Heather Webb's "Queens of London" is a captivating historical novel that transports readers to the glittering courts and clandestine corridors of Tudor England. Set against the backdrop of one of the most turbulent periods in British history, this intricately woven tale explores the lives of three remarkable women who shaped the destiny of a nation.

At the center of the narrative are the three queens: Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, and Jane Seymour. Through Webb's meticulous research and vivid storytelling, each queen emerges as a fully realized character, grappling with the weight of their royal duties, the allure of power, and the constraints of a patriarchal society.

What sets "Queens of London" apart is its focus on the relationships between these women, which are portrayed with depth, nuance, and empathy. From the fierce rivalry between Katherine and Anne to the unlikely friendship that blossoms between Anne and Jane, Webb deftly explores the complexities of female friendship, ambition, and betrayal.

But beyond the courtly intrigues and political machinations, "Queens of London" is ultimately a story about the enduring bonds of sisterhood. Despite their differences and conflicts, Katherine, Anne, and Jane share a common bond as women navigating a world dominated by men. As they struggle to assert their agency and carve out their own destinies, they find solace and strength in each other's company.

Webb's prose is elegant and evocative, transporting readers to a bygone era with lush descriptions and vivid imagery. Whether depicting the opulent splendor of the Tudor court or the grim realities of life beyond its walls, she brings the world of sixteenth-century England to life with authenticity and depth.

While "Queens of London" is a work of historical fiction, it is rooted in real events and personalities, making it both informative and engaging for readers with an interest in Tudor history. Webb seamlessly blends fact and fiction, weaving a narrative that is as compelling as it is informative.

In conclusion, "Queens of London" is a masterfully crafted novel that offers a rich tapestry of history, intrigue, and sisterhood. With its compelling characters, lush setting, and expertly woven plot, it is sure to captivate fans of historical fiction and Tudor-era dramas alike.

Thanks to Netgalley and SourceBooks Landmark Publishers for an advance copy for my honest review.

Thank you @bookmarked and @msheatherwebb for my #giftedcopy of this eArc.

This historical fictional novel follows Diamond Annie self proclaimed/elected Queen of the Forty Elephants. To be honest I haven't heard of this piece of history. I loved the plot as well as the multiple POVs that showcased multiple sides of the story. Where this story fell short was the easy peasy cleaned ending, from the thrill of the overall plot and the original pace of the story I found the last 30 percent a bit of a lag and drag.

I still highly recommend this anyone who loves a strong multi-POV female oriented historical fiction.

Diamond Annie and Officer Lilian Wyles were each powerful women in London, but Hira wasn’t sure how much she wanted to do with either one of them.

When Hira runs away from her uncle’s house, she isn’t sure where she’ll go, but she knows if she stays she’ll be sent to a boarding house and school for orphans. Nothing in her coddled life so far has readied her for that. While she hasn’t been able to live with her parents in India, her uncle has taken care of keeping a roof over her head, good food on the table, and competent servants, governess and tutors. Now that her parents have died, her uncle has decided his responsibility is over.

Hira is soon a pawn in a much bigger game. Diamond Annie is grooming her to be a great thief in her organization, and at the same time Officer Wiles wants to catch Diamond Annie and help Hira choose a life that isn’t funded by crime. Between these three strong characters and a charming shopgirl who witnesses some of it and wants a happy ending for herself and everyone else, the perspectives of London in 1925 are quite varied.

The author’s research shines through in this historical fiction and what results is a great and engaging story. The book earned 4 out of 5 stars and would be recommended for those who enjoy stories from the early 1900s, London, and compelling characters with very different motivations.

This book was fascinating to me! I lived in London for a few months in college and fell in love with the city and the history. I have never heard of the Forty Elephants or diamond Annie/Alice before reading this book, but it’s truly an interesting part of history. I was just captivated by each woman and their story and involvement with the Forty Elephants - Hiro and Biscuit stole my heart though! It was easy to read and the storytelling made me feel like I was back in the heart of the city. If you enjoy historical fiction with some crime and mystery - I would highly recommend picking this up! The author notes which characters were real people and what happened to them at the end of the book.

