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My January book of the month review is Queen of Thieves an electrifying historical adventure about a ring of bold and resourceful women thieves in post-World War II London.
Goodreads Description:
Gangland was a man’s world. Or so they thought. The women knew differently.
London, 1946. The city struggles to rebuild itself after the devastation of the Blitz. Food is rationed, good jobs are scarce, and even the most honest families are forced to take a bit of “crooked” just to survive. Alice Diamond, the Queen of Thieves, rules over her all-female gang with a bejeweled fist. Her “hoisters” are expert shoplifters, the scourge of London’s upscale boutiques and department stores. Their lucrative business of stealing and fencing luxury goods always carries the threat of violence; Alice packs a razor and has been known to use her heavy rows of diamond rings like brass knuckles.
Young Nell is a teenager from the slums, hiding a secret pregnancy and facing a desperately uncertain future when Alice takes her under her wing. Before long, Nell is experiencing all the dangers–and glamourous trappings–that come with this underworld existence. Alice wants Nell to be a useful weapon in her ongoing war against crime boss Billy Sullivan’s gang of rival thieves. But Nell has a hidden agenda of her own and is not to be underestimated. The more she is manipulated by both Alice and Billy, the more her hunger for revenge grows. As Nell embraces the rich spoils of crime and the seedy underbelly of London, will she manage to carve out her own path to power and riches? Might she even crown herself the Queen of Thieves?
My Review
I typically reach for the thrillers or mysteries when I’m picking from Book Of The Month’s selection. Historical fiction is a genre I never thought to tap into, which honestly is stupid on my part. I loved history class in school. It was honestly the only subject I really excelled in. My dad was a huge history buff also. We were the ones that enjoyed going to a museum during vacation. I’m glad I went out of my comfort zone and picked this book for this month’s subscription selection.
The fact that this book is based on a real person and gang back in the day makes it that much more interesting. Alice Diamond with her Forty Thieves. This book is perfect for any history buff, women’s power vibes, or based on true story readers. The author writes as if you are taken back in time through the story. The broken, old-time English can be a shock at first but you get used to it the more you go.
Nell is a perfect representation of a woman who knows what she wants and fights for it, no matter what game she has to play. You follow her through uncertain times, growth, revenge, and love along the way to becoming what she craves, the Queen of Thieves. I hope Beezy Marsh brings in a sequel. I would love to see Alice and Nell face off more for the Queen of Thieves title or her life after Jimmy becomes free. It may be a long shot but a girl can hope. For now, I’ll just dream of how the story continues.
Overall I give the Queen of Thieves five starts.
Find your copy here: https://shopstyle.it/l/bSjdz
Join the Book of the Month Club here: https://www.mybotm.com/qk4lt1ekmrl
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