The Confidence Games

The Confidence Games

"Clever and fast-paced and fun!"—Alicia Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of The Art of Catching Feelings Life's a game, and they've come to play. Two female con artists must pull off the ultimate heist in this rollicking caper. Emma Oxley and Nellie Yarrow have been inseparable their whole lives. Ever since they reinvented themselves, changing their names and wiping clean their digital footprints, they have made a game of following wherever the next adventure leads and challenging themselves to thefts, street cons, and mind games. Adhering to only two rules—they will only swindle men, and only ones who deserve it—Emma and Nellie are secure in their reputation as the most trustworthy swindlers on the European black market. Until suddenly, they must play to save their own lives. Blackmailed into stealing a priceless bracelet from a high-security exhibit, Emma will reexamine everything she believed to be true. This heist takes her far beyond her comfort zone...and she and Nellie will need allies among the glitzy bejeweled gathering in London in order to survive. Will they be able to do the right thing before it’s too late? “This high-flying heist has glamour, thrills, and diamond-hard edges, with a touching found family story at its core.”— Nina Simon, New York Times bestselling author of Mother-Daughter Murder Night   "Clever and fast-paced and fun, The Confidence Games had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how Nellie and Emma were going to con their way out of this one. I loved the friendship between the two women and the theme of found family throughout, showing that even people who play tricks for a living want to have an open and trusting heart when it matters. Reading this book felt like peeking inside a luxury watch's mechanism to see how it all works—I'm in awe of the way Tess Amy put this puzzle together!"— Alicia Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers   "Best friends who are also cunning con artists— WHERE DO I SIGN UP? The Confidence Games is everything you need in a novel: fast-paced, feminist, fun—and as satisfying as pulling off the perfect heist."— Colleen Oakley, USA Today bestselling author of The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise   " The Confidence Games is a cheeky, twisty-turny romp that I couldn't put down. At once a traditional page-turning caper and a poignant story about friendship and family, Tess Amy has succeeded in crafting the perfect novel for readers who like the pacing of a thriller and the emotional heft of a character-driven story.”— Elyssa Friedland , author of Jackpot Summer    “I ADORED The Confidence Games ! I need more please! The plot of this found-family crime caper was more twisty than a Rubik's Cube. Tess Amy's high stakes heist is fiendishly clever and brimming with heart. I loved it!”— Jenny Bayliss , author of A December to Remember   “A total heart racer! I adored this wildly entertaining, fun, fresh and clever read.”— Helly Acton , author of Begin Again   “An action-packed page-turner that keeps you on your toes.”— Kehinde Fadipe, author of The Sun Sets in Singapore (A Read with Jenna Book Club Pick)   "With plenty of gleaming locales to satisfy armchair travelers and an engrossing crime plot to boot, this has the makings of a series. Fans of Janet Evanovich and Elle Cosimano will be pleased."— Publishers Weekly Tess Amy was born in Johannesburg but now enjoys a nomadic lifestyle, living between Europe and South Africa. She holds a master’s degree from the Durban University of Technology and is an outdoor enthusiast, an animal lover, and an unfaltering optimist. 1 Nellie and I pulled up outside the Ritz in Piccadilly, handed the MG keys over to the valet and our luggage (and ancient tabby cat, Sir Sebastian) to the concierge, and stepped inside the hotel's glitzy lobby. It was March, the busiest and most important month in London's black-market jewelry trade: four flashy weekends of prestigious exhibitions at galleries all across the country, the most renowned of which-Tiffany & Co.'s Serenity and Splendor-would take place next Saturday. Everyone who was anyone would be visiting London this month-celebrities, royalty, journalists, politicians, influencers. And one thing every good con artist knows is that where there's money and flashing lights, there's opportunity. Tonight I wore my favorite ensemble, just subdued enough to make sure no one took any notice of me: a charcoal knit dress, black leggings, black blazer, and clunky ankle boots. The only touch of glamour I allowed myself was some sparkly copper eyeshadow to complement my pale green eyes, a teardrop necklace, and one opal-encrusted hairpin that held back my sleek auburn mane. One of the many ways Nellie and I differed was that, for her, being seen was nonnegotiable. Dressed in a stylish yellow satin trouser suit and silver block heels, she was tall, blond, and tanned-all lean muscle and hourglass curves