Nicked by M.T. Anderson is a a queer historical fiction featuring the true story of a quest to steal the bones of a long-dead saint (3.5/5 stars)

Nicked by M.T. Anderson is a queer historical fiction featuring the true story of a quest to steal the bones of a long-dead saint.

I initially tried reading the digital review copy I received from NetGalley, but it was hard for me to get into it while reading with my eyes. I ended up borrowing the audiobook from my library, and I am so glad I pivoted. Euan Morton narrates and does a bang-up job. It was so much easier for me to pick up on the humor of the book while listening to it being read to me.

This book is marketed as the author’s adult debut, but I think it could also be appropriate for older teens. Interspersed within the quest to gather the bones are interstitial stories from the life of Saint Nicholas, and I think the author’s writing really shines in those moments.

While there was a bit of a queer love story here, it was severely underbaked. It definitely needed more development; it was more show rather than tell. The book is a little on the shorter side–under 250 pages–so the author definitely had more canvas on which they could have painted that story. Alas.

If you liked Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lenon or the Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters, you should give this one a try!

I received a complimentary review copy from NetGalley and Pantheon Books. All opinions contained herein are my own.

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