Oh wow what roller coaster of a adventure this book was! I loved this book it was so fun. I have loved every book I have read by Michelle Griep. You can’t go wrong with her books!

Looking for a Victorian who-done-it style mystery?
You will want to check this one out.
Michelle Griep has a great way of keeping the plot moving at a brisk pace while introducing you to a range of interesting characters.
I really loved Jackson's character, he wanted to do what was right in the world and was open and adaptable to learning.
Kit was a fun, spunky character that had her own battles to conquer.
For me I wished I had a bit more of the development of the characters and the romance. I have heard buzz that there may be a sequel coming so I am looking forward to reading that.
I enjoyed it and thought it was good for the genre.

3.5 stars rounded up for enjoyment

I listened to the audio for this story and really loved the experience, as the narrator was a good one and the plot and characters engaging.

The story moves quickly and there is no lack of action. It feels like they make it from one corner of London to another more than once, and in short order at that!

There are a lot of heartfelt moments along the way as the MCs get to know each other and try to find the missing cabbie together. I really appreciated that the story's more focused on action than romance and that the two got to know each other as they worked together for a solution without originally thinking of romance.

What I didn't like: Kit's default was deception in a lot of ways, and that got on my nerves a few times. The last third of the book seemed more disjointed than the previous sections and the time skips were longer. Several of the plot points seemed a bit more of a leap than a logical step but by that time I was invested in the characters and it didn't bother me as much as it would have toward the beginning. A lot of the side characters had rather abrupt endings and I was left wanting more detail on what happened to them.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.

This book started a bit slow, so after finishing a fast-paced one, I was wondering about this one. But my fear was baseless, because after a few chapters, it poked my curiosity. The story became fast-paced, thrilling, and I couldn't stop flip pages for more. What was unrelated made a beautiful design once connected little by little. I really enjoyed the book!

I think this might be my favorite yet of the books I've read by this author. My attention was grabbed from the first page, and I didn't want to put this book down until the end. I had to find out why Jackson was so driven to save people...where the missing men were disappearing to and why...and what made Kit tick! She was quite the enigma, and I quickly learned to love her. I couldn't believe the string of misfortunes Jackson ran into on his first day on the job; since it was fictitious, it was quite amusing, but wouldn't have been in real life! This author has done a superb job of making me feel, smell and hear everything that was happenig to Jackson and Kit. This was a great mystery, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the truth emerge.
I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

The Thief of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep is a stand-alone novel set in 1880’s London, England. Constable Jackson Forge is new to the constabulary but he has high hopes of making the streets a safer place for everyone. Kit Turner and her crew roam those streets looking for easy marks to swindle. When Jackson is tasked with finding a missing cabbie, he enlists Kits help. What they find could cost them both their lives. This story takes you on a journey through the streets of London during Victorian times. From ball rooms to prison cells, back alleys to grand avenues you get a feel for the time period. The drama between Jackson and Kit was quite entertaining. I liked Kit’s resourcefulness, her compassion and her ability to take care of herself. The suspense through-out kept you turning the page to find out what happened next. I would definitely recommend this book.



I received this book from Celebrate-Lit for my honest review.

The Thief of Blackfriars Lane is a convoluted and windy as a a slow moving river, with turns so big you don’t see the end until it’s upon you.

A sweet romance, but suspense-filled to the very end. Our protagonist has to find a missing person in order to keep his job. He enlists the help of the Thief of Blackfriars, Kit, who’s a girl btw, and they go tromping around London.

One negative about this book before we get to all the good stuff, is the story is so generic that it could take place in a different time and not change. Move it from Victorian London to 1960s New York and you’d have the same story. There isn’t any good reason to put it in Victorian London besides the author wanting it to take place then.

However I enjoyed this story a lot. I liked having the run around plot, the mixture of romance, mystery, and suspense, and believable character development, especially for our hero and heroine.
Our hero learns to be less straight laced and more accepting of “grey area” criminals.
Our heroine must start trusting people besides herself.

I enjoyed this book immensely and look forward to whatever else Griep has up her sleeve.

I received an ARC from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley. This review is my personal opinion.

In this book Michelle Griep, take us to the year 1885 in London. We first meet Forge Jackson who is a newly constable and from chapter one the ride is surely a move one. Due to several mistakes, he almost lost his job, and to keep it he asks for the last chance to find a missing man. I have to say this story is like a big spider web, the details flow little by little giving in shape and color through each chapter. With an interesting historical background and characters, this book will keep you guessing right until the end. The unlikeliness, but the rightness is beautiful. Kit and Jackson are not the typical, common love story, but in them, we find two important aspects. In Jackson, we can see how the guilt can stop us from living a life of purpose, how God is a God of love, mercy, and a second chance, and with Kit who has a difficult life, we can see that on our owns we are left to be alone in this world. I like how Michelle Griep, take the time for the development not only the elements of the story but the characters and also their moment of redemption. We have action, mystery, and more. This book is a great choice if you want to read a great historical novel, well done to Michelle Griep.

The Thief of Blackfriars Lane
by Michelle Griep
Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Barbour Fiction
Christian | Historical Fiction | Romance
Pub Date 01 Jan 2021



I am reviewing a copy of The Thief of Blackfriars Lane through Barbour Fiction and Netgalley:




Jackson Forge is a constable who intends to make the world safer, or at least the streets of Victorian London. The problem is the streets of London is Kit Turner’s domain a swindler who runs a crew that acquires money the old-fashioned way, conning the rich to give to the poor. After a local cab driver goes missing Jackson is tasked with finding the man, and the only way to do that is by enlisting Kit’s help.




If Jackson cannot find the missing cabby, he will loose the job he desperately needs, and if Kit refuses to help him, he will arrest her for thievery. But neither of them realize they have far greater problems.