I was so intrigued by the setting and concept of this book since I love the Forty Elephants, but to me the plot fell flat. All of the characters felt one-dimensional and rudimentary, and the motivations they had for their actions seemed very simplistic. I really liked being able to have the multiple perspectives, but that was not enough of an appeal to keep me engaged since I was so disappointed in how simply the characters were portrayed. This book might be good for a different reader who enjoys more cut-and-dry historical fiction, but it was definitely not for me. I felt frustrated more than I enjoyed myself the farther I got in the book.

The Queens of London is a beautifully crafted, historical fiction novel. There are multiple POVS, which include Alice Diamond, Inspector Lillian Wyles, Dorothy McBride, and Hira Wickham. Each of these characters are interconnected with each other, and the way Heather Webb weaves each of these storylines together is seamless and effective. While I did not expect a POV from Hira, her story might have had the most depth and been the most impactful to the rest of the main characters. Hira's innocence makes Alice more vulnerable, showing that even the most calculated criminals have a soft side. Also, Hira's circumstances make Inspector Wyles reconsider what she truly thinks is justice. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and I loved reading about the true history of the story at the end!

This was Heather Webb's first solo project for me.

The Queens of London had a different twist for me. Women scammers and thieves following WW2. These women doing what they needed to do to survive.

I struggled with this book only because one of the main characters was a child. I found it hard to see a child in the situation that she found herself in and as a mother, my heart her for this girl.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

English women doing crime but still not liberating or exciting. Maybe that's because they're English. IDK, it's a DNF for me.

The Queens of London is a wonderful romp through the seedy sides of Londone and through legendary department stores. It is Oceans 8 meets The little Princess. I found it to be an adventurous quick read. So, dive into the world of The Forty Elephants and the life of little Kira and Biscuit.

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up
Heather Webb writes the most memorable stories. I still think about The Next Ship Home, her book about Ellis Island. I feel like her writing, also in this one, really encapsulates her characters. Usually, I feel like when I’m reading, I can feel similarities between their books, but each of hers are so unique, and the characters are so convincing.

I love how this book focuses on four strong women - two who were based on real women in London;
•A notorious female gang leader named Diamond Annie
•one of the first female police chief inspectors Lilian Wyles
The other two were such lovable characters, the orphan Hira and saleswoman Dorothy.

In the post-World War I London underworld, the novel "Queens of London" immerses readers in the lives of a notorious all-female gang, led by the formidable Diamond Annie. This gripping narrative delves into themes of power, sisterhood, and justice as these women navigate a world where crime becomes their means of survival.

The indelible mark left by "Queens of London" extends beyond its final pages. Its portrayal of fierce women, their intricate alliances, and their relentless struggles resonates deeply. Whether you're drawn to historical fiction, crime sagas, or stories featuring strong female protagonists, this book delivers an enthralling journey.

I wholeheartedly recommend "Queens of London" to readers who appreciate historical fiction with a twist of intrigue. Prepare to be captivated by this hidden world where women defy conventions and carve out their destinies.

Is there anything better than a strong female main character?

How about FOUR of them?!

Based on true events, Queens of London follows the all-girl gang Forty Elephants - Britain’s first female crime syndicate - and their fearless leader Annie Diamond, also known as “Diamond Annie.” As another first female, Lilian Wyles, becomes a detective for Scotland Yard, and she is determined to crack a big case to finally be taken seriously by the all-men force who keep giving her “women work” assignments that are below her capabilities. When she hears about a large heist going down - led by Annie and her crime family - she’s finally got the chance to prove herself.

This was a historical fiction breath of fresh air. The 4 women at the forefront of the story, Annie, Lillian, department store saleswoman Dorothy, and orphan Hira, find their completely different worlds colliding and through wisdom, wit, and a most cleverly crafted (and fun!) story, you cannot help but fall for both sides of the law, and shamelessly root for every woman involved. In particular, the spunky lost little girl and her little dog named Biscuit, just searching for someone to love them and not settling for anything less.

