It is one escapade after another in Michelle Griep's latest "The Thief of Blackfriar's Lane"! I have only read one other book by Michelle but enjoyed it so I figured I'd like this one too.

I found Kit and Jackson to be likable characters and I enjoyed their romance. She is a "thief" similar to Robin Hood and he is a rookie constable in Victorian London who always tries to do the right thing. They have lots of adventures together and he is an upright man who wants to protect Kit through it all. I would love to see more books about these two.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book. The differences between the main characters added an extra layer to the book that made the book much more enjoyable. Jackson had a life-changing event in his childhood that makes him see life in black and white. Kit had to grow up fast and learn how to survive on the streets of London. Kit walks on the fence between legal and illegal. Jackson and Kit must work together to find the same missing person. Sparks fly, danger lurks around every corner, lines between right and wrong blur, mystery and intrigue all work together to make an amazing story. I recommend this book to anyone that loves a good mystery and opposites-attract romances.
I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

My favorite thing about this book is the characters. Kit is spunky and independent, as non-conformist as they come. Jackson is straight-laced and loyal, with a heart for justice. They come together with all the sparks you'd imagine. Their banty is witty and fun. A nice romp to read when you need a story to make you smile.

The author did a wonderful job with the verbiage of the time period and descriptions of the way of life during that time. It helped make the story come alive. The storyline is filled with intrigue, suspense, and a chase through 1885 London's underground into a world of treachery and crime.

The main character, Jackson (a constable) goes on an adventure to capture whoever is behind the crime of some important missing men. What he finds is something more than he bargained for. He is led on a chase when he partners up with Kit, a woman with ties to the underground, but is a version of Robin Hood helping the poor.

The characters were quirky, humorous, going on unexpected adventures fraught with danger. There were lots of twists and turns in the story and times of great courage to do the right thing. A sweet romance starts to grow between Kit and Jackson as they fight for their life. The ending was surprising but wrapped everything up nicely and was an absolutely entertaining and inspirational read. Highly recommended.

I received an ARC and voluntarily choose to review it.

I really enjoyed this story except for the Christian preaching. Thankfully, that was really only in one small section that went heavy into God’s grace (2 or 3 paragraphs) which I ended up just skimming through. This is my first book by this author, so I was not/am not aware if this is her normal fare. The story itself was entertaining and atmospheric. Lots of action and mayhem and a definite spark between Kit and Jackson. I liked that Kit was the more dominant person as the setting of the story was in her stronghold. Jackson, a new and eager police recruit, had to follow Kit’s lead most of the time. This did not mean he was a weak character, not at all. There is a chaste but believable romance that develops between the two main characters. A couple mysteries answered but with the feeling that this is the start of a series. Entertaining!

"The Thief of Blackfriars Lane" by Michelle Griep
Can a story be intense and fun and filled with danger at every turn and still be light and tinged with romance all at the same time? The correct answer is YES. There is nary a moments rest from the action in this historical suspense romance. It was a spell-binding read and I learned a few things too. I am ever so glad I was only in many of the scenes as the reader of a well written story. I look forward to reading other stories by this author. Happy Reading ! ! This is my honest review.
Note: The publisher offered me an ARC of this story, I am so glad I accepted this read.

I was introduced to Michelle Griep when I read Brentwood's Ward that I thorughly enjoyed. So when provided an opportunity to read another of her books, I was interested. The Thief of Blackfriars Lane was very enjoyable and had me engaged from beginning to end. I love the storytelling by the author as she develops her characters in the story. The Hero is a constable trying to meet the praise of his supperiors and the heroine, Kit is a young woman who knows the streets of London. The two are slowly welded together making their love story very nice although there is poverty, sadness and hope that backdrops the lives of the characters.

The characters jumped right off the page and became true to form for this reader. Another well plotted and written story by Ms. Griep.and I recommend this book if you are looking for a clean historical and sweet romance that have page-turning mystery and intrigue.

Thank you to Barbour Publishing for providing this ARC for a fair and honest review. All comments made are my own.

With each book by Michelle Griep, I become more and more impressed. Her latest, The Thief of Blackfriars Lane, completely engulfed me. From the start, I was gripped in the tale of a man striving to make a name for himself as a constable in Victorian London, while a street smart female Robin Hood of sorts leads him on a not so merry chase to solve a devious crime. It’s the perfect set up for constant tension and romance that will hold you captive. I found myself devouring the tale as I fell more in love with the story and characters every step of the way.

