Staff Pick
When I saw this book described as Ocean's 8 meets RuPaul's Drag Race, I was in immediately! The world sees Margo Manning as a blonde heiress constantly in paparazzi photos, but by night she leads a team of four drag queens pulling off high-stakes robberies. Death Prefers Blondes has everything I want in a heist: nonstop action, intricately planned missions, fun fight scenes, and witty banter. It was the characters, though, and their heartfelt relationships with each other that really made me fall for this book. You might not think these characters would be so relatable but they are! Roehrig writes characters dealing with very real issues, and this story is ultimately a celebration of chosen families and their particular power in the lives of LGBTQ folks. With its diverse cast featuring LGBTQ and POC characters, this joyful romp is the the kind of story I'm so happy to see in YA! Recommended By Christine R., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
This high-stakes YA thriller features a rebel heiress and butt-kicking, jewel-thieving drag queens from Caleb Roehrig, author of Last Seen Leaving, a Buzzfeed Best YA novel of 2016.
Margo Manning has never seen eye to eye with her wealthy industrialist father, Hugo. Headstrong and ignored, she lives a life of spoiled indolence by day--and high crime by night. Aided by a crew of acrobatic young men (dressed in wigs and high heels) she performs a series of daring and extravagant jewel heists across the LA area. Both in and out of disguise, Margo is in all the headlines.
But when Hugo Manning's murdered by his second-in-command, Margo must grow up overnight. Her father's killer wants to take Manning Enterprises in a shocking new direction, and will wipe out any obstacle in his path to do it--including the daughter slated to inherit a sizable share of the business. With no one to trust but her flamboyant and feisty band of fellow thieves, Margo must reclaim her birthright, or die trying.
Synopsis
Teenage socialite Margo Manning leads a dangerous double life. By day, she dodges the paparazzi while soaking up California sunshine. By night, however, she dodges security cameras and armed guards, pulling off high-stakes cat burglaries with a team of flamboyant young men. In and out of disguise, she's in all the headlines.
But then Margo's personal life takes a sudden, dark turn, and a job to end all jobs lands her crew in deadly peril. Overnight, everything she's ever counted on is put at risk. Backs against the wall, the resourceful thieves must draw on their special skills to survive. But can one rebel heiress and four kickboxing drag queens withstand the slings and arrows of truly outrageous fortune? Or will a mounting sea of troubles end them--for good?