Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society #2)

4.2 of 5 stars 4.20 · rating details · 14,375 ratings · 1,433 reviews

Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life: Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she's simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That's why Kat isn't surprised when she's asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners. There are only three p...more

Paperback, 304 pages

Published July 5th 2012 by Orchard (first published June 21st 2011)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

The Best of Young Adult

64th out of 118 books — 24 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Jun 22, 2011 Chameleon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: People who like spy and mystery novels with a teenage twist

Shelves: action-adventure, favorites, thief, young-adult, romance-love, realistic-fiction

I haven't read the book yet, obviously, but I know that this is going to be a good one. All of Ally Carter's YA books ave been a success and I'm sure this will be too. The only thing I will be disappointed with if she doesn't have is some kissing with Hale and Kat, I mean, it's soooooo obvious that they like each other...

*EDIT* The cover is gorgeous!!!

*EDIT* Reading the synopsis just makes me more excited, and I'm about to die of anticipation!!!

like 25 likes · see review

Sep 16, 2011 Nonie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There was no way I couldn't like this book even if I tried. Ally Carter wrote in everything I look for in a good heist story: the loyal crew for the hero (or in this case, heroine), plot twists at every turn, crazy mysterious villains, and of course, the seemingly impossible heist that the crew needs to pull off by the end of the story.

I would say that Uncommon Criminals is the blockbuster, popcorn novel for YA for this summer as Super 8 is this summer's blockbuster movie for Hollywood- sort of...more There was no way I couldn't like this book even if I tried. Ally Carter wrote in everything I look for in a good heist story: the loyal crew for the hero (or in this case, heroine), plot twists at every turn, crazy mysterious villains, and of course, the seemingly impossible heist that the crew needs to pull off by the end of the story.

I would say that Uncommon Criminals is the blockbuster, popcorn novel for YA for this summer as Super 8 is this summer's blockbuster movie for Hollywood- sort of hyped up but not as much as others have been (and attached to several big names of their respective industries).

Of course coming from Ally Carter, the plot of Uncommon Criminals was nothing short of riveting. For the whole 304 pages I kept the novel in my hands and never looked up unless to quickly take a sip of my caramel frapp, or occasionally getting distracted by people sitting next to me. The writing was elegant and polished, adding some glamor needed for the story like this.

Kat was a believable character. The way she sticks with her family, and the way she takes up a Robin Hood-like role was poignant to me. She seems so wise and she's seen so much of the world already that I was taken aback when I remembered that she was only fifteen. The same goes for the rest of her crew. It's hard to believe that they're only sixteen (or under!) when they're country-hopping by themselves, but hey, it works.

Speaking of Kat's crew, I badly badly badly want to join them. Not so much for the thievery, but for the traveling (I want to go all around Europe...) and working with the crew wouldn't be bad. The second in command of Kat's crew is W.W. Hale, who's handsome, smart, (conveniently rich), and every bit as stubborn as Kat herself. One of the best aspects of the novel, besides the thievery was Kat and Hale dynamic. It plays out nicely because we (and Kat and Hale themselves) never forget that they're first and foremost best friends.

The other crew members are Simon, the tech geek of the group (Q: Why is every "geeky" guy named Simon these days?); Angus and Hamish, the adorable brothers (note: every heist story needs a pair of brothers); and Gabriella, Kat's cousin and foil in the series meaning that she's fashionable and knows how to hold herself.

The heist itself? Brilliantly done. I know that I'll have to read over the ending again to take in all of it. I'm really looking forward to finding out who Visily Romani is (or will we every find out?). It might've been the frapp and the windy weather outside, but it suddenly got chilly whenever Mr (or Ms?) Romani's name got mentioned. Very mysterious....*scratches chin*

Uncommon Criminals can get serious sometimes as the themes of the story-family, friendship, betrayal- are serious, but it's always, just like any well-made Hollywood popcorn summer blockbuster, fun.

Recommended to all. :) (less)

like 8 likes · see review

Jun 19, 2011 Kiana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: EVERYONE!!!!

Shelves: favorites, i-d-marry-him, swoon-worthy, young-adult, books-i-ve-reread

I am soooo excited for this book to come out!! I have an obsession with the first book(I've read it 9 times) and all of Ally Carter's other books(love the Gallagher Girls Series) which is why I know I will love this one too.Hey, it is already in my favorites shelf! This has been said alot but, the cover does look gorgeous!! I read the first chapters of it and instantaneously fell in love with it. The plot is really creative and I can't wait to read all about it. Kat gets a new client and new job...more

like 6 likes · see review

Jul 06, 2011 Nic rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, review-copy, mystery, read-in-2011, so-much-fun, young-adult

For a bit of W.W. Hale eye candy go to http://irresistiblereads.blogspot.com...

