Jewelry Store Con

Sixteen-year-old Kat, coached by her "grandmother" Gem, poses as a posh teen in a Boston jewelry store. Their goal isn't theft, but to study and later replicate high-end jewelry for Gem's thriving fake-luxury business. The con is slick, playful, and seemingly victimless—targeting a soulless corporation, not individuals. But beneath the surface, Kat's guilt and longing for normalcy simmer. The heist is a family affair, with Kat's mother Jamie reluctantly complicit, and the trio's dynamic is a blend of affection, tension, and survival. This opening establishes the book's central motif: the blurred line between right and wrong, and the cost of living by your wits.

Family of Thieves

Kat's mother Jamie is a former runaway who fell into Gem's criminal orbit after escaping an abusive relationship. Gem, the matriarch, runs Spotless—a cleaning business that's a front for high-end theft and forgery. Jamie wants out, hoping to go straight for Kat's sake, but money is tight and Gem's "one last job" is always looming. The family's code is to only steal from those who won't miss it, but Jamie's conscience is fraying. Kat, meanwhile, is torn between loyalty, guilt, and a yearning for a life where she isn't always looking over her shoulder. The family's criminality is both a curse and a lifeline, and the tension between past and future is ever-present.

Catfish and Cancer

Seventeen-year-old Liam, recently orphaned, is forced to live with his estranged father Luke—a charming, manipulative grifter who uses Liam's childhood photos to catfish women online, spinning tales of a dying son to extract money. Liam, disgusted, sabotages Luke's cons and tries to warn his father's latest mark. But Liam's own grief and anger leave him adrift, and his only solace is in small acts of rebellion. When Luke sets his sights on Annalise Sutherland, a wealthy heiress, Liam is drawn into a new, higher-stakes con—one that will entangle him with Kat's world in ways neither of them can foresee.

Vegas Ghosts

Both Kat and Liam's lives were shaped by a disastrous weekend in Las Vegas years ago, when their parents' impulsive marriage ended in disaster and the two children were lost for hours. The memory is a touchstone for both—Liam's mother used it as a cautionary tale, while Kat's mother Jamie sees it as the moment she hit rock bottom. The Vegas incident is a ghost that haunts them, shaping their distrust, their resourcefulness, and their longing for connection. When fate brings Kat and Liam back together, their shared past becomes the unlikely foundation for trust.

The Last Heist

Jamie agrees to one final heist for Gem: infiltrate the Sutherland family's Maine compound during patriarch Ross Sutherland's 80th birthday bash and swap a valuable ruby necklace with a flawless fake. The job is supposed to be easy, with inside help and a clear plan. But Jamie is sick, Kat impulsively takes her place, and the Sutherland family is a powder keg of secrets and resentments. Meanwhile, Luke is courting Annalise, and Liam is reluctantly along for the ride. The stage is set for a collision of cons, lies, and hidden agendas.

Sutherland Compound

The compound is a world of privilege, but also of dysfunction: Ross's children are spoiled, competitive, and damaged by old wounds. Annalise is the golden child, Parker the reckless gambler, Larissa the snob, and Griffin the addict. Augustus, Annalise's nephew, is the outsider—wry, observant, and drawn to Liam. The staff quarters are filled with temp workers, including Kat (posing as Jamie) and the prickly Vicky. The compound's security is tight, but its emotional defenses are frayed. The heist, the party, and the family's secrets are on a collision course.

Roadside Reunion

On the way to the compound, Kat and Jamie's car breaks down, and they're "rescued" by Luke and Liam. The awkward reunion dredges up Vegas memories and sets the stage for new alliances. Kat and Liam, now teens, recognize each other as kindred spirits—both outsiders, both shaped by their parents' mistakes. Their banter is sharp, their trust tentative, but their bond is real. This meeting is the catalyst for the book's central partnership, as Kat and Liam become reluctant allies in a world of charming liars.

Unlikely Siblings

As Kat impersonates Jamie to keep the heist on track, she and Liam confide in each other about their families, their traumas, and their dreams. They realize they're not attracted to each other romantically, but feel a fierce, almost sibling-like loyalty. Their conversations are honest, funny, and raw—offering both a respite from the surrounding chaos and a model of what real trust looks like. Together, they navigate the compound's dangers, the heist's complications, and the emotional minefields of their parents' choices.

Impersonation and Intrusion

Kat, subbing for her sick mother, is drawn deeper into the Sutherland world—serving lunch, catching the eye of the family, and inadvertently raising suspicions. A valuable ring gets stuck on her finger, drawing unwanted attention. Meanwhile, Jamie's illness worsens, and Kat is forced to improvise. The heist's plan is threatened by staff rivalries, missing credentials, and the ever-present risk of exposure. When Parker Sutherland is found dead in the woods, the stakes skyrocket: the wrong person has been killed, and the real target may still be at risk.

