The Forty Elephants by Erin Bledsoe. Pub Date: August 23, 2022. Rating: 4 stars. Set in 1920s London, this is the story of the first female gang in London, rich in history but slow in execution. I was really excited to read this story because I love new ideas in historical fiction and I have never read a novel about an all female gang. It's a fascinating story with a lot of potential for depth, but I felt the execution was surface level with slow story building. I loved the scenery, the female empowerment and the historical aspects of this novel. Overall, interesting storyline topic with a lot of historical significance to explore. Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #netgalley #thefortyelephants

This is a novel about Alice Diamond (aka Diamond Annie) and her rise to leader of the Forty Elephants gang in 1920s London. I honestly knew nothing about this all-female gang, so I was pleasantly surprised to find historical fiction about it! Obviously, gangs are not all martinis and partying with your friends, and a bit of violence is included in the story as well.

There are really two different story arcs in this book, which is nice because you're almost getting two tales for the price of one. The first part details Alice's introduction to the gang and defense of her brother, while part two covers her first major heist as the new leader of the Forty Elephants. The main operation of the gang is shoplifting; they "collect" luxury items from popular department stores and then fence these items for cash.

I found the story pretty fast-paced, with some decent character development and lovely prose. The POV is entirely that of Alice, so no switching back and forth between characters in this novel. I love when historical fiction is able to teach me something about history, and this one succeeded!

Thank you to Erin Bledsoe, Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

"Inspired by the true story of Alice Diamond and the Forty Elephants, the first all-female gang of London.

London in the 1920s is no place for a woman with a mind of her own. Gang wars, violence, and an unforgiving world have left pickpocket Alice Diamond scrambling to survive in the Mint, the gritty neighborhood her family has run for generations. When her father goes to jail yet again and her scam artist brother finds himself in debt to the dangerous McDonald crime syndicate, Alice takes over. Fighting for power at every turn, she struggles to protect her father's territory and keep the people she loves safe from some of London's most dangerous criminals.

Recruited by the enigmatic Mary Carr, Alice boldly chooses to break her father's edict against gangs and become part of a group of notorious lady shoplifters, the Forty Elephants. Leaving the Mint behind, she and the other girls steal from the area's poshest department stores, and for the first time in her life, Alice Diamond tastes success. But it's not long before she wants more - no matter the cost. And when her past and present collide, there's no escaping the girl from the Mint."

When I first heard about Alice Diamond in a book I read I was like, tell me more! Here's Erin Bledsoe to do so!

This book was about a group of girls that start a gang on the mean streets of London in the 1920s. This book really surprised me in a good way. It was a page-turner and I would recommend it.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

"Inspired by the true story of Alice Diamond and the Forty Elephants, the first all-female gang of London."

A nicely told, well-paced story based on true characters and gangs of London during 1920's. Alice was an interesting character and felt forced to lie, cheat and steal just to make a living.

3.25☆

This book ticked all the boxes: strong female protagonists, historical fiction, London, gritty underworld. But I became disenchanted about halfway through. You know how some books don't have much in the way of plot? This had almost too much plot, and not all of the storylines get resolved, to the point that it must be part one of a series. (And I don't like when books the are intentionally left open-ended for that reason are not labeled as such; it feels deceptive to me.)

Worse, the book didn't feel grounded in 1920s London, despite the likes of Selfridges playing a key role. The Mint, where the narrator was from, felt more like a stereotypical Wild West town than a crowded, cramped London neighborhood. What's more, though I know the protagonist is based on a real woman, she simply didn't seem realistic.

Thank you, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I thought I knew a lot about The Forty Elephants but this book really gave me a different look into their possible inner personalities. It has spurred me to look into these real characters even deeper because I am super curious as to how much of this book is true as to their personalities and interactions with each other.

Is there a rating higher than 5 stars that I can give a book?

This book had me riveted and enthralled from start to finish. The historical aspect of the story woven in with skillful storytelling was simply masterful. It was obvious that Ms Bledsoe knew what she wanted to convey, and the time and place she wanted to whisk us away to. Congratulations on a stellar novel, Ms Bledsoe. You have a dedicated reader in me!

Historical fiction is something I love to read and this book checked off all of my boxes. It brought a time in history that I only had vague details about to life, Fleshing out individuals we only have so much information on and making the story flow.

The pacing is quick and punchy. Each character jumps off the page with something that you want to know more about them. There is intrigue, drama, and a little bit of romance that all make up the story as a whole. I found myself not wanting to put it down because I needed to know what was going to happen next.

This book has a fascinating premise and interesting characters. I highly recommend this book for fans of historical fiction and strong female protagonists!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. This is one of the best books I have read this year. It deserves to be a movie, a show , anything.... It is so good. I had never heard of the Forty Elephants before or Alice Diamond but now I am hooked! Move over Peaky Blinders, the competition is coming...and they are coming in high heels! Thank you for the journey into their world.