Rating: 4.5

Favourite Quote: Luck is a strange thing in the life of any thief and halfway decent con man. What is it that keeps the mark from counting the till or the guards from looking up at precisely the wrong moment? Kat had learned at a very young age that luck is for the amateur, the lazy---those who are unprepared and unskilled. And yet she also knew that luck, like most things, cannot be truly missed until it i...more For a bit of W.W. Hale eye candy go to http://irresistiblereads.blogspot.com...

Rating: 4.5

Favourite Quote: Luck is a strange thing in the life of any thief and halfway decent con man. What is it that keeps the mark from counting the till or the guards from looking up at precisely the wrong moment? Kat had learned at a very young age that luck is for the amateur, the lazy---those who are unprepared and unskilled. And yet she also knew that luck, like most things, cannot be truly missed until it is also truly gone.

When it comes to sequels they can be a scary thing especially when you love the first book. But Uncommon Criminals is just as good as Heist Society. Once again Ally Carter offers all the right elements for another fun read - clever writing, a quick and suspenseful plot and entertaining characters.

Again there were plenty of twists in this cleverly constructed plot making it impossible to put Uncommon Criminals down. And when I did I was thinking about all the ways Kat could possibly get herself out of trouble this time. I also love how Carter brilliantly describes the settings. She really knows how to capture the beautiful places like Monte Carlo the crew visits and you can picture everything perfectly thanks to Carter's wonderful writing.

Kat is a genuine and likeable character. She is independent, smart and stubborn. In this instalment Kat has to learn to that she doesn't have to do everything on her own even if she doesn't need help. That it is okay to want help from her crew. Kat showed a lot growth. I also love the distinctive bunch of secondary characters. As soon as I started the book I was eagerly awaiting when Hale, Gabrielle, Simon or the Bagshaw brothers would pop up in the story and when they did they didn't disappoint.

I know fans of the first book will be wondering about the romance. Does anything happen with Hale? Well all I can say is the spark is still there and you will have to read the book (I recommend immediately).

Overall, this is one addictive series that I highly recommend. I really hope Carter writes a Heist Society #3.(less)

like 17 likes · see review

Jul 18, 2011 Melannie :) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2011, summer-reads-2011

Ahhhh. Where do I begin?
I remember reading Heist Society a loooong time ago, I remember listening to the audiobook of it quite a few times,
I remember loving this series. I just didn't rememmber HOW MUCH.

I loved this book! I was so surprised and pleased to discovered it is as good as the first one, plus more adventures,
more truths, even more lies, and oh so many incredibly kick-butt action!

The characters! Gosh the characters! I didn't recall them being this awesome!
they were all SO CLEVER, SO SM...more Ahhhh. Where do I begin?
I remember reading Heist Society a loooong time ago, I remember listening to the audiobook of it quite a few times,
I remember loving this series. I just didn't rememmber HOW MUCH.

I loved this book! I was so surprised and pleased to discovered it is as good as the first one, plus more adventures,
more truths, even more lies, and oh so many incredibly kick-butt action!

The characters! Gosh the characters! I didn't recall them being this awesome!
they were all SO CLEVER, SO SMART. It takes some (okay, a lot) of talent to write a book like this, and to me,
Miss Carter deserves an standing ovasion! I can't even imagine how much time it took for her to plot all her characters' actions.
Each and everyone of the situations on this book were complicated and tricky at first to be ended later in the most simplified way you could think of
(or actually, haven't think of) these guys are teenagers after all, and trust them to find the answer to an exit problem using five hundred doves (not kidding, don't ask)

What I also loved about this second book is that it shows Kat's flaws. I mean I knew she had them, SHE knew she had them,
but it's nice to see them aknowledged. She can be a super kick ass thief, but she's also a fifteen year old girl who has normal problems while living an extraordinary life.

And Hale, oh W. W. Hale the Fifth, how I love you! He kept the loyalness he has come to be known for. He's awesome, you can tell he's deeply in love with Kat,
but he's not gonna take her crap, and I like that, he's fierce! reminds me of a GOOD Chuck Bass, utterly confident, careless in a way only the extra-rich are.

Every other character kick major butt in this one too. Gabrielle was cool in book 1, but I LOVED her in this one. And Nick, oh Nick I love you too <3
I just hope Miss Carter has something good prepared for him, cause in the short amount of pages he's been in, I've come to love him and wish him nothing but the best.

