The next book to be featured on the Zoe Ball Radio 2 Book Club will be Thieves’ Gambit, a high-octane YA thriller by Kayvion Lewis. The book was released on 28 September and Kayvion will be on the show with Zoe on Tuesday 24 October.
We have an exclusive extract available for you to read, and we have a set of 10 copies to give away to one lucky reading group.
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Thieves’ Gambit
Rosalyn Quest was raised by a legendary family of thieves with one rule: trust no one. Trapped in a glamorous world of riches and double-crosses, she is about to escape the family business when her mother is kidnapped. Her only chance to save her is to win the Thieves’ Gambit – a deadly competition for the world’s up-and-coming thieves, where the victor is granted one wish. To win, she must outwit all of her backstabbing competitors, including her arch-nemesis. But can she take victory from the handsome, charming boy who makes a play for her heart? The one who might be hiding the most dangerous secret of all?
Selection panel review
The book was selected with the help of a panel of library staff from across the UK. Our readers loved Thieves’ Gambit – here are some of their comments:
“This was a fantastic book with a great premise and I really enjoyed it. The narrative was engaging, exciting and fast paced as the competitors travelled across various continents to steal the next high value artefact. I thought the characterisation was good, Ross had to learn how to trust her devious fellow competitors under difficult and fast changing circumstances in order to progress in the game. The plot was full of twists and turns and kept you on your toes until the very last page.”
“I enjoyed this, a good read for young adults and older. Entertaining competition, with plenty of action, attractive personalities and a ‘frenemy’ relationship for conflict. There are serious consequences for the losers – this will make a great film.”
“This is a Young Adult book and as such isn’t the sort of book I would normally read but I enjoyed it. It is very fast paced and as such draws you in. It is written in a colloquial chatty style, which I think would appeal to young adults. I could definitely see it being made into a film. There is a great twist at the end of the book, and has a good strong female protagonist. I liked the recurring themes of the importance of friends, and trust. I would recommend this book to my daughter!”
“This is a hang-on for the ride as you read this fast paced, gripping and enthralling story of Rosalyn as she endeavours to outwit her competitors to win the Thieves’ Gambit. This is an exciting and gripping read that is hard to put down. Think a smarter, modern, Oceans8 meets The Hunger Games…”
About the author
Kayvion Lewis is a young adult author of all things escapist and high-octane. A former youth services librarian, she’s been working with books since she was sixteen. When she’s not writing, she’s breaking out of escape rooms, jumping out of airplanes, and occasionally running away to mountain retreats to study kung fu. Though she’s originally from Louisiana, and often visits her family in The Bahamas, these days you can find her in New York – at least until she takes off on her next adventure.
A word from Kayvion
“I might have screamed a little when I learned Thieves’ Gambit was picked for the BBC Radio 2 Book Club. It’s one thing to see readers supporting your book, but it’s an extra special experience to have readers an ocean away from you resonating with your work. Thieves’ Gambit is such a globe-spanning story, and I’m so grateful to have international support for it. Thank you so much to all the librarians and readers who’ve pushed for this book. From now on, my characters are officially banned from stealing from any British libraries or bookstores.”
Get involved
Tune in to the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show to hear the live feature on 24 October. You can also listen to the full-length interview on BBC Sounds.
Have you read Thieves’ Gambit? You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter using #R2BookClub and you can also follow Kayvion.
Planning to buy Thieves’ Gambit for your group? Buy books from Hive or from Bookshop.org and support The Reading Agency and local bookshops at no extra cost to you.
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