Issey considers himself a masterful and elegant thief. He’s just as meticulous with his lockpicking tools as he is with his ankle boots and slimming turtlenecks. He’s also easily confused, stupid, and maybe not so good at being a thief.
Unforeseen circumstances bring him back to his childhood town, the wonderland that is Vermont’s Bell River Valley. With the holidays on the horizon, he sets his sights on the town’s open doors. But just as his thieving begins, with accompanying shapewear and accessories, something unexpected happens—he falls backwards into becoming the town hero. The sudden
hero role ushers in wealth, adoration, and a love interest so mysterious he hardly knows her name.
However, before he can get too cozy, an uninvited associate from his past reappears—as does every last item Issey has ever stolen.
Second Pocket First shoehorns comedy, crime, and small-town charm into this delightful romp as Issey must decide between old habits and a sudden devotion to the town’s goodwill.
Gregory Grosvenor grew up in Ansbach, Germany. He moved to the US, earning an MFA from Old Dominion University. For two decades, he has taught writing and the art of the short story at various colleges in Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts. Grosvenor currently lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts with his three cats, Dinah, Theo, and Bramlet Abercrombie
My thoughts: Required to go home and sort out his mother’s house after she remarries and leaves town, useless thief Issey is stuck in Vermont, where his brother and sister-in-law still live, no car unless he steals one, one old friend he’s not actually that keen on, not much to do. So he starts taking things, stupid, little things, like a lighter, a bracelet, a diary.
Then he’s accused of taking three horses from the local riding school. Except he knows he didn’t do that particular job. After a very confusing night in the snow, he somehow finds the horses and is suddenly the town hero. Except he has no idea how he did that.
The local sheriff is still suspicious of him, especially after he starts “finding” things people have lost, like it’s a magical power. Then his old boss shows up and things just keep getting stranger. Poor Issey has no idea why things keep happening to him, or what his sister-in-law keeps doing showing up at the house. He’s confused, not very bright and everything he returns to its owner, has started reappearing too. What is he going to do?
Quirky, funny and a bit confusing, so you feel like Issey, this was an interesting read about a man who really should find something he’s actually good at.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 
Thank you as always for being a part of the team and sharing your review x
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