(1) YA "Scarlett's senses crackled with anticipation," Stroud writes in the second book (following The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne, rev. 1/22) in this fantasy series full of action, outlaws, dystopian societies, and post-apocalyptic ghouls. And crackle is the word, too, to describe Stroud's insouciant humor, energetic and witty invention, and underlay of empathy in this fizzingly paced adventure. Notorious outlaw Scarlett and the telepathically gifted Albert Browne are roped into the dangerous heist of a truckload of religious artifacts when they are blackmailed by Scarlett's old colleagues in theft, the Brothers of the Hand. The job goes as well as a theft can until it ends with capture and the gallows, thanks to the religious conglomerate that runs this future scorched-earth Britain. To say the stakes are high is an understatement, but that is Stroud at his best: we know the prodigiously skilled Scarlett and Albert--hapless and unworldly though he may be--will win through, but how? Stroud is as playful and inventive in plotting as he is in description ("back was [Scarlett's] least favorite direction"; a guard has "a face like a disappointed log"), making this novel both hilarious and suspenseful. It has admirable seriousness, to boot, as Scarlett and Albert each begin to face their own interior pain and rage, foreshadowing (one hopes) the next series entry to come.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(2) YA In a dystopic Britain of the future, drastic events have left the land awash or turned it into a radiation-contaminated and desolate wilderness "infested with bandits, blood-otters, and wolves"--not to mention cannibalistic humans called "the Tainted." "Normal" people live in scattered fortified Surviving Towns; anyone identified with a perceived deformity or abnormality is cruelly tortured or killed. Scarlett McCain has survived thanks to her wits, agility, and talents as a bank robber, but when she rescues hapless, unworldly Albert Browne after a strange bus accident, even she is amazed by the pursuit that ensues. Men, dogs, guns, explosives, and the mysteriously invincible Mrs. Calloway, Albert's former jailer, are never far behind as the two make their way by raft to the refuge of the Free Isles down the Thames River. Incisive, elegant action scenes, stuffed with daredevil escapes and shoot-'em-up confrontations, keep the story racing along in a turbulent stream of suspense and relief. Stroud's (author of the Bartimaeus trilogy and the Lockwood & Co. series) characteristic humor--irony, sarcasm, a witty quickness--lightens the tale's more dire themes of abuse and psychological damage. The story establishes a context and partnership that suggest future escapades, with characters ripe for development, plenty of unanswered questions, and a tantalizing treasure heist in the offing.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2022

(3) 4-6 Lockwood & Co. series. This fourth series installment set in a ghost-infested alternate London finds teen psychic operative Lucy Carlyle back working for the ragtag independent agency Lockwood & Co. Once again, Stroud supplies heart-stopping action and supernatural suspense, this time adding a layer of political and interagency intrigue. The book ends on a cliffhanger that comes out of nowhere but will surely hook series fans. Glos.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(2) 4-6 Lockwood & Co. series. In a ghost-infested alternate London, Lucy Carlyle is a psychic investigator at independent teenage agency Lockwood & Co. As the agency investigates a major outbreak, Lucy establishes herself as an operative and feels out her relationship with enigmatic Anthony Lockwood. In this third adventure, readers are once again treated to inventive world-building, memorable characters, edge-of-your-seat pacing, and dashes of sardonic humor. Glos.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2016

(3) 4-6 Lockwood & Co. series. The ragtag juvenile ghost-hunter agency, Lockwood & Co., takes on its second big-ticket case, this one involving sinister artifacts with possible links to the genesis of Britain's ghost "Problem." Stroud unfolds an intricate plot that inches readers closer to the central supernatural mystery, offering a cozy, creepy tale that balances ghostly peril with hefty helpings of stiff-upper-lip snark. Glos.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(2) 4-6 Lockwood & Co. series. In a world where ghosts have become the world's worst pest infestation, protagonist Lucy and her Lockwood & Co. colleagues take on a high-profile, high-paying haunting from a client who is not telling them everything. Lucy's wry, practical voice counterpoints the suspenseful supernatural goings-on in this rollicking series-opener, which strikes just the right balance between creepiness and hilarity.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2013

(1) 4-6 In this prequel, wisecracking djinni Bartimaeus is bound to one of King Solomon's evil magicians. Meanwhile, Asmira, trusted guard to the queen of Sheba, is sent to Jerusalem to assassinate Solomon. Stroud has crafted a worthy companion to the Bartimaeus trilogy, keeping what worked (snarky first-person voice, labyrinthine plotting) but adding enough new elements to keep the story inventive and satisfying.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2010

(1) YA Halli, short, stumpy younger son of Svein's House, tries to avenge a murdered uncle. Halli's actions, clever and well-meaning though they are, tend to have unintended consequences, causing commotion and propelling the plot. Stroud keeps readers guessing--about plot turns, character revelations, and the novel's philosophical implications--through many deftly choreographed conflicts. Counterpointing the main narrative are legends of progenitor hero Svein.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2009

(2) 4-6 Bartimaeus Trilogy series. This second book in the Bartimaeus Trilogy adds a new character to The Amulet of Samarkand's entertaining mix of power-hungry junior magician Nathaniel and supercilious djinni Bartimaeus: Kitty, a commoner and a member of the Resistance opposing the magicians' corrupt rule. The action never flags--with not one but two seemingly unstoppable villains to defeat--and the escalating intrigue among the three main characters bodes well for book three.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2004

(2) YA Through guile, teamwork, and dumb luck, a magician's apprentice and a "Spenser for Hire"-type djinni uncover and foil a coup attempt masterminded by a ruthless magician. The pace never slows in this wisecracking adventure, and Stroud has created a well-realized fantasy world, but it is the complementary main characters who will keep readers coming back for the rest of the projected trilogy.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2003