I give The Thief of Blackfriars Lane five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

You cannot go wrong with a Michelle Griep novel. I have always enjoyed her books and this is no exception although it did take me a few chapters to really enjoy it. I felt the first 3-4 chapters were a bit jumbled and confusing at first, but then upon reflection I see the point of them it's just the writing style was difficult to comprehend. Sweet blossoming romance, where two people will have to work together to accomplish a goal and come to find out that they have more in common than thought.
I do recommend this book and was given an ARC in exchange for a review

Intrigue, adventure, and of course, romance, abound in Michelle Griep’s latest release. It will take you to the less savoury streets of Victorian London, where you’ll meet a variety of quirky characters—ranging from the endearing to the despicable—that you won’t soon forget.

I absolutely loved the two main characters! Their interactions were so fun to read—both hilarious and adorable—and they both brought something fresh and new to tropes that could easily have fallen into being cliché.

The mystery was fun and light, but had enough layers and twists to keep me entertained the whole way though.

Overall, this book is perfect for anyone looking for a mystery full of humour, romance, and characters who will stay with them long after they read the last word.

I’d recommend it to fans of Jen Turano and Kristi Ann Hunter.

Note: I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

"Like the sharp grinding of a pebble in one's shoe, it used to irritate Kit Turner when men discounted her intelligence. Ignored her as being of no consequence. Or worse, falsely scorned her as a woman of ill repute. But years of sweat and toil to make something of herself had softened that visceral response. Their stupidity was now her advantage, and she laughed."

Kit Turner makes her living off the streets. Almost like a Robin Hood figure, she convinces the rich to part with their money, then helps the poor. She has developed a network of loyal followers and contributors to her cause.

Constable Jackson Forge wants justice. He wants people to do the right thing, and he is frustrated when he sees someone going the wrong direction. This means that Kit Turner infuriates him. Well, at least at first.

Can Kit and Jackson discover their common ground? Can they work together to find a missing person? Will they be able to overcome and move on from some deep hurts in their pasts? Can Kit help others to see who she truly is?

Overall I thought this was a great book that is set in Victorian England. The author really did a lot of research regarding the setting and customs of the time. At the end of the book, she has a section of historical notes that explain certain components of the book.

Certain parts of the book are written using a particular dialect that would have reflected a poorer person's station. At times, those was hard to follow just because that is unfamiliar wording, yet she did a good job of providing definitions through other conversations. I do think that added a lot of authenticity to the story, so I definitely think it needed to be there.

This was a historical suspense book that contained several surprises that I did not see coming. There was a bit of romance, but that was definitely not the point of the plot. I loved the theme of looking out for others who could not help themselves.

Thank you to Barbour for letting me read a copy of this book through NetGalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions are my own.

This is a very well written book! I enjoy historical fiction, Griep writes likable characters and plots that are well thought out. I was cheering for both characters!

This was such a good book. Kit and Jackson quickly became two of my favorite characters. While he is trying to figure her out, she is absolutely doing some of what he believes she is.

It was fun to join in the journey and excitement with these two. I loved seeing the ‘other’ side of London along with the flash and fancy. Overall it was a fun and exciting journey that I enjoyed immensely.

It was a 5/5 for me.

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book via Celebrate Lit. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Despite the clever plot, I struggled with this one. Perhaps it was the themes, there is certainly a lot going on to keep track of, and normally I really love the uniqueness of Griep’s stories.

Considering the rich cockney slang, and the masterful grasp of the darker side of Victorian London, the occasional use of Americanisms threw me off kilter.

As the story draws towards the end, it certainly accelerates in an exciting pace, and I thought the conclusion very well put together.

Others will love this story, especially if you love a good crime & mystery set in this era.

Constable Jackson Forge must find a local cab driver who has gone missing or risk losing his new job. It seems like the only way he can find him is if he enlists Kit Turner's help. Kit is a little bit like Robin Hood. Kit and her crew find ways to con the rich, so they can give to the poor. Kit agrees to help Jackson if he returns a sentimental item that he has of hers in his possession.

This book started off good for me, but unfortunately, I started to lose interest as the plot line continued and became too fantastical for me to believe. I found the connections between characters at the end of the book also to be too farfetched to appear believable. I would have preferred more of a suspense tale without the romance squeezed into the story. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

I absolutely loved this book. Love the characters, the story, and the history surrounding everything. Love the books that make you smile and teach you bits about the time. Especially loved the glossary at the end explaining the time.

The Thief of Blackfriars Lane. By Michelle Griep. 2021. Barbour Books (ARC eBooks).

Rookie constable Jackson Forge’s first assignment is finding a missing cabby. His investigation barely starts before he gets entangled with a street-smart swindling young lady, Kit Turner. Jackson must solve the case or risk dismissal. Kit must help Jackson or risk him arresting her as a thief. She also has a personal reason to learn the outcome of the cabby. Together the two come to support and encourage each other as they canvas London and take on all kinds of characters in the city’s underworld. The Thief of Blackfriars Lane is an entertaining Victorian mystery intertwined with sweet romance and elements of faith. And what a great cover!

Squeaky clean and will appeal to a broad audience. This book has danger, suspense, and even a budding romance in old-time England. Though the story would have been awesome as a victorian era steampunk novel, I don't think much else can be approved upon. AND if you don't like romance, or worried about a younger rabid reader holding it in their hands, don't worry, the romance is not front and center. NO swear words no nothing. I look forward to reading more by this author.

I loved how unique this historical fiction was! The heroine was something else, I love hoe Michelle made her character work! She's like a more modern Robin Hood. This is an excellent story to pick up and enjoy!