This is a fun tale in historic London. A fun game to put all of the pieces together. This fell a little flat for me as I wasn't that invested in the characters, but it was a quick read..
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

This was a very quick read. Quinn is a con artist who hopes to marry a Duke from one of England's wealthiest families. This was an interesting read taking place in London in the 1800s. I was invested in the characters and the many twists this book kept having. However, it did move a bit slow at times and I feel like there were parts of the book that weren't needed to add to the overall story.

First there’s the chateau, sitting unobtrusively in Spitalfields, belying the happenings inside. Then there’s Quinn, the current Queen of Fives. Next comes her steward, Silk, his job to ensure the games are played by The Rule Book. And the games, you might ask? Elaborate confidence tricks in which no expense is spared. But lately Quinn senses her usual marks are being thwarted and she’s racking up debts. Quinn must up the ante. Her new mark is the wealthiest man in the country. Someone so far out of reach, he is untouchable. But all does not go quite as planned, as Quinn is about to find out.

This novel is such rip-roaring good fun, as Hay pulls in backstory and cons to con the people who are doing the conning. The story moves along at a fast clip, whilst being well-paced enough not to have the reader skipping things in breathless anticipation. I did figure out the villain by about half way through, but it was based on one particular sentence, and a reader has to assume that Hay placed that sentence there deliberately. This is a terrific follow up to The Housekeepers, appealing to readers who enjoy complex puzzle mysteries with enigmatic characters who are definitely not your usual run-of-the-mill folk. Highly recommended, tremendously enjoyable escapism, and bravo Mr. Hay. We’d like more please.

"Nothing is quite as it seems in Victorian high society in this clever novel set against the most magnificent wedding of the season, as a mysterious heiress sets her sights on London's most illustrious family.

A confidence scheme, when properly executed, will follow five movements in close and inviolable order:

I. The Mark II. The Intrusion. III. The Ballyhoo. IV. The Knot. V. All In.

There may be many counter-strikes along the way, for such is the nature of the game; it contains so many sides, so many endless possibilities...

1898. Quinn le Blanc, London's most talented con woman, has five days to pull off her most ambitious plot yet: trap a highly eligible duke into marriage and lift a fortune from the richest family in England.

Masquerading as the season's most enviable debutante, Quinn puts on a brilliant act that earns her entrance into the grand drawing rooms and lavish balls of high society - and propels her straight into the inner circle of her target: the charismatic Kendals. Among those she must convince are the handsome bachelor heir, the rebellious younger sister, and the esteemed duchess eager to see her son married.

But the deeper she forges into their world, the more Quinn finds herself tangled in a complicated web of love, lies, and loyalty. The Kendals all have secrets of their own, and she may not be the only one playing a game of high deception..."

The real question is how the con woman got the right credentials to pull this off...

Victorian high society meets a dazzling game of deception in The Queen of Fives, a clever, twist-filled novel that had me riveted from start to finish.

Quinn le Blanc is London’s most brilliant con artist, and her latest scheme is her most ambitious yet: pose as an heiress, marry a duke, and steal a fortune. With just five days to execute her plan, Quinn dives into the glittering world of grand balls and drawing rooms, earning the trust of the powerful Kendal family. But as secrets unravel and emotions rise, she discovers she may not be the only one spinning a web of lies.

Alex Hay’s sharp prose, layered characters, and intricate plotting make this an unforgettable tale of ambition, loyalty, and betrayal. If you love historical dramas with a dash of intrigue and a strong, morally gray heroine, this is a must-read.

This was a very good story and the concept was incredibly intriguing! I definitely recommend the book, the twists were twisty with twists!
Quinn is the Queen of Fives, essentially queen of con-artists. A position that has been handed down amongst the worthy. She pulls off job after job and pays nicely the people that helped her and has maintained a balanced community in the underworld. Times lately have been tough with jobs gone wrong and she needs to make a big score to keep her head above water and reputation intact. She makes one of the richest families in her area as her mark and trouble ensues.
The story was slow to get going in the first quarter of the book and then slowed down the last quarter where I found myself skimming the extra fluff cuz I was so excited to get to the good stuff.

I am a fan of both historical fiction and a good heist story, so I am here for Alex Hay's delightful novels. And when he throws in social commentary on the class divide, weird Victorian weather patterns, and a cheeky little glimpse of Alexandra, Princess of Wales, I am more than satisfied. This book follows the exploits of Quinn, the titular Queen of Fives, who has set out on an ambitious con by infiltrating London high society. Little does she know, forces are at work against her. Bristling with clever criminal procedures and replete with complex, relatable characters, this entertaining novel kept the pages turning.

The Queen of Fives is a multi-layered story of deceit and double-cross set in Victorian London. I can appreciate the skill it took manage all the threads in the novel, but the book never came together for me in the way that I had hoped given the premise.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Such a fun idea for a book. It's like a high stakes spy movie meets high society in the age of Jane Austen novels. Deception and love intertwined,

I loved this book's concept, but fear the execution didn't measure up. When I think of con-people, I want high stakes and fast-paced stress. I didn't get that from this book. It was interesting enough for me to finish it, but that's the extent.

The Queen of Fives is a captivating read that takes places in London in the late 1800's.

We meet Quinn LeBlanc who is a con woman and is about to pull off her most elaborate hoax ever.

She is about to wed (she hopes) a Duke from one of England's most wealthiest family.