This book is incredible and I can't wait for the people at WB to give the green light so they can start turning this series into a movie!
It'd be the ultimate action-packed, romance-full, funny-filled film I've ever hoped to watch!(less)

like 8 likes · see review

Sep 30, 2012 Seesen9 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: spectacular-cover, young-adult, favorites, worth-rereading

Can´t believe it´s over. I still don´t really get what actually happened but I can´t stop grinning. Who could have seen it coming? It was just so bloody complicated, twins, fake stones, cons, plans for this and that... yet so simple! I wanna be a thief! Very, very much. I´m still not sure about the rating (shocking, I know) but I just adore Kat and W.W. Hale the 5th together (and not so much together) it totally made me blush. Also I will mistaken Paraguay for Uruguay for the rest of my life, th...more

like 7 likes · see review

Jul 22, 2011 Adi (Reading in the Windowseat) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-read-list, all-time-best, class-young-adult

I thought it would be very hard for Ally Carter to bring this second book to the level of the first and try to make it even better, but she totally pulled it off, and with grace at that.

She kept and increased the Heist Society tension and brilliance, while developping a whole new level of relationship issues. And all that was wrapped in great humour and sarcasm, as well as depth of story.

I'm loving Kat and all her comrades - they are one sassy, messy, classy group of misfits and goofballs who ma...more

like 3 likes · see review

Jul 26, 2011 Brianna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, could-have-sucked-but-didnt, romance-done-right, realistic-fiction, made-me-laugh, likable-protagonists, favorite-couples, light-reading

Pre-reading: Hm, I think I like the Heist cover better, this one seems a little less intense. But it's still nice, love that the model kept her smirk :)

After reading: I really loved this book. I liked the first Heist a lot, but I feel like Ally Carter has improved her writing so much since the last Heist. All the characters in Uncommon Criminals are really wonderful and extremely well fleshed out. I also think Ally Carter's third person prose has gotten a lot better.

like 4 likes · see review

Jun 27, 2012 Kadbury(Young Readers) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: wishlist

4.5 STARS
.5 deducted cause it was a little confusing at times...BUT MUCH BETTER than book #1.

EDIT.

I WANT THIS BOOK!
:)
BAD
RELEASE ALREADY NA!!!!!!!

like 2 likes · see review

Jan 03, 2013 Elevetha Houre rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Elevetha by: Miss Clark

Shelves: adventure, cons-spies-and-thievery, favorites, fully-awesome, lovely-briliance-of-awesome, quite-good, clone-me-one-of-these-guys, fan-mix, fangirl-alert, 2011, shippy-otp-ship, own

4 1\2 stars. I liked "Heist Society" a little bit better. The second book in the Heist series.

A lady comes to Kat and Hale telling them about the Cleopatra Emerald, asking that they steal it and return it to the rightful owner. So they agree to the job, gather the rest of the crew, steal the Emerald, and return it to the lady, Maggie, only to realize that they've been conned. So they plan a brilliant con to con Maggie.

Involving twists and twins, interrupted conversations between Kat and Hale,...more

like 1 like · see review

Aug 12, 2012 Erin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action-packed, disappointing, grrl-power, little-romance, love-geometry, plot-twist

I honestly thought that I would like this better than Heist Society, but the ending failed so miserably that I am left feeling nothing but disappointment. The ingredients for a fun, intelligent read were there, but they were wasted. Overall, the story was distractingly unrealistic, the characters were bland, and the ending was poorly put together.

First, let's talk about the novel as a whole. I am echoing myself from my review of the first book, but really? I'm supposed to believe these kids are...more I honestly thought that I would like this better than Heist Society, but the ending failed so miserably that I am left feeling nothing but disappointment. The ingredients for a fun, intelligent read were there, but they were wasted. Overall, the story was distractingly unrealistic, the characters were bland, and the ending was poorly put together.

First, let's talk about the novel as a whole. I am echoing myself from my review of the first book, but really? I'm supposed to believe these kids are capable of huge, dangerous heists? They don't seem to put much thought into their plans, and after awhile it gets tiring to be told what brilliant young thieves they are when I haven't been successfully shown that this is true.

There's also a lot of telling (instead of showing) when it comes to the characters. I have no emotional attachment to a single one of these people, probably because they never come alive to me. I don't even remember the Bagshaw brothers' names, let alone understand the differences in their personalities. (Because liking to blow stuff up doesn't count as a personality trait, FYI.) Even the two main characters, Kat and Hale, seem like your typical reader stand-in and vaguely dreamy love interest, respectively.

Quick sidenote about Hale: I am so over this archetype. Overprotective, possessive dudes are running rampant in 95% of the teen fiction I've been reading lately, and I find 0% of them attractive. So Hale needs to either grow up or go away.

However, despite all of these issues, the biggest problem for me was how weak the ending was. There were several plot-twists that occurred simultaneously, and none of them were executed well. I was irritated by how impossible the ending was-- impossible to guess, that is. I even went back and reread key scenes, but Carter neglected to lay even the most basic foundation to show how her plot-twists could happen. There were no subtle clues, no vague wording, to give any indication that the ending was even planned.

