by Beezy Marsh
First published 2023
London, 1946. The city crawls back from the Blitz while families scrape by on rations and desperation. Alice Diamond commands her crew of female thieves with diamond rings that double as weapons and a razor she knows how to use. Her hoisters strip luxury goods from department stores and boutiques, turning stolen silk and jewels into survival money. Pregnant teenager Nell flees the slums when Alice offers her protection and purpose. The underworld glitters with stolen riches, but Alice plans to use Nell as a pawn against rival crime boss Billy Sullivan. Nell discovers her own appetite for power and revenge. She plays both Alice and Billy while learning their secrets and weaknesses. The more they try to control her, the stronger her desire for vengeance grows. Nell must decide whether to remain a useful tool or seize control of the criminal empire herself.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, power-dynamics, revenge
Setting: London
Period: 1946
342 pages · Kindle Edition · William Morrow Paperbacks
Content warnings: violence