I’d not heard of the Forty Elephants before and had no idea they were a real criminal gang.
And what a fantastic premise for a book!
I found ‘Poor Girls’ slick and engrossing. Definitely fast-paced and attention grabbing.
However, my one teensy-weensy issue was that I kept thinking that the setting of the book was at least a couple of decades later than it was. I’m by no means knowledgeable about life in Britain post WW1, but from other fiction I’ve read from that time, I couldn’t readily recognise the voices and characters from ‘Poor Girls’ as being consistent with that era. Although, I obviously appreciate that this is a historical re imagination, and therefore, literary liberties can be taken.
That aside, an enjoyable read.

1922. Twenty-four-year-old Eleanor Mackridge is horrified by the future mapped out for her – to serve the upper classes or find a husband. During the war, she found freedom in joining the workforce at home, but now women are being put back in their place.
Until Eleanor crosses paths with a member of the notorious female-led gang the Forty Elephants: bold women who wear diamonds and fur, drink champagne and gin, who take what they want without asking. Now, she sees a new future for herself: she can serve, marry – or steal.

Well what a refreshing change of genre for me. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable read. Great characters, good story and well paced. It feels like a true story it’s so well written.

Very enjoyable bit of social history with a human touch.

Taking place in the early 1920s, this novel features Eleanor, a working class girl with aspirations, who turns to thievery. It brings together a group of similar-minded young ladies, all well- developed interesting characters. Based on real people of the era, this book highlights the social divide while the thieves live through a variety of experiences. It’s a real eye-opener and I recommend it to all fans of good writing. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Having read a previous novel by the author, I was excited to dive into this new release - thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the advance copy.

This is high-octane, with fantastic characterisation and writing that jumps off the page - I didn’t want to put the book down.

You feel as though you are friends with the women, who are members of The Forty Elephants gang in London, and seeing behind the curtain of their life hustling and ‘hoisting’ means you feel empathy for them, which isn’t usually the case with gangster novels, which this is - as well as being part-historical fiction, social history and fact; which is fascinating (I’m going to dive into the bibliography that is shared at the end of the book to learn more).

It’s an emotional book, and reveals a lot about the expectations placed on women at the time - 1920s - in term of what they were allowed, or not allowed to be or do.

I was very disappointed by this book and was unable to finish it.I was very interested in the concept ,especially because of the real gangs but I couldn’t get past banal dialogue and the portrayal of the characters who just didn’t seem credible . I tried the book several times but on each occasion I felt the same.
My thanks nonetheless for the opportunity to try it .I know how important reviews are so I won’t be posting this publicly.

I am a big fan of this author’s work. Historical fiction is probably one of my favorite genres, and I am lucky enough to follow Claire on her social media so I can see some of her work process. It’s exciting to see how books develop. This book was perfect from start to ending. It was fast-paced, with beautifully developed characters, and a brilliant fiction story based on a real story about the real female criminal gang called “the Forty Elephants.” In the summary of this book you can read: Twenty-year-old Eleanor Mackridge is upset about the future that is planned for her. When she meets a member of the notorious female-led gang the Forty Elephants, she is impressed by these confident women who wear diamonds and fur, drink champagne and gin, and take what they want without asking. Now, she sees a new future for herself: she can work, marry - or steal. After all, men will only let you down. Diamonds are forever The characters in this book are truly endearing, and the portrayal of how the gang operates is very intriguing. The author skillfully creates an ambiance that transports you to the London of the 1920s, providing insight into the social and economic situations of women in the post-war era. The author weaves a narrative that delves into the deep desires, fears, and personal struggles of the characters, as well as the strong connection they share with each other, making this book an enjoyable, fast-paced read. I am currently searching for a book signed by the author to add to my collection. I already have two books signed by the same author, and I proudly display them on my bookshelf. I'm really eager to find the third signed book to complete the set. I absolutely admire this author's work and I can't wait for Claire's next book! In this blog, we believe this book deserves a solid five-star rating. 🌟🌟🌟🌟I want to express my gratitude to the publisher and the editorial team for granting me early access to this book. Thank you for this opportunity.

Having first heard about the Forty Elephant gang a few years ago I jumped at the chance to read about the gang and a few fictional members. The tag line was definitely a powerful hook "We had nothing, so we took everything" . And I was hooked, but I didn't the characters didn't keep me hooked.

