Rules for Aging and Larceny

A 74-year-old former thief plots one last heist in this gleeful caper from bestseller London (Everything Is Probably Fine). Fit and feisty septuagenarian Frances Deluca is not ready to slip gently into old age, as evidenced by the fact tht she was recently kicked out of her pickleball league for being too aggressive on the court. When Frances is diagnosed with terminal cancer, her craving for one final adventure kicks into high gear. Back in her 20s, Frances belonged to a gang of female thieves, and she decides to gather her former colleagues for a new job. Thus begins a road trip to locate her old associates, including scam artist Irene, still in the game; Joan, who’s made a killing selling medical marijuana in Colorado; and Edie, who married rich and is now a doting grandmother. Once the four are reunited, they settle on their target—a Las Vegas tech bro who scammed Edie’s granddaughter out of a fortune. London’s characters are richly drawn, their motives for coming out of retirement feel plausible, and their sheer joy in being back in action is exhilarating to behold. This cozy caper is as invigorating as a breath of fresh air. Agent: Jenny Bent, Bent Agency. (June)