And it really sucks that this is the case. Because up until the ending, I was moderately enjoying myself. These books are fast-paced and action-oriented, which is refreshing in the sea of emo romances dominating the YA section. If only Carter had put more thought and effort into wrapping up her plot (and I wouldn't mind more rounded characters, either), then this book might have been something.

(less)

like 5 likes · see review

Feb 18, 2012 Emma rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fifteen-year-old Katarina Bishop is a small girl with dark hair and bright blue eyes. She is also the girl that, mere months before, robbed the Henley--the greatest, and arguably most secure, museum in the world.

But Kat isn't a thief. Not anymore. At least not exactly. Think of a her as more of a return artist, a righter of wrongs maybe.

When Kat is asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald she can't say no. Not when the Cleopatra has been waiting years to be returned to its rightful owner. Y...more Fifteen-year-old Katarina Bishop is a small girl with dark hair and bright blue eyes. She is also the girl that, mere months before, robbed the Henley--the greatest, and arguably most secure, museum in the world.

But Kat isn't a thief. Not anymore. At least not exactly. Think of a her as more of a return artist, a righter of wrongs maybe.

When Kat is asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald she can't say no. Not when the Cleopatra has been waiting years to be returned to its rightful owner. Yes, the Cleopatra hasn't been seen in public in thirty years. Yes, it is essentially a concrete symbol of the doomed love between Cleopatra and Antony. Yes, there are rumors that the stone is cursed. And a history of jobs involving the Cleopatra Emerald going bad. Really bad.

But Kat is smarter than that. And curses aren't real, not that the Cleopatra is cursed. There has to be some other, logical, reason for why the world's most famous emerald is bringing Kat and her crew nothing but trouble, right?

Either way, before this job is over Kat is going to have take a long hard look at who she is and what she does because all of her old tricks--the tricks her family has been using for centuries--are useless this time. This job is going to require something different. Good thing Kat and her crew are anything but ordinary in Uncommon Criminals (2011) by Ally Carter.

Uncommon Criminals is the sequel to Carter's delightful Heist Society and the second in what she has stated on her site will be an ongoing series featuring Kat, her crew, and her inimitable family.

Heist Society was a smashing introduction to the world (and crew) of Katarina Bishop. The writing was sleek, smart and elegant. The story was well-paced, original and exciting. It was the kind of book where a sequel could go horribly wrong. Or it could be just as amazing as the first.

Turns out Uncommon Criminals not only held up to the standards set Heisty Society, in a lot of ways it exceeded those standards.

Filled with several surprising twists, a cunning foe, and all of the characters readers loved in Heist Society (like Hale and Gabrielle), Uncommon Criminals is another great installment about Kat's exploits. At the same time this book also deals with what it means to be a thief and, for Kat, what it means to be a part of her family. The con itself, and Carter's beautiful writing, are deceptively simple here making Kat's plans and the writing itself seem effortless.

Uncommon Criminals is a quirky, sophisticated page-turner that will leave readers guessing until its clever conclusion (and eager for another installment about Kat, Hale and the rest of the team).

Possible Pairings: White Cat by Holly Black, Strings Attached by Judy Blundell, Clarity by Kim Harrington, Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough, Hourglass by Myra McEntire, Leverage (television series), White Collar (television series)(less)

like 1 like · see review

Apr 07, 2013 Lauren rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-authors, laughed-so-hard, oh-heck-he-s-attractive

Well that was fun.

..........August 23 to September 8th, 2011.............
OMGosh. I nearly screamed when Hale punched Nick. It was so amazing, and completely unexpected, for me anyway.
The interesting part about these books, and the reason they are sometimes hard to read, is that everything is really "shown, not told". I don't know about you, but I am never quite sure what parts are planned, what parts are coincidences or accidents, when were are in the real Kat's head or the part she is suppo...more Well that was fun.