The Birthday Job

During the birthday party, Kat tries to recover the fake necklace, but it's gone missing. Parker is shot in the woods, and Kat witnesses the aftermath—realizing too late that she may have been the intended victim. Panic spreads through the compound, security tightens, and everyone becomes a suspect. Kat, Liam, and Augustus scramble to piece together what happened, even as Jamie's condition deteriorates and the family's secrets threaten to explode. The heist has become a murder investigation, and the charming liars are running out of time.

Poison and Panic

Kat discovers that Jamie's illness was no accident—her granola was deliberately poisoned with gluten, exploiting her allergy. The culprit is Morgan, Gem's daughter, who wanted Jamie out of the way. The realization that the family's own circle is turning on itself shakes Kat to the core. Meanwhile, the necklace's whereabouts are uncertain, and the police are closing in. Kat, Liam, and Augustus must decide who to trust, as the line between ally and enemy blurs.

Parker's Fall

It's revealed that Parker was not just a victim, but a participant in the heist—planning to double-cross both his family and the thieves. The necklace in his pocket is a fake, and his death is the result of a botched plan and a killer who may have mistaken him for someone else. The Sutherland family's history of covering up scandals comes to light, and Annalise's role as both protector and manipulator is exposed. The murder investigation becomes a reckoning for everyone involved.

The Wrong Target

As the pieces fall into place, Kat understands that the killer was after Jamie—or Kat herself—not Parker. The attacks, the poisoning, and the escalating violence all point to a larger conspiracy. The mastermind is closer than anyone realized, and the danger is far from over. Kat's survival instincts, honed by years of living on the edge, become her greatest asset as she races to protect her mother and expose the truth.

Cat and Mouse

Kat, Jamie, Liam, and Augustus are hunted through the compound and beyond, pursued by a killer who always seems one step ahead. The group's alliances are tested, secrets are revealed, and sacrifices are made. Kat's resourcefulness and courage are pushed to the limit as she confronts her own past and the legacy of her family's choices. The tension is relentless, and the outcome is anything but certain.

Poisoned Granola

Morgan confesses to poisoning Jamie under Gem's orders, hoping to save her from a worse fate. Gem, the matriarch, is unmasked as the true mastermind—willing to sacrifice anyone, even those she claims to love, to protect herself and her criminal empire. The web of lies, manipulation, and betrayal is laid bare, and Kat must decide whether to fight, flee, or trust in the law. The family's code of loyalty is shattered, and the cost of survival becomes painfully clear.

The Real Necklace

The real ruby necklace has changed hands multiple times—stolen, swapped, and hidden in plain sight. Its path reveals the interconnectedness of all the cons, betrayals, and murders. Annalise's own complicity is hinted at, as she manipulates events to protect her family's reputation. The necklace becomes a symbol of everything the characters have lost and the price they've paid for their lies. In the end, it's not about the jewelry, but about the truth it uncovers.

The Mastermind Revealed

In a final confrontation, Gem confesses to orchestrating the entire scheme—framing Jamie, manipulating Kat, and using Cormac (Kat's abusive father) as a weapon. Annalise, too, is revealed to have set Parker up, allowing the heist to proceed as a test of his character. The adults' willingness to sacrifice the younger generation for their own ends is exposed, and the cycle of charming liars is finally broken. Kat, Liam, and Augustus must decide what kind of people they want to be, and what kind of future they want to build.

Final Confrontation

With the truth out, the police intervene, Gem is arrested, and Annalise's secrets are exposed. Jamie survives, but must face the consequences of her past. Kat and Liam, bonded by trauma and resilience, look toward a future where honesty and trust are possible. Augustus, too, must reckon with his family's legacy and his own choices. The book ends not with a neat resolution, but with the hope that the next generation can break free from the charming liars who raised them.

Characters

Kat Quinn

Kat is a sixteen-year-old girl raised in a world of cons, theft, and constant reinvention. Her relationship with her mother Jamie is both codependent and fiercely loving; they are a team, but Kat yearns for a normal life. Kat's psychological complexity comes from her trauma—an abusive father, a chaotic childhood, and the ever-present threat of exposure. She is quick-witted, adaptable, and brave, but also haunted by guilt and a longing for belonging. Her bond with Liam is sibling-like, built on shared pain and mutual understanding. Kat's journey is one of self-discovery: learning to trust, to fight for herself, and to break the cycle of charming liars.

Jamie Quinn

Jamie is Kat's mother, a woman who fled abuse and found safety—and danger—in Gem's criminal world. She is loving but flawed, torn between her desire to protect Kat and her inability to escape her own past. Jamie's guilt over her choices is palpable, and her attempts to go straight are constantly undermined by circumstance and loyalty. Her relationship with Kat is central: they are each other's world, but Jamie's secrets threaten to destroy them both. Jamie's arc is one of reckoning—facing the consequences of her actions and fighting to give Kat a better life.

