*The Queen of Fives* by Alex Hay is a gripping historical mystery set in Victorian London. The story follows Quinn Le Blanc, a talented con artist, as she embarks on a daring scheme to trick a duke into marriage and steal a fortune from one of England's wealthiest families. Masquerading as a debutante, Quinn navigates the opulent world of high society, uncovering secrets and lies within the Kendal family. With its clever twists, richly drawn characters, and a fast-paced plot, this novel offers a thrilling blend of intrigue and deception. Perfect for fans of historical fiction with a suspenseful edge!

*The Queen of Fives* by Alex Hay presents an intriguing premise set in Victorian London, following the skilled con woman, Quinn Le Blanc, as she plots to marry a duke and steal a fortune from the Kendal family. While Quinn’s character is compelling, and the historical setting is rich, the story struggles with pacing. The middle section drags as Quinn’s schemes unfold slowly, leaving the tension feeling inconsistent. However, the final twists are a satisfying payoff, delivering a thrilling conclusion that redeems the slower moments. The audiobook narration is excellent, bringing the characters to life. Overall, while the book has potential, it doesn’t fully deliver until the final chapters.

"Queen of Fives" by Alex Hay is a gripping thriller that dives into the world of high-stakes gambling and deception. Set against the backdrop of Las Vegas, the story follows a talented poker player named Annie, whose life takes a dangerous turn when she becomes embroiled in a game where the stakes are more than just money. The narrative is fast-paced, filled with suspenseful twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. Hay's writing style is sharp, and the characters are well-developed, each with their own motivations and secrets. Overall, "Queen of Fives" is a compelling read for anyone who enjoys suspenseful thrillers with a touch of intrigue.

“The Queen of Fives” is a Victorian-era historical mystery that promises intrigue, deception, and high stakes by Alex Hay.

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Plot: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Characters: ⭐️ ⭐️
Suspense: ⭐️ ⭐️
Ending: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️


What you’ll find in this book:
⭐️ Victorian intrigue
⭐️ Big ending
⭐️ Slow pacing
⭐️ Twists delivered

My Review:

The Queen of Fives by Alex Hay is a Victorian-era historical mystery that promises intrigue, deception, and high stakes—but while it has its moments of brilliance, it left me with a mix of feelings. I’d rate it three stars, as while the story had potential, it didn't fully deliver the gripping, fast-paced narrative I was hoping for.
The premise of the book is intriguing: Quinn Le Blanc, a talented con woman, has five days to marry a wealthy duke and steal a fortune from the Kendal family, one of the richest and most powerful in England. Hay introduces us to Quinn as a master of disguise, weaving in and out of high society’s glittering world of lavish balls and social maneuvering. At first, the setup seems to promise a thrilling game of deception, and the atmosphere of Victorian London is beautifully evoked.
However, despite the compelling premise, much of the middle of the book felt a bit slow. While Quinn is an interesting character with her many personas and calculated moves, the pacing in the story falters at times, and the plot occasionally drags. For much of the novel, I found myself waiting for the action to really pick up. Quinn's scheming and interactions with the Kendal family, while carefully crafted, don't always hold the same intensity as the tension promised in the book's premise.
That said, the ending does deliver in a big way. The twists in the final chapters completely transformed the story for me. The revelations about the Kendal family and Quinn’s own secrets were cleverly executed and left me stunned. It was a satisfying conclusion that tied everything together in a way that was both unexpected and deeply satisfying. If you can push through the slower sections, the ending certainly rewards your patience with its heart-racing developments.
Ultimately, The Queen of Fives is a book that had the potential to be something really special but didn’t quite hit the mark for me until the very end. The slow buildup and occasional lack of tension made it feel like it was treading water for too long, but that twisty finale was enough to leave me with a positive impression. If you enjoy historical mysteries with complex characters and enjoy a surprise-filled ending, this one might be worth the read — just be prepared for a slower middle.

The narration was excellent! The voice and the way of reading were very well-placed.

Quinn is a con woman and a very good one, But she is looking for a bigger and better mark and a bigger game. But when lines are crossed and people are out for revenge this game will be the deadliest yet.

This novel kept me on my toes, guessing what would happen next and who was the man in the blue silk waistcoat. - when I found out my jaw dropped.