..........August 23 to September 8th, 2011.............
OMGosh. I nearly screamed when Hale punched Nick. It was so amazing, and completely unexpected, for me anyway.
The interesting part about these books, and the reason they are sometimes hard to read, is that everything is really "shown, not told". I don't know about you, but I am never quite sure what parts are planned, what parts are coincidences or accidents, when were are in the real Kat's head or the part she is supposed to be playing to play the mark. I always come out a little bit confused, but very exhilirated and exited. Also, the whole setting thing is completely unprecedented, so we really truly have no idea what is going to happen, what they might be thinking when planning the heists or even begin to guess about what the plan might be or how complicated it could be, or exactly what the risk, or probability of success might be. I like it, but I am glad that not a lot of books are that way, because it is kind of draining and takes a lot of focus. I also enjoy how even though they are good with computers, explosives and tools in the dark, every one of the characters is a spectacular actor. And they play off eachother without missing one beat. and nobody ever finds them out or doubts their part at all. All I am saying is that I hope that these books last long enough that I will figure this stuff out and be abole to predict stuff a bit better, I think they would be slightly more enjoyable. But they won't last long, only one more book.
I am kind of disssapointed that there is not one driving plot or force that is pushing this series along, common to all the books. Even though series disease is understandable, there is not really something that came up in the second book thtat remained unsolved for them to figure out in the third book, unless it is the mystery of Antonio Vivaldi(or whatever 'his' name was), but he wasn't as prominent in this book as the last one. Or if it is Hale vs Nick, but I most definitely would say that is very much resolved, and if it's not I am going to get violent.
I think the best part of this book was that it pulled a little climax jump, like that Alfred Hitchcock movie Vertigo. You think the grand climax just happened and it's all going to wind down but then BANG! something happens and twists it all around and you realize that the big climax wasn't nothin' but the conflict, simply something that had to happen to lead up to the REAL climax.
I'm glad Kat finally figured out her own feelings and stopped acting like Wonderwoman. Hale is so gorgeous, and the limitless wealth totally just makes it better. I thought the line in the last couple of pages about their palms and holding to gether and such was just adorable. I really liked it. That's all I have to say.(less)

like 1 like · see review

Aug 07, 2011 Randy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I already rated this book. I already wrote my opinion. I thought it couldn't have been any better. But I know it could.

Uncommon Criminals was great. I was ecstatic about the opening day. I had it marked on my mental calendar ever since I heard about it. But it didn't have the same punch Heist Society had. Maybe it was the fact that Heist Society was first, and therefore, it will always have that special place in my heart; or maybe it was the curse. whatever it was, Ally Carter definitely had ide...more

like 3 likes · see review

Nov 29, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, teen

In the first book in this series, Heist Society, Kat and her crew robbed a major museum so that they could return a piece of art to its original owners. It’s no surprise when she gets approached to pull another big job. This time someone wants her to steal the Cleopatra Emerald and return it to its rightful owner. The biggest problem is not tight security, but that the Emerald is cursed. [return][return]I really enjoyed Heist Society, but I was disappointed in this sequel. It was a little too co...more

like 1 like · see review

Nov 15, 2011 Karin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: series, gutsy-girls, thieves, mystery, suspense-thriller, young-adult-fiction, borrowed-from-the-library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Apr 05, 2013 Alexa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-2013-advisory

Kat, Hale, Gabriella, and the rest of the crew are going to steal the Cleopatra Emerald. They are all teenagers, and most of them are thieves. There is one difficulty to stealing the Cleopatra Emerald, which is most people believe the emerald is cursed. Kat doesn’t know how she is going to steal the emerald, or even if she wants to. But a plan finally comes to her, and they steal it. Kat gives it back to the owner, but later realizes that the entire story the owner told her was fake. In other wo...more

like · see review

Mar 24, 2013 Laura Hartley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Immediately after finishing Heist Society (book #1), I got started on Uncommon Criminals. I wasn't sure what to expect from this novel as the Heist Society series is made up of standalone stories instead of one continuous plot. Kat has been busy since she and her team robbed the Henley for Arturo Taccone with little jobs all over the world. Much to her friends and family's dismay, however, she's been working alone. Finally, she's back in the US and a woman, Constance Miller, has approached her a...more Immediately after finishing Heist Society (book #1), I got started on Uncommon Criminals. I wasn't sure what to expect from this novel as the Heist Society series is made up of standalone stories instead of one continuous plot. Kat has been busy since she and her team robbed the Henley for Arturo Taccone with little jobs all over the world. Much to her friends and family's dismay, however, she's been working alone. Finally, she's back in the US and a woman, Constance Miller, has approached her asking her to help steal back Cleopatra's Emerald which was wrongfully taken from her family decades ago. This is a seemingly impossible task and even her Uncle Eddie, who knows everything about everything to do with thieving, is telling her to stay away from this job, but Kat being Kat, accepts the challenge. The stone is supposedly cursed and those that have attempted to steal the emerald in the past have come to an unpleasant end. Ignoring all the warnings, Kat and her crew go ahead and start planning to steal back this prized emerald, but things get very complicated, very quickly as it turns out people are not who they say they are.

Although the 'crew' is made up of several people, namely, Kat, Hale, Gabrielle, Hamish, Angus and Simon, we don't really get the chance to connect with any of the characters apart from Kat and possibly Hale and Gabrielle. The rest of the team may as well not be included in the story because I don't really know much about any of them and as the story doesn't tell us anything about them it seems like they're not doing a lot. We still get the sense that all the characters make up a tight knit family group despite the fact that there's not a lot of 'emotional' interaction between them so this must be some sort of magical power that Ally Carter possesses. There is a very slight progression in the Kat/Hale relationship, but not as much as I would've liked. Although this book isn't focused on teen romance at all, I feel like a little more attention could have been paid to these two characters just to give the story a little more spice. I feel like there's a lot of tension between these two characters and I really hope that at some point it explodes into something really amazing.

