City of Thieves is a novel by David Benioff set during the Nazi siege of Leningrad in World War II. It follows Lev Beniov and Kolya, who are arrested for looting and given a chance to save their lives by finding a dozen eggs for a Soviet colonel's daughter's wedding cake in the dire conditions of the besieged city. It explores their hunt through lawless Leningrad and behind enemy lines to find the impossible.