As always, Heather Webb has once again blown me away. Her character development is flawless and she leaves you with this feeling that you’ve just made a bunch of new found friends. The setting, both time and place, feels historic yet reachable, and you feel as if you are dropped right into the story, experiencing it all first hand. Every novel is filled with humor and heart, and are epic tributes to females who paved the way by creating their own paths and not letting any thing or anyone stand in their way.

A must read for those who enjoy riveting and fast-paced heist stories, full of vulnerable, feisty, and strong female leads.

This was my third read by this author. I absolutely loved The Next Ship Home. There were parts about this one that I enjoyed and others that I didn’t. Characters that I enjoyed until I didn’t. This was filled with a lot of morally gray characters and actions. The good gals are not always good or do the right thing and the bad gals aren’t always bad.

I enjoyed getting to know the character of Alice AKA “Diamond Annie” and her band of thieves as she prepares to pull off the biggest heist of her career to provide an option to the females under her that may be living in abusive situations. I was rather frustrated with her supposed reputation that put fear into others yet very few around her were scared to cross her and she often let them with no consequences. She genuinely cared for the girls in her employ, but I found her to be an inconsistent character.

That was ultimately my problem with most of the female characters in this book. It’s told in third person and follows several women including Alice, a female police investigator at Scotland Yard in Lilian, Dorothy who worked at a local department store and Hira, a young girl who ran away from her guardian and encounters all of the women in some capacity. What they said, believed and their actions often contradicted each other. While I enjoyed the story, their inconsistency over the course of the book was frustrating.

The audiobook was narrated by Amy Scanlon. It was my first audiobook listen by this narrator. I thought she did a fantastic job voicing the different female main characters. I had no problems distinguishing their voices or following the different storylines.

Recommended to readers of historical fiction who enjoy complex, strong female characters that operated in shades of gray.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Recorded Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

1925, London. Diamond Annie is the queen of the Forty Elephants, an all female gang of thieves who mostly rob department stores. Lillian is a rare female detective who is trying to prove herself and is determined to bring down the gang of thieves. But the best characters are little Hira, a young runaway and her dog, Biscuit.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy of Queens of London by Heather Webb in exchange for an honest review.

Based on the true story of the 40 Elephants female crime gang active in London after WWI and its “Queen” aka mob boss Alice Diamond, Queens of London follows four protagonists: Alice, Inspector Lilian Wyle who is one of the first “lady detectives” on the Metropolitan Police and has her sights on Alice, department store employee Dorothy, and biracial orphan Hira (and Hira’s dog, Biscuit ). Alice and Lilian are real people, and one of the major themes of the book is what women then (and, we are invited to consider, now) must go through in order to be taken seriously at their professions (legal or otherwise). This is a wholly original work, and the best kind of historical fiction. Five stars.

𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧
𝐁𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐛
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟐.𝟔.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒



Set in the 1920s, Officer Lilian Wyles is the first female detective at the famous Scotland Yard, but she’s been delegated to do primarily women’s work. Finally, she is given a new assignment to patrol the department stores for the notorious all-girl gang, the Forty Elephants, and their leader, Alice Diamond.

I enjoyed that this story was filled with strong, feisty women who want to rule the streets of London. Although Lilian and Alice are on opposite sides of the law, they both try to prove themselves in a man’s world.

The pace moves quickly, with plenty of action and emotions as you are drawn into the lives of these characters. There are several other well-developed characters, such as Hira, a runaway orphan and her dog, who Alice takes in but soon becomes a pawn in the war between Lilian and Alice.

Please don’t skip the Author’s Note; she adds some interesting information and insights.


Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @msheatherwebb for a spot on tour and a gifted ebook.
Thank you @recordedbooks for a gifted audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an arc!

