The Forty Elephants

By: Erin Bledsoe

Narrated by: Hannah Curtis

Peaky Blinders meets Ocean’s 8 in The Forty Elephants, an epic novel set in Roaring Twenties London, based on the real-life, all-female gang of the same name who specialized in crime as high art, targeting posh department stores and elites.

London in the 1920s is no place for a woman with a mind of her own. Gang wars, violence, and an unforgiving world have left pickpocket Alice Diamond scrambling to survive in the Mint, the gritty neighborhood her family has run for generations. When her father goes to jail yet again and her scam artist brother finds himself in debt to the dangerous McDonald crime syndicate, Alice takes over. Fighting for power at every turn, she struggles to protect her father’s territory and keep the people she loves safe from some of London’s most dangerous criminals.

Recruited by the enigmatic Mary Carr, Alice boldly chooses to break her father’s edict against gangs and become part of a group of notorious lady shoplifters, the Forty Elephants. Leaving the Mint behind, she and the other girls steal from the area’s poshest department stores, and for the first time in her life, Alice Diamond tastes success. But it’s not long before she wants more—no matter the cost. And when her past and present collide, there’s no escaping the girl from the Mint.

©2022 Erin Bledsoe (P)2022 Blackstone Publishing

Gangs and more

Interesting story of women pushing for rights. Based on an all women gang in London 1920s.

Great story!

Fascinating story with intriguing characters from London i 1920. Well written and narrated. Highly recommended.

Boring

I found the characters not well developed and the story really boring. I skipped a few chapters and it seems I did not miss anything.

One of the best historical fiction novels

I didn’t realize until I finished the book that this was based on a true story. It was so all encapsulating and really takes you into the story. I was SO invested and absolutely bummed when it ended. I would love to see a sequel that follows down the road of the gang to see what happened later!

Strong Women

I love stories about strong, independent women standing up for themselves. The Forty Elephants had me cheering for Alice as she takes care of her family and leads the gang. The performance was excellent.