Queens of London A novel

Alice Diamond, aka Diamond Annie, is the leader of Britain's first all-female gang, the Forty Elephants. Robbing department stores is their main gig, but Alice wants to do more for her girls to protect them. She begins to plan the biggest heist she's yet to pull off. Lilian Wyles is a female detective seeking a big break in order to be taken seriously as an officer, and she sets her sights on arresting Alice. The problem is, Alice mostly keeps her hands clean, and then she helps Lilian out of a dangerous situation. Lilian knows that bringing Alice in would be the beginning of her career, but can she do that now that Alice has potentially saved her life? Hira, a young orphan girl, comes between Alice and Lilian, fighting her options of working for Alice on the streets or turning to Lilian for help. With engaging characters and strong women protagonists, Webb's page-turning historical work speaks to the challenges that women faced in the 1920s and the fortitude they needed in order to succeed in society led by men.