Eleanor is the main character and the one we follow through the events. She started strong and sassy. A modern, for the 20s, girl trapped in the world laid down by the last generation. I enjoyed her at the start with her strength, desire for more and willingness to work for it. Then she met a man and she went down hill for me.

When Nell meets the women and girls of the Forty Elephants all the female characters seemed to run together and became a noise in the background. With the exception of Jay who I'd have liked to see more of her, her life and exploits. The girls in the cell felt over the top and very dramatic in teen melodrama way. The older generation were hardly seen to make an impact.

The events, the thefts and consequences were background to the emotional events. It was interesting to see the set up of the gang and the way the thefts took place, more of that would have bulked it out for me. And more of the societal changes Nell witnessed and went through especially for women in the 20s and from being in gang. I wanted more of the social impact and happenings.

The murder....I hated it. It just felt sensationalist and attention grabbing especially as it had little impact on the overall story, court case or characters.
And the men. A strong woman led on by and broken by men. these side pieces could have been left out for me and been more about the story of women, the strength of women and the power they take for themselves.

Grab this book for a bedside table read. A few chapters a night without risk of staying up too late.

REALLY enjoyed this ARC copy of Poor Girls. A funny, insightful and entertaining tale of a woman who chose to take more than the world would offer her. Well-written and easy to keep returning to. If I have one minor criticism I didn't love the ending but it really is minor - I enjoyed reading up until the end. Perhaps I just wanted a little more?

A beautifully woven tale set in post war Britain tells the story of life and survival of the of working class woman whose options are to “serve, steal or starve”. Sparky women who are silenced and denigrated as they fulfil their function, within society.

The story opens with the protagonist Eleanor Mackridge who works at the Grand hotel as a waitress while living with her parents in Brighton. Faced with the snobbery and constant humiliation she welcomes a distraction one evening by a Mr Rogers, who wines and dines her. Her encounter with him leads her into a life of crime when she is summoned to London to meet his sister Chrissie and be inducted into the world of “hoisting”.

Leaving Brighton behind she moves to the glitz of the city and in with her new flatmates Charlie, Lily and Effie. Together they become a tight sisterhood for the Forty Elephant Cell. Their cheeky and daring exploits often place them in danger or behind bars, but nothing can dampen their exciting adventures.

Whitfield portrays a sense of realism and wonder as she presents an insight into London during the early twenties. I really enjoyed her well drawn out characters. Giving voices to those silent women who would prefer to steal rather than serve rich aristocrats who were far from pious and law abiding. Her descriptions of the theatres, places and shops only enhanced my enjoyment and transported me to a time of elegance indulgence.

A brilliant read which has you screaming girl power by the end!
Highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this atmospheric gem.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction novel set in 1920s England, centred around the fascinating true story of the Forty Elephants, a female-led crime gang. Although historical fiction isn’t usually my go-to genre, the intriguing premise immediately grabbed my attention, and the book kept me hooked from start to finish. Nell's character was a standout—strong and resilient, yet grounded by her own moral compass.

However, my one major critique is that Charlie and Lily's characters felt too alike at times, making it hard to distinguish between them. Additionally, the transitions between scenes could have been smoother, as some felt disjointed, affecting the overall flow.

Ultimately, an excellent historical fiction novel that I would highly recommend to fans of shows like Peaky Blinders.

Poor Girls is an historical fiction novel set in London in the early 1920's. We follow the life of Eleanor as she transitions from the life of a simple poor waitress to a life of crime, party and opulence. This book is roughly based on the story of the Forty Elephants and does feature some real characters but is majority fiction,

I found Poor Girls to be an enjoyable read. It was moderately paced and described life at this time well. I was able to immerse myself in the story. It was simply written and easy to read. I enjoyed the way Clare Whitfield was able to convey the struggle of 'poor working class women' at this time and the lack of opportunities for them, the struggle to have more in life and how clinging to the old can doom our future. Whilst i enjoyed reading this book, it did not have a wow factor for me which is why I gave it 3 stars. It was a nice historial fiction read, it was interesting and a good story but thats about it. Having said that, I did like the girls in Nell's cell and would like to read the back stories of them if they ever came out,

This wasn't quite as gritty as I was hoping for - but it was interesting. I didn't know anything about the Forty Elephants so the topic was fascinating and I learned a lot.

