The Queen of Fives is a historical fiction story of intrigue and deception, centered on a tense game of cat and mouse. It follows Quinn Le Blanc, a 26-year-old swindler embarking on her most ambitious scheme yet: targeting an eligible duke from a wealthy, secretive family. As Quinn maneuvers through her game, it becomes clear that not everything is as it seems, and a secret adversary is intent on derailing her plans.

While I found the premise intriguing, the execution fell short for me. The plot twists were cleverly constructed and kept me guessing, but the story leaned heavily on plot over character development. Despite learning about the characters’ secrets and pasts, they felt one-dimensional, and I struggled to connect with them. This made it difficult to care about their successes, failures, or even survival. Additionally, while the plot is engaging, the pacing felt slow at times, lacking the momentum needed to fully pull me in.

In the end, the concept had great potential, but the lack of emotional depth in the characters dulled the impact.

This will likely be a good fit for someone, but it wasn't a great fit for me. I wanted to enjoy it a lot more than I actually did. I ended up DNFing it at 42% through, because I realized I just wasn't enjoying it.

The story started off well, and there were quite a few points throughout the book where I WAS invested and wanted to know what would happen. Tor, for example, was interesting to me - but I found Quinn ridiculous. Most of the characters, Tor included, felt flat to me, and I couldn't quite decide if it was because I just wasn't vibing with the story (although the setting and premise is interesting), or if they really were totally flat. None had any motivation aside from 'money'. Additionally, the story just felt so slow. I wanted to know what would happen, but parts of it were so silly that I felt like no matter what the ending would be lackluster, and I wasn't sure I could navigate my way all the way through.

This is all to say that this would be a FANTASTIC choice for someone looking for a heist novel featuring female protagonists and morally grey characters. There were parts that I wasn't sure I quite understood (and parts that I actually really do want to know the ending of), but most of it made me feel a little sleepy and a longing to be the kind of reader that enjoyed this. Alas, though, I am not the kind of reader that enjoyed this, so I am relinquishing it to someone else, someone who might enjoy it more.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! There were so many twists and turns but I had a great time following them, and certain reveals were perfectly executed. I do wish some of the rules of the game were explained better (and maybe some more about Lillian?) to help my own understanding, but it's still an excellent read.

Absolutely loved this one! Alex Hay's first book was amazing and this was just as good! Loved the plotting, world-building, clever characters, and twists and turns. Would definitely recommend this for fans of period fiction like Bridgerton or Earls Trip, as well as general fans of Victorian literature. Love a heist plot and hope we have more of Quinn and company in the future.

The Queen of Fives is a historical fiction cat and mouse game. The story follows Quinn Le Blanc in her most high stakes game yet. The 26 year old swindler has set her mark on an eligible duke from a rich, reclusive family known not to follow social norms. As Quinn plays the game, it becomes clear all is not what it seems and someone is attempting to thwart her every move.

I thought the book was rather interesting. The plot twists were well thought out and I wasn't sure what to expect next as the story progressed. The book is rather plot driven, but I wouldn't call this a fast paced book. The characters felt quite flat, even as we gained insight into their secrets and their pasts, they didn't feel well hashed out. I wanted to care about if characters succeeded or not, or even just survived but I didn't. I felt no connection to any of them. The idea was there, but the execution missed the mark for me.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found that after a bit I just didn’t really care if she was able to carry out the grift or not. I did enjoy how they had spies and contacts everywhere. Even one that was pretty shocking.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for this arc.


I enjoyed Hay's first book "The Housekeepers" and eagerly requested this arc. I was thrilled when I got it. But sadly this one is just not catching my attention, I don't like any of the characters, and it's too slow. It also doesn't feel period to me. A heist book with a five day expiration date ought to take off at a gallop, grab the reader's attention, and not let go. After slogging through a third of this one, I'm bored and not willing to put more time into it. DNF

The Queen of Fives was a bit of a genre-bending book- a little bit mystery, suspense, historical fiction, and fantastical.

Set in London in 1898, Quinn Le Blanc has five days to pull off an extraordinary heist, conning one of the most wealthy families in England. The story take place over five days, as each section of the "rulebook" or the "game" that Quinn is entangled in unfolds. The book was unique and fun, and while I would say there were parts that dragged a bit, the last quarter was especially exciting. I could definitely picture this being brought to life on the big screen. It was a perfect book to read over the Christmas break, and now I'm curious to check out the author's previous debut novel.

Possibly 3.5 stars (but still rounded down to 3). I enjoyed this book overall, especially seeing how Quinn sets in motion her 5-day con and all the elements of it coming together (or falling apart). The multiple points of view from Quinn, Mr. Silk, the Kendal family, and others were interesting and added to the suspense. The history of the Chateau/Queens of Fives and the reason why all the cons had to be only 5 days was slightly less clear, though. The goal purportedly was serving justice against bad actors, but it was also a game for them to do it only in 5 days and without deviations from the set plan--which seems counterproductive to the ultimate goal. My main issue with the story was that it seemed confusing tonally -- it started off as somewhat of a lighthearted mystery, but ultimately was a pretty dark and twisted story. It certainly kept me hooked throughout, but from one page to the next I wasn't sure what to expect (not always in a good way).

