“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!”

“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.”

“So compulsively readable, the pages seem to whizz past by themselves.”

“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.”

“[An] impressive debut…Fans of intelligent historical fiction will be eager to see what Bledsoe does next.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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!”

“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.”

“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!”

“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.”