City Of Saints & Thieves.
A story of loss, love, faith and justice.
A setting of jungles, bustling city streets and fruit trees.
A girl, a daughter, a sister and a thief.

This tale follows a girl called Tina. A girl who arrived in Kenya as a refugee along with her beloved mother who found work as a maid for Mr Greyhill, one of the most respected businessmen in Sangui City. With a business built on corruption and crime, after Tina’s mother is found dead in Greyhill’s office, she knows who to blame.
Set on a path of revenge for her mother, Tina bides her time.
But with uncovered truths, a twisted knot of lies and betrayals, Tina soon learns the truth is not always what you expect and to find it she must put her life on the line.

This story was a fast paced and action packed thriller. Once i got lost within the pages I found it almost impossible to put this book down. With the settings of Congo and Kenya so vividly depicted this book was a completely immersive experience. You can tell that a lot of research and effort went in to accurately depicting both the beautiful exterior and gritty underworlds of these locations.

The characters were just as richly written. As a lead Tina was brilliant.
We follow her through the book as she educates us on the rules of being a “thief” and as she unravels the mystery of her past and her mothers murder. Her character was so real and alive as we got to see not just her fierce and confident moments, but the moments when she it utterly broken and completely vulnerable. I absolutely loved reading from her pov and she was a perfect voice to tell this story.

If this book is any example of what is to come in the YA thriller genre then i can’t wait for more. This story was not just a well written, tension filled and satisfying thriller. It was a story of character. It was a story of the lengths we will go to for the ones we love. The pain we feel when facing loss and the hope you need to see a better future. This is a story i won’t forget, and one i would recommend to everyone.

What a well-written, exciting thriller!

City of Saints & Thieves is set in Kenya, where Tina - a Congolese refugee - is a member of the Goondas, a gang of street thieves. Tina looks out for her beloved younger sister, Kiki, whilst also longing for revenge against the man she knows murdered her mother: the wealthy Mr. Greyhill.

With the help of the Goondas, Tina plots her revenge, but when she is caught trying to steal files from Mr. Greyhill's computer - by his son, Michael - she is forced to make a deal. Michael will assist her in finding out what really happened to her mother, in exchange for her holding off on unveiling the files and exposing his dad's shady antics.

A diverse cast of characters find themselves digging deeper and deeper into the past; a journey which will take them to a tiny village in Congo, and reveal ever darker secrets. Alongside the fictional mystery that gets more nail-bitingly tense by the second, Anderson shines a light on some real world atrocities: real tales of greed, crime, and the way women's bodies become the spoils of war.

As far as I know, the author is not Kenyan or Congolese, but it definitely feels like a lot of research went into this book. She presents the dark sides of both countries, but also paints them in rich, beautiful detail. All of the characters are carefully-developed with thought and sensitivity; Tina, for example, has had to get tough to survive as long as she has, but she is also realistically flawed and driven by anger and sadness. Her narrative is split into thief "rules", as she educates the reader in how to be a good street thief, and reveals the story at the same time. It's quite punchy and effective.

City of Saints & Thieves contains a vivid world that will be unfamiliar to most readers, as well as memorable characters, and an intriguing mystery. Predictably, some romance does surface, but it isn't until the later chapters of the book and is kept to a minimum. Recommended for those looking for a YA thriller that sits outside the norm.