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The Readymade Thief
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  • Published: 15 May 2018
  • ISBN: 9780099510864
  • Imprint: Windmill Books
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 384
  • RRP: $45.00

The Readymade Thief

Formats & editions
Audiobook
10 Aug 2017
Paperback
15 May 2018
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An addictive literary puzzle that introduces an unforgettable young heroine plunged into the twisted world of a secret society with a dark agenda.

Lee Cuddy is seventeen years old and on the run, alone on the streets of Philadelphia.

A fugitive with no money, no home and nowhere to go, Lee finds refuge in a deserted building known as the Crystal Castle. But the Castle conceals a sinister agenda, one master-minded by a society of fanatical men set on decoding a series of powerful secrets hidden in plain sight. And they believe Lee holds the key to it all.

Aided by Tomi, a mysterious young hacker, Lee escapes into the unmapped corners of the city. But the deeper she goes underground, the more tightly she finds herself bound in the strange web of the men she’s trying to elude. Aware that the lives of those she cares for are in increasing danger, it is only when Lee steps from the shadows to confront who is chasing her that she discovers what they’re really after, and why.

Part literary detective novel, part art history, part conspiracy thriller, The Readymade Thief introduces a singular, indomitable heroine and the arrival of a spellbinding and original new talent in fiction.
  • Published: 15 May 2018
  • ISBN: 9780099510864
  • Imprint: Windmill Books
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 384
  • RRP: $45.00
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About the author

Augustus Rose

Augustus Rose is a novelist and screenwriter. He was born in the northern California coastal town of Bolinas, and grew up there and in San Francisco. He lives in Chicago with his wife, the novelist Nami Mun, and their son, and teaches fiction writing at the University of Chicago.
portrait photo of Augustus Rose

Praise for The Readymade Thief

A rewarding novel full of pleasures and surprises. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, it took me somewhere stranger and deeper than I could have imagined. A rich, heady mix of ideas and thrills.

Charles Yu, author of 'How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe'

In his highly addictive and multi-aceted first novel, Augustus Rose pits an irrepressible and gritty young heroine against a sinister group of fanatics. The Readymade Thief is a kickass debut from start to finish.

Colson Whitehead, author of 'The Underground Railroad'

The Readymade Thief is my favorite kind of book: an improbable one … A novel that's unexpected, uncategorizable, unputdownable.

Robin Sloan, author of 'Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore'

Augustus Rose shows that he has one of the steadiest hands in fiction … Rose has crafted something memorable, crackling with energy, a truly wonderful tale.

Kevin Wilson, author of 'The Family Fang'

The Readymade Thief is smart and strange, full of lovely Duchampian tricks and treats. Augustus Rose has infused his thriller with the true Dada spirit, nothing is quite what it seems. I loved it.

Audrey Niffenegger

Complex on many intellectual levels, drawing heavily on theories of art history and physics, and the mystery is deep and satisfying in both its unpredictability and its culmination. The sheer scope is impressive, as are Rose’s evocative descriptions of underground and abandoned places, reminiscent of David Lynch’s films … Admirably ambitious.

Kirkus

The heroine of Augustus Rose’s strange and wonderful debut, The Readymade Thief is a piece of work ... The book is beautifully written ... embracing not only surrealism but also such disparate topics as designer drugs, alchemy, urban exploration and, of course, cults ... Rose’s story is wildly unpredictable, big-hearted and always fascinating.

Seattle Times

Rich and enchanting.

Vanity Fair

There's something for everyone here – art history, physics, hackers and literary mystery, all wrapped up in a page-turning thriller.

The Pool

Addictive literary puzzle.

Grazia

Complex, twisty and full of suspense.

Daily Mail

A real rollercoaster of a book that did not stop with excitement page after page…thrilling to read and kept me on the edge of my seat.

New Books Magazine

A great story teller who writes in a clean and compelling style. Rose is undoubtedly one to watch.

Dante Magazine