Really enjoyable read based on the true story of Alice Diamond and the forty elephants. Nell is frustrated by her life as a waitress but soon seduced and groomed to be a thief in the most notorious female criminal gang of the twenties. Glorious period detail has you rooting for these girls and their only opportunity to break out of drudgery.

Poor Girls was so much fun!! Set in the aftermath of WWI and before anyone knows WWII is on the horizon, Poor Girls follows Eleanor (Nell) as she re-adjusts to life after working for the war effort. It mainly consists of waitressing and being reminded of her station on the south coast until she finds herself caught up in the
heady world of London organised crime. I loved getting to know Nell, her friends and family, and getting a brief peek into the justice system of the 1920s.

An entertaining tale set in the 1920s featuring 4 specific girls who were members of a genuine group called the Forty Elephants - a group of women who were an organised group of shoplifters in London. This story is fictional and centres on 4 girls - Eleanor (Nell), Effie, Lily and Charlie. Their characters are well developed and their loyalty to each other is wonderful.
Nell was always in trouble at school, when she left she became a waitress and soon realised however good at her job there were always entitled people who would complain for the sake of complaining and would cause them trouble. The customer is always right is not an easy thing to put up with. So Nell escapes to London and joins this group of shoplifters - she finds good friends, excitement and more money than she ever thought she would have.
This follows Nell's early life - there is shock, horror and laughter.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Clare Whitfield/Aria and Aries for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Pitched as the female Peaky Blinders, Clare Whitfield’s Poor Girls is a fabulous romp of angry girls taking what they have no chance of ever getting honestly. When we first meet main character, Nell she’s living a very proper life working as a waitress in Brighton’s poshest hotel yearning for the freedom, and the higher wages of her Wartime Job in the munitions factory. A chance encounter leads her into a new life with London’s Forties gang. A gang of women who work in small groups to lift huge quantities of luxury goods from a cross London’s top end department stores, boutiques, and jewellers by running distractions, Nell is soon earning 3 years salary in a single week. It’s so much fun to see these girls choose to be wicked, to choose to break the bonds that leave women with only 3 options Serve - hours of drudgery and abuse from ones so called betters, marry - being shackled to the first man that comes along churning out children meals and laundry, or steal everythinag being born working class denies them. This is no morality tale and is inspired by the true history of the Forty Elephants gang of Elephant and Castle, the Forties being run by the indomitable Alice Diamond. As brutal as gang life could be the gang looks after it’s own fully aware that justice is dependent on class, status and money - only the poor go to prison after all. I massively enjoyed this story and I’d love to see more of Nell of the girls pulling heists wherever they end up.

Thank to Head of Zeus for the review.

I absolutely loved this book. I really enjoyed reading the stories about the forty theives/forty elephants and how it wasn't just about the thefts but the women behind them. It was an amazing tale where you get transported back in time and gripped learning about the women and their crimes. Throughly enjoyable and throughly recommeneded.

Based on a true life female gang called the forty elephants, this book is a delight to read! Set in 1920s London, the forty elephants are a true force of nature and exceptionally brave.

I enjoyed reading more about the real members of this gang such as Diamond Annie, the queen of this gang.
Nell, Effie, Lily and Charlie are remarkable characters and you will be rooting for them!

Eleanor Mackridge, a waitress at the Grand Hotel, has few prospects in 1920's Brighton. Following a chance meeting with a male gangster, she is introduced to an all-female gang of thieves - the Forty Elephants. She moves to London and joins the gang as Nell the Mack.
Poor Girls is a well-researched novel based on real people. It is a well-written, immersive read with relatable characters. Rich with period detail, it transports the reader to London between the wars.
Highly recommended for readers of historical fiction.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Poor Girls by Clare Whitfield transports readers to the gritty, glamorous world of post-WWI England, where Eleanor “Nell” Mackridge finds her way from a dreary existence in Brighton to the enticing, dangerous streets of London. Set in the 1920s, the story introduces us to the notorious Forty Elephants, an all-female gang known for their high-profile heists and rebellious defiance of societal norms. When Nell meets a mysterious young man who later connects her to the group, she’s offered an escape from her mundane life as a waitress—and a chance to taste freedom and luxury.