The Queens of London follows notorious female thievery ring the Forty Elephants during the 1920s. Alice Diamond, known as Diamond Annie, serves as the queen of the forties, leading heists on all of the best department stores in London. Alice and her girls are hard to catch and are mostly successful in their endeavors, up until detective Lillian Wyles takes an interest in them.

Wyles is a female detective for the Scotland Yard focused on proving herself to be assigned to more serious cases. Wyles wants to help women who are victims of crime or prostitution rings, but instead is put on the thankless work of monitoring department stores or chasing after orphans on the street. While watching the stores, Wyles makes a connection between an orphan that’s stealing from people off the streets and the forty elephants. Wyles knows that if she can take Diamond Annie down, then the force won’t be able to deny her skills and abilities. But challenging the forty elephants can be very dangerous, as these women are tough and unforgiving.

Meanwhile, the actions of the forties are impacting many people, including department store clerk Dorothy McBride. Dorothy has sketches of clothing designs she’s created and dreams of pursuing a career. She is tired of being called dumb, and all she wants is the chance to prove herself. When Dorothy meets Hira, an orphaned girl running away from her uncle, Dorothy brings extra food for the girl every week. Dorothy continues to form a friendship with Hira and show her kindness and generosity, having no idea of Hira’s connection to Alice Diamond- the very person who has been stealing from Dorothy’s department store.

This book was really interesting and I was shocked to learn how much of it was factual. The concept of an all female crime ring is very interesting, and the setting being the 1920s in London only made my interest grow. I felt conflicted rooting for Alice and the Forties even though they were criminals, but learning about the lives of these women makes it hard to not be angry on their behalves.

I enjoyed having multiple point of views from Alice, Detective Wyles, Hira and Dorothy. They all added such different perspectives and really helped to show how women were treated in society during the time period. I think that most women could relate on some level to at least one of our characters.

I would recommend Queens of London to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or just wants to read a book about some badass women!

I’m a big fan of Heather Webb stories and this one was simply fastastic. A fun and action-packed adventure set in 1920s London about a gang of female thieves who robbed London's best high-end department stores. Reading the authors notes at the end and learning that it was inspired by real life characters just made it so much better.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.

𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗢𝗳 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻 by Heather Webb, Author released February 6, 2024.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

The Queens of London
It was the 1920s in London .There was an infamous gang of female shoplifters called the Forty Elephants. Alice Diamond was the Queen of that gang. The members of the gang would walk into one of the top departments stores in London, distract the salesgirls and walk out with items they gave to a fence to sell.
One day Alice encountered Hira , a runaway who had been living on the street, and offered her shelter in Alice’s family home. In exchange Hira had to work with the Forty Elephants. Hira had lived with her uncle in a large home in a wealthy part of London. Hira’s parents were in India until both became il and died. After her uncle decided to send Hira away to a harsh boarding school, she ran away.

Hira was spotted on the streets by Lillian Wyles, one of the first the female police inspectors in London and the first assigned to the Criminal Investigations Dept. Soon Inspector Wyles was searching for Hira while also trying to arrest Alice and her gang for their many crimes.
This book is based on true person and events. The Forty Elephants began their criminal activities in the middle of the 1800s and continued for many years after the book ended.
I enjoyed reading about this era and also the lives of the rich and poor in London.
I received this ARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Great story of female empowerment, even if some of that empowerment comes from a female gang! "Queens of London" follows two strong women, Alice Diamond who leads a female gang called the Forty Elephants and Lilian Wyles, one of the first female detectives in London. Lilian's is tasked (or tasks herself) with taking down the infamous Diamond Alice, while Alice is looking to increase the strength and profitability of the Elephants, in part so she can provide a safe place for women at the mercy of their men. Both characters are based on real people. Added to the mix is very young Hira, an Indian/English ward of a not great barrister, while her parents remain in India. A tragedy causes Hira to run away from home and she is taken in by Alice, and encounters Lilian, who is tasked with rescuing orphans from the rough streets of London. Queens of London is a super fun, rip roaring read and insightful look at women's lives in the 1020's.