The premise of this book was really promising but the execution fell flat for me. Admittedly, I am not a plot driven person and this definitely had more of a plot focus. I do think it would have benefited from more character depth. I think there was an attempt but there was more saying than showing in terms of getting to know our characters and really feeling their motivations. In the absence of character development, though, I do think the plot could have been stronger. Things felt very simplistic. This whole thing could have been a silly game that a college frat plays on weekends.

Ultimately, I loved the idea of this story but I think it could have used a bit more time to fully develop. I wish the author had chosen an area to focus on more, rather than everything feeling a bit too washed out.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Graydon House. I'm voluntarily leaving a review, and all opinions are my own.

Genre: Historical Mystery, Mystery, Suspense, Victorian, British Literature, Thriller
Language: I don't remember profanity
Representation: Gay character

THE QUEEN OF FIVES is amazing, and I want to be part of Quinn's crew! You won't see the end coming until it's too late.

It sounds fairly straightforward:
1. Find a potential mark
2. Do research to know they deserve to lose their wealth
3. Inveigle your way in
4. Whamo! Take the goods and scoot!

And so Quinn's plan goes until her house of cards starts to crumble. Friends (*cough: associates) turn tail, the truth seems like the right way to play the con, and then someone else threatens your entire existence . . .

I was on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out how this was going to end.

Yes! I highly recommend it.

Happy reading!

𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗲-𝗵𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿

I was intrigued by this book's premise but unfortunately I just didn't enjoy it. I DNFed this author's previous book, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨 because it was too slow and I couldn't get into it. That probably would have been the case again had I not received this as a complimentary review copy. All that said, the ending was suspenseful and I liked how the story wrapped up... it just took SO long to get there. I also didn't particularly care for the main character so that didn't help matters.

This book may appeal to people who don't mind extremely slow-burn multilayered mysteries and/or stories involving con artists. If you enjoyed the author's other book then you will probably like this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Graydon House for providing me a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

What a very Interesting book about this Woman named Q Inn. Who was the very Good at making At making men pay for everything. It was a ring and she presented. Herself is a very elegant woman She was going after the duke because He had a lot of money and she was heavily in debt. The title called Queen of 5. Was based on she had five days to Hatch A p l o t. I like this book because it was very interesting.How this one went around people and plan everything. A lot of American women who had money would go over to England at that time and marrydukes right because they were struggling to pay bills.. It was also a Murder mystery as well. There's so many different aspects of this book.You will love reading it because everything seems to come together at nine a m

Cherish this read, it's one that you will wish you could read over for the first time again. I LOVED this book, it was thrilling, unique, complex, genre bending and flat out fun. It kept me on my toes to start but once I settled in and got to know Quinn, I loved her. I loved her drive, her dedication, her sense of accountability. Quinn is a hustler, someone that you should not root for but you just can't help but be taken by this scrappy young woman determined to save the legacy of queens that came before her.

This felt like a fresh twist on a historical thriller, everyone has a secret and you are in for quite the ride to figure them out. They are beautifully woven together like a fine rug and the twist at the end was quite the pay off. There are books that you recommend to your friends and there are books that you text your club to get on release day, this is one of them!

An oh so twisty tale of a con. Quinn le Blanc, the current Queen of Fives, has set her sights on the Kendal family. She's determined to marry Max, the Duke. But there's more than one person in her way, starting with his sister Tor and his stepmother the Dowager Duchess. Oh, and the man in the blue waistcoat. Quinn was born into the game but she misses a few key things. You, like me, might wonder about some of the people she enlists or encounters but there are a lot of surprises afoot. Max doesn't want to marry and neither does Tor but both want control of the Kendal estate (or in Tor's case, her own money). There are some terrific characters here to tell the story including Mr. Silk who raised Quinn and knows her secrets as well as some he's not disclosed. This is hard to review without spoilers but trust me- it might slow down in parts but then it will pick up again and you'll be shaking your head. It's not one to skim because you mightmmiss a clue or two. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. This was a fun read.

3.5 ⭐️ Imagine me as the unnamed narrator…
Here’s the thing: The Queen of Fives had all the ingredients for a brilliant con. The setting? Victorian London, full of opportunity for anyone bold enough to grab it. The plan? Smart, intricate, and daring. But, like most cons, it didn’t go off without a hitch. Still, if you’re into Victorian intrigue, a fearless protagonist, and a clever scheme, it’s worth checking out. After all, every good swindle deserves an audience.

