A friend gave me this one after I was wowed by a previous book of Anne Gracie's.

Kit Smith has just buried her father. But before he died, he extracted a promise from her that she'd go to London and restore his honor. As part of his plan, she's posing as Kit Singleton, niece of the very respectable Rose Singleton.

Hugo Devenish's role in London is twofold: to straighten up his family's affairs and to apprehend the Chinese burglar who's been preying on the gentry. When his nephew and heir announces his plans to marry Miss Singleton, heiress to a diamond mine in New South Wales, of all places, Hugo decides he must investigate Miss Singleton.

And of course, we can all guess what happens then.

In some ways, An Honorable Thief is a fairly predictable Regency romance--that Kit herself is the thief, that she'll discover the deception behind the premise she's been operating under, that she and Hugo will fall in love, and that he will catch her in the act.

But there's more to it than that, and I didn't see the biggest twist of the book coming at all.

Then, too, there's wonderful chemistry between Kit and Hugo. They're attracted to each other's personality and intelligence as well as appearance, though trust is, unsurprisingly, an issue between the two of them. I did get impatient for Kit to spill the beans to Hugo a smidgen sooner than she actually did it, but she didn't keep me waiting too long, and I didn't get too terribly irritated with her.

I believe I have 3 or 4 more Anne Gracie books in my TBR pile. I'm looking forward to them. ( )

Hugo Devenish has been looked down upon by the ton for ages. Although his family relies on his earnings from business, any hint of trade is deemed 'vulgar' so they generally do their best to disassociate themselves from him - except when they need his money. When his nephew concentrates on wooing a young heiress with a fortune of possibly dubious origin, Devenish decides to investigate her claims - as well as the mysterious rash of burglary that has beset Society.

Kit Singleton promised her father on his deathbed that she would avenge his honor in England, and THAT is why she has come to London, not to land a silly husband after her nonexistent diamond mine. But as much as she wishes to be rid of Devenish's nephew, she cannot help but be drawn to his uncle - the man whose waltzing practically makes her swoon, and whose keen intellect may soon uncover her secrets.

This was an entertaining read. Another obvious early effort, but a plot that was refreshingly different from the usual Regency ball and house-party fare. I loved Hugo's protectiveness and Kit's mischievous manner and disregard for English proprieties. The secondary characters are also great fun (especially Maggie), though perhaps somewhat underdeveloped. I would have enjoyed to see more of Miss Lutens.

Worth a re-read for certain ( )