Hira is a young girl living with her uncle in London. Her parents have passed away and he is threatening to send her to an orphanage. Hira runs away and ends up on the streets. She finds a wonderful dog that she names Biscuit. But she also finds Alice. Alice, the queen of the streets and leader of a crime syndicate, takes Hira in and trains her. But Hira knows she can’t keep this lifestyle up.

Wow! What a great read! So different and unique! I love a story that teaches me a thing or two! I had no idea about a gang of women in London, the first female crime syndicate. Not only that. this story also covers female detectives during this time period.

This is a well researched and absolutely captivating tale. I was hooked in the very first chapter. I love all the layers, time period and characters! Do not miss this one!

The narrator, Amy Scanlon, is extremely talented and did the child’s voice perfectly. That is a big turnoff for me. But this narrator nailed it!

Need a fantastic, engrossing tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Wonderful read! This historical fiction is centered on an all woman crime gang in 1920's London, who were known as the Forty Elephants and were led by Alice Diamond. Additionally, Webb's novel highlights the career of Lilian Wyles the first female detective at Scotland Yard. The stories were interwoven very well and was a completely absorbing story about sisterhood set in a time of burgeoning female empowerment, I loved this book!

Queens of London is a totally binge-able story about the real-life “Diamond Annie,” the elected queen of an all-girl gang in the 1920s. It also includes the real-life Lilian Wyles, one of the very first female detectives of Scotland Yard. While the story itself is fiction, this is one of my favorite genres of historical fiction. I love it when authors learn about real figures like this and weave a delicious storyline that makes them truly real and relatable characters.

I definitely recommend this one for my female empowerment friends who love a little history and fiction thrown into a mixing bowl and served up as an entertaining novel. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a few sad aspects of the storyline that will pull at your heartstrings, but overall I definitely recommend this one for historical fiction lovers.

A fascinating look into a women’s gang in London in the 1920s. I loved getting to see Diamond Annie’s tough side as she ran her gang ruthlessly but also had a softer side for Hira and her sweet pup, Biscuit. It was also interesting to see how female detectives were treated at this time. Heather Webb does a fantastic job fleshing out the characters, describing the world they all live in, and bringing them all together for a thrilling ending. Highly recommended for fans of strong women and historical fiction.

This novel, set in 1925 London, intertwines the stories of 4 very different female characters, two of whom are based on real historical figures. Each character's storyline was equally engaging and well-developed. The book touches on various themes, including justice, belonging, self-worth, and women's rights. This was my second time reading a book by this author, and she is quickly becoming a must-read author for me. I really enjoy her writing style. Her descriptions are concise, not excessively wordy. Unfortunately, I didn't love the way the narrator voiced the characters, but it was still a great listen.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for allowing me early access to the ARC audiobook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Feminism in London in the 1920s. This book gives an excellent look into the lives of multiple different women, in different classes, and of different ethnicity to follow their lives and how their stories come together. Cops and robbers, the women's way in the 20's.

I really enjoyed Queens of London. It intertwined the lives of many different women seamlessly throughout the entire book with ease. Often when different story lines mesh in and out of each other it becomes messy and confusing. I think the author Heather Webb did an excellent job of writing the book in a way that was quite detailed, but interesting and easy to follow.

I really enjoyed the narration of this book. There were several different types of British accents that needed to be done throughout this book, so the narration would be complex and difficult, and I think the narration was on point. I am sure many are aware, but in case you are not, depending on where you are from in the city, class, and how you were raised will say a lot about your accent. I cannot pick out the idiosyncrasies between each but when you're steeped in it, you know. However, I am not English, so I can't say if her accents for each are exact, but I thought it was impeccably done.

The last thing I want to mention is the author's note at the end of the book. I really appreciated that she mentioned what was fact, and what was fiction. That helps me so much. So kudos to her for that.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for this advanced copy of Heather Webb's Queen of London audiobook.

This book was just what I was looking for. I read a lot of historical fiction but so many focus on WWII and I was looking for something different. Queens of London focuses on the 1920's in London. It is the story of Diamond Annie and how she ran the Forty Elephants gang. She wanted more for herself and for her "girls" but she wanted fast money. She did not see a way to survive with a regular job and didn't want that life. An orphaned child, Hera, makes her way into Diamond Annie's life and it seems she might change but in the end, her life and history keep her on the same path. Hera was a great character and I loved reading her story.