If you are looking for clean romance and historical suspense, this book is your ticket. I cannot recommend it highly enough!


I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Well that was an enjoyable read, filled with intrigue, swindles and mad dashes. The Thief of Blackfriars Lane is a fast paced, suspenseful read that mixes hijinks, madness and daring together into the form of one Kit Turner.
I enjoyed the teaming up of thief Kit with law abiding Constable Forge, and seeing how they worked together and learned from each other. The pacing was great, thought the beginning was a bit tricky to get into, but once past those first few chapters the story really opened up into a adventurous mystery packed with double crossers and unexpected villains.

Michelle Grief did an amazing job taking us back to a historical time. This book is based on love and hate relationship where both characters must learned to trust in a way they never thought possible!

What a wonderful adventure, Michelle Griep takes us on, through the underbelly and darkened ally’s of London. Thievery is as common as meat pies, how does one come out unscathed? This story has so many twists and turns, mystery, suspense and intrigue. The main characters are constantly getting into one skiff or another, but very well executed. The historical aspects are very interesting and you really don’t want to put it down. The characters are strong and engaging. The draw between Kit and Jackson is magnetic. Their banter and snarky-ness is so fun. The Thief of Blackfriars Lane is a book I would recommend to anyone that enjoys historical, mystery, suspense and romance.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book. This is my honest review..

I adore London. Even though I have never been there. I adore mysteries. I adore historical romance novels that allow me, as the reader, to be taken to a different place and time. I love learning about history through fiction novels. The Thief of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep includes all the elements of a historical mystery that I look forward to reading. I love the idea of a constantable, who is trying to find his detective legs, running around through the underbelly of London, trying to prove himself. As for the heroine, she was brave, resourceful, and a delight to read. The plot showed the side of London that is not glamorized, but I enjoyed it for that reason. Griep’s story twisted and turned, allowing me to keep my attention focused on the storyline. As an avid reader of mysteries, it was an entertaining way to pass the time. The story was well-written. My favorite part was the trek through the tunnels near the underground train stations. As the reader, it was fun to follow the characters through these disgusting tunnels filled with sewage. Overall, The Thief of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep was an engrossing tale of the underdog, and I loved spending time with these characters and the plot.

I received a complimentary copy of The Thief of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep from Barbour Publishing through Celebrate Lit tours, but the opinions stated are all my own.

Kit was left at a foundling hospital with only a medallion that might offer a clue to her parentage. She lives in the Blackfriars, a rough area of London, where she leads a crew of desperate people, young and old. They don’t steal, but if they can make folks believe they are contributing to a worthy cause, so much the better. Kit’s philosophy is “Sketch a careful word picture and the listener will see a full image of his own making.”
Jackson is a naïve, optimistic rookie constable with no idea of the struggle to survive in Blackfriars. He must work with Kit to find a missing cabbie. She fascinates him, and he finds himself stretching his principles.
The story took a while to hook me in. Then it became a page-turner with a wild finish.

Michelle Griep is one of my favourite authors. I really enjoyed this story. Jackson Forge is a naive lawman, with high ideals and a lot of integrity. He encounters a young woman, Kit Turner, whom he judges a thief and resolves to bring her to justice. Through unforeseen circumstances, they find themselves both on the same mission to find a missing man. As Jackson enters Kits world, he begins to see who she really is, and the work she does. While his career as a lawman comes into question, he wrestles with what it means to do the right thing, when it looks a different way.

A very enjoyable read, packed with mystery and suspense.

I am always a huge fan of Michelle Griep - and I've been waiting for this book for-EVER! This time period is one of my top two favorites, and Michelle Griep's historical research and attention to detail never fail to impress.
Although all of her books have elements of mystery, romance, and Christian characters who have some sort of crisis of faith, each story has its own individual elements, twists and turns, and they never get old.

I loved that its our heroine - Kit - who is the rough-and-tumble character this time. She has a heart of gold, and serves as a sort of Robin Hood to the denizens of Blackfriars Lane. But it seems to Kit that she's just trying to pick up the pieces where it seems God is turning a blind eye.
Enter Jackson Forge - newest constable on the force, and out to prove himself worthy of his badge. Despite his efforts to follow the letter of the law, he quickly learns that things aren't always black and white. When he finds himself in trouble, it's Kit he has to rely on. Can his faith teach him to see Kit and her work through God's eyes? And can Jackson's unshakeable faith help Kit find her way back to a God she's come to doubt?

