The Queens of London is a wonderful romp through the seedy sides of Londone and through legendary department stores. It is Oceans 8 meets The little Princess. I found it to be an adventurous quick read. So, dive into the world of The Forty Elephants and the life of little Kira and Biscuit.

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up
Heather Webb writes the most memorable stories. I still think about The Next Ship Home, her book about Ellis Island. I feel like her writing, also in this one, really encapsulates her characters. Usually, I feel like when I’m reading, I can feel similarities between their books, but each of hers are so unique, and the characters are so convincing.

I love how this book focuses on four strong women - two who were based on real women in London;
•A notorious female gang leader named Diamond Annie
•one of the first female police chief inspectors Lilian Wyles
The other two were such lovable characters, the orphan Hira and saleswoman Dorothy.

In the post-World War I London underworld, the novel "Queens of London" immerses readers in the lives of a notorious all-female gang, led by the formidable Diamond Annie. This gripping narrative delves into themes of power, sisterhood, and justice as these women navigate a world where crime becomes their means of survival.

The indelible mark left by "Queens of London" extends beyond its final pages. Its portrayal of fierce women, their intricate alliances, and their relentless struggles resonates deeply. Whether you're drawn to historical fiction, crime sagas, or stories featuring strong female protagonists, this book delivers an enthralling journey.

I wholeheartedly recommend "Queens of London" to readers who appreciate historical fiction with a twist of intrigue. Prepare to be captivated by this hidden world where women defy conventions and carve out their destinies.

Is there anything better than a strong female main character?

How about FOUR of them?!

Based on true events, Queens of London follows the all-girl gang Forty Elephants - Britain’s first female crime syndicate - and their fearless leader Annie Diamond, also known as “Diamond Annie.” As another first female, Lilian Wyles, becomes a detective for Scotland Yard, and she is determined to crack a big case to finally be taken seriously by the all-men force who keep giving her “women work” assignments that are below her capabilities. When she hears about a large heist going down - led by Annie and her crime family - she’s finally got the chance to prove herself.

This was a historical fiction breath of fresh air. The 4 women at the forefront of the story, Annie, Lillian, department store saleswoman Dorothy, and orphan Hira, find their completely different worlds colliding and through wisdom, wit, and a most cleverly crafted (and fun!) story, you cannot help but fall for both sides of the law, and shamelessly root for every woman involved. In particular, the spunky lost little girl and her little dog named Biscuit, just searching for someone to love them and not settling for anything less.

As always, Heather Webb has once again blown me away. Her character development is flawless and she leaves you with this feeling that you’ve just made a bunch of new found friends. The setting, both time and place, feels historic yet reachable, and you feel as if you are dropped right into the story, experiencing it all first hand. Every novel is filled with humor and heart, and are epic tributes to females who paved the way by creating their own paths and not letting any thing or anyone stand in their way.

A must read for those who enjoy riveting and fast-paced heist stories, full of vulnerable, feisty, and strong female leads.

This was my third read by this author. I absolutely loved The Next Ship Home. There were parts about this one that I enjoyed and others that I didn’t. Characters that I enjoyed until I didn’t. This was filled with a lot of morally gray characters and actions. The good gals are not always good or do the right thing and the bad gals aren’t always bad.

I enjoyed getting to know the character of Alice AKA “Diamond Annie” and her band of thieves as she prepares to pull off the biggest heist of her career to provide an option to the females under her that may be living in abusive situations. I was rather frustrated with her supposed reputation that put fear into others yet very few around her were scared to cross her and she often let them with no consequences. She genuinely cared for the girls in her employ, but I found her to be an inconsistent character.

That was ultimately my problem with most of the female characters in this book. It’s told in third person and follows several women including Alice, a female police investigator at Scotland Yard in Lilian, Dorothy who worked at a local department store and Hira, a young girl who ran away from her guardian and encounters all of the women in some capacity. What they said, believed and their actions often contradicted each other. While I enjoyed the story, their inconsistency over the course of the book was frustrating.

The audiobook was narrated by Amy Scanlon. It was my first audiobook listen by this narrator. I thought she did a fantastic job voicing the different female main characters. I had no problems distinguishing their voices or following the different storylines.

Recommended to readers of historical fiction who enjoy complex, strong female characters that operated in shades of gray.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Recorded Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

1925, London. Diamond Annie is the queen of the Forty Elephants, an all female gang of thieves who mostly rob department stores. Lillian is a rare female detective who is trying to prove herself and is determined to bring down the gang of thieves. But the best characters are little Hira, a young runaway and her dog, Biscuit.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy of Queens of London by Heather Webb in exchange for an honest review.

Based on the true story of the 40 Elephants female crime gang active in London after WWI and its “Queen” aka mob boss Alice Diamond, Queens of London follows four protagonists: Alice, Inspector Lilian Wyle who is one of the first “lady detectives” on the Metropolitan Police and has her sights on Alice, department store employee Dorothy, and biracial orphan Hira (and Hira’s dog, Biscuit ). Alice and Lilian are real people, and one of the major themes of the book is what women then (and, we are invited to consider, now) must go through in order to be taken seriously at their professions (legal or otherwise). This is a wholly original work, and the best kind of historical fiction. Five stars.

𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧
𝐁𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐛
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟐.𝟔.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒



Set in the 1920s, Officer Lilian Wyles is the first female detective at the famous Scotland Yard, but she’s been delegated to do primarily women’s work. Finally, she is given a new assignment to patrol the department stores for the notorious all-girl gang, the Forty Elephants, and their leader, Alice Diamond.

I enjoyed that this story was filled with strong, feisty women who want to rule the streets of London. Although Lilian and Alice are on opposite sides of the law, they both try to prove themselves in a man’s world.

The pace moves quickly, with plenty of action and emotions as you are drawn into the lives of these characters. There are several other well-developed characters, such as Hira, a runaway orphan and her dog, who Alice takes in but soon becomes a pawn in the war between Lilian and Alice.

Please don’t skip the Author’s Note; she adds some interesting information and insights.


Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @msheatherwebb for a spot on tour and a gifted ebook.
Thank you @recordedbooks for a gifted audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an arc!

The Queens of London follows notorious female thievery ring the Forty Elephants during the 1920s. Alice Diamond, known as Diamond Annie, serves as the queen of the forties, leading heists on all of the best department stores in London. Alice and her girls are hard to catch and are mostly successful in their endeavors, up until detective Lillian Wyles takes an interest in them.

Wyles is a female detective for the Scotland Yard focused on proving herself to be assigned to more serious cases. Wyles wants to help women who are victims of crime or prostitution rings, but instead is put on the thankless work of monitoring department stores or chasing after orphans on the street. While watching the stores, Wyles makes a connection between an orphan that’s stealing from people off the streets and the forty elephants. Wyles knows that if she can take Diamond Annie down, then the force won’t be able to deny her skills and abilities. But challenging the forty elephants can be very dangerous, as these women are tough and unforgiving.

Meanwhile, the actions of the forties are impacting many people, including department store clerk Dorothy McBride. Dorothy has sketches of clothing designs she’s created and dreams of pursuing a career. She is tired of being called dumb, and all she wants is the chance to prove herself. When Dorothy meets Hira, an orphaned girl running away from her uncle, Dorothy brings extra food for the girl every week. Dorothy continues to form a friendship with Hira and show her kindness and generosity, having no idea of Hira’s connection to Alice Diamond- the very person who has been stealing from Dorothy’s department store.

This book was really interesting and I was shocked to learn how much of it was factual. The concept of an all female crime ring is very interesting, and the setting being the 1920s in London only made my interest grow. I felt conflicted rooting for Alice and the Forties even though they were criminals, but learning about the lives of these women makes it hard to not be angry on their behalves.

I enjoyed having multiple point of views from Alice, Detective Wyles, Hira and Dorothy. They all added such different perspectives and really helped to show how women were treated in society during the time period. I think that most women could relate on some level to at least one of our characters.

I would recommend Queens of London to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or just wants to read a book about some badass women!

I’m a big fan of Heather Webb stories and this one was simply fastastic. A fun and action-packed adventure set in 1920s London about a gang of female thieves who robbed London's best high-end department stores. Reading the authors notes at the end and learning that it was inspired by real life characters just made it so much better.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.

𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗢𝗳 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻 by Heather Webb, Author released February 6, 2024.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

The Queens of London
It was the 1920s in London .There was an infamous gang of female shoplifters called the Forty Elephants. Alice Diamond was the Queen of that gang. The members of the gang would walk into one of the top departments stores in London, distract the salesgirls and walk out with items they gave to a fence to sell.
One day Alice encountered Hira , a runaway who had been living on the street, and offered her shelter in Alice’s family home. In exchange Hira had to work with the Forty Elephants. Hira had lived with her uncle in a large home in a wealthy part of London. Hira’s parents were in India until both became il and died. After her uncle decided to send Hira away to a harsh boarding school, she ran away.

Hira was spotted on the streets by Lillian Wyles, one of the first the female police inspectors in London and the first assigned to the Criminal Investigations Dept. Soon Inspector Wyles was searching for Hira while also trying to arrest Alice and her gang for their many crimes.
This book is based on true person and events. The Forty Elephants began their criminal activities in the middle of the 1800s and continued for many years after the book ended.
I enjoyed reading about this era and also the lives of the rich and poor in London.
I received this ARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Great story of female empowerment, even if some of that empowerment comes from a female gang! "Queens of London" follows two strong women, Alice Diamond who leads a female gang called the Forty Elephants and Lilian Wyles, one of the first female detectives in London. Lilian's is tasked (or tasks herself) with taking down the infamous Diamond Alice, while Alice is looking to increase the strength and profitability of the Elephants, in part so she can provide a safe place for women at the mercy of their men. Both characters are based on real people. Added to the mix is very young Hira, an Indian/English ward of a not great barrister, while her parents remain in India. A tragedy causes Hira to run away from home and she is taken in by Alice, and encounters Lilian, who is tasked with rescuing orphans from the rough streets of London. Queens of London is a super fun, rip roaring read and insightful look at women's lives in the 1020's.

