In 1925 London, ambitious gang leader Alice Diamond, aka "Diamond Annie," rises to power as the Queen of the Forty Elephants, an all-girl gang. Determined to create a criminal dynasty, Alice clashes with detective Lilian Wyles, one of the first female detectives at Scotland Yard, who sees an opportunity to take down Alice and prove her worth. ⁣
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I enjoyed exploring London’s gritty 1920’s underbelly as portrayed in "Queens of London". Heather Webb’s crisp writing beautifully carries out the themes of dark glamour, sisterhood, and shifting dynamics of power and justice among women.

In QUEENS OF LONDON, Heather Webb brings us a glimpse of life in London after the Great War, focusing on women in the lower classes attempting to take control of their lives in any way they can. For me, this was the first time I had heard of the Forty Elephants and Diamond Annie.
Diamond Annie is the Queen of the Forty Elephants, and she is brilliant, both in planning “scores” and trying to keep her gang loyal. While she is working to move the gang higher, it’s her bad luck that Scotland Yard’s first female officer, Lilian Wyles, has targeted Annie and the Forty Elephants, figuring taking them down will cement her career and, possibly, open the door for more female officers in Scotland Yard.
Told from multiple points of view, Webb develops interesting characters that will quickly have you invested in this story of strong women determined to make their mark in the world.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#QUEENSOFLONDON #HEATHERWEBB #TALLPOPPYWRITER #BLOOMREADS

A good mixture of fact and fiction of these two queens of London. One committing the crime, the other fighting it.
Whilst I enjoyed reading this book, in my personal opinion, I felt should have been written in UK English, as I felt too many American words popped up. I appreciate that the author is American but for me it spoilt.

A wonderful book about sisterhood in London’s all female crime syndicate. If you love fierce female characters, you’ll devour this book! The characters were great and the plot was super engaging. A great historical fiction read!

I just love a Historical Fiction story, and I’m always so fascinated by the 1920s. Set in London during 1925, Queens of London is a story of glamour and adventure as it follows four women trying to make their way in the world.

I enjoyed this story and love seeing strong females represented in a time that was predominantly a man’s world. Diamond Annie leads a ring of women in a heist.

I loved Lilian and Annie’s characters, and did an immersive style of reading with the physical and audio formats and loved both.

*many thanks to RB Media and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

This is yet another great historical fiction read from Webb. I love the characters and storyline. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

My first book by Heather Webb and I will look forward to reading more by her!!

What I loved:
1. Great historical fiction in a time when London was in the midst of so much change!
2. Fast paced and easy to read - loved all the main characters
3. Themes of sisterhood, loyalty and power of women!

What I wanted to be different:
1. Some of the minor characters were written in very stereotypical ways - wanted them to be more unique.
2. The book did jump around a little so sometimes hard to follow.


Thank you, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review.

I put off this book for too long. I didn't think I'd be in the mood for it but once I did finally read it I was not disappointed. I've been a fan of Heahter Webb for a while and she really is a terrific writer.

1920s London is so well depicted from the characters, the setting and the story of the all-female street gang. Have tough and resilient female characters really worked well for this book. This is the not the first book I've read about The Forty Elephants, and it wasn't the most historically accurate accounting, but it is certainly entertaining. This is a must read for anyone who loves historical fiction set in London in the early 20th century.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the galley. Sorry I took so long to read it. My loss, frankly!

No one writes historical fiction like Heather Webb and fans of the genre will love this book just like I did. The 1920s are a time period not often written about in the historical fiction genre so I appreciated that aspect of this book. I also enjoyed the characters and it was an easy read.

An intriguing look into the Roaring 20s, through the eyes of a thief, a police detective, a shopgirl, and an orphan. Diamond Annie runs a crime ring of female thieves, and is constantly looking over her shoulder. On the opposing side, Officer Lillian Wyles is one of the first female detectives at Scotland Yard, and has been tasked with tracking Diamond Annie down. Along the way, both women are joined by Hira, a runaway orphan, and Dorothy, a shop girl at a major department store.