Character Development and Themes

Whitfield crafts a relatable, multi-dimensional protagonist in Nell, a young woman seeking something beyond the limitations society imposes. Her evolving relationship with her new friends—strong-willed women like Charlie, Lily, and Effie—reveals her growing sense of agency and camaraderie within the gang. Nell’s struggle with the thrill of criminality versus her aversion to violence grounds her in realism, making her a sympathetic and intriguing character.

Historical Setting and Social Commentary

The novel brilliantly captures the despair and resilience of the working-class women of the time. The post-war era is depicted with vivid accuracy, from the desperate need for financial security to the allure of a champagne lifestyle. Whitfield's portrayal of women in the 1920s—forced back into oppressive roles after glimpsing freedom in wartime jobs—adds depth to the motivations of the Forty Elephants. The historical details about fashion, social customs, and London’s criminal underworld create an immersive setting.

Final Thoughts

Fast-paced and filled with fascinating details, Poor Girls offers readers a fresh perspective on an all-female gang history has largely forgotten. While the narrative occasionally jumps in time, Whitfield's storytelling keeps readers hooked. Poor Girls is an enjoyable, insightful read that balances suspense, historical intrigue, and the bittersweet realities faced by women defying society's expectations.

Thank you to NetGalley, Aria & Aries, and Clare Whitfield for the opportunity to read and review this fascinating piece of historical fiction. Highly recommended for fans of both historical fiction and crime stories!

I really enjoyed this book and found the plot and premise interesting. Eleanor was a really interesting character to follow and I found her compelling to follow. She had a really interesting story and development progress. The side characters were interesting and well developed, I like the girls she lived with and found them so interesting. The story progression was done really well and I liked the way it always kept me on my toes. The elephant gang were so interesting and I definitely want to learn more about them.

Poor Girls is set in 1920’s England and gives an insight into how the all female crime gang, The Forty Elephants, operated in London. Eleanor comes from a poorer background and works as a waitress in order to make money to support her family. When Eleanor is met with the opportunity to become involved in the all female crime gang, although reluctant at first, it soon becomes an adventure she can’t resist.

I thought that the author did a really good job at helping the reader to become invested in the characters from early on in the book, especially Eleanor, aka Nell. The three girls that Nell became friends with at the start of her new London life; Charlie, Lily and Effie, also provided great depth to the story and I found myself becoming just as invested in them as I was Nell. I felt the way the book was written provided a perfect amount of history, whilst also using a fun and exciting approach into understanding what life was life back then and the lives that these women led.

This book was certainly different to what I usually read, however it speaks for itself how much I enjoyed it considering I finished it in a couple of days. Overall, I really liked the writing style, storyline and characters in this book, and I was hooked throughout. I really was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this and I would highly recommend. It is without a doubt one of my favourite books that I have read recently. Thank you NetGalley for my ARC.

Thanks to Net Galley and Aria & Aries Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
A historical story set in London in the early 1920’s. It’s based on a true story.
Eleanor is a waitress, earning very little. After a brief encounter with a gentleman she leaves her waitressing job, moves to London and goes to work with a group of women known as The Forty Elephants, who are thieves who specialise in shop lifting and petty theft. Eleanor finds it exciting and it’s very well paid.
I was intrigued by the story but did become a little bored with it. The women may be a band of thieves but they form strong loyalty and friendship bonds.
An easy gentle read, with some unexpected sharp wit and humour.

This story is inspired by the Forty Elephants, an all-female syndicate specialising in shoplifting and operating in London during the late 19th / early 20th century. It is the story of Eleonor who we meet in 1922, during the post-war era when the country was in mourning, gripped by inflation and women had to cope with their crippled and shell-shocked fathers and husbands, if they had returned at all. Women who had experienced a raise in status and greater independence when they worked in the munition factories during the war, were again pushed back into their miserable existence of servitude.

