ARC REVIEW A Talent for Trickery by Alissa Johnson

A beautiful cover for a great book. I can't wait for the other books in this series the characters are all memorable and I know the rest of the Walker Family is going to have exciting tales to read. I loved the way this book was written; how the story played out. Charlotte Walker has been through so much in her life, growing up she was taught the tricks of the thief by her father and when she thought she left it all behind her she experiences the bruised emotions of first love and the misguided love for her father. Owen Renderwell was awarded his viscountcy for saving the life of a kidnapped Duchess, he is the renowned "Thief Taker". Earning his title has made his life any easier he left the Scotland Yard and started in the private sector.

Eight years has passed since Owen used the help of an infamous thief and his beautiful and brilliant daughter to crack the codes other thieves and and track down the missing jewels and kidnapping of a duchess. Owen had previously caught William Walker red handed and offered him the choice help or go to prison; because of his three children he choose to help. Also willing to help is William's eldest daughter Charlotte. In the end William ended up dead Charlotte and her two siblings changed their last name and retired to the country. Lottie and Esther to protect their little brother, Peter, have lied to him about who their father was. Lottie always blamed Owen for what happened and thought that her father should have been exonerated and forgiven for what he has done and remembered for the good he was trying to do when he died. But there is a side to the story that Lottie never considered and that was Owen's. He tried but she never let him explain and now that Owen is back asking for a favor Lottie must come to grips with her feelings and the truth of what happened. Now Owen is back and a string of thiefs and one murder has him asking Lottie for help. An encoded letter has been left at every scene of the crime and only the ingenuity of Lottie can figure it out.

It's a tangled web of lies, secrets and manipulation that pull this story along in an exciting and fun easy read. It's a very subtle easy flowing storyline, and I must concur with another review who stated it was reminiscent of early Amanda Quick books.