Not a true story but loosely based around the exploits of the infamous all women gang of shoplifters, The Forty Elephants, operating around London in the 1920’s.

This is a real romp of a book from start to finish, so buckle up and join Nell, Effie, Charlie and Lily in a story that drips with the glitz and glamour of the 1920’s and oozes with excitement and nerve.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review

Clare Whitfield’s Poor Girls grips you from the very beginning and doesn’t let go until the final twist. The audiobook adds a new layer of immersion to the narrative, making this already captivating story even more engaging.
I really enjoyed Clare Whitfield’s ability to balance suspense with deeper themes of class, gender, and societal expectations makes the story more than just a mystery; it becomes a commentary on the plight of women in society, particularly those on the margins.
The pace of the story is well maintained, with plenty of tension building moments that keep you guessing. Clare Whitfield’s writing is rich with dark, vivid imagery that brings London’s streets to life, making it feel almost like another character in the story. The complex, flawed characters are captivating, especially as their lives intersect with the deadly crimes. The protagonist’s determination to expose the truth, despite personal risk, makes her a compelling and relatable figure.
The narrator’s performance is exceptional and with the ability to switch between different characters’ voices and perspectives really brings the story to life. They capture the grim, gritty mood of the novel perfectly, while also giving each character their own distinct voice and emotional depth. The pacing is spot on, maintaining the tension and mystery while allowing the time to absorb the heavier moments of the plot. The shifts between suspense, fear, and occasional moments of vulnerability are beautifully managed, enhancing the overall experience of the story.
For fans of crime thrillers, true crime vibes, and character-driven mysteries with social commentary, Poor Girls is a must-listen.
Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus Audiobook for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely LOVED this book. It's the first historical fiction book I have listened to and I honestly feel like listening to it just made it feel so real. The narrator did an absolutely fantastic job of telling this story and I was fully immersed in it. I found myself on the edge of my seat at points just waiting to see what happened, other parts I was laughing out loud!

The narrator for this was the same through the whole book and she played all characters and I feel like she did just an amazing job. if you are wondering whether to read or listen to this book I would definitely recommend listening to it.

From start to finish it was so good!

Nell worked in a munitions factory during the war but now she is expected to be grateful serving tea to the upper classes. Not a life she is enjoying. She moves to London and joins the Forty Elephants and learns the art of stealing. She makes a life of money, f3male friends and adventure, but becomes more distant from her family.

Well written and well narrated (I listened to the audiobook). Lots of excellent characters in this well paced novel. Can Nell see a long term future for herself or will she end up in prison? Can she find love and a future in a time of hardships for the majority? Well worth a read, very enjoyable.

I am a big fan of this author's work. Historical fiction is probably one of my favorite genres, and I am lucky enough to follow Claire on her social media so I can see some of her work process. It's exciting to see how books develop. This book was perfect from start to ending. It was fast-paced, with beautifully developed characters, and a brilliant fiction story based on a real story about the real female criminal gang called "the Forty Elephants." In the summary of this book you can read: Twenty-year-old Eleanor Mackridge is upset about the future that is planned for her. When she meets a member of the notorious female-led gang the Forty Elephants, she is impressed by these confident women who wear diamonds and fur, drink champagne and gin, and take what they want without asking. Now, she sees a new future for herself: she can work, marry - or steal. After all, men will only let you down. Diamonds are forever. The characters in this book are truly endearing, and the portrayal of how the gang operates is very intriguing. The author skillfully creates an ambiance that transports you to the London of the 1920s, providing insight into the social and economic situations of women in the post-war era. The author weaves a narrative that delves into the deep desires, fears, and personal struggles of the characters, as well as the strong connection they share with each other, making this book an enjoyable, fast-paced read. I am currently searching for a book signed by the author to add to my collection. I already have two books signed by the same author, and I proudly display them on my bookshelf. I'm really eager to find the third signed book to complete the set. I absolutely admire this author's work and I can't wait for Claire's next book! In this blog, we believe this book deserves a solid five-star rating. 🌟🌟🌟🌟I want to express my gratitude to the publisher and the editorial team for granting me early access to this book. Thank you for this opportunity.

Where to start? I absolutely loved this book, a piece of historical fiction set in the 1920’s taking a real gang and creating some unforgettable fictional characters. The story was highly addictive and I simply couldn’t stop listening, I just had to know what happened to each and every character. The book itself is a fairly fast paced story of a young lady who wants so much more from her current life. Like so many other girls of the time Eleanor has found herself back in a mundane unfulfilling job after having experience the excitement of a job in a munitions factory during World War 1. After finally having enough of her current waitressing job Eleanor heads to London and into a notorious London gang - the Forty Elephants.

The author does a fantastic job of making the characters felt so real and you really get to know them as individuals as well as part of the “cell”. Whilst you probably shouldn’t like the girls due to some of their antics, it’s really hard not to like them. I am sure most who read this book will develop a favourite, I have to say mine was Effie. Her inability to engage her brain before her mouth leads to some great one liners.

The detail in the story is so on point as the author encapsulates the era to perfection, not only with the huge disparity between the classes but also between the sexes. The period details really make you feel like you are transported back to the 1920’s, the attention to detail of clothes, hair and jewellery amongst other things is incredibly atmospheric and all adds to the sense of realism that this novel creates.

