded an alarm. Discovering that he didn't even carry a weapon, she gave him a hairbrush to hide in his pocket to pretend it was a gun --- then directed him to use her as a hostage to get himself safely out of the house. It would have been a ploy on her part, had not an over zealous footman decided to try to save her and in the ensuing fracas, shoot him. Somehow, Charlotte still helped him make good his escape.Following the disaster of his fumbled burglary, Harrison Payne, earl of Bryden - barely conscious, was amazed at the unexpected assistance he received from this slight and quite lovely young woman. Totally baffled by her assistance in his escape, he would then be mystified when days later she would have the audacity to clumsily attempt to blackmail him. Soon he discovers that this multifaceted young woman with a mysterious past had even more secrets to hide than his own and she had completely stolen his heart.From the very first chapter, this book along with all the very colorful and unique secondary characters, will take you on a trip back to the reality of life in the late 1800s. Amidst the laughter that the motley crew of secondary characters will instill in you, you will also feel the pain of life for those less fortunates. Charlotte is indeed a heroine in this tale and you will cheer her on as love comes at last in a fairytale come true for this gallant lass! This is a wonderful sequel to the series that began with THE PRISONER, and THE WEDDING ESCAPE that I heartily recommend.

Third in Ms. Monk's series that began with THE PRISONER, this latest read focuses on Miss Charlotte Kent, ward of the Marquess of Redmond, who, while at a social function, stumbles upon The Dark Shadow, a clever burglar, in the process of stealing jewels. As a youngster, forced to steal by her long absent father, Charlotte sympathizes with the thief and becomes his willing hostage as she helps him escape detection. Though he was cloaked in a mask, Charlotte later recognizes her abductor as none other than Harrison Payne, Earl of Bryden. With the release of her felonious father, Archie, from prison, Charlotte fears for the safety of her family, when Archie threatens to harm her family if she doesn't pay him the outrageous sum of five thousand pounds. Fearing for the safety of those close to her, Charlotte refuses to ask her ward for the money, and her home for indigent women has barely enough income from donors to cover necessary expenses. Charlotte's bold request of Harrison to steal jewels to help pay off her father changes the tenor of this novel, as Harrison quickly becomes enamored of this partially lame woman with her quiet reserve. But a burglary gone awry has Charlotte wondering if Harrison is the true legendary burglar or if he has another agenda. As circumstances bring them closer, both physically and emotionally, fate takes an unusual twist, as these two unlikely lovers seek solace in one another. Ms. Monk's original story line, coupled with very likeable characters, gives this novel star quality.