Publishers Weekly
06/27/2022
Bledsoe’s impressive debut draws on the true story of an all-female gang of thieves that operated in London from the late 19th century until the 1950s. Alice Diamond supports her family in 1920 by working two jobs. By day, she’s a maid in the household of actor Pearl King, and by night, she serves cocktails at the 43 Club. Both positions are covers for larceny; Diamond is scheming to break into the Kings’ safe, and she uses her looks to distract patrons of the club while she picks their pockets. Her life changes when her former best friend, Maggie Hill, shows up at the club, and the Forty Elephants, a theft ring comprising entirely women and which counts Maggie as a member, invites Diamond to join. She refuses, despite their promise of steady work and income, until her ne’er-do-well brother, Tommy, runs afoul of the vicious McDonald brothers, whom he stole from to get the funds to bribe a judge to spring Diamond and Tommy’s father from prison. Diamond then joins the Forty Elephants, ostensibly on a temporary basis to help Tommy, while also trying to rescue Pearl from her abusive spouse. Bledsoe evokes the feel of the mean streets of London, and the desperation of those living there. Fans of intelligent historical fiction will be eager to see what Bledsoe does next. Agent: Carrie Pestritto, Laura Dail Literary. (Aug.)
USA Today bestselling author of The Social Graces Renée Rosen
On the very first page, I was transported to the gritty and dangerous streets of 1920s London. Fierce protector of her family and her turf, Alice Diamond is one tough broad, made even more intimidating when she joins forces with a band of female pickpockets. Fans of first-rate historical fiction will love this book.”
Mystery Scene
Alice’s story effectively explores themes of loyalty, crime, and the tug-of-war between dignity and survival that women struggled with in the 1920s…Readers will be pulled into the story and a world that is very different from our own—and in other ways, all too similar.”
author of the Henrietta and Inspector Howard serie Michelle Cox
Get ready for a ride! The Forty Elephants is a riveting page-turner; I was hooked from page one. Bledsoe’s dialogue shimmers, and her description of 1920s London is spot-on. Swiftly paced with an unique plot, this book was unputdownable. Highly recommended!”
bestselling author of The Last Queen and Mademoise C. W. Gortner
From the underworld of London to high-stakes heists in the city’s most glamorous shops, Erin Bledsoe weaves a mesmerizing spell of a novel around women in the 1920s taking back their power, with style and verve. You’ll fall head over heels with her tale of theft, hope, revenge, and daring, and with her ladies of the Forty Elephants.”
New York Times bestselling author of The Second Mr Shana Abé
A gritty exploration of the story behind one of England’s most infamous gangs and its leader, Alice Diamond. The Forty Elephants were clever, successful, and all-female—a ring of thieves so polished they appeared unstoppable. Bledsoe’s debut novel brims with verve, bringing to life the intricate cobweb of criminal relationships comprising London’s 1920s underbelly, deftly taking the reader along on Alice’s harrowing, and ultimately triumphant, journey to the top.”
Historical Novels Review
If you have a weakness for lawless female characters, as I do, then this is the book for you. The Forty Elephants was my first beach read of the season, and I got a sunburn because I was so engrossed…The book is written in a terse, hard-boiled style that suits the story perfectly. The tension is nonstop, and, while you might not want to have Alice over to your house for tea, you would surely want her at your side in a battle.”
New York Times bestselling author of the Pink Carn Lauren Willig
Forget the gangster and his moll; in the world of The Forty Elephants, it’s the women wielding the weapons and the power. Erin Bledsoe brings the gritty underworld of 1920s London to life with the true story of Alice Diamond and her band of female thieves, showing the triumphs and the tolls of a life of crime. If you ever wished Boardwalk Empire had stronger women—and British accents—this is the book for you!”
award-winning author of Bitter Greens and The Crim Kate Forsyth
So compulsively readable, the pages seem to whizz past by themselves.”
San Francisco Book Review (5 stars)
Bledsoe has spun a fascinating novel about crime in 1920s England, which is based on real people…The book delighted me. Alice is a sharp-edged heroine who can hold her own, and the secondary characters all felt alive and vibrant…This story is electric, and I wanted nothing more than what it offered.”
Booklist
Alice is a protagonist with her fair share of vices, but readers will find themselves rooting for her from the edge of their seats, waiting to see if she and her friends can pull off their biggest job yet.”
award-winning author of Between Earth and Sky Amanda Skenandore
The Forty Elephants is a dazzling read from start to finish. Despite her hard edges, Alice Diamond is an unforgettable heroine you can’t help but love. Full of unexpected twists and turns, her story will not only delight and surprise you but touch your heart as well. Bledsoe delivers with this rich and daring debut!”
award-winning author of Between the Earth and Sky Amanda Skenandore
The Forty Elephants is a dazzling read from start to finish. Despite her hard edges, Alice Diamond is an unforgettable heroine you can’t help but love. Full of unexpected twists and turns, her story will not only delight and surprise you but touch your heart as well. Bledsoe delivers with this rich and daring debut!”
NOVEMBER 2022 - AudioFile
Based on the true story of a gang of female shoplifters in 1920s London, this audiobook fictionalizes the criminal success of gang leader Alice Diamond, who rose from poverty to power and luxury. Hannah Curtis portrays Alice’s bold audacity in a slightly gritty London accent and provides colorful characterizations of members of her gang. Curtis does well in depicting the tension and violence inherent in the dealings the women had with the men of rival gangs. The storytelling is crisp and clear, but the well-written action would have been better served by a faster pace. When Alice becomes determined to take over the illustrious Forty Elephants gang, she risks not only her family’s reputation, but also the lives of the women in her circle. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