His money is irresistible and heaven knows Quinn more than needs it.

Victorian High Society makes for an interesting read and Quinn is about to discover just how interestng.

Twists and turns with high stakes and interesting characters kept the pages turning into the night.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon house for a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Quinn Le Blanc is the head (queen) of a household of confidence artists. They have been having a run of bad luck but Quinn is about to implement her biggest con ever. She plans to catch a Duke, or at least his fortune. But something about the Duke and his household seems off. And what is behind the run of bad luck? This is not just a simple con!

A con artist desperate for a successful swindle embarks on her most ambitious plot yet, targetting a wealthy family with more secrets than she reckoned for.

This book had me intrigued at the start, but lost me in the middle a bit as the author had the characters circling each other. The stakes didn't feel quite high enough, but it was an overall enjoyable read.

2/5 stars.

This book features historical fiction with some mystery and had some great potential, but unfortunately fell completely flat. This book was a great concept and was about a con-woman pulling off different heists who sets her latest mark on a Duke. I wanted to love this book so much, but I didn’t follow the dialogue between characters nor the actual story line either. I found myself bored and wanting to put the book down often. Thank you Harlequin Publishing, Netgalley, and the author for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.

For fans of: Laurie R King, Celeste Connally
Genre: 🔎 Historical Mystery
Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
Violence: 🪓🪓
Spice: 🔥

Synopsis: Quinn is a master confidence trickster in 1898 London. But she needs to pull off her best con ever—engage herself to a duke & swindle him for a fortune—or lose her empire.

Thoughts: While an intriguing premise, this book is so much more than its initial description conveys. A historic heist novel sounds delicious enough, but this story folds games within games in an unending parade of Matryoshka doll plot twists. If not for a throw-away hint that nearly passed by unnoticed, it would have stumped me to the very end. Despite the complexity of story line, Hay sets a fast pace with punchy dialog that far outweighs exposition. The layered complexity of the key characters grabs your attention from the moment of introduction. In particular, the mysterious, Chameleon-like opponent that shadows Quinn before the con even commences demonstrates some of the most innovative character development I’ve ever seen. The Queen of Fives is the rare type of story that tempts you to turn back to the beginning so you can peak behind its stage dressing, witnessing the ingenuity beyond.

I will definitely read Hay’s 2023 The Housekeepers. And if we’re lucky, Hay will deliver on the promise to delve deeper into the world he created in The Queen of Fives.

Thank you to Harlequin Publishing & NetGalley for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Historical fiction and murder, my favorite marriage. Enjoyed the story. Thanks to the author and publisher for an arc. All opinions are my own.

The Queen of Fives by Alex Hay was a great book! I loved the writing in it, very interesting book overall.

Hello! I thank Netgalley for an ARC of the Queen of Fives. I was super excited to have read the Queen of Fives after having completed the Housekeepers (another super book by Alex Hay). The Queen of Fives, by its title alone, is compelling, but the story is even more so if that is possible. A reader could think 'Ocean's 11' but with a Victorian era twist included. This book kept me in suspence with each page, each word, each chapter. Quinn LeBlanc is a marvel at spinning a tale and encouraging others to do her bidding - surrounding, in a way, her team and her marks so that no one suspects anything. That said, her marks were marked, but Quinn was also being played. I would say this book reminds me of a slow-build character-development mystery that would be amazing in movie/series form on PBS Masterpiece. A stellar achievement! Thank you! :)

tl;dr
A fast-paced con story set in Victorian times with a great twist on the usual formula. Main character lags behind everyone else in terms of character development.

Thoughts
Quinn le Blanc is the "Queen," a title reserved for the most talented con woman in London. The position of queen is typically supported by an entire household of fellow con artists, but times have been tough lately, and the once-thriving crew is down to Quinn and one final servant faithful to the house itself. Deep in debt and running out of time, Quinn needs a score - a BIG one - to fix everything. She sets her sights on the Kendals, the richest family in town, with a very eligible bachelor who is finally on the market. But the spate of bad luck that's plagued her might not be more intentional than she thinks.

And this is where things get rough for me. First off, I actually really love this wrinkle. A third party lurking in the shadows to add extra complications for an unwitting MC is a great addition to the expected con/heist plot, and I found said third party to be the most interesting part of the whole story. And that's my frustration. I wanted to care about Quinn more, but I just couldn't. Her history and motivations don't get much attention, leaving us to simply accept that she's here because the story demands it. I would have liked to see her wrapping up a con at the start just to prove her skills so we can see the chasm between her normal con and how badly this one goes. It would make the twists hit harder when things start falling apart. More flashbacks about her own training as she ascended to Queen would have also been really great for fleshing out who she is. As it is, Quinn is the character with the least development. She's so good at hiding her feelings from the other characters, but it's sad that she also manages to keep them from the reader. The author's notes suggest there might be a spinoff of this book based on the con woman training school that Quinn attended, but it kind of felt like this was the spinoff book about the school's most famous graduate, and the school would be the setting of a full series. And to be honest, I would absolutely read that series. There's a lot of world building here to mine, and the snippets we got about training up the next generation of con artists were very fun.

The rest of the cast come in much stronger. The Kendals are a proper messy rich family full of issues, and the other players all have their own complicated motivations. The plot moves quickly, with multiple POVs. If you like your cons with a side of soapy drama, this will definitely land for you.