Don't miss this one. Recommended for any fans of historical fiction, historical mysteries, Christian fiction, and especially page-turning adventure.

As I began reading Michelle Griep’s latest novel, I kept envisioning the characters from the movie Zootopia—as circumstances and descriptions kept tugging me that direction, even though I haven’t seen that movie in quite some time.

I DID NOT remember that the author apparently intended it to have that vibe. It definitely comes through very strongly in this novel, but I didn’t care for it at all. I didn’t want to see an animated bunny and a fox in my mind’s eye as the characters—too late. There were too many reminders in the text.

Jackson, our ‘hero’ of the story, is kind of a bumbling idiot. He makes so many mistakes and doesn’t have a clue how to deal with things. An eager young newbie on the force, jumping for the chance to serve out justice. No brooding, intimidating tough guy hero in this story (which was fine; kinda a nice change!). On the flipside, you have Kit, our ‘heroine’, who is tough and capable in her street-smart life, and all things that our hero is not. It made for an interesting pair.

But here’s the thing: I really had no interest in the characters or the story. It fell flat to me, lacking the usual flow and vivid descriptions that I have come to love about how this author writes. The scenes felt rushed and overly simplified.

To be honest, I’m just ready to call it a loss and move on to something else.

I received a complimentary ARC from the publishers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Thief at Blackfriars Lane was such a fun book. It’s about a rookie constable and a swindler that have to learn to work together to solve a missing persons case, and it’s set in 1800s London! Jackson Forge is a new constable who has a lot to prove. He is desperate to prove himself and save London from the criminals threatening it. And maybe to help redeem his own past. Kit Turner is not a thief, but no matter what she says no one will believe that. She’s learned to not trust anyone, not Jackson and especially not God. When they are thrown together, to help solve a missing person cases sparks fly. But they will have to work together if they want to solve and get out of this case alive.
This is actually my first book by Ms. Griep, and I really enjoyed the action packed and romantic tale. There were so many twists and turns, and the mystery just kept up until the very end of the book. The depictions of them going into the darker parts of London were exciting and exhilarating without being too scary. And there was another very important shock at the end of the book that I did not expect at all!
Additionally, the slow burn romance and friendship were adorable. Jackson had to learn how to trust that he has not failed and God is still working things out for good. And Kit definitely helped him realize that where he helped her see that she could only rely on God. I also loved how even in the 1800s of London, Jackson appreciated Kit’s strength and determination. It was sweet to see them banter and learn how to work together. The romance was super clean which is nice because those are hard to find.
I also enjoyed the spiritual side of things. It’s one of the hardest things to let go and trust that God will do His work. Kit and Jackson had to learn that. No matter how hard they tried ultimately, they could only trust that God would do His work. I think that it was well woven through the book, so it fit with the plot as well. I would have loved if Ms. Griep had made sure that Kit understood the fact that she could only truly trust God not even Jackson. But, it was still a lovely character growth that was wonderful to read about. I would definitely recommend this romantic, exciting, and encouraging book!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

Fans of Christian historical romance will not be disappointed with Michelle Griep's new book The Thief Of Blackfriars Lane. This is a delightful action packed adventure that takes place in the Victorian era in London, mostly on the dark or impoverished side of town. Suspenseful yes, while reading I often found myself holding my breath.
When rookie Constable Jackson Forge bumps into Kit Turner, the ringleader of Blackfriar's thieves, he does not realize his life will soon be changed completely.
I so enjoy reading Michelle Griep's novels. When I see one of her books, I do not hesitate to purchase it. I know it will be well written, exciting, often amusing and always clean and well worth the read. I love the way she weaves a thread of Christianity throughout her story. The romance, although not the main part of the story-line, is very well done and quit believable.
I thank Barbour Books for allowing me, through NetGalley, to read this great book. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

What a fun novel! Newly installed Constable Jackson Forge and “orphaned thief” Kit meet in Blackfriars Lane during a scam. As Jackson tries to impress his commander, he seems to bungle each opportunity (and Kit seems to be connected to all of them). As they learn to trust each other they make a surprising crime solving team. I had already figured out one of the twists in the ending, but Griep tied everything up with a lovely bow. The novel focuses on a part of Victorian London not often seen in movies or books (except for Oliver Twist).

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed this book thoroughly. I wish there had been a bit more romance. My biggest complaint was the reveal at the end. I didn’t adore it. I thought it was a bit rushed.