A few years ago I received a copy of The Housekeepers by Alex Hay to review. I really enjoyed the historical heist and the story and characters stuck with me ever since. So I was delighted to be offered Alex’s second book to review, The Queen of Fives. This is the second book I’ve read this year out of my target of 35 books.
The Queen of Fives by Alex Hay
Nothing is quite as it seems in Victorian high society, in the twisty and original new novel from the author of THE HOUSEKEEPERS…
They whisper her name in every corner of town.
The lady with a hundred faces, a thousand lives.
Five moves, five days – for such are the rules of her game.
1898. Quinn Le Blanc, London’s most talented con woman, has five days to pull off the seemingly impossible: trick an eligible duke into marriage and lift a fortune from the richest family in England.
Masquerading as a wealthy debutante, Quinn is the jewel of the season. Her brilliant act opens doors to the grand drawing rooms and lavish balls of high society – and propels her into the inner circle of her target: the corrupt, charismatic Kendals.
But as she spins in and out of their world, Quinn becomes tangled in a dangerous web of love, lies and loyalty. The Kendal family all have secrets of their own, and she may not be the only one playing a game of high deception…
To be honest it took me a few days to get into this story. Initially I felt it was similar to The Housekeepers which put me off a bit. However I soon got into the story and found myself immersed in the world of Quinn Le Blanc.
The story is a real page turner and I loved how the plot developed over the five days. Five days seemed to be a bit far-fetched for a con on such a huge scale, however the Duke had his own issues and didn’t seem to mind too much who he married. Towards the end of the con the story unravels as you realise Quinn is not the only con woman around. Will her plan succeed or will she be thwarted and lose her crown? You’ll have to read the book to find out!
The Queen of Fives was published on the 30th January by Headline. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
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