At the start of this mystery novel, set in pre-World War II Scotland, 15 year-old Julie Beaufort-Stuart arrives back from finishing school in Switzerland. Sitting down by the river on her grandfather’s estate, she is knocked unconscious, and her gradual recollection of what led up to this attack is the key to the whereabouts of some missing river pearls and the identity of the thief.

The mystery itself is not particularly gripping or original, but it is a hook to hang the development of Julie, later to become Verity of Code Name Verity (2012), on. She loves putting the pieces of a puzzle together, she enjoys fooling people, and she relishes leading a conspiracy. She is empathetic, adventurous, impulsive, brave if somewhat foolhardy, willing to give anything a shot, and discontented with the lot of women in this era. As you can see, these are threads that will lead her to her role in that outstanding novel.

The Pearl Thief is also interested in social justice, through its portrayal of the McEwen family who are Travellers, often disparagingly referred to as “tinkers.” Many of the establishment figures, from the police to the librarian, are quick to jump to conclusions about their morals and behavior, instantly blaming them for everything from theft to murder. Julie, however, is less bound to this and takes their side (I can’t say I’m wild about this trope of the tolerant toffs and the bigoted working class). Ms Wein’s note on Travellers is a model of explanation and caveat.

Julie is yearning for romance, and her description of her relationship with Ellen McEwen suggests that her feelings are more than just that of a friend. The two girls along with their brothers, make an appealing quartet as they investigate the mystery.

As with her other novels, but particularly for me, Black Dove, White Raven (2015) Ms Wein evocatively and exquisitely describes the period and the setting. The death of Julie’s grandfather, the Earl of Strathfearn, means the family must sell off his estate to pay off his debts, and that melancholy task gives added resonance to Julie’s description of the countryside (though they do have a castle to go to, so let’s not shed too many tears).

This is an early ARC, and it has some issues that I’m sure will be sorted out. I found some of Julie’s narration and breaking of the fourth wall to be a bit too jolly hockey sticks (defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as “used to describe a woman or girl of a high social class who is enthusiastic in a way that annoys most people.”) The tone shifts around a bit as well, but I suspect both these quibbles will be fixed before publication.

CNV was such a great novel, and though Ms Wein’s subsequent novels have been very good, they have not achieved that same level. Nor, currently, does The Pearl Thief, but it is still a fine historical mystery novel with an engaging and complex narrator and some thoughtful ideas about society in 1938.

Thanks to Disney-Hyperion and Edelweiss for the digital ARC.

The Pearl Thief prequel to Code Name Verity is an exciting mystery that gives background for the characters and actions in books written about future time. The Scottish setting was ideal and the history of prewar was so beneficial for the Times. I found the novel entertaining.

Okay so did I find this one a bit boring and the mystery a bit unnecessary? Yes (I read this over a few months). But. BUT. Do I love Julie with all my heart and soul? Does she/her voice remind me of Cassandra Mortmain in the best possible way, and would I read about her life for ever and ever if I could? Yes, yes, and yes.

Fun and creative adventure with memorable characters, entertaining plot and twists. Wonderful companion to continue the adventures of amazing characters in her other novels.

I was a huge fan of Code Name Verity and Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein. Huge. Bought copies. Lent them to friends. Raved on my Booktube channel. So,when I was given the opportunity to read more about Julie, I jumped at the chance. I got this e-arc courtesy of Netgalley and I was super stoked... and then I promptly forgot that the galley existed on my Kindle.

So much so, that when I saw the title of Book Depository months later, I couldn't believe that I didn't know that this Code Name Verity prequel was released without me knowing! (Yes, seriously. This happened to me.)

I bought it! I was so excited! And then I opened the docs on my Kindle and saw The Pearl Thief staring back at me. Oh my lord.

One of my favorite books, by one of my favorite YA authors. Not as wonderful as her first title but glad to have this additional one to recommend!

I didn't like this as much as Code Name Verity, but I did enjoy it a great deal. I liked 'seeing' more of Julia who was such a bad-ass.

