Double Crossed

Title: Double Crossed

Author: Ally Carter

Date Read: June 28, 2013

ARC Book

Summary: The worlds of Heist Society and the Gallagher Girls collide in Ally Carter’s fast-paced, high-stakes and tantalizing new novella. Get a behind the scenes glimpse as Ally delivers an irresistible thriller that is full of her signature style and savvy twists.

Macey McHenry—Glamorous society girl or spy-in-training?

W.W. Hale V—Heir to an American dynasty or master thief?

There are two sides to every coin. Whether these two can work together is a tossup.

Born into privilege, Macey and Hale are experts at mingling with the upper class. But even if they’ve never raised an eyebrow at the glitz, neither teenager has ever felt at home with the glamour.

When Macey and Hale meet at a society gala, the party takes a dangerous turn. Suddenly they’re at the center of a hostage situation, and it’s up to them to stop the thugs from becoming hostile. Will Macey’s spy skills and Hale’s con-man ways be enough to outsmart a ruthless gang? Or will they have to seek out the ultimate inside girl to help? NetGalley

Review: This is a very short novella that has a good basis for a book but very poor development. I'm not familiar with Ally Carter's work and I tend to feel a little gypped when it comes to novellas but this book left me with more questions than answers. I think Macey and Hale are two very unique characters that obviously have interesting backgrounds but we are never privy to what those backgrounds are. We hear a little about Macey's "school" but have no idea what type of school it is or how she was recruited for it. We hear a little about Hale and some of his past heists but that's about it. I think the basis of these characters are intriguing but the book left a lot to be desired. It was hard to follow some of the story because things jumped around a bit. One thing I did enjoy, the story was not predictable when it came to the love/relationship aspect. In novellas like this, one usually assumes the male and female leads will develop a romantic relationship but that's not the case in Double Crossed. It actually seems like the main characters begin to develop a professional respect for one another and their unique skills but we never get to find out where that leads. Overall, this was an interesting read but I wish it would have been a full story rather than just a novella.