Con Academy by Joe Schreiber

Reviewed by Lori

Con Academy

Title: Con Academy

Author: Joe Schreiber

Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 97512

Description: Con man Will Shea may have met his match in scammer Andrea Dufresne as they make a high-stakes deal that will determine who gets to stay at Connaughton Academy, one of the most elite and privileged preparatory schools in the country, and who must leave.

Rubric Rating: Level 2 - Like It.

Why I Read It: Great cover image and title.

Notes: I was more than a little disappointed by this book.  I gave it a like instead of a leave because there were some interesting aspects to the story.  Will Shea is attending Connaughton Academy, not based on his academic merit, but on his ability to con the administration into believing he is a student they should be sponsoring to attend.  But at his first day in class he meets Andrea Dufresne, a fellow con who stakes a claim to Con Academy.  Together they devise a bet, whoever can get the wealthiest student to fork over $50,000 will get to stay at the school.  But it turns out this is a bigger bet than Will has anticipated and he'll need the help of his uncle - a famous Vegas grifter.  And unfortunately, he also receives the attentions of his estranged father.  While devising an elaborate con involving an online casino, Will is also recruited into a secret society at the school and falls for the bookish Gatsby who works in the library.  With her help he discovers that one of the books in the rare collections is a fake.  Turns out Andrea and Will aren't the first cons to attend con academy.  Again, aspects of this book were quite good, but I found the literary name references way too over the top, and the end con a little too convenient.  Similarly, I thought Wills actions at the end of the novel were out of character.
Recommended Readers: Good book for library collections.

Themes: Con artists, investigations, academics, family, relationships, Father/son, Ivy League Schools, Friendship, Manipulation, Gambling, haves vs. have nots.

Cross-Genre Links: 

 Movie: Oceans 12 (2004)
Movie: The Skulls (2000)
Websearch: Secret Societies (ex. Skull and Bones/Yale)
Websearch: Great cons in history
Websearch: Odds of gambling

Inquiries and Activities: 

  • Why does Will Shea want to attend Connaughton Academy?
  • Who is Andrea Dufresne?  What do you think of her character?
  • How is the best established?  
  • Who did you think of the ending?  Was it plausible? How could the plan have gone wrong?
  • Why do you think Will gives all of the money away?
  • Would you have done the same thing or kept some and/or all of it?
  • Who are the Sigils?
  • How does Will's family influence his life?  
  • What happens when will goes back to his home town?
  • Do you have sympathy for him or any of the other characters?
  • Why would someone like Brandt Rush use people?




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