The Infamous Frankie Lorde 1: Stealing Greenwich

Book excerpt: A pre-teen international thief turns over a new leaf (sort of) to right societal wrongs in her snooty new town in this upper middle grade series starter for fans of Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls and Heist Society, Stuart Gibb's Spy School, and Ocean's 8. Being the protégé (and daughter) of the man responsible for some of the world's biggest heists has given Frankie Lorde a unique perspective. And a special set of skills. She can spot an FBI agent in a second, pick a lock in two, and steal a Bugatti in three. (Even if she's technically too young to drive it.) Frankie and her dad are a team, and their jobs are the stuff of international awe. And then Dad is arrested. Sent to live with her uncle, who she barely knows and who is, ironically, a cop, Frankie is forced to navigate an entirely foreign world: suburbia. She has to go to middle school, learn what kids her age wear and eat and do for fun--and, alas, it doesn't involve lifting expensive watches. But life in Greenwich, Connecticut, one of the richest towns in America, also opens her eyes to a startling reality, and seeing the stark contrast of the super-rich and the super-not-rich who support the community living side-by-side gives Frankie an idea. What if she were to put her less-than-legal know-how to good use, turning the tables and evening the score . . . ? Fresh, fun, and timely, Stealing Greenwich introduces a smart, slick young criminal mastermind with a heart of gold who is sure to become a darling for middle grade set.