The Lies of Locke Lamora

In the middle of a summer night in the crime-ridden city of Camorr, the Thiefmaker visits the Temple of Perelandro to speak to a man who goes by the name of “The Eyeless Priest.” The Eyeless Priest is Father Chains, the ringleader of an elite gang of child thieves. The Thiefmaker, who collects orphaned children from around Camorr and trains them to steal in exchange for food and a place to sleep, pawns particularly skilled and/or troublesome children off to Father Chains. The Thiefmaker tells Father Chains that he has a recruit who is exceptionally skilled and troublesome. The boy’s name is Locke Lamora.

Upon meeting the Thiefmaker, Locke immediately upset and astounded him. That first night, Locke violated Camorr’s Secret Peace by stealing from the city watchmen, known as the yellowjackets. The Secret Peace is an agreement that prohibits criminals from doing anything to law enforcement. Locke also pretended to be infected with the plague to rob a tavern, which caused mass panic that led people to burn down the tavern. The last straw for the Thiefmaker was when Locke organized the deaths of two fellow orphans. After learning of Locke’s plans, the Thiefmaker approached