Queen of Diamonds: A Gritty Historical Crime Novel Set in the Roaring Twenties, Uncover Alice’s Rise to the Top and the Sacrifices She Made to Get There! (Queen of Thieves, 3)

Two poverty-stricken women run gangs of shoplifters in London, one operating at the end of the nineteenth century, the other twenty-five years later. Initially, they both enjoy a measure of success. Dressed in fine clothes and speaking with upper-class accents, they saunter through London’s best stores, filching whatever takes their fancy. Eventually, however, they fall foul of the law and spend time in prison. The story vividly describes the appalling poverty of the slums they are trying to escape so desperately, although the occasional use of modern slang (sarnie, threads) mars the narrative. It also captures to great effect their ingenious thieving tricks and the soul-destroying jobs (sewing, bottling) they are obliged to resort to when times are tough. What will most intrigue the reader, though, are the links between the two gang leaders. The author skillfully reveals the connections that bridge the quarter-century divide, and while the reader may have some inkling beforehand, the actual telling will still fascinate. Queen of Diamonds is an engrossing and informative story of social injustice, and of the downtrodden woman who fight against the odds, take extraordinary risks, and suffer dire consequences.