POOR GIRLS.

 

POOR GIRLS by CLARE WHITFIELD.

Genre ... Historical fiction/crime

Publication Date ... 5th June 2025

Publisher ... Aries Fiction at Head of Zeus

Estimated Page Count ... 400

Standalone Novel

Publisher Content Warning ... Crime, violence, murderPre-order Link ... https://geni.us/poorgirlspb

Don't get angry.

Get rich.

 

1922. Twenty-four-year-old Eleanor Mackridge is horrified by the future mapped out for her - to serve the upper classes or find a husband. During the war, she found freedom in joining the workforce at home, but now women are being put back in their place.

 

Until Eleanor crosses paths with a member of the notorious female-led gang the Forty Elephants: bold women who wear diamonds and fur, drink champagne and gin, who take what they want without asking. Now, she sees a new future for herself: she can serve, marry - or steal.

 

After all, men will only let you down. Diamonds are forever.

 

In Poor Girls, Clare Whitfield exposes the criminal underbelly of 1920s London - but this isn't a morality tale, it's an adventure for the willingly wicked.

Not having come across the Forty Elephants before {yes, this all female criminal gang apparently well known for their shop lifting skills did actually exist} I was so intrigued to read this novel.
An incredibly refreshing read in so much as it realistically brought to life the realities for many not just women but poor women living at this time in history.
Peopled by an eclectic, well thought through bunch of characters; main character Eleanor {aka Nell} standing beautifully apart from her fellow group members curtesy of her not being from a 'criminal family', bringing an interesting and much welcomed further dimension to the story ... alas its a shame that despite all of this I somehow or other found myself unable to connect with any of them as much as I'd have liked to.
Surprisingly witty in parts, rather amusingly I was put in mind of the 'artful dodger' by this group of women who taught Nell everything she needed to know when it came to being a member of the gang. Essentially I found Poor Girls an enjoyable enough read though one that could have been shorter as, after a great start I found myself, becoming rather, rather ambivalent come the latter half... as with the characters I can't quite pinpoint why this was though.

Clare Whitfield was born in 1978 in Morden (at the bottom of the Northern line) in Greater London. After university she worked at a publishing company before going on to hold various positions in buying and marketing. She now lives in Hampshire with her family. Her debut novel, People of Abandoned Character, won the Goldsboro Glass Bell Award and is also published by Head of Zeus.

https://x.com/whitfield_rileyhttps://www.instagram.com/clarewhitfieldauthor/https://bsky.app/profile/clarewhitauthor.bsky.social

With thanks to Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for organising a paper copy. One of several bloggers participating in the Blog Tour/Book Birthday Blitz of this book, agree or disagree with me, all opinions are my own; no financial compensation was asked for nor given; threats of violence towards my favourite teddy bear went unheeded as did promises of chocolate.

As well as on Pen and Paper this review {or links to it} has been shared on my personal FB page, other book sites on FB, Pinterest, GoodReads and Waterstones.

READ FOR THE 52 BOOK CLUB'S 2025 READING CHALLENGE.{Information here}
Book 28/52. PROMPT 43: EXPLORES SOCIAL CLASS.
Other Prompts It Might Have Been Used For ...Prompt 13: Title Of 10 Letters Or LessPrompt 22: Found Family TropePrompt 33: A Standalone NovelPrompt 47: 'I Think It Was Blue'Prompt 51: 300 - 400 Pages LongPrompt 52: Published In 2025

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{ROY & ROSCOE # 7}: NOT MY VALENTINE.

NOT MY VALENTINE by TONY BASSETT.

Genre ... Crime fiction

Publication Date ... 18th March 2025

Estimated Page Count ... 275

Standalone 7th Book in the Detectives Roy and Roscoe series

Purchase Link ... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F1YTLKNV/

 The most romantic day of the year turns into a nightmare…

Having returned from a date with her new boyfriend, Lydia is fatally attacked in her home. A burglary gone wrong or a planned assault?

Detectives from Heart of England Police investigate and try to find out more about the victim. She was much loved by family and colleagues. But maybe someone loved her too much.

