I always have mixed feelings when it comes to starting the last book in a series I loved. I’m always so excited to finish it but at the same time I don’t want it to end. And I get so attached to these characters, so ending a series like this is always a little bittersweet.

I loved the final installment of The Dread Penny Society! I was hooked from page one! I didn’t want to put it down! It is very action-packed and suspenseful. And, of course, there’s romance in it, too. I also loved Posie and Pru, characters in one of the penny dreadfuls. They seem like quite the characters! And I loved getting to know characters better that were on the outside of the other stories, and not just the main characters either. I really don’t want to give too much away of the plot, because I don’t want to spoil anything for anybody. Just know that this is a very exciting and satisfying conclusion to the series, and I can’t wait to read it again!

Oh man! What a way to finish a series! Moirin and Fitz were perfect. Their banter and slow trust was everything I needed. I couldn't wait to finish work to read this book every day. I wish I could have read it faster. Great mysteries were solved. I do wish one thing had been answered a bit better (Nolan), but I loved the penny dreadfuls added as well. Just an overall well done book, yet again, by Sarah M. Eden.

It's hard to believe we have reached the end of the Dread Penny Society. These characters feel so rich, unique, varied, that it's difficult sometimes to remember they aren't living people. I find myself wishing for more backstory, more epilogue, more detail, more life for all of them. Because, honestly? It will never be enough.

The primary series arc does not disappoint. Tension abounds - twists and turns at every corner. Who is safe? Better yet, who will remain safe? That's the great question. I won't say more, because this book is best enjoyed entirely cold. Go in without knowing ANYTHING ... and watch it play out.

My only frustration with the book is that it has a somewhat abrupt ending. While I wouldn't expect it to have an entire volume of epilogues (though one could dream...), I wanted to see more reward post-climax.

If you somehow tripped onto this one without reading the other four, don't even think of starting at this point. Begin at the beginning and work your way through. While each book focuses on a different DPS member, they very much build consecutively, and a reader would lose so much of the story's weight by reading out of order. Start with "The Lady and the Highwayman" -- "The Queen and the Knave" can wait a bit. :)

Thank you, author and publisher, for the advance copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

I thought this was a fitting end to the Dread Penny series. I had a little difficulty remembering / understanding the tangled threads and the Tempest's backstory. And I didn't really understand why she had the power she did. For example, the Kincaids seem the be the scariest, how exactly was she able to control them? That aside, I appreciated that in the end, it came down to cleverness. I also enjoyed the Queen and the Knave serial interspersed throughout.

It was fine.

No, really. That’s all I have for a review. I was very whelmed by this story. It was more or less what I expected from the finale. No crazy twists or surprises. Seems like the big surprise was at the end of the previous book and now it’s time to just wrap everything up. Though I kind of missed how Moirin and Fitz fell for each other. One minute they’re sniping at each other, the next they’re kissing and being a couple. Yes, I understand the “enemies to lovers” trope quite well. I just felt like the transition here didn’t have a lot of build up. Maybe I just need to read it again?

But the penny dreadful interstitials we’re great! I’d read a full-novel-length version of the in-story “The Queen and the Knave,” honestly. So that’s where this book earned its stars.

In 1866 London, Móirín Donnelly has spent five years secretly leading the Dread Penny Society, but now she needs help. She seeks help from Detective Constable Fitzgerald Parkington when her friends and fellow authors begin disappearing. Fitzgerald, known for his crime-solving prowess, has grown close to Móirín, but their partnership takes a new turn when they must confront "The Tempest," a dangerous criminal mastermind. As they navigate a perilous game of cat and mouse, the fate of London hangs in the balance, forcing Móirín to make a heart-wrenching decision that could cost her both love and the safety of the Dread Penny Society.

Having reached book five of this series, I must admit to being relieved it is over. I adored book one, but subsequent books have been up and down for me. I’ve enjoyed many of the members of the Dred penny Society, but haven’t been excited about their romances.

That was the case here. I was interested in Móirín’s work as leader of the society, but found the romance rather weak. Even though she and Parkington have had interactions throughout the previous books, I didn’t feel like they knew each other well enough for real love.

The details of the era were interesting, especially when it came to the sewers. The adventure of this book, with plenty of action, was fun. However, I grew tired of the names of many of the villains. The Tempest. The Protector. The Raven. And, as in previous books, the penny dreadful stories were not my cup of tea and I skipped much of them.

Overall, it was a satisfying conclusion (?) to the series. The author does leave it open for further adventures by the society. I would recommend this to readers who enjoyed the previous four books. You definitely need to read these in order.

