Hira is a young girl living with her uncle in London. Her parents have passed away and he is threatening to send her to an orphanage. Hira runs away and ends up on the streets. She finds a wonderful dog that she names Biscuit. But she also finds Alice. Alice, the queen of the streets and leader of a crime syndicate, takes Hira in and trains her. But Hira knows she can’t keep this lifestyle up.

Wow! What a great read! So different and unique! I love a story that teaches me a thing or two! I had no idea about a gang of women in London, the first female crime syndicate. Not only that. this story also covers female detectives during this time period.

This is a well researched and absolutely captivating tale. I was hooked in the very first chapter. I love all the layers, time period and characters! Do not miss this one!

The narrator, Amy Scanlon, is extremely talented and did the child’s voice perfectly. That is a big turnoff for me. But this narrator nailed it!

Need a fantastic, engrossing tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Queens of London is a totally binge-able story about the real-life “Diamond Annie,” the elected queen of an all-girl gang in the 1920s. It also includes the real-life Lilian Wyles, one of the very first female detectives of Scotland Yard. While the story itself is fiction, this is one of my favorite genres of historical fiction. I love it when authors learn about real figures like this and weave a delicious storyline that makes them truly real and relatable characters.

I definitely recommend this one for my female empowerment friends who love a little history and fiction thrown into a mixing bowl and served up as an entertaining novel. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a few sad aspects of the storyline that will pull at your heartstrings, but overall I definitely recommend this one for historical fiction lovers.

I am always excited when I see Heather Webb has a new book out, and with my latest addiction to anything London this was the perfect book for me! Not only did I love the fiction parts of the story but I loved all the details of real events that took place between 1870 and 1950. Have you ever heard of the ring of female thief’s called the Forty Elephants? I never had and after I finished the book I did a hard dive into Goole learning about these fearless women. The Queens of London follows the main character “Alice Diamond” and her team of women as they set out robbing expensive department stores. When I was in London I visited Harrods so throughout the book I was picturing the women navigating this glamourous department store. I loved that the author told the story of these women but beautiful weaved in a story about a little girl without a home or family. Hira was my favorite part of the book. A sweet little girl left without a family flees from her uncle who wants to send her to an orphanage. Hira would rather live on the streets then end up in a place she has heard scary tales about. Life on the street is harder then she thought but she finds a very nice lady who wants to help her, a dog who adopts her as his owner, and a powerful woman named Alice that Hira knows is trouble. Alice is willing to take Hira in when she catches her pick pocketing on the street because she can use her as part of their gang. No one would suspect a small child and she could be the perfect distraction for her girls to gran what they need and get out. Clothes, Fur, jewelry… all these items can be stolen and sold for money. Hira will learn that life is complicated and she has to be careful who she trusts but she’ll also learn that the kindness of strangers can change her life for the better.

The Queens of London is based on real life Diamond Annie, her gang the Forty Elephants, and first female detective Lilian Wyles- or Inspector Wyles, as she quickly corrects. Readers get a sneak peek behind the swinging doors of pubs in the East End and posh entries into the shops of Mayfair. The suspenseful plot is advanced by four main characters.
The antics and heists of the female gang, the Forty Elephants, with Diamond Annie as the Queen, continue to be a major focus for Scotland Yard in 1925 London. The main character is based on the real-life Alice Diamond. Webb develops Annie so deeply that I changed from being dubious of her motives to being very anxious that she might be caught and sent back to prison! Somewhere, deep down, Annie does have a heart covered by years of scars. Inspector Lily Wyles is also based on one of the first female detectives. She begins at Scotland Yard with “womanly duties” such as watching for shoplifters and orphan chasing. As the plot progresses this former nurse begins to question justice and her rigid rule following. Her tolerance for finding logic relaxes in a very satisfying turn of events.
Dorothy, a vibrant, unique, shop girl and aspiring designer, reveals her dreams of moving out from her mum’s flat and to an independent lifestyle. A fictional character, filled with angst at finding a husband or following her dreams, she is very typical of young girls of that time. The development arc is deftly drawn and will keep readers engaged and cheering for Dorothy.
The ten-year-old beautiful, brown skinned Hira Wickham is a heart stealer who reads her etiquette books, deals with her wealthy but hateful uncle, and makes gut-wrenching decisions. Hira is smart, brave, and with her lovable, street-smart dog, Biscuit, tugs at all the emotional heartstrings.
Diamond Annie and the Forty Elephant’s next major heist is just the case that could change everything for the female crime syndicate and Inspector Wyles. An immensely nerve wracking but exhilarating chase!

