The Deceivers

(Paperback)

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Description

Welcome to Vale Hall: a school for aspiring con artists. When Brynn Hilder is recruited to the elite Vale Hall, she can't believe her luck. Vale means a new life, away from her mom's loser boyfriend Pete and her run-down neighborhood. But Brynn soon learns that she hasn't been recruited because of her straight A's-she's been chosen because up until now, her extracurriculars involved conning rich North Shore kids out of their extravagant allowances in an attempt to save up for college. At Vale Hall, she'll be expected to use her skills for a much bigger purpose: to rid the city of crooked politicians and corrupt officials. The thought of giving entitled jackasses their comeuppance is the maraschino cherry on this too-good-to-be-true sundae. But that's before Brynn meets her mark-a senator's son. Before she understands that the headmaster of Vale Hall has secrets of his own and will stop at nothing to protect them. Before she realizes how in over her head she is. As the lines of right and wrong blur for Brynn, she must figure out who she can trust before it's too late.

Reviews

Brilliantly plotted, tightly paced, and intensely smart. The Deceivers is the perfect con, full of clever characters, untrustworthy romance, and lie after lie after lie, with just enough truth tossed in to make you question everything. Kristen Simmons is a deceptive genius. I could not devour this book fast enough.-- Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Caraval

"Beneath its quick and clever dialogue, The Deceivers examines the moral grey area between good and evil. Lying has never seemed so much fun.--Katharine McGee, New York Times bestselling author of the Thousandth Floor Trilogy

Masterful, suspenseful, and brilliantly executed, The Deceivers is the perfect con. Kristen Simmons is an outstanding storyteller, and this is her best yet.--Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author of Illuminae and These Broken Stars

Addictive and delicious, The Deceivers will keep you turning the pages well into the night!--Katie McGarry, critically acclaimed author of Pushing the Limits

"...the excitement of teen operatives learning to work complicated scams makes for compelling drama. The moral ambiguity feels as urgent as it is ultimately unresolvable--people do really bad things while the police look the other way, and sometimes, at least according to Odin, it takes deception, dangerous gambles, and a willingness to accept collateral damage to bring about justice."--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Brynn is a sharp, analytical thinker with a soft heart - the exact kind of protagonist I love rooting for, especially as villains and heroes creep out from places I don't expect...Even the prerequisite romance was a pleasant surprise as Brynn and her love interest show complete respect for one another, giving enthusiastic consent the front seat it absolutely deserves and yet feels underrepresented in young adult literature. I devoured this book in one big gulp because I couldn't wait to see what twists and turns were ahead.--Kelly Morton, Joseph-Beth Booksellers

"The Deceivers is a perfectly paced, high stakes read that is honestly super fun for the reader. Don't plan on putting it down in the middle to do other things, you'll want to keep reading. Simmons has outdone herself with this incredible new story about con artists and a girl trying to find her own path."--Rachel Strolle, Teen Librarian, Glenside Public Library District

Author Bio

KRISTEN SIMMONS is the author of the Article 5 series, The Glass Arrow, Metaltown, and Pacifica. She has worked with survivors of abuse and trauma as a mental health therapist, taught Jazzercise in five states, and is forever in search of the next best cupcake. Currently she lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, where she spends her days supporting the caffeine industry and chasing her delightfully rambunctious son.