Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for gifting me this ARC of the audiobook to review.

If I had to describe the book in one sentence it would be:
A story set in London during the 1920’s of four main female characters who all have different roots, perspectives and interests and yet you want them all to succeed.

This was an enjoyable read for me. I did feel with each of the perspectives and was hoping along with them that it would somehow work out even if their interests were sometimes in direct opposition. (At least they all had the common enemy or advantage of being underestimated as a woman 😉). The feeling of 1920s London came across really well and the narrator of the audiobook did a great job, especially considering the range of characters – if you want to immerse yourself in 1920s London just listen to the audiobook 😊.

I really appreciated the author’s note and the insight into Diamond Annie and the Forty Elephants.

"Queens of London" by Heather Webb takes readers back to 1925, immersing them in the dark glamour and intricate dynamics of London's first female crime syndicate, led by the ambitious and ruthless Alice Diamond, known as "Diamond Annie." When Alice ascends to the throne of the Forty Elephants gang, she sets her sights on creating an unprecedented criminal dynasty, demanding unwavering loyalty from her family. However, her plans face formidable opposition from Lilian Wyles, one of Scotland Yard's first female detectives, determined to prove herself by taking down Alice and her empire. Webb's gripping narrative explores themes of power, justice, and sisterhood, offering a captivating glimpse into a bygone era where women claimed their agency by any means necessary.

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.

Audio book. 3.5 stars. I ended up liking this book in the end, but it did take me a while to connect with the characters. It was confusing at time with multiple female narrators to keep up with everyone. I think I would've enjoyed reading it more than listening! At first, I thought the gang leader, Diamond Annie, was being portrayed as the protagonist & this bothered me. I just did not like reading about crime. Eventually, other heroes surfaces like Hera, the little runaway & Dorothy, the kind shop girl, who were more likable. I ended up liking learning about the time period & specifically the struggles for a female detective in the ranks of men.

Thank you NetGalley for this copy of Queens of London. I listened to this as an audiobook and it was excellently done. The pace was fast and kept you engaged the whole time.
What I liked most about this story was it introduced me to something I had never known existed; an all female gang of women, forging their way through London one theft at a time. This takes place after WWII, with women stepping into non traditional roles.
I thought the author did a great job of capturing the world they all lived in, from bleakness to the fancy stores. Not to give too much away but using the gum to secure the rings, brilliant.
The main characters in this novel are all very strong and stay true to their own line, yet there is a little bit of growth when they try to look at it from the other's perspective. I think one of the main ideas was inside of us there is good, and it is up to us to let it out.
I loved the character of Hira, rooted for her the whole way. Seems so young to be out on her own and she was very lucky. In day one or two it could have all gone easily another way. With Alice, one of the main characters, I was hoping for more enlightenment, but this being based on historical facts, the author let it play out the way it did in history. I also found very interesting the female police officer and her place in history. We are privy to many of the inner musing of the characters and it is in this way the author was able to shine light on the issues they all faced.
All in all a very interesting book.

Queens of London AUDIO by Heather Webb is a triumph in historical fiction. It is 1925, London, and the most notorious gang of thieves is an all-woman band led by a woman called Diamond Annie, whose real name is Alice Diamond. She is being pursued by Officer Lillian Wyles, one of the first female detectives to work at Scotland Yard. The concept of female detectives was not a popular one and she was often relegated to chasing women shoplifters and runaway children. Both are historical characters. Entering the fray is an intriguing cast of characters to include Simon McCaffrey, a boyfriend of Alice’s who was not in the business; Dorothy McBride, a shopgirl who was so much more; and Hera Wickham who was half Indian and had been sent from India to live with her father’s brother. Her parents had now died and he could show his true colors. She ran.

This was a heart-breaking story of people who were stuck in the lives society assigned them. Alice was from the poor side of town and had been raised by an abusive thief. She had nothing else to do and she was an excellent leader for the Forty Elephants. She was well organized and ruthless. What a fabulously written character. Lillian was a good detective and her goal was to capture Diamond Annie. Hera was taken in by Alice, mostly because she could be of use, but she hated the life. It was one step above being on the street alone. She had a little dog she had adopted and he proved to be her salvation. It was a wonderful book, full of strong women who fought for their places in this world. It was a fast-paced story showing both sides of each of the women, none of whom were perfect nor totally damaged. Heather Webb has done a masterful job weaving history into to tidy piece of fiction. Thank you!

Amy Scanlon was the narrator and she was perfect, with a hint of an accent, but not overpowering. She did a good job with different voices for some of the characters, which I normally dislike. I recommend her lovely voice.

