

The Mark of Thieves
Iustitia Aecum Book #1
Kate Malden
Will Wardrew—charming, quick-witted, and brash—uses his wiles to steal for his gang, Iustitia Aecum. Time and again, chance brings him face-to-face with Bree, a down-on-her-luck IA thief who guards her heart as closely as her secrets.
In twin strokes of misfortune, both Will and Bree end up in the clutches of Baden Hatchett, the relentless police officer determined to capture every last IA thief and bring the gang to its knees.
Will only wants to protect his family, and Bree only wants to lay the ghosts of her past to rest, but now they each face a terrible choice: betray the gang or face a lifetime of imprisonment.
What Hatchett doesn’t know: Bree owes Will her life—and, following an ill-fated, impulsive kiss, she just may owe him her heart, too. How can she double-cross the boy who’s saved her not once, but twice?
This book is available for:
Free on Amazon, Kindle Unlimited
Additional Book Details
Major Tropes:
Human Psyche, “Ticking Clock”, Troubled Protagonist, Twist Ending, High Stakes
Tropes:
jail/prison
crimes/criminals
dark and angsty
Robin Hood reimagining
slow burn
Victorian era
found family
forced proximity
morally gray FMC
protective MMC
snarky thieves
betrayal
themes of justice, loyalty, and power
unhinged villain
everyone's got a secret
Representation:
Neurodivergence, LGBTQA+, BIPOC, Mental Health, Mental Illness
Spice:
Level 1
Content:
Level 4
Content Warnings:
violence / torture
foul language
arrest, jail, and associated imprisonment and restraint use
abusive and corrupt law enforcement
rampant misogyny
mention of / lies about self harm [no actual self harm]
mention of sexual assault
threat of / attempted sexual assault
abusive family members / domestic abuse
psychological and physical torture
period-accurate (1880s) terminology around mental health
threat of being institutionalized / committed to a psychiatric hospital
forced/unpaid labour
some flippant, irreverent discussion of crime, sex, violence, and death
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