THE WILD DARK, by Katherine Harbour, Bloomsbury YA, March 11, 2025, Paperback, $15.99 (young adult)
The leader of a group of secret thieves leads her team on the heist of all heists in hopes of saving those she loves in The Wild Dark, by Katherine Harbour.
One last heist. One last chance at revenge.
Once an outcast and an orphan, Evie Wilder now finds herself as the new leader of the Dark Fable. But the secret group of globetrotting thieves is not the prestigious magical crew it once was, after suffering losses in their last heist. Evie must plan their next series of thefts carefully, to keep them alive until they can regain their strength and reharness the demons that control their unique magic.
But the Basilisk—the most ruthless criminal in their dark world—is set on destroying the Dark Fable. Only one of them can win, and Evie’s best chance requires a dangerous alliance between an arch enemy and a former friend . . .
In this heart-pounding finale, loyalties are tested, and no one is safe as the Dark Fable plans their biggest heist yet. —Synopsis provided by Bloomsbury YA
The Wild Dark is the sequel to Katherine Harbour’s popular The Dark Fable. And reading the first book is absolutely necessary before heading into the second. In fact, I suggest rereading The Dark Fable first because a lot of little details and nuances will be missed if you don’t.
Like its predecessor, The Wild Dark is dark in tone. There are moments of sarcasm and fleeting bits of joy, but if you don’t like a brooding read, it’s not for you. You can also expect some high-stakes moments as well as some heartbreak.
Harbour seems to hit her groove in The Wild Dark. Her writing is more assured and plotting/timing overall feels tighter. The heists are again the best parts. They’ve been intricately planned out, and you can really feel the drama.
The Wild Dark is a modern-day fantasy heist that’s better than its predecessor.
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