As their lives intersect, each of them must navigate a world dominated by men and the control they can assert over women's autonomy. Each of the four women chooses her own path forward, choosing between what is fair and what is just. A fantastic historical read that will keep readers engaged to the very end.

Set in 1920's London, this fictional story follows a gang of female thieves, a female detective out to prove herself, and a homeless youth finding her way. As the story unfolds, the criminals are plotting their largest heist ever, while being followed by the detective. All the characters interact with one another in unique ways, enough to keep the reader invested to stay until the very end (no spoilers here!). This book was based on an actual female crime ring from the time period, which was also fun to learn.

Woow what a ride this was, I loved it so much. Reading everyone’s stories and how living in that era affected and made everyone the same but also different. It was such a treat seeing the women go through different challenges and outcomes.

This gave me Peaky blinders vibes in the best way possible. I didn’t know when i started reading the book that the forty elephants were real and some of this story was pulled from reality. That was pretty cool.

I did feel though that the ending was a bit rushed and i was kinda of disappointed at how abruptly it ended. I wanted to read more about it, the dreamer in my wanted more of a happier ending lol It was still such a great historical story.

A gripping tale of dark glamour, sisterhood, and shifting justice. The story explores female resilience, ambition, and the lengths women will go to in order to have power. I liked the lawless and likeable characters.
Many thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book had a great concept. All (pretty much) of the characters are based on real people. However, the book was just ok to me. THe plot was fairly slow to pick up and then dropped off suddenly into an ending that felt very abrupt.

I loved that this book was all about women. The woman, in power, Officer Lilian Wyles, and the criminal, Diamond Annie, the Queen of the Forty Elephants.

Diamond Annie leads a ring of women that steal on the streets of London, from people, from stores, anywhere they can set up a heist. Officer Wyles is stuck in a man’s world, where she is treated like she’s incompetent and gets inconsequential jobs just to keep her busy. She wants to prove herself, so she is determined to catch Diamond Annie and dissolve the Forty Elephants.

Lilian and Annie are both strong, independent women. They both want to make their mark on the world in their own ways. I loved how each character was written. I wanted to be friends with both of them.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for my ARC of this book.

What a fresh take on historical fiction and strong women characters on both sides of the law. This will be one of my top reads in 2024!

I was initially drawn to this book because I thought it was about the royal family, but it is not. The story is about a young girl and her dog on the run, a kind store clerk, the first female detective at Scotland Yard and a female shoplifting gang. The story is set in London in 1925 and told by multiple female characters.

Heather Webb gives readers a challenge to look at justice from different perspectives. Is stealing always wrong?? When you are starving is it ok to steal from others? The relationships between women was a very strong aspect of this easy to read book that was hard to put down.

I have never heard of Alice Diamond or the 40 Elephants but with Heather Webb writing it, I knew I was in for a treat! I was immediately transported to London in 1925. The setting and the way of the times felt authentic as I read this multiple point of view book. I enjoyed following each of the character's points of views, they each were strong characters in their own right. Each had a great story arc and made me want to keep reading! Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Within the pages of this captivating narrative lies a world waiting to be explored. With its compelling characters, vivid settings, and thought-provoking themes, Queens of London offers a journey that transcends the ordinary. From the highs of triumph to the lows of despair, the story weaves a tapestry of emotions that resonate deeply with readers. As the plot unfolds, it unveils layers of mystery, intrigue, and revelation, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page. Whether seeking adventure, solace, or simply a momentary escape, this book promises to captivate and inspire, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of its readers.

Thank you to Heather Webb, Netgalley, and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This was such a fun story! An all women's thieving gang in the time when woman are thought to be meek and shy. I loved the gang, how they fought to survive. It's even more interesting know it's based on a real gang and real women. Add to it, the person hunting, attempting to catch and shut them down, is one of the first women at Scotland yard! I found the story fascinating, it instantly drew me in, but I stayed for the characters and the well-written plot. I highly recommend this one!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I have read before about the forty elephants and I kind of think these women were pretty badass! and this story also introduces the first women on the police force.. and they had to wear skirts? what the heck? But overall this story was really interesting!!!