There’s a lot to appreciate here. The five steps of a perfect con—the Mark, the Intrusion, the Ballyhoo, the Knot, and the grand All In—are mapped out with style. Quinn Le Blanc steals the show with her sharp wit and bold moves. Then there’s the Duke of Kendal—a tough Mark with some secrets of his own. The twists kept me hooked, and that final reveal? Unexpected by me!

What I Liked:
✅ A fresh premise: Victorian historical fiction with the intricate art of the con at its core.
✅ Quinn was fearless, resourceful, and knew how to steal both scenes and fortunes.
✅ The vivid details of Victorian London made it easy to get lost in the world.
✅ That twist at the end? A genuine surprise that landed perfectly.

What I Didn’t Like:
❌ The middle dragged a bit—too much detail slowed things down when I wanted the plot to move.
❌ Some “surprises” were too predictable, which dulled the tension in spots.
❌ The supporting cast felt underdeveloped, leaving Quinn to do the heavy lifting. Guess that’s why she was the Queen of Fives, though!
*I do plan to add The Housekeepers by this author to my TBR list—I’ve read good things about it!

Gave me 'Enola Holmes/Sherlock Holmes' right away....a little slow and at times I was confused with the transition between narrators or POV with in the same chapter. Was slow in the middle but kept my attention ok.

This is my first historical fiction books and I would say, for the most part, I did enjoy it. I loved the introduction of all the characters involved and that feeling of trying to figure out who fits where in the story. There were some twists that I was not expecting and some that I figured out fairly quickly. Either way, I did enjoy them.

Although there were things I did like, I don’t feel like we got to go super in-depth with each character because there were so many. This book started slowly for me and it took me getting about a quarter of the way through the book to really get into it. Since this book is historical fiction, I thought maybe we’d get more information about what was going on during that era, but we really didn’t.

Overall, it was a good book. I think it just wasn’t for me since I’ve never read historical fiction before. However, if you have read this genre and the description sounds like something you’d enjoy, I say go for it!

Thank you Alex Hay, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this rollicking romp through Victorian England. The premise of the book was an imaginative take on the con caper, with so many twists and turns I was never sure what was going to happen next. The author's development of strong female characters was especially good and I found myself rooting for the supposed "villains". I also enjoyed the mention of actual landmarks in London and their description in the Victorian time.
My only criticism is that the book was a bit of a slow start, but when things took off I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I will certainly be on the lookout for more from Alex Hay in the future.

A book that is entertaining, intriguing and fascinating like Quinn, the FMC. A schema to seduce and bring into marriage a wealthy duke. A game of deception that bring Quinn into a world where everyone wears a mask, deception and lies are a sort of way of living.
Like any good historical romance there a game that can be seduction, deception or something else.
You can read this book as a historical romance, a historical fiction that delivers a dark and vivid image of Victorian aristocracy, and of London underworld.
It’s a page turner and a book you want to read again to discover new sides and layers.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Let me tell you about The Queen of Fives, my friend!!

What a ride…. a wild, twisty ride, at that!
Through Victorian London that had me hooked from the start. The story follows Quinn Le Blanc, a con artist so skilled she’s earned the title “Queen of Fives.” But this time, she’s in over her head. Desperate to clear her mounting debts, Quinn sets her sights on her most ambitious scam yet: convincing the wealthy Duke of Kendal to marry her ~ and doing it in just five days.

The stakes are high, and Quinn’s every move feels like a gamble. What really pulled me in was how layered the characters are. Quinn’s sharp, resourceful, and unapologetically ambitious, but she’s also vulnerable, haunted by the shadows of her past. And she’s not the only one playing a dangerous game. The Duke’s stepmother and sister are scheming against her, and someone from Quinn’s past is lurking in the background, threatening to destroy everything.

The twists in this story are relentless. RELENTLESS, I’m not even kidding! Every time I thought I had it all figured out, bam—something completely unexpected would pop up and make me question literally everything and everyone.

And the Victorian setting….. I found them to be so vivid. You’ve got the fancy social rituals on one side and the shady, dark corners of London on the other. I felt like I was right there with Quinn, trying to play by society’s rules while dodging secrets left and right.

I’ll admit, the long list of characters took some getting used to, but once I was in, I couldn’t stop turning the pages. The five-day timeline added this incredible sense of urgency, and the ending? Totally unexpected. If you love historical fiction with clever schemes, high stakes, and morally complex characters, this is one to pick up.

Thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing

Thank you HIVE for my free e-ARC via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

The Chateau has a long and glorious history of being the leaders of the London confidence scheme. Until recently. Now the current Queen of the Chateau has had to bet all her quickly-diminishing resources and her not-inconsiderable skill in a game of survival where the rules keep changing and shadowy forces seem to be at work. The question is: will she land the con of one of the richest, oldest families in England? Or will she be the last queen of the house that made her who she is?