Thank you to Graydon House for providing an ARC for review!

The Queen of Fives by Alex Hay is a captivating and intricate tale of deceit and manipulation, where the lines between truth and falsehood, wealth and poverty, are blurred. This novel is a true delight from beginning to end, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. I found myself completely engrossed in the story, unable to set it down.

Quinn Le Blanc, a master of confidence games, is about to embark on another meticulously planned con. With only five steps and five days to win, she must execute her plan flawlessly. Recent cons have fallen short, but this one promises to be a resounding success.

Quinn’s target is an old-money family, and she has found her mark. Now, she must execute the second step: the intrusion. This is where she will become an enviable woman, sweeping her way into the inner circle of the Kendal family. To achieve this, she has chosen a duke as her mark and will approach the situation with great pomp and circumstance, seeking as much attention as possible. After all, the clock is ticking.

Prepare to be astounded by the unexpected turn of events in this captivating plot set within the Victorian era. The interplay of love and wealth blurs the distinctions between the two, creating a narrative that is both suspenseful and intellectually stimulating. This literary work boasts a cast of intriguing characters, offers multiple viewpoints, and presents a compelling storyline. It was very easy to get lost in the story and the timeline of five days made the story all that more exciting. I do look forward to seeing what Alex Hay has to offer in his next book.

Many thanks to Graydon House and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

"The Queen of Fives" is a masterful piece of historical fiction that completely blindsided me with its intricate plot twists and turns. Alex Hay has crafted something truly unique - a Victorian-era confidence game that kept me guessing until the very last page. I've read my fair share of historical mysteries and con artist tales, but this was unlike anything I've ever encountered.

The story follows Quinn le Blanc, a fascinating and complex protagonist whose schemes within schemes had me constantly questioning what was real and what was merely another layer of deception. Just when I thought I had figured out where the story was heading, Hay would pull the rug out from under me with another brilliant misdirection. The way the five movements of the con are woven throughout the narrative is simply genius.

What truly sets this book apart is how it manages to be both a thrilling confidence game and a deep exploration of human nature. The Kendal family members are far more than mere marks - they're fully realized characters with their own secrets and motivations. The period details of 1890s London high society are impeccably researched and bring the setting vividly to life without ever bogging down the pace.

The romantic elements are perfectly balanced with the suspense, creating genuine emotional stakes that had me invested in not just the outcome of the con, but the fates of all the characters involved. This is one of those rare books that manages to be both intellectually stimulating and emotionally satisfying.

I couldn't put it down and I'm still thinking about it days later. Five stars doesn't seem like enough - this one deserves all the accolades it's sure to receive.

I read The Housewives prevously by this author and I liked it. But this book really was a rollercoaster. It had twists upon twists but it kind of lost it in the last half. I think it tried to do too much and was lost in execution.

It was a quick historical read with some pretty good twists. The plot was quite interesting and it felt like a murder mystery set in Victorian London, but the only problem were the characters. I genuinely felt no interest or connection to the characters, their motivations and interests were quite boring, and unfortunately I just did not care for any of them. Overall it was a simply an okay read.

good and well written sotry about a very effective con artist and an awesomely done tale. 4 stars. tysm for thea rc.

This is a fun quick twisty read that has a good sense of place and an intriguing premise and plot. The twistiness of it combined with the historical setting made it especially unusual.

This book is unlike any I've read before, though admittedly I don't read a lot of historical mysteries. The story was unique and interesting, there were several mysteries throughout the book that kept me guessing. While I wouldn't call it humorous, it has a clever wit about it and it reads like an elevated cozy mystery at times.
The characters are well-developed and I could see this being a six-part mini series.

This is a fun tale in historic London. A fun game to put all of the pieces together. This fell a little flat for me as I wasn't that invested in the characters, but it was a quick read..
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

This was a very quick read. Quinn is a con artist who hopes to marry a Duke from one of England's wealthiest families. This was an interesting read taking place in London in the 1800s. I was invested in the characters and the many twists this book kept having. However, it did move a bit slow at times and I feel like there were parts of the book that weren't needed to add to the overall story.

First there’s the chateau, sitting unobtrusively in Spitalfields, belying the happenings inside. Then there’s Quinn, the current Queen of Fives. Next comes her steward, Silk, his job to ensure the games are played by The Rule Book. And the games, you might ask? Elaborate confidence tricks in which no expense is spared. But lately Quinn senses her usual marks are being thwarted and she’s racking up debts. Quinn must up the ante. Her new mark is the wealthiest man in the country. Someone so far out of reach, he is untouchable. But all does not go quite as planned, as Quinn is about to find out.

This novel is such rip-roaring good fun, as Hay pulls in backstory and cons to con the people who are doing the conning. The story moves along at a fast clip, whilst being well-paced enough not to have the reader skipping things in breathless anticipation. I did figure out the villain by about half way through, but it was based on one particular sentence, and a reader has to assume that Hay placed that sentence there deliberately. This is a terrific follow up to The Housekeepers, appealing to readers who enjoy complex puzzle mysteries with enigmatic characters who are definitely not your usual run-of-the-mill folk. Highly recommended, tremendously enjoyable escapism, and bravo Mr. Hay. We’d like more please.