The Thief by Stephanie Landsem

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: Paper Back 

Publisher:  Simon and Schuster

Reviewer:   Virginia Armstrong

6 Jags

Mouse is the best thief in all of Jerusalem.  It is with his help that Nissa, a young Jewish woman, is able to keep a roof over her family’s heads and food on the table.  Shouldering the responsibility for her blind brother and negligible parent’s, Nissa has gained a sharp tongue and fighting spirit.

Longinus is a Roman Centurion in the Judean Providence, haunted by the death of his best friend and desperate to avenge him.  Staking the precious sword that once belonged to his father, he must find the thieves that are causing havoc in the marketplace.

As Longinus seeks Mouse, and Nissa tries to conceal him, a mysterious stranger comes to town with the ability to miraculously heal the people.  It is during this time that Nissa and Longinus are pulled together unexpectedly, and thrown into the spiral of events that lead to the mysterious stranger’s arrest, trial and crucifixion.  

The Thief started out very well.  Mouse and Nissa were especially lively and engaging characters, keeping the reader wanting more of them.  Once Jesus made an appearance, the story veered too far for this reader.  Perhaps being all too familiar with the stories of the bible, I already had a mental picture of certain characters imagined and revisiting it through the eyes of another did not sit well for me.  For this reader, the merging of biblical and fictional characters did not merge as well as I would anticipate.  As for style, the author definitely has a flair for writing.  Her characters are lively and engaging, keeping the reader wanting more.

The Jag Review has received this copy of this book from Howard Books for our honest review. The opinions expressed are our own.