Orphan Ettie Shaw is penniless and homeless on the streets of London when she is spotted by her older brother Joe.Joe has fallen in with a notorious pickpocket gang run by a man called Fagin, and Ettie has to disguise herself as a boy so she can come back with him to Fagin's lair.At first Ettie is able to help out with mending and other domestic jobs, but when one of the other boys falls ill, Fagin demands that Ettie go out pickpocketing with Joe and everything goes horribly wrong Fagin's infamous gang comes to life once more in this exciting Oliver Twist-inspired adventure from bestselling author Karen McCombie.

Karen McCombie is a bestselling author for children and teenagers, best known for the series Ally's World, Angels Next Door and You, Me and Thing. Before becoming an author she worked for teen magazines such as J-17 and Sugar, in roles as diverse as fashion editor, quiz writer and pet correspondent. Originally from Scotland, she now lives in London with her husband, young daughter and assorted cats, who all give her inspiration for her books, whether they like it or not.