Queens of London by Heather Webb is a wonderful novel about the Forty Elephants - an all girl gang in London in 1925. Their fearless leader is Alice Diamond also known as Diamond Annie.. They steal mainly from high-end department stores. Everything is going really well until Lilian Wyles from Scotland Yard sets her sights on arresting Alice. Based on actual events, this is a story I have never heard anything about. Heather Webb always has strong female characters in her novels and I really learned a lot reading this book and I think you would too!

This book is a prime example of all the "good" stuff no one learned about in school! Webb dazzles readers with the glamour of crime by providing Alice with dimension. She wasn't just a crime leader. She was a woman who had wants, needs, and desires. Lilian mirrored Alice in knowing she was the best at her job but consistently had to contend with her femininity. In adding the characters of Dorothy and Hira, Webb allows readers a glimpse into the other pitfalls that females had to endure. Being unloved, unappreciated, and undervalued have led women throughout the centuries to make hard decisions. Webb balances crime and compassion in a story that will be enjoyed by many.

Alice leads a gang of all women thieves, The Forty Elephants, in 1920s London. Tough girls all, the characterization is well developed and engaging. With the only female detective from Scotland Yard involved, the action is fast and makes for a good read.

I loved everything about this novel based on real-life Diamond Annie, leader of Britain’s first female crime syndicate (called ‘The Forty Elephants’); and real life Inspector Lilian Wyles, one of the first female officers in UK history. Set in 1920s London, the novel focuses on the Elephants and how Alice (Diamond Annie) operates the gang and protects her girls while the Inspector works to capture the thieves despite having an unfavourable detail. The story is narrated by the two strong, formidable women as well as two other determined females: 10 year old Hira, who grows up without any real affection and runs away from her uncle’s house to live on the streets with newfound friend Biscuit; and always underestimated Dorothy, a clever shopgirl with a flair for design.

I enjoyed this story’s development and watching the characters grow, particularly sweet innocent Hira. The pacing of this story was spot on and the shifting narration kept me engaged from start to finish, something which can be tricky when switching points of view. I love how Webb tied each of the story lines together and how even the smallest details were wrapped up by the novel’s epilogue. Despite the fact that the women are at odds and on different sides of the law, I found myself rooting for each of the characters in turn as they worked to bring their dreams into reality. Throughout #queensoflondon there was action, suspense, strength in female friendships, helping those who need protecting, found family, loyalty, discrimination, survival, heartache, love, and loss.

I really enjoyed how Webb seamlessly connected each of the stories with multiple points of view using her flawless writing style. Each story had me engrossed from the start; even sitting on the edge of my seat at times. I was intrigued from the start to see how everything would come together. I can’t wait to read more by Heather Webb!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advance #drc (digital review copy). I loved every page!!

#bookreview #bookrecommendation #bookstagram #femaleauthor #femalewriter
#queensoflondon #heatherwebb Heather Webb, Author #historicalfiction #women #roaring20s #femaleempowerment #strongfemalecharacters #literaryfiction #youshouldreadthis #diamondannie #elephantandcastle #fortyelephants #alicediamond #lilianwyles #roaringtwenties

This is a fictionalized story of the life of Alice “Diamond Annie” Diamond, the leader of the Forty Elephants which was an all-girl gang that specialized in shoplifting in the early part of the 20th century. It’s told from the perspective of Alice herself, as well as from one of the first female detectives, a shopgirl, and an orphan who now finds herself homeless and drawn into Annie’s world.

There is nothing about this that particularly stood out to me besides Alice’s story itself. I’ve never heard of Diamond Annie but I was very intrigued on what led her to the life she had and what an all-girl gang looked like in the 1920s. The book did manage to delve a little deeper into the differences between a gang of men versus one, with just females, and how the females utilized their “feminine” assets to make them successful. Alice also had to fight harder and faced problems that her brother, as leader of his own gang, would never have dreamt of.