The storytelling and the character development were wonderful and I highly recommend this book!

3.5 stars. This book is about Alice Diamond - a real, female gangster from London. I love learning about her but this book was very similar to Queen of Thieves. The storyline felt too reminiscent which was a bit of a bummer. I think this was set a little earlier than the other book. I appreciate the author's note at the end which mentions what was based on truth and what was fictionalized. Overall fun listen, I just wish it were a little more different than Queen of Thieves.

This is definitely one of my favorite reads of 2024 so far! I listened to the audiobook and really liked the narration. The fierce female characters (many of whom are based on real historic figures) and settings are well developed and really helped give full life to this story of 1920s London, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I'll be adding Heather Webb to my list of authors to follow.

Thank you RB Media and NetGalley for early access to the Queens of London audiobook. I loved it so much.

“But for the first time she questioned what justice really meant. She was also beginning to see a sort of twisted symbiotic relationship between criminal and police. The line that divided them was far thinner than she ever realized.”

Alice, known as Diamond Annie, is the queen of the notorious Forty Elephant female gang, who runs a shoplifting ring in 1925 London. Hira is a 10 year old runaway, who stumbles into Alice and the Forty Elephant’s lives. Lilian is one of the first female police officers in London and makes it her mission to take down Alice and the Forty Elephants. These strong female characters made this historical fiction an incredible novel showcasing the gritty lives of those living in the poor neighborhoods of London.

This is one of my favorite historical fictions ever. The story was both adventurous and heartwarming. It’s is also so well written with amazing characters.

I listened to this as an early access audiobook. The narrator, Amy Scanlon, does an amazing job too.

I absolutely recommend this book. It’s out now!

🖤 Genre: Historical Fiction
🤍 Steamy rating: Mild
🤬 Profanity: Moderate

Triggers: Death of a parent, homelessness, assault & domestic violence

I received the complimentary audiobook via NetGalley in return for a honest review. Thank you to RB Media, Heather Webb & NetGalley for giving me access to this audiobook. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

This book was a breath of fresh air. Webb’s historical fiction of Alice’s, Queen of the all-girl gang Forty Elephants, works to create a mark. This books transports you to a different time as you follow these strong women’s life as they commit crime and evade the police.

Additionally, because I am an audiobook fien, I must commend the narrator. Amy Scanlon did an amazing job and her voice was perfect for the book.

Highly recommend adding this to your TBR list.

This story follows Alice as she protects what she has created for her girls. I read queen of thieves last year and unfortunately, this story is very similar so I couldn't get real excited about it.

Thanks to NetGalley and RB Media for an ARC of this audiobook.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction novel by Heather Webb. It is the story of England's first all female crime syndicate. This is a topic that I knew nothing about and totally enjoyed learning about through the story and the informative afterword, where the author tells about the real characters and what was real and what was fictional. I have read and enjoyed previous books by this author, but this may be my favorite. I loved everything about it...the setting (1920's London), the plot, but most of all, the characters. Ms. Webb does a wonderful joy developing these characters, some based on real people. This story drew me in right from the beginning pages and made me care about what happened to the the 4 main characters. It is one that I didn't want to end, but yet the ending was the perfect conclusion. I listened to the audiobook of this novel and the narrator did a fantastic job keeping the story moving and adding unique voices to all of the characters. If you are a historical fiction lover, don't miss this book.

The premise to QUEENS OF LONDON sounded exciting enough, and then, several chapters in, I found another character who completely stole my heart:: Ten year old Hera and her friend, Biscuit. That sealed the deal and I had to know what happened.

QUEENS begins with the female equivalent to Peaky Blinkers, Diamond Alice, herself. Alice is a fascinating character, based upon fact, though this is not a biographical novel. As things progress, her eyes are opened to the choices she's making, that, perhaps, she doesn't really even have to make. One truth, though, is unchangeable, and that is that no many will harm a woman on her watch. I gotta love a character like that. Then there's Inspector Lillian, who needs to catch Alice's gang, the Forty Elephants, in order to make a name for herself. And also shopgirl Dorothy, who can't seem to see the lies behind a man's silver tongue to save her life. Again though, the crucible in all of this, is Hera, and who will help her, save her, befriend her, or just let her live her life, with her beloved little doggie, too.