There are lots of twists and turns in this book and as Uncommon Criminals is written in the third person, we as readers are kept in the dark until we read the events as they happen. As with Heist Society, I thought that this book was brilliant in terms of both character and plot, until the very end when the plot started to get over-complicated. I found myself rather confused as I was reading the climax to the story and I'm still not entirely sure what exactly happened but whatever it was, it was an extremely intricate and detailed plan. I never really had any idea what was going to happen next or how these kids were going to pull off such a feat so you keep reading desperately trying to find out what the crew is going to do next.

The Heist Society books are highly addictive and keep you turning page after page after page. They sort of fit into the genre of crime (the positive sort?) and mystery as they revolve around a group of thieving do-gooders - you'll have to read the books to find out what I mean. I'd highly recommend these books to anyone and everyone. Even though these are 'young adult' books, I'm sure that many adults could read these and still greatly enjoy them. (less)

like · see review

Mar 23, 2013 Paula Phillips rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So Ally Carter famous for her Gallagher Girl series has jumped to the other side of trouble from Spies to Mastermind Thiefs or as Kat Bishop , the main character of the Heist Society series likes to point out she is not a thief, merely a bringer back of stolen goods.
At the end of Heist Society, we read as Kat was deciding whether or not to return to boarding school and escape her criminal family once and for all , or fall back into her old habits as her first heist was when she was three years o...more

like · see review

Feb 15, 2013 Maythavee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Ally Carter did not disappoint at all! Uncommon Criminals was an incredible read! I loved it!

Kat and her crew are back! I loved Kat! She is one awesome character. I really admired her determination. She has really, really good chemistry with Hale. They should totally get together (like really together). Hale is just so dreamy. Aww, it was really sweet that they changed each other from becoming who they’re supposed to be (Kat = Maggie, Hale = Kelly). You’ll know what I mean when you read the book...more

like · see review

Jan 07, 2013 Cemeread added it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

In this Heist Society novel Kat Bishop has found a way to use her skills without actually being part of the family business. Thanks to Visily Romani she can steal artwork so it can be returned to it’s rightful owners. Thus, not really stealing, but righting a wrong. Kat is starting to think she is pretty good on her own when she is approached by someone about getting Cleopatra’s emerald back from an unscrupulous dealer. The lady says she was sent by Visily Romani. But this particular gem is said...more

like · see review

Nov 28, 2012 James rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

The story picks up a couple of months after the first book ends. Katarina Bishop (Kat) has sworn off of being a thief. She is now a recovery specialist; finding, stealing, and returning works of art to their original owners. Therefore, Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners. Many thieves have tried and failed. Kat is determined to succeed where all others have failed, even if the emerald is cursed.

The first third...more

like · see review

Nov 17, 2012 Yola NY rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: agen-mata2, terjemahan

nggak mungkin pencurian zamrud cleopatra yang terkenal itu cm ngabisin kurang dr stengah buku. eh ternyata, masih banyak tricky things dalam novel ini..
ally carter's books selalu bikin surprise dgn alur cerita yg ngagetin, yg wah.

envy sama kat dkk yg tiap hari bisa loncat sini loncat sana ke tiap kota yang beda. yeah, the power of money ya. and her job too
eh, gak duga kalo kat tipe yang "maju" duluan. hehe, you know what i mean.

ada lanjutannya gak?
tapi sekeren apapun novel ini, masi banyak yg bi...more

like · see review

Aug 21, 2012 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sooooooo despite the excuses I use on (myself), the snappy comments for (my sister) and the general like I would read this book attitude I try and show (everyone else)...I have to admit, I really enjoyed this one. In fact, I enjoyed it even more than the first. It isn't just the light, breezy writing, the (semi) deep character change, or the awesome plot. Its just a facinating, fun book. The climax is delightful. Carter plays off the reader's natural guessing (is it a hoax? Isn't it?) Her chara...more

like 2 likes · see review

Aug 11, 2012 Rhoda Crowell rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Katarina Bishop is a modern day Robin hood! She didn't want to be in the family business! Since she couldn't walk away from the world she grew up with, the world of professional thieves. Katerina has decided to use her talents to find stolen art and jewelry and give them back to their rightful owners. She likes this life and likes the powerful feeling of working on her own.
In this book Katerina is asked by Constance Miller, an elderly lady who's parents were the archeologists who discovered the...more

like · see review

Aug 06, 2012 Elodie Diebolt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ayant aimé le tome 1, c’est avec grand plaisir que je me suis plongé dans la lecture de ce tome 2. La couverture est plutôt belle même si en lieu et place des silhouettes, j’aurai préférés voir les personnages. La quatrième de couverture est sur le même modèle que celle du premier tome et laisse seulement présager une nouvelle mission pour Katarina Bishop et ses amis. J’était vraiment très curieuse de connaître la suite de cette saga.

