Uncommon Criminals (A Heist Society Novel) (A Heist Society Novel, 2) Hardcover – June 21, 2011

After the resounding success of her first major heist, where she led the teenage crew that robbed the most secure museum in the world, Kat Bishop, to the consternation of her family and friends, has transformed herself into a most unusual thief. Instead of stealing because that's the family business, Kat specializes in recovery -- returning priceless art to its original owners or their heirs, righting the wrongs of wars long past. When an old woman approaches her with a tantalizing story -- her parents discovered and were robbed of the fabled Cleopatra Emerald, a priceless gem unseen for over forty years, Kat can't resist the challenge. Against the advice of her friends, and sure she can succeed, Kat stages a brilliant heist and delivers the jewel. High on the con's success, Kat's world is rocked when she discovers that she's been the victim of a carefully staged con, decades in the making. In order to right a terrible wrong Kat must travel halfway around the world and take on the best in the business, and along the way must decide where she fits in her quirky family, and if a girl raised on the con can make herself vulnerable enough to trust those who want to love her most.To put it simply, Uncommon Criminals rocks. Taking place a mere two months after Heist Society, Carter's second outing featuring Kat & Crew is every bit as fun as the first. Only this time around, the cons are bigger and the stakes are higher, making Uncommon Criminals every bit as entertaining and compulsively readable as its predecessor and then some. Whether sixteen or thirty-one (like yours truly), Kat's glamorous, danger-tinged lifestyle and budding romance with the ever-loyal Hale is sure to appeal to anyone craving a wickedly funny and clever slice of escapist fantasy. Thanks to her rather unorthodox upbringing, Kat has the savvy and smarts of a seasoned pro, but Carter tempers this gloss of maturity with a smattering of realistic teenage angst -- and it is this unlikely combination of jet-setting know-how and winsome, occasionally clueless, good intentions that make Kat such a winning heroine.One of my favorite aspects of this story is how Carter chose to reveal tantalizing glimpses about Kat's family history, hints that suggest how she became the budding master thief and con artist that she is today. I loved the revelations about the enigmatic and all-knowing Uncle Eddie, and how his past heartbreak and the choices he made as a reaction to that proved to be a powerful illustration of the power of their familial bond. His actions help free Kat to become the best version of herself, allowing her to embrace her history instead of running from it. The supporting cast of characters that make up Kat's "crew" is likewise well-drawn and compelling. Carter continues to flesh out the group dynamic, whose banter and camaraderie are the equal of the best ensembles in heist films, with an energy and verve that makes the novel just plain fun to read. And the budding romance between Kat and Hale -- Oh. My. WORD. Carter masterfully creates a sizzling chemistry between her leads, and frankly Hale rivals the best romantic heroes found in escapist fiction of this ilk -- Hale is a teenage Bond with heart.I absolutely adored this book -- the only downside to reading it so quickly is that the wait for book three is prolonged. Uncommon Criminals cements Carter's reputation in my view as a go-to author for page-turning, pulse-pounding escapist fiction -- this is the definition of a rollicking good read. I for one can't wait to join Kat on her next heist!

When we last left Kat Bishop in Heist Society, by Ally Carter, she had reluctantly returned to the family business to save her father: high-end thieving. They steal what can't be stolen- priceless paintings, one-of-a-kind jewels, and items that have been horded by the rich, famous, and nasty for generations. She and her motley crew of teen masterminds managed to break into the most secure museum in the world and recover stolen paintings. But now Kat has fallen off the wagon. Once she started stealing again, she couldn't stop. The only thing that changed? Her motives for stealing. In Uncommon Criminals, Kat is a new kind of thief.Kat finds priceless family heirlooms and returns them to their rightful owners. She specializes in art that was stolen during the Holocaust and returning it to the survivors or their families from the war criminals who absconded with them during the war. When a woman approaches her to help return an emerald her family uncovered in Egypt and were scammed out of, Kat can't say no. Even when she finds out the emerald is the famous and cursed Cleopatra Emerald, the jewel that has brought pain, suffering, imprisonment, and death to all those who come near it. Many thieves, including Kat's uncles, have tried stealing the Emerald and failed. But not even the curse can keep Kat and her friends from taking a chance at returning the Emerald to its rightful owner.Somehow they manage to get the Emerald (no one ever suspects kids!), but after she returns it to the woman, Kat is in for the shock of her life. On the news, Kat sees the picture of the woman whose parents found the Cleopatra Emerald and had it stolen from them- and it isn't the woman Kat gave it to! Now Kat and her friends, who have already achieved the impossible, must find a way to steal the Cleopatra Emerald- again. To make matters worse, it seems the woman who conned Kat into stealing the Emerald is a con artist herself- on of the best! Now Kat and the crew have to con a con artist and find a way to get the Emerald back in one of the biggest jobs the thieves of the world have ever witnessed!This was a fun sequel in this series that reminds me of a teen version of "Ocean's Eleven". The characters are fun and colorful, and the stealing is for a good reason (usually). I love Kat's crew. They are goofy and add some spice and laughter to the story. When Kat's cousin seems to have been cursed by the Emerald, her usual elegant demeanor is quickly sunken beneath trips, slips, falls, and tumbles. Even the two boys Kat cares about, Hale and Nick, are there to keep the excitement up and moving.This is a wonderful story for middle school students because it is fun and exciting, but completely clean in language and content. It would also be great for a low-skilled older student, because the story is far from juvenile. I love the versatility of this series; it reaches such a wide range of children, making it a must for libraries and classrooms. My only silly complaint? I wish Carter would stop making her covers so cheesy and "girlie"! This book would appeal to both male and female students, but I doubt I could get an older boy to read it! Maybe I will just toss the dustcover and insist they read it anyway!

I really love all of Ally Carters books and have read all of the Gallagher Girls series and love them, so thought I would try this . I personally thought that it was a bit confusing because i couldn't keep track of everything. It was ok and had a good story line though. Might read the next in series, might not spend my money on it, though. I Recommend this for 11+, it isn't scary, just hard to follow! Well done Ally.

I fell in love with ally Carter's series of books including the amazing Gallagher girl series. This series just has a spark to it when you read that tells you to keep reading, don't put it down! Well that's what I felt but everyone has a different view at these sorts of books but I would highly recommend you reading it whether you like spy/thief books or not!

Ally Carter has had me gripped from the first Gallagher Girl book, but every time it seriously amazes me how she can continue to grip my attention and imagination. Uncommon Criminals started off by giving me the vibe that everything that was supposed to be so hard for these teens, seemed far too easy but woah was I wrong. This book truly grabbed me and if I wasn't for my desire to see more of Kat and Hale, I would certainly give it a 5/5!! Definitely a recommended read.

I loved this book. The second book in the series or the heist society trilogy and it was very exciting, it had you on the end of your seat but if i'm honest I think the first novel: Heist Society was the best. But this one is definitely a close second, when I think about it, the third book probably draws a close second with this one.Overall I think this is a great thriller and would recommend it to teenagers.

If you like something interesting and unpredictable, you must read this. I think it's rather a great spy novel, and I enjoyed reading every part of it.