Attention turns to Lydia’s boyfriend, Roman, when it transpires that he is the son of a local crime boss known to associate with the feared West Side Gang.

DS Sunita Roy believes he is hiding something, but will have to tread carefully – the criminals have connections in the force.

Despite having strong intuition, Roy is struggling. There is something missing from the picture and it could be a secret taken to the grave.

Having read books 1 and 5 {Murder On Oxford Lane and Heir To Murder}, a series I have dipped in and out of. Whilst there will of course always be those readers who prefer to read a series in order from the beginning, personally speaking, the fact that I haven't done so hasn't had any detrimental effect on my enjoyment of the books.
Faster paced than the previous books, the concept of a romantic meal on the most romantic night of the year turning into something of a murder mystery something that intrigued me.
DS Sunita Roy, a character who has come into her own throughout the books, never fails to impress, her intuition, tenacity and sheer determination making for exactly the strong, feisty female characters that I really enjoy.
Overall I thought Not My Valentine a strong addition to the series. The fact that between the main case there is also a cold case to be solved, well executed.

Tony Bassett is a former journalist who worked on regional and national newspapers in Britain for more than 40 years. He mainly reported on crime, show business, human interest and consumer topics. Now retired, he writes crime fiction.
Tony is best known for his series of novels set in the West Midlands featuring Detective Chief Inspector Gavin Roscoe, an experienced detective and family man, and his sergeant, law graduate and resourceful problem-solver Sunita Roy.

The latest novel (Book 7) concerns a glamorous blonde managing director’s secretary, Lydia Squires, who is planning to settle down with the man of her dreams after a whirlwind romance.

Tragically, her life is cut short on Valentine’s night by a brutal killer. Detectives Gavin Roscoe and Sunita Roy discover Lydia – also a part-time singer - was being stalked by an obsessed work colleague.

Could this man have slaughtered Lydia in a jealous rage or were other, more ruthless forces at work?

The fifth book in the series, Heir To Murder, was judged first in the Mystery and Suspense (Police Procedurals) category in the American Fiction Awards in June 2024.

The other titles in the collection (all published by The Book Folks) are: Murder On Oxford Lane, The Crossbow Stalker, Murder Of A Doctor, Out for Revenge and It Never Rains.

Tony has in addition written a stand-alone thriller Seat 97, about a man shot dead at a London concert hall, which was published by The Book Folks, while two further works (the crime novel Smile Of The Stowaway and the spy novel The Lazarus Charter) were published by The Conrad Press.

Tony first developed a love of writing at the age of nine when he produced a junior school magazine. A few years later, his local vicar in Tunbridge Wells, Kent staged his play about the Biblical story of Naboth's Vineyard.

At Hull University, Tony was judged Time-Life Magazine student journalist of the year in 1971.

Tony, who has five grown-up children, is a Life Member of the National Union of Journalists. He lives in South-East London with his partner Lin.

https://www.facebook.com/tony.bassett.92505Twitter/X ... https://x.com/tonybassett1Instagram ... tonybassettauthorTony’s website ... https://tonybassettauthor.com

With thanks to Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for organising a paper copy. One of several bloggers participating in the Blog Tour/Book Birthday Blitz of this book, agree or disagree with me, all opinions are my own; no financial compensation was asked for nor given; threats of violence towards my favourite teddy bear went unheeded as did promises of chocolate.

As well as on Pen and Paper this review {or links to it} has been shared on my personal FB page, other book sites on FB, Pinterest and GoodReads.

READ FOR THE 52 BOOK CLUB'S 2025 READING CHALLENGE.{Information here}Book 24/52. PROMPT 4: STARTS WITH AN 'N'.
Other Prompts It Might Have Been Used For ...Prompt 19: Has short chaptersPrompt 8: Set in winterPrompt 52: Published in 2025

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Take a few minutes to check out their newest post and leaving a comment, you’ll instantly put a smile on their face.
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The next time you see their post pop up on your feed, hit the like button, leave a comment, or even share it with your followers. It’ll defiantly make their day.