Publisher’s Weekly, PW Select (December 22, 2012): The spoiled son of an English lord gets his comeuppance and achieves his true potential in this fast-paced coming-of-age adventure from newcomer Raney. When James Morgan’s long-absent father, a famous naval captain, is murdered by a cabal of villains, 11-year-old James goes on the run. He eventually ends up in London, where he runs afoul of the King of Thieves, who steals his father’s last gift: a wooden box that contains the key to a great and mysterious treasure. Adopted by the feisty Ratt Brothers gang, Jim must learn to be a thief to retrieve the box and avenge his father. Pirates, talking birds, double-crosses, and a magical twist also factor into this blend of Dickens and Stevenson. While Raney paints an almost idealistic picture of life on the streets, with adults mostly portrayed as untrustworthy scoundrels or bumbling fools, the story is full of energy and a sense of wonder. Even an overly moralistic ending doesn’t detract too much from the swashbuckling, death-defying air that the author establishes. Ages 8–12.

Kirkus Reviews: When 11-year-old Jim Morgan’s father is killed, he’s determined to find out why and ends up on the run in 19th-century London in Raney’s debut historical adventure novel.

Jim’s mother died when he was an infant, and his father was away at sea for much of his childhood. Jim’s aunt, who raised him, let him run amok, and he spent his days terrorizing the servants and paying little attention to his studies. His life changes the day his father comes home; by nightfall, his father is murdered, and Jim finds himself on the run from the killers. The youth ends up in the London underworld, where it’s tough to be an 11-year-old kid—let alone one with no money, no connections and a price on his head. With no one to help him, he presses on and tries to figure out how to open a box his father left him. Over the course of the novel, which also includes magic, pirates and pickpockets, Jim matures from a spoiled, friendless rich kid to a young man with friends who can count on him. The novel features strong secondary characters, including a small gang of children who adopt Jim and teach him the ways of the underworld. It also has many tense moments, as well as a strong sense of fun. Raney sets this book up to be the first of a series, and while this initial story wraps up satisfactorily, many readers will be eager to spend more time in the world Raney has created.

A rip-roaring good tale for children of all ages.

YAReads.com: “Beautifully written and perfectly paced, Jim Morgan and the King of Thieves is a must read for everyone who loves to step into world colored with a little magic and a lot of adventure...”