I was invited to listen to an audio version of Queens of London by RB Media. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #RBMedia #HeatherWebb #AmyScanlon #QueensOfLondon

Queens of London by Heather Webb was a captivating historical fiction novel that took place in London during the 1920’s. It was inspired by real events and real people. Queens of London was about the notorious all women’s gang known as the Forty Elephants who earned their living by stealing. At its helm was no other than Diamond Annie. Annie Diamond demanded respect, loyalty and trustworthiness. She would protect and defend her members if they were in danger but if any of them dared to cross her or proved unworthy of her trust, Annie would not hesitate for a second to take matters into her own hands and teach the member a lesson or worse. The Forty Elephants were notorious for their heists and professionally orchestrated shoplifting escapades they accomplished. Diamond Annie and her gang members had evaded the police and capture as a result of their careful preparations and elusiveness.

The British police department in the 1920’s was completely dominated by male officers with very few exceptions. Lillian Wyles was one of those exceptions. She was one of the first women to grace the police force of the United Kingdom. Lillian Wyles was trying very hard to forge her way in a male dominated agency. Her male counterparts were not willing to give her the opportunities she so desperately sought. Lillian Wyles knew if she could devise a way to capture and arrest Diamond Annie, she could earn the recognition she deserved. For right now, though, she was splitting her time between guarding a well known department store and capturing street orphans.

Hiro Wickham was born to an Indian mother and British father. She was sent to live with her uncle in London when her parents thought it unsafe for her to be in India with them. Her uncle made sure she was well educated and that her manners were impeccable. He showed her no love though and barely tolerated Hiro’s existence in his home. When it was revealed that Hiro’s parents had died, her uncle wasted no time in making it known that he would send Hiro to a boarding school for orphans. Hiro made up her mind right then and there that she would run away. Where would she go? She had no money and had no acquaintances to help her. Hiro found herself on the streets of London. She was lonely, scared and hungry. Her loneliness was remedied when a stray dog befriended Hiro. She named her new friend Biscuit. Hiro and Biscuit looked out for each other and became inseparable.

Diamond Annie discovered Hiro one night. She offered Hiro a place to stay and food to eat. Diamond Annie had watched Hiro in the act of pickpocketing and was surprised and impressed by her ability to get what she wanted. Hiro soon learned that Diamond Annie and her friends did some bad things but she needed a warm place to sleep and food to survive so she decided to ignore some of the things. At the same time, Hiro was also befriended by a woman salesperson at an upscale department store. Hiro made weekly visits to the woman who shared her food with Hiro. The woman developed a soft spot for Hiro and looked forward to her weekly visits. What would happen to Hiro? How did Lillian Wyles plan on capturing Diamond Annie? Would she get the recognition she so desperately wanted?

I listened to the audiobook of Queens of London by Heather Webb. The audiobook was brilliantly narrated by Amy Scanlon. Before listening to this audiobook, I had no prior knowledge of the Forty Elephants and Diamond Annie. The fact that there was such an elusive gang of women that operated around London during that time period was fascinating to me. I thought the characters were well written and thought out. Hiro found a spot in my heart from the beginning. I enjoyed her relationships with her little dog, Annie and the department store saleswoman. Her uncle was despicable and was my least liked character. Heather Webb included an author’s note at the end of the audiobook that explained which characters were real and what really happened to the members of the Forty Elephants and the other characters in Queens of London. I thought this book was very well written and enjoyable. I recommend it highly.

Thank you to Recorded Books for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of Queens of London by Heather Webb through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The book is set in the bustling city of London in 1925, a time when women were starting to claim their independence and fight for their rights. Through the eyes of multiple captivating characters, all women, the story unfolds, revealing their struggles and triumphs as they navigate their way through a male-dominated and often hostile world. The women come from vastly different backgrounds and have unique aspirations, yet their lives are intertwined in a web of friendship and shared experiences.

As the story progresses, the reader becomes emotionally invested in each character's journey, rooting for them in their battles against adversity and cheering them on in their moments of triumph. The book is beautifully written, with vivid descriptions that transport the reader back in time to the sights, sounds, and smells of London in the 1920s.

There are moments of heartbreak and sadness but also of joy and hope as the women fight for their rights and strive to achieve their goals. Throughout it all, the reader is drawn into their world, experiencing their struggles and victories as if they were their own. Even the dog in the story becomes a beloved character, adding to the book's charm and emotional depth.

Overall, this is a wonderful and engaging read that celebrates the strength and resilience of women in the face of adversity. I am grateful to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of the book, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating and inspiring story.

Thanks to RB Media & Sourcebooks for this review audio.

I'm a sucker for historical fiction. This book uses 2 real people-Alice Diamond & Lilian Wyles & 2 fictional Hira & Dorothy--to tell a story about the Forty Elephants Gang.

Alice Diamond is the Queen of the gang & Lilian is one of the first female Scotland Yard detectives. Hira is a young upper class girl who's run away from home that Alice takes under her wing & Dorothy is a shop girl working in the Dept store the gang robs.

These 4 stories intercept in 1920's London.

The story was fun & the narrator did a great job.
I'd recommend this.