I enjoyed this book, but it was very different from Code Name Verity, which I enjoyed much more. This book included a mystery and a view into the adolescence of Julie from Code Name Verity. I am thankful to have received a galley from NetGalley, but it was not a good copy. It began with a scene from the middle of the book. At that time I thought it was a teaser for the rest of the book. However, it was repeated over and over again scattered throughout the book and finally in the correct place (but not the final time). So that made it a bit confusing. I am sure that it must only appear once in the completed published copy. I think it would be a listen in an audio book.

An exciting mystery with friendship, history and coming-of-age mixed in. If you loved Code Name Verity (as I did), this is a great companion book, but this is also a thrilling stand alone book. Meeting Julie as a young lady and getting to know her adventurous spirit, before WWII and Code Name Verity, makes all three stories in this series even better.

I received an advance copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, I admit that I opened this as soon as I got it and then... I couldn't get into it. I hadn't read CNV in a few years, I didn't remember anything about Julie, and this just felt weird. I set it down and ignored it for MONTHS and finally came back to it in order to start 2018 with a clean slate. This time, I loved it.

I knew nothing about the Travelers, the river pearls, pre-war life in Scotland, any of it. Once I allowed myself time to sink into the story, I stayed up too late with it too many nights, anxious to find out what was next.

Would I recommend this to people who want more like CNV or RUF? No. The closest you get to a plane is Julie taking her mom's car out. But! If you like mysteries, an original historical setting for YA novels, and a gentle coming of age (with a bit of a questioning twist), this is for you. Julie lingered with me long after I finished the story.

Beautiful historical setting with interesting information about the time period. The story itself falls somewhat flat. Julie seems a bit too mature for her years and too many aspects of the plot seem inconceivable. But those who love Code Name Verity may overlook these flaws to get the backstory of this fascinating person.

** spoiler alert ** I wasn’t a huge fan of Code Name Verity, but I tried The Pearl Thief.

Overall, I found it a bit slow to develop and to really get going. Set in Pre WWII Scotland, after a grandfather’s long illness and death, the ancestral family house and property has been sold to make way for a private boys school. Julie comes home from boarding school and gets a crack on the head, with memory loss, but she might have been the last person to see a man alive...

I appreciated the main character exploring a previously unknown attraction to women, via Ellen, but also being interested in men, who happened to be Ellen’s brother. The mystery of the missing man/murder was painfully slow to see develop. How did she remember Mr.H had a bloody face in the river, but it was only later that “oh yea, he was naked too.”
The author chose to include A LOT of Scottish sayings, songs, poems, it seemed a bit indulgent and contrived and I don’t think it makes it any easier or relatable for teen readers.

Wein's prequel to Code Name Verity shows the events that turned Julie into a crusader for justice. Julie's world turns upside down, as her grandfather's home is turned into a school, her Traveler friends are harassed by the local law enforcement and a dead body is found. There are mysteries to be solved, and Julie does everything she can to protect her friends and family.

This is a prequel to Wein’s Code Name Verity. Julia has just returned from school to her ancestral home in Scotland to help her family with the packing up of her grandparents’ household. The estate and belongings are being cataloged and sent off to auction to help pay off debts. Julia has arrived home but hasn’t yet reunited with her family. Suddenly she finds herself in a hospital with a raging headache and no recollection of what happened. Her memory returns in bits and pieces but the result is that it only adds to the mystery of what happened to her. There’s also a situation involving a missing man who was organizing and documenting the estate.

Julia is thankful to two Traveler (gypsy) youths who rescued her and brought her to the hospital. She is intrigued by these saviors and is appalled by the treatment they are given by the hospital staff. She herself was initially suspected of also being a Traveler and was treated with disdain and disrespect. When her true identity as Lady Julia was revealed, things quickly changed. But the more time she spends with her new itinerant friends, the more she sees the daily insults and prejudicial behavior directed at their kind.

Wein highlights the biased treatment of the Traveler people. The hostility is a long-standing reality for them and Julia’s growing awareness is part of the journey. We get to see some of the traits that define Julia in Code Name Verity. This is not quite as strong as Wein’s war stories but the Scottish setting and the Traveler storyline are very interesting. The author is able to create characters that are realistic and well-defined. Her stories hold readers’ attention and her plots are well-developed. This should appeal to lovers of her other books although it doesn’t demonstrate the high intensity one might expect based on the other titles.

