The Ultimatum (The Guardian, 1)

Thief. Manipulator. Con artist. Call it what you will—Bianca St. Ives is the best in the business.

Growing up, Bianca St. Ives knew she was different from all her friends. Instead of playing hopscotch or combing her dolls’ hair, she covertly studied martial arts with sensei masters and dismantled explosives with special-ops retirees. Her father prepped her well to carry on the family business.

Now she makes a living swindling con men out of money they stole. But her latest gig goes horribly wrong. Not only do two hundred million dollars and top secret government documents go missing, but her father is killed during the heist. The thing is, the US government doesn’t believe he’s really dead. They’ll stop at nothing to capture Richard St. Ives, a high-value target and someone who has been on most-wanted lists all over the world for over two decades—and they mean to use Bianca as bait. With only a fellow criminal for backup and her life on the line, it’s up to Bianca to uncover the terrifying truth behind what really happened…and set it right, before it’s too late.