The Frame-Up

The daughter of the infamous art thief Maria Poissant, Dani Poissant excels at magical con artistry. This skill allowed her to work solo after turning in her mother and leaving her crew-turned-family 10 years ago. But an impossible job just might get her back in their good graces. She’s only got to earn the trust of a billionaire, find out why her benefactor has a 100-year-old portrait, and lead her distrusting crew through a heist in less than a week. What could possibly go wrong? Bond (Mr. and Mrs. Witch) aims high by including elements of crime fiction, romance, fantasy, and self-discovery, but doesn’t allow them room to breathe with such a short timeline. The result is that conclusions feel forced, especially the romantic love triangle and the family history subplot. Potential antagonists are quickly defanged, and promising side characters are underdeveloped. Narrator Shannon McManus draws listeners in with her soothing voice, but the flat, choppy delivery deflates tension.