Book Review - Den of Thieves

Title: Den Of Thieves
Author: Julia Golding
Series: Cat Royal (book 3)
Publisher: Egmont Books Ltd
Release Date: 5 Feb 2007
ISBN-13: 978-1405228183

Synopsis
Our hardy heroine, Cat Royal, finds herself homeless, travels to Paris, becomes an underground reporter, nearly gets hung for being a traitor to the revolution, and is baffled by attention from numerous suitors; all the while being disguised as a prissy ballerina! As the French Royal family flee, Cat discovers the power of the people. Vive La Revolution! 


My Review
Once again picking up where the previous book left off we are back in Drury Lane with our heroin Cat Royal, but once again life never stays simple - Drury Lane Theatre is going to be refurbished, but this means it will be knocked down and then rebuilt which will take a couple of years to be completed. Knowing the place as her only home Cat finds herself out on the streets, turning down help from her friends she is determined she can look after herself, but life is hard for a poor orphan girl and Cat once more finds herself in trouble. Rescuing Cat from life on the streets her patron Mr Sheridan gives her a job - she is to travel to France disguised as part of the ballet troupe and once there send him messages detailing the goings on in Paris. A revolution is on the horizon and the people are fighting back and Sheridan wants to know it all.
Thrown in at the deep end Cat must contend with snooty, stuck up dancers, French police, street gangs, injustice and avoiding being seriously injured. Life certainly doesn't get easier for Cat.
This book carries on the high standard set by the first. The story sounds as though it will be very political and dry but it is not. One of the more exciting stories, Cat is thrown into a whole other world and we as the reader are there to experience it with her. There are some great new characters in this book as well as the return of favourites. Frank journeys with Cat and becomes quite the street boy, Pedro shows up and so does Lizzie. This book also brings the return of Johnny, who has always been one of my favourite characters. We are also introduced to JF, a young street boy head of one of the gangs, he takes a shine to Cat and i love how they bounce off each other. I hope to see more of him in future books.
The setting is well detailed and I could really picture the places in France they visit, some well known that are around in modern day, others just well written that they spring an image in your mind.
Julia Golding really is a master of the craft and I have already plunged deeply into the next installment. These really are great reads for all ages.


My Rating
I would give this book a 10/10 of course, just keeps getting better.