The problem though with telling a criminal’s story is you have to evoke some sort of compassion or empathy from a reader. Unfortunately, all of the characters were exactly what I predicted them to be. Alice herself remained unlikeable to the bitter end. I’m not sure she ever really justified her motives, even to herself. It also felt like it was trying to cover too much by giving us so many perspectives. I would have just preferred this to be about Alice as opposed to a broader attempt to tackle feminism.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've enjoyed reading and listening in tandem. This book is a thrilling take on women in the criminal underbelly of post-WWI London in the roaring 20s. Maybe women can have it all, as long as they’re willing to steal it. A real cat-and-mouse hunt is going on in this story as notorious Diamond Annie Queen of the Forty Elephants, an all-woman crime syndicate in England, looks to up the ante for her girls while outsmarting her nemesis Officer Lillian Wyles.

Lillian Wyles isn’t just the first female detective in Scotland Yard but one of the best detectives. She is itching to land a big score to earn respect from the men at work and make real headway for women in police work. Written with Diamond Annie and Lillian’s POV plus a few other key characters, we get one page-turning, fast-paced, gritty yet tender story culminating into a gratifying finish.

My thoughts: This story is based on two real women in English history that I didn’t know about, and I found that fascinating. This story is a mix of pink-collar crime, women empowerment, taking you on a tour of the gritty and glamorous underworld in the roaring twenties. These women are molded by their circumstances and how they have been treated. Heather does a fantastic job of weaving a rich and compelling tale of these women and bringing you into their world. You feel for them even when they are on the wrong side of the law. The narrator in the audiobook was fantastic for transporting me to the world Webb created. You can’t go wrong with any format for this book! If you are looking for feminists-forward historical fiction, then pick this one up! Fans of shows like Peaky Blinders and writers like Rys Bowen, Madeleine Martin, and Kate Quinn will enjoy this book.

I LOVE THIS! This will make a wonderful book club read with plenty of discussion points. It had me hooked quickly! So good.

Another five star read by Heather Webb. She takes you deep into 1920's London and into the female gang of Forty Elephants. You can certainly tell that the author has done extensive research into the gang and the time period. I was drawn into the story from the first page. I didn't like some of the characters as people but they were human and you see the motivation behind their actions. The scenery was well drawn and the characters well developed. I felt at time that I was walking the streets of London with them. The story is told from multiple points of view but all were masterfully intertwined. Very highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks/Landmark for a chance to read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and comments in this review are entirely my own.

Queens of London is Heather Webb's new novel. I knew it was one I wanted to read when I discovered that Webb took inspiration from actual historical events. She's woven fact and fiction into Queens of London.

Who are the Queens you ask? "Diamond Annie" is the Queen of the all women's criminal gang,Forty Elephants. The opening prologue gives you a good idea of how tough these women are. And what they are capable of. The book is set in 1925, post WWI. Money is short and this is how the gang makes their ends meet - and a little bit more. Much more is what they want...

Hot on Annie's heels is Detective Lilian Wyles - a woman who has who has fought her way into the male dominated Scotland Yard. There are two other characters who play pivotal roles in Queens of London - a clerk in a department store and a young woman named Hari. I had my favorite, but each woman has their own story. Oh, there's a great little dog as well. Each of the four women is given a point of view with their own chapters.

There's also lots of action in the book that will keep the reader reading 'just one more chapter'.

Queens of London explores women's roles in this time frame. All four women - on both sides of the law - want nothing more than to just have a say in how they're treated and the expectations piled on them. Society and mores of the timeframe dictates an opposite model from what they want. As the book progresses, the reader can see the writing on the wall...

This was a first read of Webb for me and I have to say I really enjoyed this latest book.

Hira is a young girl orphaned in London whose only friend is her stray dog, Biscuit. Her parents died of cholera in India, and her cruel unfeeling uncle planned to send her to a lousy boarding school, so she ran away and tried her luck on the streets. Despite her sheltered upbringing, Hira has some instinctive street smarts, and she finds herself in with the notorious women's gang Forty Elephants. A tug of war ensues for Hira, between Alice, leader of the Forty Elephants; Lilian, an ambitious Inspector; and Dorothy, a local shopgirl whose affection for Hira stems from a loss in her own life.

Heather Webb bases her story on the real-life London gang, Forty Elephants. The story touches on many other issues besides crime and punishment: domestic abuse, women's rights, women in the workplace, racism, and society's failure to adequately care for orphaned children. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the 1920s, London, women's issues, crime history, and orphans. I love how the author's note at the end explains what in the book is fact or fiction.