I really liked that this was a seamless blend of fiction and non fiction, as whilst the story is fiction the author has used the real gang - The Forty Elephants and real places - I have walked down Cecil Court for instance. There were numerous times where you forget what is real and what is not. This book is 100% an experience.

I listened to the audio version of this story and the narration was one I did enjoy. I have listened to hundreds and hundreds of audiobooks and whilst I haven’t listened to the narrator before I do hope I will in the future. Quite often I have to have narration on 1.2 or 1.5 but this was great on 1. I did struggle a little at first as her differentiation between with girls was only slight but once you have heard each one a few times you could desperate them fairly ok.

Thank you to NetGalley and the head of Zeus audiobooks for this ELC in exchange for an honest review.

It's 1922 and Eleanor has, quite simply, had enough! Having worked hard for her country during the war, in a munitions factory, Eleanor is finding the adjustment back to "normal" society difficult to take. Working as a waitress in a high end hotel in Brighton, Eleanor snaps after one too many high society ladies complains that the cake is dry, the tea is cold, and the sandwiches are stale!

When Eleanor discovers the Forty Elephants, a notorious criminal gang, she realises this is her chance. She can either settle for marriage, or take control of her own destiny and surround herself with luxury, albeit luxury she has to steal!

The characters are great and the story feels like an authentic portrayal of the time, with some wicked humour balancing the slightly depressing options for young women in society.

Fantastic narration by Jenny Bede brought this wonderful characters to life.

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Clare Whitfield and Head of Zeus, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Poor Girls isn’t my usual go to for reads, historical fiction doesn’t always tend to leap out at me but I felt like getting out of my comfort zone a little because I love a mystery thriller. I listened to this as an audiobook, only my second sent to me for review, I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Poor Girls dives into the criminal underbelly of London the 1920s. It’s something I’ve never quite considered how single working class women may have ever been involved in this. Everything I’ve seen on TV and film always focuses around men and honestly found this story absolutely fascinating.

Whitfield captures a great fast paced story following Eleanor Mackridge who joins a notorious female led criminal gang “the forty Elephants”. I found this to be funny, charming and above all else thrilling at the twist and turns. I’m not sure I should have loved the characters in this book given some of the absolutely depraved things they get up to, but you really do feel the eat the rich message the women are living by. A fantastic twist, that honestly I’m not sure I really saw all of this coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and head of Zeus audiobooks for this ELC in exchange for an honest review.

I should have reviewed this sooner as I have listened to it a little while ago now. I was initially drawn in by the cover as all readers are by any good book even if they argue differently. I mostly enjoyed how the characters were written and how this worked so well with the plot. From the blurb I expected the audio to be slightly different in terms of premise but I wasn’t disappointed once I’d started to listen and obviously gotten hooked in.. Poir Girls would be great as a book club read and I kind of wish I’d listened to it with the book club girlies if we had all managed to nav a copy from Net Galley

Historical fiction about a female criminal gang in 1920s London called Forty Elephants. Young Nell has a chance to join the gang.
I listened to this on audiobook. Lots of glamour with the gang along with the hard life in 1920s London.
A very exciting story with friendships among the gang.
Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy

Initially I thought I had sussed this book out, I continued to listen because despite this (false) confidence, I like the way the author writes, making two POV's and timelines easy to follow. Well I did NOT see the twist coming! The ending was satisfying, everything came together well and left me wanting more. My only (very small) criticism is that I feel that the ending could have been expanded on slightly, I would’ve liked to know more about the three ladies lives after the big twist.
The narration was fantastic, easy to listen to and emotive.
listened to this book in less than 24 hours and I'd like to read it again to see if there were any clues along the way!

I really enjoyed listening to the story of Poor Girls. A fictional tale in the genuine setting of the forty elephants, it eloquently demonstrates the time, place, setting, and circumstances of Nell and her fellow gang members, whether they found themselves there from either necessity or adrenaline.

With the highs and lows of family, relationships, and criminality abound the story unfurls at a pace to keep you keenly involved. The narration was on point, and complimented the story well.

🎧4.25⭐️

I had the audiobook read by Jenny Bede who keeps the pace rattling along, it felt fitting for the era.

Historical fiction based on an actual gang. 1922 Eleanor had experience of life during the war working in a munitions factory, now she’s not happy with the life choices open to her, she crosses paths with the female led gang the forty elephants.

The writing style and language used gives a vibe of the era, there’s some good period detail included, as well as the glitz and glamour on one hand and on the other the poverty. I liked Eleanor’s sass, I loved her speech (sorry I can’t say more) I loved the wit and humour that was interspersed. The girls in her ‘cell’ formed a great bond, you couldn’t help but like them.
It doesn’t feel like your typical gangster book which I’m not keen on. I really enjoyed this book, I wonder if there will be a sequel.

A historical fiction with a nice twist in that the girls of the twenties are running in organised crime gangs, stealing, conning and running clubs, which takes them quite literally from rags to riches.

The writing is dripping with wit and humour, but it’s also smart and sharp, deliciously wicked in every way! It has heart and soul and brilliant storytelling.

Really good fun.

The audio narration was lovely.
Thank you to Head of Zeus audiobooks via NetGalley for the ELC