Before Verity . . . there was Julie.
When fifteen-year-old Julia Beaufort-Stuart wakes up in the hospital, she knows the lazy summer break she’d imagined won’t be exactly what she anticipated. And once she returns to her grandfather’s estate, a bit banged up but alive, she begins to realize that her injury might not have been an accident. One of her family’s employees is missing, and he disappeared on the very same day she landed in the hospital.
Desperate to figure out what happened, she befriends Euan McEwen, the Scottish Traveler boy who found her when she was injured, and his standoffish sister, Ellen. As Julie grows closer to this family, she witnesses firsthand some of the prejudices they’ve grown used to-a stark contrast to her own upbringing-and finds herself exploring thrilling new experiences that have nothing to do with a missing-person investigation.
Her memory of that day returns to her in pieces, and when a body is discovered, her new friends are caught in the crosshairs of long-held biases about Travelers. Julie must get to the bottom of the mystery in order to keep them from being framed for the crime.
This exhilarating coming-of-age story, a prequel to the Printz Honor Book Code Name Verity, returns to a beloved character just before she first takes flight.
By clicking ‘Sign Up,’ I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Hachette Book Group’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Reader Reviews
Praise
"The Pearl Thief stands alone as a diverting piece of historical fiction/mystery but takes on extra poignancy for those aware of Julie's eventual fate."—Horn Book
"The rich details of the prewar time period, the intriguing history of Scottish river pearls, and the glimpse into the social dynamics between Scottish Travellers and the landed gentry of Scotland make for fascinating reading, but the real treat is reading another chapter in the story of Julie. Give this to fans of the first book, as well as historical fiction buffs."—VOYA
* "Verity fans will find this irresistible and return to a reread of that title with this new backstory in mind, while fans of period drama . . . will appreciate this as an absorbing read that leads them inexorably to the next book."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review
* "A finely crafted book that brings one girl's coming-of-age story to life"—Booklist, starred review
* "A must for Verity fans and a good read for those who enjoy mystery with a touch of romance."—School Library Journal, starred review
* "Another ripping yarn from a brilliant author."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "Each thread of this novel is exquisitely woven"—Publishers Weekly, starred review
PRAISE FOR BLACK DOVE, WHITE RAVEN
* "Highly recommended for all libraries, especially where her previous titles have flown off the shelves."—School Library Journal, starred review
PRAISE FOR BLACK DOVE, WHITE RAVEN
* "Like Em and Teo's tangled history, Ethiopia's is an intricate crosshatch of tradition, progress, conflict, and rich heritage, and Wein gracefully pilots both piercing stories, highlighting the unique circumstances of Ethiopia in the 1930s and the ubiquitous experience of two teens trying to find their places in the world."—Booklist, starred review
PRAISE FOR BLACK DOVE, WHITE RAVEN
* "Wein brings this fascinating period in history to life with several well-engineered plot twists, lots of high-flying, nail-biting tension, and meticulous research."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
PRAISE FOR BLACK DOVE, WHITE RAVEN
* "Wein does again what she did so beautifully in Code Name Verity (2012) and Rose Under Fire (2013): She plaits together the historical record, her passion for flying and ferociously vivid characters to create a heartbreaking adventure that grounds readers in the moment even as geopolitical complexity threatens to knock them off their feet. . . . Unforgettable."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
PRAISE FOR CODE NAME VERITY
"A fiendishly plotted mind game of a novel, the kind you have to read twice."—The New York Times
PRAISE FOR CODE NAME VERITY
"I closed this book feeling I'd met real people I'd never forget. Code Name Verity's characters don't just stick with me-they haunt me. I just can't recommend this book enough."—Maggie Stiefvater, author of the New York Times best-selling Shiver trilogy, The Scorpion Races, and the Raven Cycle series
PRAISE FOR CODE NAME VERITY
"It has been a while since I was so captivated by a character in YA fiction Code Name Verity is one of those rare things: an exciting-and affecting-female adventure story."—The Guardian
PRAISE FOR CODE NAME VERITY
"The unforgettable Code Name Verity played with my mind, and then it ripped out my heart."—Nancy Werlin, New York Times best-selling author
PRAISE FOR CODE NAME VERITY
"This astonishing tale of friendship and truth will take wing and soar into your heart."—Laurie Halse Anderson, New York Times best-selling author of Speak, Fever 1793 and Wintergirls
PRAISE FOR CODE NAME VERITY
* "If you pick up this book, it will be some time before you put your dog-eared, tear-stained copy back down."—Booklist, starred review
PRAISE FOR CODE NAME VERITY
*"A carefully researched, precisely written tour de force; unforgettable and wrenching."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
PRAISE FOR CODE NAME VERITY
*"A riveting and often brutal tale of WWII action and espionage with a powerful friendship at its core. [an] expertly crafted adventure."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
PRAISE FOR CODE NAME VERITY
*"This novel positively soars."—The Horn Book, starred review
PRAISE FOR CODE NAME VERITY
*"[A] taut, riveting thriller. Readers will be left gasping for the finish, desperate to know how it ends."—School Library Journal, starred review
PRAISE FOR CODE NAME VERITY
*"[An] innovative spy tale built to be savored."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review
PRAISE FOR CODE NAME VERITY
Accolades
PRAISE FOR ROSE UNDER FIRE
"Rose Under Fire is bound to soar into the promised land of young adult books read by actual adults-and deservedly so, because Wein's unself-consciously important story is timeless, ageless and triumphant."—The Los Angeles Times
PRAISE FOR ROSE UNDER FIRE
"Wein's second World War II adventure novel - the first, Code Name Verity, was highly praised last year - captures poignantly the fragility of hope and the balm forgiveness offers."—The New York Times
PRAISE FOR ROSE UNDER FIRE
* "At once heartbreaking and hopeful, Rose Under Fire will stay with readers long after they have finished the last page."—VOYA, starred review
PRAISE FOR ROSE UNDER FIRE
* "In plot and character this story is consistently involving, a great, page-turning read; just as impressive is how subtly Wein brings a respectful, critical intelligence to her subject."—The Horn Book, starred review
PRAISE FOR ROSE UNDER FIRE
* "Readers will connect with Rose and be moved by her struggle to go forward, find her wings again, and fly."—School Library Journal, starred review
PRAISE FOR ROSE UNDER FIRE
* "Wein excels at weaving research seamlessly into narrative and has crafted another indelible story about friendship borne out of unimaginable adversity."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
PRAISE FOR ROSE UNDER FIRE
* "[A]lthough the story's action follows [Code Name Verity]'s, it has its own, equally incandescent integrity. Rich in detail, from the small kindnesses of fellow prisoners to harrowing scenes of escape and the Nazi Doctors' Trial in Nuremburg, at the core of this novel is the resilience of human nature and the power of friendship and hope."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
PRAISE FOR ROSE UNDER FIRE
Accolades