Absolutely love this series. Very entertaining and great story. This is a series called The Dread Penny Society
And begins with The Lady and the Highwayman.

Each of the characters write novellas called penny dreadfuls, so there are stories within stories and each of them are fantastic. This book appears to be the conclusion of the series.

I highly recommend starting with the first book in the series then continuing to this book.

I just reviewed The Queen and the Knave by Sarah M. Eden. #TheQueenandtheKnave #NetGalley

Oh this was a lovely written book! I was shocked at how everything came together! Not surprised, Ms Eden is an amazing author of all historical times: Regency, old west, Victorian, Edwardian and so on! Thank you for a wonderful series!

If you’re familiar with this series (as this is the grand finale), then you know what to expect.

Cozy mystery
Found family
Friendship
Belonging
Helping the less fortunate
Danger
Secrets
Growing romance
The streets of London
THE DREAD MASTER
The “villain”

I really enjoyed this grand ending. I love the dread master. I love the friendship and bonds that are found in the Dread Penny Society.
I love the mystery and the good guys getting the bad guys.
I loved getting to see previous beloved characters in this volume.
A really good ending for this unique, fantastic series!

The Queen and the Knave is book 5 of Sarah M. Eden’s Dread Penny Society series, and it ties up a lot of the loose ends and mysteries that prevail throughout the series. With many series the books can be read out of order, but with this one the reader will be much more satisfied reading them in their proper order, as the story continues through each book and the main characters also appear in each one. This book stars Moirin Donnelly and Detective Fitz Parkington as they work together to save the members of the Dread Penny Society from “The Tempest.” I enjoyed getting to know them better and see their relationship grow and deepen. Their banter was amusing and fun.

Eden has once again penned an intriguing and well-written tale with engaging characters. The Penny Dreadful stories were interesting, but I sometimes felt like they interrupted the flow of the main story, especially with two of them going on. However, I can always count on this author for an entertaining story, and this one had plenty of action, intrigue, and a dash of humor.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Shadow Mountain Publishing. All opinions are my own.

It made me laugh and it made me cry. I was hanging on every word and every suspenseful twist until the very end.

I loved how Sarah Eden turned what was weak, strong and those who thought they were strong, weak.

I loved the way she blended in the penny dreadfuls leaving us both bread crumbs and smiles. They are a wonderful way to break the tension and Sarah has fabulous comedic timing.

I loved the message that together we are stronger and hope is stronger than fear.

Belonging is not a new message in Sarah’s book, it’s a constant one, but each way she tells it is unique and beautiful. And Moirin’s especially resonated.

Moirin’s character is part of things, but not wholly; good, but not wholly; strong, but has weaknesses.

She was written in such a way that you laugh when she’s called “Your majesty” , cringe when she makes the hard choices, rejoice when she sits on the “throne” and some how feel like you can relate and connect to her through it all.

This book was exactly the thing we’ve all been waiting for, while still being a tad bit surprising.

When I started reading The Queen and the Knave by Sarah M. Eden, I was both excited and sad. Excited to finally be reading the next book in The Dread Penny Society series, and sad to be reading the last book in the series. It was so bittersweet.

I loved every minute of reading this book. Sarah has a way of writing that immediately transports you to the world of her characters, and I loved being back in Victorian England with the penny dreadful authors. This world leaps off the page with Sarah’s beautiful writing.

Like the other books in the series, this one focuses on how The Dread Penny Society (DPS) works to help the poor of London. This story is the climax of the series where the Dread Master must face the Tempest, who is trying to defeat the DPS and rule London with her evil plans.

My favorite parts of the book are:
-every interaction between Moirin and Fitz and their reactions to each other
-the chemistry and kisses between Moirin and Fitz
-all the private discussions Moirin has with Fitz in her room
-The Queen & the Knave and Posie and Pru Detectives for Hire
-All the Dreadfuls
-Moirin’s final meeting with the Tempest
-The epilogue

This book is full of history, banter, mystery, intrigue, family, friendships, forgiveness, hope, love, and romance. It was the perfect end to this series. I loved Moirin and Fitz. Their respect for and belief in each other was so sweet to watch. I am sad the series is over, but I found the ending to be perfection.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I love the Dread Penny series. This is the fifth in the series and it did not let me down. Fitzgerald and Móirín makes such a splendid team. They are working together to help less fortunate kids. They use their skills to take down the criminal mastermind "The Tempest", who has been wrecking havoc all around her.

