A Million to One

In this fast-paced historical heist novel by Jaigirdar (Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating), four teenagers board the Titanic to steal a priceless artifact. It’s April 1912, a handful of days before the ship is due to set sail, and Irish thief Josefa has just procured a coveted ticket for passage. She’s hatched a plot to steal a bejeweled copy of Rubaiyat, a book of Persian poetry that will be transported aboard the ship, but she can’t do it alone. The crew she assembles each has their own motive: actor Violet yearns to reunite with her brother; Hinnah, an Indian acrobat, is eager to leave her job at the circus; and Emilie, a French and Haitian artist, plans to use her cut to visit family in Haiti. But even as the group schemes, unexpected setbacks and missteps imperil their operation. While historical description sometimes feels shallow, an underlying sapphic romance and a racially and ethnically diverse cast lend a refreshing dynamic to the familiar backdrop. The girls’ four alternating perspectives aid in the narrative’s propulsive storytelling, and chapter headers counting down to the Titanic’s inevitable fate impart suspense and immediacy. Ages 13–up. Agent: Uwe Stender, Triada US. (Dec.)