So – what is a girl to do when destined never to have anything? The Forty Elephants have a bold answer to this question: We take it anyway.
We get to know Eleonor as a young woman with a strong sense of self-worth, adventure and rebellion, who knows exactly what she wants. When the opportunity arises to join the Forty Elephants, she does not have to think too hard to make her decision. Having been born into a class and gender that was meant to serve in a world where the laws favour the wealthy, she yearns for a better life in autonomy and self-reliance. She grasps this opportunity with both hands and joins this professional group of thieves, takes advantage of her youth and looks and uses her creative mind, leadership skills and entrepreneurial appetite to her advantage.

Although based on historical facts, Eleonore’s story is somehow an unlikely tale of survival, female camaraderie and companionship - but one I did enjoy reading about.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

I was not very keen on this book. I felt it was slow going and repetitive.. Nell and Effie are quite well drawn characters but the other two girls in the cell were interchangeable. I also felt that the dialogue was too modern although it is true that phrases we consider modern are older than we think I didn't ever feel any tension or sense of danger and frankly, the bit near the end about the stamp collector seemed a bit unlikely. No spoilers but surely there was a quicker and easier way to deal with problem.

I wonder if what happened to the Irish guy was based on a true event?

The book is spot on on its description of how society operates and how the dice are loaded against women and the poor but I it a bit heavy handed and preachy about the ills of society and the way women are perceived. It is very sad that even today women who break the law are treated comparatively more harshly than men. Women are punished for the crime but punished again for going against society's expectations of women.

"I do think Jesus would approve of us though, cos we are poor taking from the rich and he was always up for that, wasn’t he?"

1920's London, Eleanor Mackridge just wants something better in life. Currently waiting tables at the Grand being ordered about by her female boss. Then everything changes when she bumps into a member of The Forty Elephants an all-female gang. A new life a new Nell taking more than what the world would give her.

Fast-paced, dark and funny with a fantastic cast of characters who you will remember for a long time. I couldn't put it down a roaring romp through the 1920s.

I've read People of Abandoned Character by Clare Whitfield and enjoyed it so I had high hopes for this one and it exceeded my expectations.

In 1922 twenty year Eleanor Mackridge lives with her parents and her sister and brother-in-law and their twin baby boys in Brighton. She now works in a classy hotel but during the war she worked in a munitions factory, a job that gave her more money and freedom that now. She finds the patrons of the hotel stuffy and in many cases obnoxious, so when a young man called John takes her out for the evening and then drops some gems into her pocket before he disappears she is intrigued. It is through John and his sister that she is invited to London and asked if she'd like to join a gang of notorious women thieves known at the forty elephants. Despite her initial nerves Eleanor finds her place in the small group of women she is assigned to and so begins her life of crime.
This is a fast paced (particularly the first half of the book) read, with well drawn characters, and interesting insights into life and society of the time. The descriptions of the women's dresses and make up and the way they lived are fascinating — the socially acceptable norms of the time are often hurled asdie by the Eleanor and her friends, who pride themselves on being roguish and outlandish as well criminally cunning. Yet the bond between these girls is strong and they support each other in their 'work', in their social lives, and when or if they are caught by the law.
I found the subject of this book fascinating - a whole area of history and life I knew nothing about. The story is well and scattered with acts of friendship and moments of humour.
With thanks to Netgalley and ria and Aries for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

Set in post WWI Britain this story follows strong willed 24 year old Eleanor Mackridge from a dreary life in Brighton to the excitement of London. Eleanor is living with her family in Brighton in poor cramped conditions and working in The Grand hotel as a waitress but she has always wanted more and when she meets a woman who invites her to move to London and join the notorious Forty Elephants, a group of all female thieves, her life is about to change. Against the wishes of her family, in particular her French mother, Eleanor moves to London and reinvents herself as Nell. Based loosely on the real women of the Forty Elephants with fictional characters added this has clearly been well researched.