Gem Hayes

Gem is the architect of the family's criminal enterprise, a woman whose affection is conditional and whose loyalty is transactional. She is brilliant, calculating, and utterly self-interested—willing to sacrifice anyone, even those she claims to love, to protect herself. Gem's psychological profile is that of a narcissist: she sees people as tools, not individuals, and her need for control is absolute. Her relationship with Jamie is both maternal and exploitative, and her bond with Kat is possessive rather than loving. Gem's downfall is her inability to see others as anything but extensions of her own will.

Liam Rooney

Liam is a seventeen-year-old boy forced to live with his con-artist father after his mother's death. He is smart, sensitive, and angry—disgusted by Luke's manipulations and desperate for something real. Liam's grief is raw, and his acts of sabotage against his father's cons are both rebellion and self-preservation. His bond with Kat is deep and platonic, a rare relationship built on honesty and shared trauma. Liam's journey is about reclaiming agency, finding family in unexpected places, and choosing integrity over survival.

Luke Rooney

Luke is a master manipulator, using his looks and charm to con women out of money and affection. He is emotionally unavailable, using Liam as a prop in his schemes and showing little real concern for anyone but himself. Luke's relationship with Annalise is transactional, and his involvement in the Sutherland heist is driven by greed. Psychologically, Luke is a classic narcissist—charming on the surface, hollow underneath. His downfall comes from underestimating those around him and overplaying his hand.

Augustus Sutherland

Augustus is Annalise's nephew, a Sutherland by blood but not by temperament. He is observant, sarcastic, and quietly kind—drawn to Liam and suspicious of his own family's dysfunction. Augustus's relationship with his father Griffin is fraught, and his outsider status gives him a unique perspective on the family's secrets. His bond with Kat and Liam is genuine, and his arc is about choosing honesty over complicity, and love over loyalty to a broken system.

Annalise Sutherland

Annalise is the Sutherland family's public face—charming, generous, and beloved. But beneath the surface, she is calculating and willing to sacrifice others for the greater good. Her relationship with Luke is both romantic and strategic, and her role in Parker's downfall is ambiguous. Annalise's psychological complexity lies in her ability to compartmentalize: she can be both victim and perpetrator, protector and destroyer. Her arc is a meditation on the cost of maintaining appearances and the dangers of unchecked privilege.

Parker Sutherland

Parker is the Sutherland family's black sheep—a man addicted to risk, desperate for approval, and ultimately undone by his own choices. His involvement in the heist is both a betrayal and a cry for help, and his death is the catalyst for the book's unraveling. Parker's psychological profile is that of a self-saboteur: he cannot escape the patterns of his past, and his inability to choose decency over self-interest is his undoing.

Morgan Hayes

Morgan is Gem's daughter, overshadowed by Jamie and desperate for approval. Her betrayal—poisoning Jamie and aiding Gem's plot—is driven by resentment and a need to prove herself. But Morgan's conscience ultimately wins out, and her attempt to save Jamie is both too little and too late. Morgan's arc is a cautionary tale about the dangers of seeking validation from the wrong people.

Cormac Whittaker

Cormac is Kat's biological father, a violent man whose release from prison sets the book's final act in motion. He is used by Gem as a weapon against Jamie, but his own rage and unpredictability make him a wild card. Cormac is the embodiment of the past that Kat and Jamie can never fully escape, and his death is both a relief and a tragedy.

Plot Devices

Dual Narration and Intertwined Timelines

The novel alternates between Kat and Liam's points of view, allowing readers to see the same events from different angles and to understand the psychological complexity of both families. The use of flashbacks—especially to the Vegas incident—creates a sense of inevitability and fate, while also highlighting the ways in which trauma shapes identity. The dual narration also allows for dramatic irony, as readers know more than the characters at key moments, heightening tension and emotional impact.

Heist Structure and Misdirection

The book uses the structure of a heist—planning, infiltration, execution, and fallout—but subverts expectations by making the real "score" not the necklace, but survival and truth. Misdirection is constant: the real target of the murder, the true mastermind, and the final location of the necklace are all hidden in plain sight. The use of impersonation, fake credentials, and swapped identities blurs the line between hero and villain, and the ultimate twist is that the greatest con is emotional, not material.

Foreshadowing and Symbolism

The recurring motif of jewelry—real and fake—serves as a symbol for authenticity, value, and deception. The stuck ring, the missing necklace, and the poisoned granola all foreshadow later betrayals. Dialogue is laced with double meanings, and seemingly throwaway lines ("What's your Plan B?") become crucial in the climax. The use of physical spaces—the compound, the staff quarters, the woods—mirrors the characters' psychological states: trapped, hunted, and searching for escape.

Psychological Realism and Moral Ambiguity

The book's greatest strength is its psychological depth: every character is shaped by their past, and their choices are both understandable and deeply flawed. The moral ambiguity is relentless—no one is purely good or evil, and the line between victim and perpetrator is constantly shifting. The use of therapy language, trauma responses, and self

Last updated: May 2, 2025