THE DARK FABLE

A glamorous world of heists and cons hides a dark evil that lurks beneath lavish lifestyles.

Eighteen-year-old Evie grew up in foster homes after an unspeakable tragedy took her parents and younger siblings 10 years ago. She now works three jobs and squats in the attic of an apartment building. When a glamorous crew of thieves cause mayhem at a gala where she’s working as a server and also make her an accessory to their crime, she’s fascinated. The members of La Fable Sombre each bring a special magical talent to their heists, and they need Evie’s newly discovered ability to turn invisible. She willingly joins their crew and soon considers charismatic leader Ciaran, frothy Mad, trickster Devon, and alchemist Queenie as family. She learns that LFS is one of several international gangs that, for centuries, have stolen artifacts for the Collectors. Evie quickly proves her worth, drawing the attention of fences Mother Night and Father Silence, the “royalty” of the syndicate. Evie’s conversations with several characters provide backstory, although the level of immediately forthcoming detail stretches credulity. These talks open Evie’s eyes to the participants’ varied motivations—and she discovers a startling truth that fuels her own sense of purpose, leading to a cinematic climax that unfortunately resolves fairly quickly, wrapping up with a neat ending that doesn’t feel earned. Most characters are cued white; Dev reads Black.

An imaginative heist fantasy bogged down in descriptions and expository dialogue.