I loved this prequel to Code Name Verity. It is a very different story than Verity, but it provides a beautiful backdrop and gives some context to her actions in CNV. I did not think I could love her character more, but I do.

I think this would have worked better if it hadn't been tied to the Verity books at all. The story isn't bad, but it's a bit of a let down after the suspense and plotting of Code Name Verity and Rose Under Fire. I figured out several key pieces well before the characters, and Julie veered more into the tiring and flighty vein than her older incarnation from Verity.

That said, the descriptions of the pearls are lovely, there are some entertaining characters, and it seemed to do a good job of showing some of the prejudice Travellers face in Europe. It might be a good fit for a reader who wants a historical mystery, but I don't think I'd recommend it to fans of Wein's WWII stories.

The Pearl Thief is a prequel to Code Name Verity and Rose Under Fire. Readers meet Julie as a teenager, recovering from a serious blow to the head (literally). Like many teens, Julie is eager to prove herself, is keenly aware of the romantic potential in any situation, and has a flair for drama. Someone has stolen the priceless family pearls, and Julie is determined to figure out who while she is stuck in the old family estate in Scotland for the summer. Code Name Verity fans will be interested to discover the identity of Queenie and learn a bit more about Julie herself.

Unfortunately, The Pearl Thief lacks the same punch we find in both Code Name Verity and Rose Under Fire. The plot meanders a bit, the characters engage in actions that sometimes seem incongruous--particularly for the time period, and the book is too long. I might overlook these issues were the previous two books not such outstanding examples of teen literature. One of the central themes in this volume concerns Julie's coming-of-age. Her sexual explorations are just as much a part of this coming-of-age as is her growing understanding of the types of people in the world. Wein gives Julie the freedom to love and experiment with both boys (including a much older man) and girls (including her new best friend). In some scenes, young girls are roughly treated in a sexual manner (not outright rape, but the scenes are uncomfortable). The Pearl Thief targets a younger teen audience than Code Name Verity and Rose Under Fire, which makes these scenes potentially more troubling to the younger readers. In general, The Pearl Thief lacks some of the sophistication and complexity that made the earlier novels exemplary. All in all, I would recommend simply reading Code Name Verity and Rose Under Fire and skipping The Pearl Thief. Wein's usual talents are not on display in quite the same way in The Pearl Thief, and her inclusion of Julie's sexual explorations puts a different spin on the relationships we see in Code Name Verity and Rose Under Fire. Women can have true friends who operate the way the girls do in the earlier volumes without a prior sexual attraction to one another, and there is no evidence in the earlier volumes that assumes this history between the friends.

<i>The Pearl Thief</i> is a historical mystery that gives you a glimpse into the life of Julie Stuart before the war. It is not necessary to have read <i>Code Name Verity</i> to enjoy this book. Julie is home from boarding school to help her family pack up the remaining belongings of her grandfather's estate. On her first day home she is attacked and receives a serious head injury. Julie has no memory of the attack and befriends the tinker family who found her and they search to put the pieces of that day back together. Julie must recognize and deal with the prejudice facing the traveling Scottish tinker families and find her own voice and opinions about when to stand up for something or someone you believe in. Thief is a complete stand-alone novel, but the insight the story gives to the actions and beliefs of a more mature Julie in <i>Code Name Verity</i> enriches both stories. A layered, well-constructed mystery with amazing insight and depth to characters. Highly recommend for any secondary library

Readers who loved Code Name Verity will enjoy learning more about Julie’s pre-war days in this prequel to Code Name Verity. However, The Pearl Thief works surprisingly well as a stand-alone, and so readers previously unfamiliar with the character will also enjoy reading about Julie. Written as more of a light hearted murder mystery, we see young Julie as she deals with the life on her family estate in Scotland. Which due to her Grandfather’s death and subsequent debt, her family is being ousted, and the estate is being converted to a boys' school. Julie is back from summer break from boarding school she and her family are now tasked with clearing out generations' worth of her family's things while sharing the house with a slew of workmen. It is among this backdrop that Julie must solve some mysterious goings-on involving Scottish River pearls collected from their family land after she is knocked unconscious and left by the very same river the from which pearls were collected. Rumors, false accusations, and prejudices fly as Julie and the townsfolk try to unweave this tangled mystery.