An elightening read , a loo into the world of the first female crime gang and female cops post war , the streets of london are being ran by these true to life females , this story was about them , good storyline , I highly recommend reading the authors note afterward to get more insight into these characters .

Heather Webb has hit a homerun with her latest book Queens of London! I adored the characters and story behind this book. An incredible historical fiction set in 1920s London. The story is about strong women and also about their vulnerabilities - the story is based on a real all-girl gang called The Forty Elephants.

The story unfold through the eyes of Alice, the tough, conflicted leader of the ring, Hira, a loveable orphaned 10-year-old girl, Dorothy, a young, underestimated department saleswoman, and Lilian, a female police woman with Scotland Yard, which was quite rare in that time period. This is a story of found family, loyalty, justice and what it means, desperation, discrimination, poverty, and female empowerment. The characters were well developed.

If you are a fan of historical fiction with strong female characters, then you should check this one out!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This book was amazing and will be a favorite for years and years. Queens of London is historical fiction set in 1920s London. It's the story about 4 badass women. Each character was fantastic and strong, yet venerable. This is a must read.

This was a great story of a part of history I’m unfamiliar with. It is about a gang of female thieves in London, let by Diamond Annie. Very intriguing book!

As someone who has anxiety attacks at the thought of breaking the rules (let alone the law), this book made me extremely uncomfortable, but in the way that I got to watch it unfold from the warmth and safety of my life.

Upon learning about the Forty Elephants, I was shocked that I had never heard of them. I’m a huge fan of history and the UK, and an all-female crime syndicate is so inherently cinematic, I would have expected dozens of books about them. Instead, this was a new historical fiction for me, which I loved.

I am not someone who has to love the characters in a book, and I don’t dislike Alice, but I can’t love her either (I do love Hira and Dorothy). Webb captured her complexity so well that she was truly complicated— a woman in a man’s world, a victim of abuse who protected other women from the same, a woman who understood what it meant to be poor, but also a violent woman unwilling to be vulnerable in any way.

Queens of London tells the dark and glamorous tale of Britains first all female gang, The Forty Elephants. Alice Diamond is the most notorious leader of the Forty Elephants and expects complete loyalty from her girls. Lillian Wyles is of Londons first female detectives and she’s determined to catch Alice and end the reign of the Forties. The two women are drawn together by Hira, a young girl runaway who needs their help.

Queens of London is a historical crimes novel. It was full of fast paced action. The Forty Elephants and characters are drawn from real life. The story is told from the perspective of the three main characters; Alice, Lillian, and Hira. Hira is a smart girl who uses her wits to survive on the streets of London. Alice and Lilian are real life characters. They are both strong and fierce and their characters were fully fleshed out.

I switched between the physical and audiobook. I enjoyed the narration by Amy Scanlon. She portrayed each character in a unique way making it easy to follow the different points of view.

This is my first novel by Heather Webb and I will definitely be reading more of her books! Queens of London is a great pick for fans of historical fiction!

I loved the characters in this book! We get 4 very different perspectives of life in London, Diamond Alice is a criminal but I still enjoyed her perspective. Dorothy works at a retail store and I felt for her, but loved her growth. There is a detectives perspective too and Hira, a small girl that has no family! I highly recommend this read for fans of historical fiction and those who have loved Heather Webb's previous books!

fun, adventurous story based on some true people and events. I love this era and historical fiction is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. This story focuses on Alice, the leader of the 40 Elephants gang, Hera, a runaway, Lillian, a female police officer, and Dorothy, a woman who works in a department store. All four of their lives intermingle in this tale. I think this is a very good story with a good narrator.

Thank you for the ALC for my honest review.

Heather Webb’s Queens of London was a pleasant surprise - she managed to create sympathetic characters on multiple sides of a criminal enterprise. Based on a real crime syndicate and a groundbreaking female police detective, Webb brought post WWI London to life with complex characters and a lively plot. The original character created by Webb echoes Oliver Twist in all the best ways. Even her secondary characters were memorable. Somehow, Webb had me rooting for all the characters to “win” even though I knew that wasn’t possible. Queens of London is a great character driven novel that had a page turning plot.

There have been several books that include this kind of female crime. This was very enjoyable to read coming from the crime boss’s perspective and how she dealt with her people and the detectives. This perfect for historical fiction readers.

Thank you RB media for my gifted ALC

A historical fiction of a different kind, Queens of London was a blast! Gritty, high stakes, feminist, full of action and drama, but also heartwarming with the found family vibes and unlikely friendships.

Having watched Peaky Blinders, I thought it was so fun to hear familiar names, places, and events. I LOVE the idea of an all women gang - a perspective we don't see often enough. Can we start a petition to make this a TV show or movie??

The audiobook is PHENOMENAL 🎉 I have print and audio, and I was rotating between the two. And both were good, but I found myself completely immersed in the audio. Amy Scanlon is outstanding!!! Her range and ability to portray this large cast - including a child - is no small feat. Brilliant!