Eleanor Mackridge is living with her parents in Brighton and during the war working in a munitions factory assembling explosives, not glamorous but a girl has to do what she has to do to get by. After the conclusion of the war the best Eleanor could hope for is a successful marriage, this was not of great appeal to her. Looking for more, Eleanor comes involved with the Forty Elephants, a band of women thieves who are living life on the edge. Eleanor soon takes on the name of Nell and with her new colleagues Effie, Lily and Charlie embark on a dangerous path, but one that does result in riches and wealth. They soon became well known and to many a mysterious group who are both respected and revered.

I absolutely loved this book and found myself thoroughly wrapped up in the story. The characters are what make it so good, and the author has done a wonderful job in presenting them to us, showing how strong friendships can allow us all to get through chaotic times in life no matter who we are or what our circumstances.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own.

I love the idea of the women taking power in what would have been considered a man's domain. Although, maybe not the most moral of professions, not having to depend on a man and have some independence in a time when it wasn't a thing must have been intoxicating.

As with everything, there is always a dark side to it and when things go further than anyone would want or think - and that's when you need support and love.
A great read.

This is a really enjoyable romp through 20s London and Brighton about a gang of female thieves. Lots of fun and very fast paced but I was hoping for something a bit more substantial I think, given that it's based on a true story.

"Poor Girls" by Clare Whitfield is very fast paced women's fiction that makes you feel like you are living among the group of thieves. Great narrative and fabulous characters. This book will make you laugh but also shed a tear. The only disappointing thing was that it ended. I'm hoping that there will be another part as I would love to follow the story and secretly hoping for happy ever after with that cheeky policeman..
Great light read
I've received the early copy of the book from Netgalley which I am extremely grateful for

I love the premise of this true historical story - a group of women who were one of only female crime groups in the UK, but unfortunately I just couldn't get on with this book. I read the first few chapters but there wasn't enough there to keep me turning the pages. Perhaps it's brilliant once it gets going, but it wasn't for me.

This book gave me a female version of the Gangs of New York vibe.

It is pacy, rich in detail and amazing to read.

Set in 1922, 20 year old Eleanor feels as if her only option on life is to spend her life as a maid serving the upper class so when she gets involved with a women’s gang known as the 40 Elephants, she suddenly finds herself making a living through thievery and violence.

What a ride this book is so much fun. I loved the characters, and although times are hard the girls get what they want and don't care about how they get it .

It's an exciting and brilliant..

Most of us who had nothing, would strive to achieve a better life in an honest way (wouldn’t we?) but in 1920’s London, notorious real life female criminal gang ‘The Forty Elephants’ decided that what they couldn’t have they’d just take anyway!

Its 1922 and twenty year old Eleanor Mackridge is living with her parents in Brighton and serving the upper classes in a posh hotel. During the war she worked in a munitions factory, handling explosives, for which she was well paid, as well as doing her bit for the country, but she quickly found that after the war, society deemed that women were no longer needed to do ‘men’s’ work, and were put firmly back in their place.

Eleanor sees no future other than marriage, (hopefully to a kind and decent man), but it’s not enough for her, so when she comes across a member of the Forty Elephants, she imagines a life of plenty - cash, diamonds, luxurious furs and champagne, and from there onwards she’s destined for a roller coaster of a life!

Eleanor becomes ‘Nell’, and joins a cell of the Forty Elephants, who take thieving to a whole new level, alongside Effie, Lily and Charlie.

"The British papers portrayed them as stupid, feckless, feeble minded and the molls of bad men. The American ones portrayed them as dangerous, beautiful and romantic. Both were disappointing. One version to be fucked, the other burned at the stake. It might be nice to occupy somewhere in the middle on occasion, as if they were the same species as men."

This is a brilliant, fast paced telling of the Forty Elephants, with richly drawn characters (who though fictional) give an authentic portrayal of how this gang actually operated, and vividly reveals the social and economic situations of women during the 20s. The main four characters are amusing, slightly wicked ( Effie more so) but also with good hearts when the occasion calls for it. A terrific read that comes highly recommended.

I requested this book because of the next lines "We were never destined to have anything – so you know what we did?
We took it anyway." so I had to read it and I loved it. I loved reading and learning more about a moment in history I had no idea it existed. Nell and the other characters where actually quite enjoyable to spend time with. It is a fast paced story that keep you wanting to know what next and hoping for the best for the girls.