I loved reading about all the "queens" in this novel, especially little Hira! This is a fantastic reimagining of Diamond Annie and the Forty Elephants and Officer Lilian Wyles set against the backdrop of post WWI London. For anyone fascinated by untold stories of women in history, this book is a must-read, offering a unique glimpse into a world where women, despite the odds, dared to reach for power and autonomy. It's a captivating blend of suspense, drama, and a deep exploration of human nature--especially from the female perspective.

From the publisher: A tale of dark glamour and sisterhood, Queens of London is a look at Britain’s first female crime syndicate, the ever-shifting meaning of justice, and the way women claim their power by any means necessary. 1925. LONDON. When Alice Diamond, a.k.a. “Diamond Annie,” is elected the queen of the Forty Elephants, she’s determined to take the all-girl gang to new heights. She’s ambitious, tough as nails, and a brilliant mastermind with a plan to create a dynasty the likes of which no one has ever seen. MAYBE WOMEN CAN HAVE IT ALL. AS LONG AS THEY’RE WILLING TO STEAL IT.

My thoughts: Webb's story focuses on 4 women set in 1925s London. Her novel opens eyes to the complicated web that tied together criminal and police circles in that era and the unsuspecting people caught in the middle. This famous group introduces me to Diamond Annie, the most infamous criminal in London history. She decided she wanted the beautiful things the middle and high class society women had, but didn’t have the means to obtain. Her moral compass was compromised so badly she had no second thoughts about using crime to get what she wanted.

Alice clearly has ambitions to do more than just rake in the cash for a fleeting good time, but her plans to take care of her girls are met with obstacles. Diamond Annie's plans are jeopardized by Inspector Lilian Wyles, one of the first policewomen in English history, set to shutdown the Elephants. Intelligent, courageous, and desperate to prove herself to her bosses, Lilian is focused to nab Diamond Annie.

Based on real events and real people, Queens of London shows that no matter what the circumstances, we need to work to prove ourselves. Life has layers and it takes courage to fight for your goals in the world and society.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmarks for introducing me to 1925s London, the history of an all-female crime syndicate, and the fascinating ways they duped the street police at the Met.

The Queens of London by Heather Webb. Even on the dark side where the gangs have their own codes there can be some light and a miracle or two! I absolutely loved Hira and her best pal puppy Biscuit!

This book was based on fiction and nonfiction. Whose named alice diamond Ran a gang called forty elephants. These women would rob stores for jewelry and Clothing. They were brought up in a very harsh environment. The book had a really interesting turn when this woman called LIL Lam. Who was a metropolitan police officer in nineteen twenty five in london. She was one of the only 2 women on the force and the police s Chief center to watch these gangs of women to see if she could arrest them. There was a girlh Ina. Whose uncle was responsible for her upbringing? Because she was part Indian when her family died. The uncle wanted to send her to a orphanage boarding school up north. She ran away onto the streets of london. And had a dog she met named biscuit. She was very frightened at first but she seemed to get along really well. The first person she ran into was dorothy Who worked in the department store. She was hiding out from the police because she did not want to be picked up. Then she met alice who put her up in her home and introduce your way gang life. Please all stories all inter between these three different women. Dorothy was dealing with her boss who was a palameder. Alice fell in love with the bartender. But she could not love him because she was very concerned about her G a n g. Her brother was also in a G a n g. This book was really interesting because it showed how society with some different for these people who had to survive like this. The book had a happy ending to it too. And everything typed together. Nicely at the end and with a nice big surprise

I really enjoyed reading about the Forty Elephants. This was a not a topic I was knowledgeable of before reading this book, but I'm very interested in learning more. I easily got invested in historic London.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I loved how both Alice and Lilian were strong women fighting to prove they belong in the “mans” world, working in professions that woman have yet to make a name in. I loved both of their pov but I got to say my favorite was Hira. I was not expecting the child to grab my attention as much as she did, but I loved her. She was smart and quick on her feet. She still tried to stick to the person she wanted to be while doing what she needed to survive and her relationship with biscuit was so cute. I loved how the girls were intertwined but still got a lot of backstories without it dragging. Knowing how each operated I never knew where the story was headed. Webb’s atmospheric writing brings emotion, adventure, and strong character development. I love how the author’s note at the end talks more about the people the story is based on and where liberties were taken.

Thank you @msheatherwebb @netgalley and @suzyapprovedbooktours for the gifted copy.

Yes!!! All hail The Queens of London. You got Diamond Annie, an organized group of woman thieves in the roaring 20s! I mean what else can you ask for!

Loved this book about the gang of female thieves told in a different prospective than the other novel about this group out now . I found the story well plotted and it kept you engaged with the story till the end!