Museum of Thieves (Museum Keepers #1)

Museum of Thieves is the first book in Lian Tanner's The Keepers series.

In the city of Jewel a tight reign is kept on the citizens of the city. Children are literally chained to their parents or a Blessed Guardian until they reach the age of Separation. Until that time they are never alone and they do not make any decisions for themselves.

Now Goldie Roth is about to reach her Separation. The age has been lowered because the threats the city used to face have lessened - there is no more plague, famine, or pestilence; no children have drowned or had any fatal accidents in a long time; even the instance of child stealers is virtually nonexistent.

But as Goldie is about to be cut free of the ceremonial ribbon that has replaced her usual chain, a scare causes the leaders to rethink her early Separation. All of the children who were about to be freed must wait until it is deemed safe again. Goldie cannot wait.

As Goldie has never been the model child, she sees her opportunity to pick the pocket of the man guarding her. She can cut herself free and run away! Her escape sets off a chain of events long in the planning - events that may threaten the city like no others have for hundreds of years.

In the mean time, Goldie hides in the city's museum - a building she has never noticed before. But this is not regular museum - it is alive and can only be accessed by a thief. For only a thief can understand the shifting rooms. The museum shifts according to its sense of security - the more it feels threatened the more it changes. When the Blessed Guardians invade the building to find Goldie the museum becomes quite agitated.

Tanner's first book in the series is brilliant. She is an author with rare wisdom and perspective who brings feelings we all face to the forefront. Some of her passages tell universal truths in simple and hard-hitting language but are woven into a fascinating story and only enhance the reader's interest.

Museum of Thieves will be published on September 28th of this year (being a librarian has its perks!). Reserve a copy as soon as your local public library has it!

Tanner, Lian (2010). Museum of Thieves. New York: Delacourte Press.