Nous retrouvons donc Katarina, entourée de ses amis pour une n...more Ayant aimé le tome 1, c’est avec grand plaisir que je me suis plongé dans la lecture de ce tome 2. La couverture est plutôt belle même si en lieu et place des silhouettes, j’aurai préférés voir les personnages. La quatrième de couverture est sur le même modèle que celle du premier tome et laisse seulement présager une nouvelle mission pour Katarina Bishop et ses amis. J’était vraiment très curieuse de connaître la suite de cette saga.

Nous retrouvons donc Katarina, entourée de ses amis pour une nouvelles missions des plus dangereuse; voler l’émeraude de Cléopâtre. Dangereuse parce que les superstitions les plus folles tournent autour de la malédiction de cette pierre mais également par la sécurité déployé autour de l’objet. Là où j’attendais un peu d’originalité, je dois dire que je suis assez déçue parce qu’il n’y en pas par rapport aux premier. L’auteur à pris le même schéma et du coup c’est une autre mission, oui, mais avec une impression de déjà vu. Le thème de la famille est très présent et j’ai vraiment apprécié cet aspect du roman.

Katarina a changé, elle accepte enfin de ne plus toujours tout faire toute seule et s’entoure de sa famille mais aussi de ses amis. Elle est devenue une sorte de « Robin des bois « au féminin puisqu’elle ne veut absolument pas voler par intérêt mais pour rendre les objets qu’elle vole à leur vrai propriétaire. Je l’ai trouvé très touchante dans ses questionnements et ses rapprochements avec sa famille. Elle est toujours aussi tête brûlée qu’avant mais garde la tête froide et réfléchi sans cesse à tout. Ses amis sont auprès d’elle pour l’entourer à la façon d’une grande famille et j’ai beaucoup aimé les voir aussi soudés. Un nouvel oncle de Katarina fait son apparition et ce fut vraiment une belle découverte, un homme très touchant qui m’a beaucoup plu.

La plume de l’auteur est toujours aussi fluide que dans le premier tome même si j’ai trouvé qu’il me manquait un peu de sa fraicheur. L’action et les rebondissements sont omniprésents tout au long du roman et on est très loin de s’ennuyer à la lecture de l’histoire. Le récit est rythmé de faon à nous tenir en haleine jusqu’au bout mais comme dit plus haut, il me manquait vraiment la touche d’originalité ou la nouveauté par rapport au premier tome. L’histoire est intéressant et j’aime toujours autant les différents personnages mas j’attend beaucoup de la suite de cette saga dans l’évolution des personnages et le schéma qu’utiliser l’auteur.

Pour conclure, c’est un avis en demi teinte puisque même si il m’a manqué des choses pour en faire une excellente lecture, j’ai passé un bon moments de détente. Je le recommande tout de même en espérant que la suite de la saga sera à la hauteur de mes espérances.(less)

like · see review

Jun 30, 2012 Hannah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ally-carter, books-i-own

I believe that Ally Carter is the master of a vision. Her ideas and names she uses to describe the Heist's prime moves to getting their treasures is unthinkable and wise. In this second book of the Heist series, I have looked forward to the development of the relationship between Kat and W.W. Hale but to much of my dismay, they are nowhere near it than where they left it on the last book. There is still that thin line of being more than friends but less than lovers. However, it may not be workin...more

like · see review

May 20, 2012 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, mystery

3.5 stars

This review originally appeared at Read in a Single Sitting.

When my mobile phone was nicked from my bag on the Buenos Aires subway, I was completely oblivious. But now, thinking about it, it’s quite clear who the culprit was: Katarina Bishop, art thief extraordinaire and heroine of Ally Carter’s Heist Society novels. (Why would an art thief still my phone, you ask? Clearly you’ve never seen the brilliance of my Retro Camera pics.) Since successfully robbing the Henley Museum, Kat’s foun...more 3.5 stars

This review originally appeared at Read in a Single Sitting.

When my mobile phone was nicked from my bag on the Buenos Aires subway, I was completely oblivious. But now, thinking about it, it’s quite clear who the culprit was: Katarina Bishop, art thief extraordinaire and heroine of Ally Carter’s Heist Society novels. (Why would an art thief still my phone, you ask? Clearly you’ve never seen the brilliance of my Retro Camera pics.) Since successfully robbing the Henley Museum, Kat’s found herself addicted to the high that comes with pulling off a major heist.

