An 11-year-old pickpocket finds her next mark—the nob disguised as a ruffian outside a saloon—but she doesn’t realize that the watch she steals from him belongs to the richest, most dangerous man in San Francisco.
When Jack London returns home to the Family, the group of orphaned and abandoned children taken in by Lady Jane, she discovers that the watch she took belongs to wealthy, ruthless George Hearst, whose son, William Randolph, is missing. Possessing it puts them all in danger. And then she happens upon and rescues William, who’s being held captive in one of the tunnels beneath the city that are used for smuggling. With help from William and her former best friend, Charlie, Jack tries to piece together details of a conspiracy that threatens everyone she cares about. The period-appropriate language transports readers to the gritty streets of San Francisco’s Barbary Coast neighborhood in the 1870s. The third-person narration mostly unfolds through Jack’s perspective, but some chapters fill in backstories from the points of view of William and Charlie. The beginning, which establishes the worldbuilding, moves a bit slowly, but the pace soon picks up. Miller thoughtfully explores themes of finding belonging and the ups and downs of friendship. Jack is cued white, and there’s racial diversity in the wider cast.
An atmospheric tale of intrigue and corruption grounded by the love of chosen family.
—Kirkus Reviews
A resourceful street thief navigates the lawless Barbary Coast of 1870s San Francisco in this rambunctious period novel from Miller (The Girls of Gettysburg). Eleven-year-old Jack London, portrayed on the book’s cover with pale skin, is a member of saloon owner Lady Jane’s makeshift family, a band of young outcasts that includes gentle Puddin’ Foot, impulsive Oofty Goofty, and ailing Philly. To keep the group afloat, bold and savvy Jack roams the streets in search of pockets to pick. But after lifting the gold watch of mining magnate George Hearst in hopes of paying for a medical treatment for Philly, Jack is swept into a dangerous conspiracy involving the kidnapping of Hearst’s son, William Randolph, and a brutal power struggle between rival smuggling gangs vying for control of the waterfront. As Jack, soon joined by headstrong William, outwits criminals and corrupt authorities alike, the novel delivers a breathless, high-stakes adventure. Vivid settings lend authenticity to the tale, while memorably rendered supporting characters and themes of loyalty, found family, and resilience give the story emotional depth. It’s a spirited romp that brings a swashbuckling era and location to life.
—Publishers Weekly