I went into this book blind and didn’t know it was historical fiction, but it hooked me right away! I loved the different POVs of Alice and Lilian, two strong women at odds. I also liked the addition of the POVs of more women who were connected to Alice and Lilian, and I especially loved reading about Hira (and Biscuit the dog of course; I would die for him). All of the criminal planning and police pursuit were so interesting to read about, and it made me curious about the actual history of Diamond Annie and the Forty Elephants. At the end of the book, I was happy to see that the author included some information about what was fact in the book and what was fiction.

Thank you to Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I first read about Alice Diamond in Beezy Marsh’s Queen of Thieves. Being able to view the same character through Webb’s lens in Queens of London, set 20 years prior, was fantastic. The interwoven stories of Hira, a 10 year old orphan, Dorothy, a store clerk, Lillian, a police officer and of course, Alice Diamond showed the gritty reality of women taking very different approaches of survival in 1920s London.

I highly recommend Queens of London to both fans of historical fiction and to those who love reading stories about strong females. I was captivated from start to finish! A huge congratulations to author Heather Webb on another atmospheric, completely transportive read!

From the moment I started reading this historical fiction, I cannot put it down. The all-women cast - Alice, queen of the Forty Elephants, Hira the orphan, Lilian the policewoman and Dorothy, the beautiful saleslady, are all incredibly strong women, though they have different goals in life. Alice may be a gang leader, but you see her kindness and humanity too at times. Lilian is a brave policewoman at a time that people are raising their eyebrows at the thought of women working in the police force. Dorothy is talented, but often mistaken as dumb just because she’s beautiful. And Hira is a lovely child that connects the three women, and though unaware, teaches them valuable lessons in life.

I went into this blind, so I didn’t know the Forty Elephants were a real all-female shoplifting syndicate in the 19th century. How interesting! I love how the author was able to weave together facts and fiction to come up with this thrilling and at times, heartwarming story. I hope we get a sequel? I would love to know what happens to all of them after!

Thank you Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for access to this arc.

First let me say that as of right now, based on reviews I’ve read, my viewpoint is very much in the minority regarding this book. The cover and the blurb promised me a great book set among female thieves in 1920s London being chased by a wonderful female detective. That isn’t what I got.

The pace needed to be faster. The writing was serviceable but not dazzling. There is a huge degree of grimness in the lives of these characters but mainly I wanted some competence from these women. It is almost painful for Alice to be described as ruthless and “a brilliant mastermind” only to repeatedly see that she isn’t. Lilian seems to spend all her time basically doing nothing useful despite being “one of the best detectives on the force.” Dorothy is sweet but the people in her life really haven’t been lying to her about her intelligence. Hira just wants to survive so I’ll accept this eleven year old doing whatever it takes despite most of that going against her moral code. I made it to the 82% mark and thought, no, I don’t care to continue any further. So I’m DNFing it this close to the finish line. It does have a beautiful cover though …

The talented author has chosen a fresh non-WWII era (1920s) and topic (a real life criminal network of women in England) to base this absorbing historical fiction novel on. I had not heard before of the two main characters: brilliant criminal Alice Diamond, Queen of the Forty Elephants, nor of her nemesis, Officer Lilian Wyles of Scotland Yard.

Beautifully written and utterly gripping, I could not put this fantastic tale down. Highly recommended for histfic fans who love compelling stories about famous women, even those on the wrong side of the law.

(Book for review courtesy of NetGalley)

Sourcebooks Landmark ~ February 6


Alice Diamond was a real person ; officer Lillian Wyles was not. Author Heather Webb uses the scant facts available about The Forty Elephants crime gang to tell a story about how life is not fair to women regardless of class, race, or profession. Lillian Wyles is a police officer in 1920s London. She's assigned women's work - things like enforcing hem lines, looking for street urchins, but never murder or hard crime. Lillian is put on guard at a department store frequented by The Forty Elephants, an all female theft/crime ring.



Alice Diamond was a bad ass bitch. She and her Forty Elephants dominated crime in the Elephant and Castle section of London. The women are feared and respected by male gangs. But these women took to gang life to support men who abuse them, to feed children they never wanted to have in the first place. Society never gave them a chance to succeed. Crime offers them both personal and financial support.



Two women from opposing forces seek respect. Lillian knows bringing Diamond Annie to justice will elevate her status in the police. And he knows under her rule her girls have money and support. Neither Annie nor Lillian will cede ground to the other. Webb employs the scant information about The Forty Elephants to propel her story, but the inclusion of the facts never seems expository. Webb's clear straightforward prose indicates this story of women's inequality is one she's eager to tell.