But Kat’s not your regular art thief: she’s the Robin Hood (in tights, yes, but the cool kind of tights) of the art world (NB, Kat, I am of the poor, not the rich, so do return my phone when you’re done with it). Kat’s line of work involves pinching priceless works of art from galleries or private collections and returning them to their rightful owner. But when it comes to art, ownership isn’t always clear cut (ever heard of, say, the Greek marbles?). Sometimes people may claim ownership for reasons that may seem valid to them, but might not stand up to further investigation, for example.

And sometimes people flat-out lie.

This is the situation in which Kat finds herself when, tasked with stealing the priceless Cleopatra emerald and returning it to its rightful owner, she finds out that said owner might just be taking her for a ride. Needless to say, Kat wants that emerald back so that she can put things to rights once more. But what do you do when your newest enemy not only knows all of the oldest art thief tricks in the book, but practically invented them?

While I’ve enjoyed Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girls books, the Heist Society series is by far the superior of the two, and hits the heights I’ve been hoping the Gallagher books would reach. The plotting is smart and character-driven, with Kat and her team actively moving things forward rather than simply finding themselves in situations from which they must detangle themselves. The plot also progresses in a way that makes sense, with the characters responding logically to events, something I’ve found lacking in Carter’s previous books. The characters are neatly differentiated, and although they’re archetypes all the way, they’re deliberately, self-consciously so: Carter is writing a larger than life series here, not nose-in-the-air literature. And while Kat struggles with the same identity issues as Cammie of the Gallagher Girls books (wanting to rebel against what is really a rebellious life to begin with) this is depicted less through exposition and more through her interactions with others.

I did find, however, that there were sections in Uncommon Criminals that could have been excised: these were largely those involving secondary characters, or where Kat and her buddies were planning their next heist. As much as I enjoy reading about luxury yachts, I’m not sure that there’s a place for them in a book about filched emeralds, for example. In an effort to render Kat’s world more believable, too, the author hints at wider social/familial networks, but this is sadly ineffective, resulting in a list of names that aren’t attached to anyone in particular and highlighting certain characters/actions that feel as though they should carry some weight in the plot, but don’t.

Still, in all, Uncommon Criminals is an immensely fun read, and I can see excellent things to come in this witty series. Just so long as Kat stops stealing my stuff, of course…(less)

like · see review

Apr 09, 2012 Rebecca Alora rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-loved, books-read-in-2012, favorite-series, books-i-own

To give this book any less than five stars would be a crime that Kat Bishop would most definitely not approve of.

I want to gush about Hale for a moment. The romance between himself and Kat was very organic and cultivated from actual want and need of each other. Kat just had to realize that. It was absolutely beautiful how these two progressed in this book.

The extension of Visily Romani into Kat's life was very interesting. In the first book you see her wanting to get out of "the business." In th...more

like · see review

Feb 23, 2012 Afton Nelson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

Just for a moment, pretend it's perfectly normal for teens to have access to multiple passports, and enough money to fly around the world at a moment's notice. Pretend that they can disguise themselves and pass as adult insurance underwriters, or sophisticated insurance secretaries. Pretend they are such experienced con artists, they've participated in hundreds of cons with names like Jack and Jill, Oscar the Grouch and The Cinderella. And just for kicks, pretend they're skilled pick-pockets and...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
is there a third book?	8	58	Mar 18, 2013 05:53pm
where is the emerald now?	3	20	Mar 18, 2013 05:17pm
Gabrielle and Simon?	21	83	Mar 02, 2013 12:12pm
Kat & Hale. ..?	80	272	Dec 30, 2012 12:08pm
Kat and Hale living together?	8	99	Dec 29, 2012 09:19pm

combine
Other Editions (17)

More editions...

Genres

Young Adult

472 users

Mystery

162 users

Contemporary

116 users

Romance

116 users

Adventure

95 users

Young Adult > Teen

69 users

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

60 users

Mystery > Crime

47 users

Realistic Fiction

44 users

Action

44 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Ally Carter

Ally Carter is a writer living and working in the Midwest. She loved school so much she kept going...and going...and going...until finally she had to graduate. Now she has degrees from Oklahoma State University and Cornell University and a house and a job and other very grown-up things.

Her life is either very ordinary or the best deep-cover legend ever. She'd tell you more, but...well...you know.....more

More about Ally Carter...

Books by Ally Carter

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (Gallagher Girls, #1)

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (Gallagher Girls, #2)

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover (Gallagher Girls, #3)

Only the Good Spy Young (Gallagher Girls, #4)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Uncommon Criminals

17 trivia questions
2 quizzes

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Uncommon Criminals

“I for one like chaos. Chaos looks good on me.” — 244 people liked it

“Every decent con man knows that the simplest truth is more powerful than even the most elaborate lie.” — 142 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Uncommon Criminals
avg rating	preview: Uncommon Criminals Goodreads rating: 4.20 (14375 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15731732-uncommon-criminals?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1341181126l/15731732.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15731732-uncommon-criminals?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter[/url]

Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society #2)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website