Webb has written a diamond of a page-turner with real heart and soul. and is made even more memorable by the audio, narrated by Amy Scanlon, hits all the right tones and accents.

This story is based on two real women in English history that I didn’t know about, and I found that fascinating. This story is a mix of pink-collar crime, women empowerment, taking you on a tour of the gritty and glamorous underworld in the roaring twenties. These women are molded by their circumstances and how they have been treated. Heather does a fantastic job of weaving a rich and compelling tale of these women and bringing you into their world. You feel for them even when they are on the wrong side of the law. The narrator in the audiobook was fantastic for transporting me to the world Webb created. You can’t go wrong with any format for this book! If you are looking for feminists-forward historical fiction, then pick this one up! Fans of shows like Peaky Blinders and writers like Rys Bowen, Madeleine Martin, and Kate Quinn will enjoy this book.

I LOVE THIS! This will make a wonderful book club read with plenty of discussion points. It had me hooked quickly! So good. The narration was good, too!

I enjoyed this audiobook thanks to net galley .This is one of my favorite authors .I also learn when I read her books .I did have to look up Forty Elephants and Diamond Annie.It was an interesting story to hear all bout them .I look forward to more books by this author .

Heather Webb has done a great job of melding historical characters with purely fictional ones.
Set in the mid 1920's, "Queens of London" captures the feel of very different worlds all converging in one place.
At first I thought that this story was about the head of an all female crime syndicate, Alice, ("Diamond Annie".) Diamond. A real person who ran the street gang "40 Elephants". Clever, street smart, and with a head for strategic heists, Alice has led the women into a profitable period . Set in an era where women were at the complete mercy of their male relatives and significant others, Alice tries to offer an alternative and all she really demands is loyalty.
This novel has 4 main characters. Alice, Lillian Wyles, one of the first metropolitan police detectives, who is trying to make a name for herself, Dorothy, a beautiful shop girl who is always judged by her looks and never by her intelligence, and Heera, a young girl who is half Indian and half white, who because of extenuating circumstances is on the streets. Characters who are all unique and all loosely linked to form an enticing storyline.
I would describe this book as gritty, heart-rending, and at moments almost tender.
Amy Scanlons' narration is clear and concise, with well defined and differentiated voices.
Thank you NetGalley and Recorded Books for this audio ARC. Opinions expressed are strictly my own.

If I could give half stars--this is a solid 4.5! I really love a historical fiction especially when the protagonist is a woman!
Alice Diamond was the Queen of the criminal world of London in 1925. Queens of London follows the events of 4 different female characters of varying ages and sociodemographics post-WWI. Each are attempting to accomplish something through their own grit and determination with the hope of gaining independence from social norms and expectations. Alice Diamond was in charge of the 40 elephants gang--Britain’s first female crime syndicate. Her supporting characters, Lillian, Hira, and Dorothy were all lovable characters whose lives intermingled with Alice and her gang throughout the book. Hira's rescued dog, Biscuit, was possibly my favorite. He was more loyal and true than our young Hira's wards! I listened to the entire book on audiobook with Amy Scanlon offering a stellar performance. She kept me engaged and I was able to immerse myself into the story and feel as if I was watching the best tale ever!

I have grown to truly enjoy a good historical fiction novel, so I was excited to get this one to read. I tend to read historical fiction about WWII, so this was a nice break from that and a different time being post WWI. I enjoyed the different take on crime rings as this one was run by women. The Forty Elephants, headed by Alice Diamond.

The book is told from several different points of view. It gives you a full glimpse of just what all is going on during this novel. I loved Hira, and felt for this poor child having to fend for herself on the streets of London after running away from her cruel uncle. Seeing all that goes on through the eyes of a child can give anything a different perspective. I was rooting for her up until the end. Highly recommend this one if you enjoy historical fiction.