London, 1920. Alice Diamond is a new waitress at 43 Club at night. During a day, she works as a maid. Her name and experience change on paper constantly. It all depends what is required for the next gig. Constantly biding her time until the moment is right to rub someone blind.

Her friend, Maggie, has come a long way since stealing chocolates, now, putting on the posh. She introduces Alice to Mary Carr and her gang of thieves called the Forty Elephants. They do the collecting, a word they prefer over stealing, from the department stores, not something Alice had guts to do.

It is a fascinating story based on true characters and gangs of London during 1920s. A place that was ruled by gangs at the time. Alice and her accomplices saw that they had only two choices, at least from the background they came, stealing or selling their bodies. They chose the first one and working for a woman, they felt she gave them a choice. They weren’t bullied into stealing as in other gangs.

The story starts strong with character-development, but then it slows down. It’s one of those stories where I’m not sure if it’s further driven by character or plot. When it comes to plot, I wanted the events to move faster or have more to it to make the pace faster.

Overall, it is an interesting story, narrated with beautiful prose.

This is so great. I love feminist literature, and this one has a good balance of happy parts and sad parts. Alice has a lot of responsibilities but doesn’t get a ton of credit for all that she does, and this struggle to be taken seriously is something that I’m sure all women reading this will find relatable. This takes on plenty of more serious topics, but I just find heists and girlbossery so fun. I read a description of this that compares the novel to Ocean’s 8, and I agree that fans of the movie should seek this out.

The author did a great job on this novel. It is a page turner. Women gangs, thieves, and how they handled their own. Historical fiction you wouldn't expect. Loved the ending...maybe more to come.

"Some steal out of desperation. Some steal because they like it. I do it for both...This job, one that I was born into, is my only calling...Taking risks is the only way women ever get ahead of men in this city."

The Diamond family brought order to The Mint, a neighborhood where "the streets are blackened with London grime...a den for thieves, killers, and liars...". As a collector or shoplifter, Alice Diamond suddenly had to "up her game" since her father, the head of The Mint, was incarcerated. "...these streets talk about [Alice],... a fighting spirit of a man with [her] father's temper to match." Safecracker Tommy, Alice's brother, had amassed a huge debt. To prevent Tommy from being "owned" by The Elephant and Castle Gang, Alice was determined to pay off the debt to ensure her family's safety. But, she wanted to maintain the family rule set by Thomas Diamond: The Diamond family doesn't join gangs. Circumstances dictated otherwise.

Alice's childhood friend, Maggie Hill aka The Reaper, introduced her to Mary Carr, the head of a female gang of thieves called The Forty Elephants. Mary dealt in goods and profits. This gang of professional collectors, wore clothes designed for large thefts; large pockets sewn into garments or, perhaps crinolines and bustles that could conceal a stash. Mary would then "fence goods before the coppers can track it down. [She] had all kinds of connections to this city and the men who control it."

"Honest men are the best men...No man is honest. So the best man is no man... The girls that followed Mary, did so willingly. She wanted to give every woman a chance to wear silk and ride in cars they own. Women can make their own destiny." Alice aka Diamond Alice reveals, "It's hard to believe-a female gang of thieves, under no man's law, running by their own rules. I have power in The Mint, but only because my dad gave it to me." The Forty Elephants was a game changer for Alice. Gang life provided a taste of freedom. Real freedom always had its price!

"The Forty Elephants" by Erin Bledsoe is a fascinating work of historical fiction describing female shoplifters in 1920's London. With poverty rampant, accomplished collectors could keep the family fed. Diamond Alice succeeded Mary Carr as Queen of the Forty Elephants, a street gang in Victorian London. Collectors, mingling with the rich by wearing stylish clothes, worked as a threesome... "a face, a pair of eyes and skilled hands..." "... why survive, when you can thrive?" Highly recommended.

Thank you Blackstone Publishing and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Who run the world? Girls! This book packs a punch of female strength and power. I was mesmerized from the beginning and loved that it’s based off real women. The main character, Alice, is bold and passionate which resonates off the page.

I definitely got Peaky Blinder with a mix of Ocean’s 8 vibe from this book. I’m always a fan of stories from the 1920s and even better, ones that are based in London. It made for an entertaining read! If you want to learn about an all female gang, The Forty Elephants, be sure to read this when it’s out in August!

Thank you Blackstone Publishing for the advanced copy! All the thumbs up to Erin Bledsoe for this fantastic book!

Forty Elephants is the historical fiction account of Alice Diamond, female leader of London’s shoplifting gang. Alice, defacto leader of The Mint with her father’s absence in prison, is enlisted as a member of the Forty Elephants after her brother incurs a debt. By joining the gang and using her skills at “collecting,” she’s able to easily pay off the debt and, upon introspection, finds she loves being in the big game. But when her boss turns down a huge job at one of the poshest department stores and threatens Alice’s family, how will she respond? If you love Peaky Blinders, you’ll enjoy the story of Alice Diamond!