I do love a heist, and Gwenda Bond’s The Frame-Up is a good story wrapped around a heist. I think it’s a standalone, but I would not say no to more of this crew doing their version of a heist with magic in the future.
Dani Poissant has been working solo in the decade since she turned her art thief mother in to the FBI. She’s a Robin Hood style grifter – targeting bad people, taking their money, and giving a big chunk of it to their victims. While she’s in the middle of blackmailing a soon to be divorced jerk, a man shows up to make her an offer she can’t refuse. This man that Dani has never met before has had a huge impact on her life. He was the reason Dani cooperated with the FBI, and now he is offering to give her mother and her family back to her if she will steal a painting.
Dani has 10 days to convince her mother’s old crew, including her old boyfriend, to join her on this heist, plan the heist, paint a forgery, and steal the painting. With the exception of her former best friend, Mia, they all have magical talents that they use for their thefts, grifts, and so on.
Initially, I assumed this was a romance because it’s Gwenda Bond. But I figured out pretty quickly that while there is a rekindled romance in the book, the romance isn’t the central focus. I double checked and saw that The Frame-Up is not being marketed as a romance. Yay for accuracy in marketing. It’s a fun heist mystery with elements of romance. I enjoyed this. I thought it was a fun read that you while away some time with, but don’t think about too deeply.
CW: Threat of violence, threat of violence to dog, emotional abuse by parent, magical emotional manipulation, magically induced fear and pain, rape of ancestor discussed in diary, discussion of ancestor’s suicide, incarcerated parent, and violence.
I received this as an advance reader copy from Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.