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August 1, 2014

Gr 4-6-In this installment, the young thief-turned-wizard Conn is not only back from exile but has also been appointed to the post of ducal magister by his friend (and Duchess of Wellmet) Rowan. Conn, hating the idea of living in a suite in the palace eating fancy food, goes undercover to discover who is stealing the magisters' powerful wizard stones-something that should be impossible. It turns out to be Conn's enemy Crowe, aided by treachery within Rowan's inner circle; his diabolical plot threatens to upset the delicate, uneasy balance between the two City "magics," which would lead to disaster. Fans of the series will relish Conn's return to his old gutterboy life, full of dirt and danger, though they might wish the plot had a bit more of Conn's friends Nevery, Benet, and Rowan in it. The protagonist's trademark uncommunicativeness with everyone around him is balanced by his voluble no-filters narration, and the back matter (including a hoity-toity palace menu scrawled with Conn's dismayed comments) adds to the charm.-Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library

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