The Queen and the Knave is masterfully written. Eden really outdid herself with this book! Highly recommend The Queen and the Knave, as well as the entire Dread Penny Society series.

The plot throughout The Queen and the Knave is incredibly nuanced and detailed. So many different elements of the earlier books in the series come back into play and are woven together beautifully. This bit of my review will be a bit spare so as to avoid spoilers, but I can say that I was incredibly impressed with how many seemingly insignificant details were actually quite significant; the subtlety made for a compelling read.

As with the earlier books, the included Penny Dreadful stories -- as penned by 'Mr. King' and 'Chauncey Finnegan' -- complement the main story of the book perfectly. I loved how Mr. King's "The Queen and the Knave" mirrored much of Moirin and Fitz's story, while also adding some magical elements (I loved the pine marten queen especially!). "Poisie and Pru: Detectives for Hire" showcased so much of Moirin's humor and cleverness in a lovely way too. I absolutely loved how both penny dreadfuls were interwoved with the main story -- it made The Queen and the Knave a very hard book to put down!

My absolutely favorite part of this book was getting to know both Moirin and the Dread Master so much more. Both had independently been such compelling characters throughout the series. I'd been rooting for Moirin to get her own book since the beginning -- she was one of my favorite characters very early on. Getting to experience her thoughts and feelings while reading the book was an absolutely lovely journey. I so enjoyed her relationship with Fitz too -- so often, love finds a way even when circumstances are quite unfavorable.

Thank you to Netgalley, Shadow Mountain, and Sarah M. Eden for the eARC copy. All opinions are my own.

The exciting conclusion to this wonderful Dread Penny Society series was phenomenal!

This is a series that will be best appreciated if read in order. I loved that this final installment included so many past characters and was a culmination of everything that's been building up, resulting in a showdown between The Dread Penny Master and The Tempest. Not only were loose ends neatly wrapped up, but the twists, turns, and anticipation left me breathless.

Moirin and Fitz (aka Parky) were the perfect combination to wrap this series up. While technically a proper romance, the main focus is on the mystery and suspense, but the sweet romance was the icing on the cake. I was so eager to see how things would end and I love all these characters--it was a treat to see them together again.

Sarah Eden is a master storyteller. The two Penny Dreadfuls told within (stories within the story) were so entertaining and creative. I loved it all from beginning to end and I'm completely satisfied with this finale.

Content: mild romance; mild+ moments of peril/death/violence

An excellent wrap to a phenomenal series. Sarah Eden is the absolute master of historical fiction. I don’t understand how she can seemingly effortlessly write a story within a story. I have loved the journey these Dread Penny novels have taken us on. The story she writes within is just as excellent as the story without the penny novel. She never disappoints!

Wow, what an incredible ending to a phenomenal series. It is amazing to me how someone can come up with in such interesting and fascinating ideas. But then to be able to research and learn all of the intricate details, and then put it all into a spell binding story. Sarah M Eden is one of those authors. This final installment in the Dread Penny Society, hits all the right marks, mystery adventure, suspense, a little bit of fantasy, magic and horror and best of all sweet romance. There are two penny dreadful stories in this book that are very entertaining, but the climax of the DPS solving the ultimate crime was gripping. The story was solid and the characters intriguing. I cannot wait to see what the author has in store for us next. She reminds me of Moirin, because she is always one step ahead of everyone else.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was such a good wrap up for the Dread Penny Society series!! I loved Moirin from the moment she appeared in the series and I’m so happy she finally got her time to shine. I also liked Fitz and his personal journey and how it intertwined with the rest of the mystery. This is definitely a series to read in order as each book’s mystery leads into the mystery of the next with an overarching mystery. But the ending was so great. I also loved both of the Penny dreadful stories interspersed throughout, but especially the two elderly detectives’ story. I am sad this series is over, but it was really fun to read!

I have enjoyed this series from the beginning! I have loved the idea behind the Dread Penny Society and how each member fights for a different worthy cause. I think that this was a good ending to the series. My main drawback was that the Tempest was one step ahead basically the entire series until she wasn't and it just didn't quite work for me. I'd still definitely recommend the book and I'll read it again!

thanks to NetGalley for the eARC

⭐️=4 | 😘=2 | 🤬=1 | ⚔️=2.5 | 14+

summary: The Dread Penny Society book five

thoughts: actually my favorite of the series! imo had the most compelling couple (that I actually cared about and had, like actual chemistry, unlike some of the others) and it did a great job of raising the stakes compared to the other books––like it was still in the same style as them, but absolutely felt like a grand finale.