Briefly, moved into a flat with three other women Nell is schooled in the art of stealing from shops as part of a group working together. The girls are controlled by the more senior women in the group, led by Alice Diamond, Queen of the Forty Elephants. Transported into a life full of excitement and danger Nell relishes the glitz and glamour of the bars and nightclubs but she is reluctant to be involved in any violence. Her bubble bursts a bit when one of her friends is arrested and she narrowly escape a similar fate. But there is worse to come..

Despite her bravado Eleanor/Nell is a bit naive. She cares for her friends but seems to think nothing really bad can happen to her. She is rather blinded by the luxurious lifestyle - the furs, clothes, diamonds, the champagne lifestyle and the thrill of the chase. Some great female characters, I particularly liked Jay but, aside from Eleanor’s father, the men in this book are all rather selfish and unpleasant, which I’m sure is intentional, but it would be good to have a good man in the mix. I think that the real life for these women was probably a lot more dangerous and less glamorous than portrayed. A compelling read, I finished it in one sitting apart from a lunch break, and I for one will never buy Fisherman’s Friends again! A fast paced, very enjoyable and entertaining historical fiction read.

3.5* rounded up

This was an interesting read, I hadn't heard of the Forty Elephants before and much of the literature I've read from/about the time period has been from the perspective of the middle or upper class. It provided a thoughtful perspective on what it was like to be a working class woman in the 1920s, the lack of options they were given and what that hopelessness can force people into.

I found Eleanor to generally be a sympathetic protagonist, though some of the other characters were a little grating, but I suspect this was done intentionally to highlight how difficult we still find it when women choose to commit to putting themselves first. I liked the character of PC Bevan, but I would have liked to have spent more time with him, his perspective was interesting and I would have liked to see where more discussions between him and Eleanor would have led, if their perspectives about each other and the world would have changed a bit.

The prose was generally good, a little repetitive in places, particularly around Eleanor's understanding that violence was necessary but not really having the guts for it, and there were the odd sentences that seemed not to really go anywhere. My biggest gripe was that the narrative jumped around a lot in time, going ahead to discuss something unrelated before jumping back to what was about to happen. It made it hard to follow what was happening when at times and to get a good idea of how much time had passed.

Overall it was an interesting look at post WW1 England and the difficulties everyone faced even though the war was over.

Thank you to NetGalley, Aria & Aries and Clare Whitfield for the the free ebook.

Could not put this down!

Nell and her girls, what a ride - champagne, furs, diamonds & machetes!

**Thank you to the publishers Bloomsbury, and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review**

I wanted to love this so badly. A gang of women coming together in protest of their position in society, to steal the luxury life they could never earn. It promised found family, action and an interesting cast of thoughtful and sparky women. Unfortunately, it didn't deliver.

Eleanor is painfully naive and childish. The kind of girl with no impulse control, she gets swept up in whatever attention is thrown her way. It was incredibly hard to believe that this inexperienced, vapid girl had been selected by an established gang to join their ranks based on witnessed potential. We're shown snippets of her family life and home, but not nearly enough of "before" for me to feel invested in Eleanor's motivation. She spends a lot of time thinking unflattering things about the elderly customers she serves as a waitress, but the engagement with class politics of the time is surprisingly shallow, given this is meant to be at the core of the book.

The story jumps about between settings and characters in a way I found jarring. In the scene when Eleanor tells her family she's leaving for a new life in London, her mother is distraught. Half a page later, she's sneaking into her bedroom to gift her a machete. It felt surreal.

I don't know if the digital ACR is just very unedited, but the final straw for me was about 25% of the way though, when one of the girls in the gang rechristens Eleanor as "Nell". The narrator had already been switching unreliably between referring to her as Eleanor and Nell for the entire book. To learn that this slightly confusing slip was actually a central plot point for Eleanor's characterisation within the gang that the author had let slip was utterly disappointing. I gave up shortly after this, as reading the book had become something I had to force myself to do.

I was intrigued with the premise of this book, knowing nothing about the forty elephants. Sadly the book just didn't work for me and I struggled to get into it.