I love a good confidence scheme story. This one opens with action and only heightens suspense as it continues from all 5 points of view. The Chateau has strict rules that guide it and keep it safe, but that also restrict it and inhibit growth. There is enough arrogance to go around all the key players, and plenty of neurodivergent and queer actors too (which I loved). And all the way, I couldn't shake the feeling that not all is as it seems. It has a steampunk vibe somehow, while not diverging from the historical details. And while I felt the 5-day window to run a con was a bit extreme and rushed to realistically frame the plot, I did love how the feeling of increasing pressure drove the action. I felt very much put off-balance and always a step behind, and it took a mastery of the art of writing to pull it all together in that way. Well done, Hay.

The Queen of Fives is a historical fiction story of intrigue and deception, centered on a tense game of cat and mouse. It follows Quinn Le Blanc, a 26-year-old swindler embarking on her most ambitious scheme yet: targeting an eligible duke from a wealthy, secretive family. As Quinn maneuvers through her game, it becomes clear that not everything is as it seems, and a secret adversary is intent on derailing her plans.

While I found the premise intriguing, the execution fell short for me. The plot twists were cleverly constructed and kept me guessing, but the story leaned heavily on plot over character development. Despite learning about the characters’ secrets and pasts, they felt one-dimensional, and I struggled to connect with them. This made it difficult to care about their successes, failures, or even survival. Additionally, while the plot is engaging, the pacing felt slow at times, lacking the momentum needed to fully pull me in.

In the end, the concept had great potential, but the lack of emotional depth in the characters dulled the impact.

This will likely be a good fit for someone, but it wasn't a great fit for me. I wanted to enjoy it a lot more than I actually did. I ended up DNFing it at 42% through, because I realized I just wasn't enjoying it.

The story started off well, and there were quite a few points throughout the book where I WAS invested and wanted to know what would happen. Tor, for example, was interesting to me - but I found Quinn ridiculous. Most of the characters, Tor included, felt flat to me, and I couldn't quite decide if it was because I just wasn't vibing with the story (although the setting and premise is interesting), or if they really were totally flat. None had any motivation aside from 'money'. Additionally, the story just felt so slow. I wanted to know what would happen, but parts of it were so silly that I felt like no matter what the ending would be lackluster, and I wasn't sure I could navigate my way all the way through.

This is all to say that this would be a FANTASTIC choice for someone looking for a heist novel featuring female protagonists and morally grey characters. There were parts that I wasn't sure I quite understood (and parts that I actually really do want to know the ending of), but most of it made me feel a little sleepy and a longing to be the kind of reader that enjoyed this. Alas, though, I am not the kind of reader that enjoyed this, so I am relinquishing it to someone else, someone who might enjoy it more.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! There were so many twists and turns but I had a great time following them, and certain reveals were perfectly executed. I do wish some of the rules of the game were explained better (and maybe some more about Lillian?) to help my own understanding, but it's still an excellent read.

Absolutely loved this one! Alex Hay's first book was amazing and this was just as good! Loved the plotting, world-building, clever characters, and twists and turns. Would definitely recommend this for fans of period fiction like Bridgerton or Earls Trip, as well as general fans of Victorian literature. Love a heist plot and hope we have more of Quinn and company in the future.

The Queen of Fives is a historical fiction cat and mouse game. The story follows Quinn Le Blanc in her most high stakes game yet. The 26 year old swindler has set her mark on an eligible duke from a rich, reclusive family known not to follow social norms. As Quinn plays the game, it becomes clear all is not what it seems and someone is attempting to thwart her every move.

I thought the book was rather interesting. The plot twists were well thought out and I wasn't sure what to expect next as the story progressed. The book is rather plot driven, but I wouldn't call this a fast paced book. The characters felt quite flat, even as we gained insight into their secrets and their pasts, they didn't feel well hashed out. I wanted to care about if characters succeeded or not, or even just survived but I didn't. I felt no connection to any of them. The idea was there, but the execution missed the mark for me.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found that after a bit I just didn’t really care if she was able to carry out the grift or not. I did enjoy how they had spies and contacts everywhere. Even one that was pretty shocking.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for this arc.


I enjoyed Hay's first book "The Housekeepers" and eagerly requested this arc. I was thrilled when I got it. But sadly this one is just not catching my attention, I don't like any of the characters, and it's too slow. It also doesn't feel period to me. A heist book with a five day expiration date ought to take off at a gallop, grab the reader's attention, and not let go. After slogging through a third of this one, I'm bored and not willing to put more time into it. DNF