Queen of Diamonds

This is Book 3 of a trilogy, which can be read as a stand-alone novel, and is based on the leader of a notorious gang of shoplifters, Alice Diamond of the Forty Thieves. She was inspired by the first Queen of Thieves, a daring girl from the London slums of the 1880s named Mary Carr.

London, 1900. The story begins with Lady Harcourt venturing into the dangerous alleyways of Seven Dials, despite warnings to avoid the area. As an artist, her curiosity wins out, leading her to explore the lives of ordinary people, whom she captures in her sketches.

In Seven Dials, while watching her brother play at the fountain, Mary notices a lady in a fancy dress. The woman offers Mary a coin and asks her to show her around. This encounter sets Mary on a new path. She begins posing in ragged clothes for Lady Harcourt and later, secretly, for her husband. Mary is a quick learner and observes how people treat her differently when she wears fine clothing. This realization sparks an idea.

Alice grew up in Seven Dials, where stealing comes naturally as a means of survival. She has no interest in toiling in a factory. Instead, she prefers to “liberate” fine items from people’s pockets or counters at posh shops. It’s there that she meets an accomplice, Kate Felix. With her refined accent and her own gang of the Forty Thieves, Alice is exceptionally skilled at what she does. But it only takes one man to distract one of them, leading to dire consequences.

The sharp and engaging prose makes the story fast-paced, and there is a surprising moment when the connection between the two protagonists is revealed. The novel also vividly portrays the grim reality of London’s poor neighborhoods, evoking sympathy for the girls who long for a better life. It also highlights the attitudes of the privileged, who often look down on the less fortunate as if they were mere obstacles to be crushed.

At the forefront of the story is a gang of women who take charge of their lives, but beneath this façade lie deeper issues, including incarceration—in both jails and mental institutions. The narrative delves into the psychological toll of separation, exploring how isolation can exacerbate anxiety and lead to further mental damage. The story touches on real and timeless themes with remarkable depth.

Queen of Diamonds is a must-read. It challenges readers to weigh two sides of ethical dilemmas: those who steal without remorse and those who dismiss others with cruelty and a lack of empathy. While the story may seem superficial on the surface, it delves deeply into societal issues, making it a powerful and thought-provoking read.