Hay writes a historical novel that was easy to follow but a narrative laced with mini-stories that all come together at the end. I enjoyed how this was set over the space of two weeks and from the point of view of several different characters, keeping a fast-paced storyline with an explosive ending.

When I was thinking about how to describe this audiobook, the word ‘ romp’ kept coming to mind, not so much in a Carry On sense but more in a ‘no holds barred, throw everything you’ve got at it in a madcap high stakes escapade’ . I really enjoyed ‘The Queen of Fives’; from the outset it was clear that this was historical fiction with a twist, buckle in for the journey.

Quinn le Blanc is the current Queen of Fives, raised to be the greatest confidence trickster the world has ever seen. She lives by the rules of complicated and sometimes unspoken games. She’s currently involved in a five day heist called ‘The Fake Heiress’ where the aim is to ingratiate herself fully into the uppermost ranks of society. She’s helped along the way by trusty sidekick Mr Silk who has been with her from the beginning.

Quinn and Mr Silk start their convoluted game, with countless strands and elements to manage and oversee. She has been preparing for this her whole life, with ready made disguises and costumes, different characters to portray and a catalogue of staff on her payroll. But Quinn isn’t the only one hiding secrets and plotting something huge. Will someone from her past stop her in her tracks?

The audio is perfectly narrated and fits the story so well - a great choice.

Once more Alex Hays pulls us into the murky underworld of London in 1898. Quinn le Blanc must find a wealthy husband and steal his fortune within five days…her most ambitious con yet. But not is all as it seems and there are other forces working against her and her success. With an extensive cast of characters this book needed my concentration at the beginning but all soon came together and the twists and turns and double crosses came thick and fast. A glorious romp of a novel that kept me turning the pages until late into the night. I was also able to listen to the audio version of the book which was narrated by Polly Edsell who did a fantastic job of bringing both the novel and characters to life. I look forward to the next novel from this author with anticipation. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in return for a honest review.

Blurb

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...

Review

I listened to the audio version of this book and it was superb. The narration is brilliant: the characters are cleverly brought to life; the pace is perfect; and overall it’s one of those stories that works incredibly well as a listen. Polly Edsell is a brilliant narrator.

The first few chapters had me concentrating while I got to know the characters - there is quite an extensive cast, but I quickly placed everyone and the pace of the story took off. The scheming and plotting of the confidence trick is exquisite. I loved the rule book and how everyone supported their Queen of Fives. The many secrets and twists had me gasping until the very end as it becomes clear that Quinn is not the only person with a secret agenda. This is a terrific story for fans of historical cosy crime and a superb second book from Alex Hay. I’ll be eagerly awaiting his next one!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Headline Audio for a copy in exchange for a review.

When con artists, really were confident and artistic in their 'tricks' The Queen of Fives is at the top of her game, and aiming high. But who is conning who?, who is in it for the rush? and who's playing the long game?

Dramatic, entertaining and twisty.

Thank you Netgalley, Headline audio and Alex Hay for the audio Arc of The Queen of Fives.
Narrated by Polly Edsell.

This is a slow to medium burn set in a Victorian Era and how our MC, Quinn La Blanc blags, cheats and cons her way into high society. It's got some nice twists and turns and all this not what it seems in the world of Quinn and her devious plans. This is a great mystery/thriller with some heists, double crossing and some surprising outcomes. The narrative flows easy and I loved the character building and were the stage was set. The pay off at the end was marvellous and I really hope we hear more from Quinn in future books.


4 stars

Sorry this was a DNF for me I just couldn't get into the story at all. I don't think it was a bad book though just not for me. I won't post review anywhere else as I didn't finish the book and I don't review unfinished books.

I really enjoyed this, very well narrated. Great story with likeable characters. Strong female lead character. I would highly recommend the audio book.

Quinn Le Blanc is the Queen of Fives, a high level con artist in historic London. She wangled her way into high society and targets the aristocratic Duke of Kendall. However all is not exactly as it seems. Other people are playing their own games, and she will need to adapt hers to survive. Sometimes a little slow, sometimes trying to be too mysterious, sometimes trying to be too clever, however the plot is good overall with some interesting characters

It was a great mystery/thriller novel what I liked the most was the originality of the story and the setting.
It was slow at the beginning and then I was so invested in the story which made me want to know what was going to happen next.
I highly recommend to give it a shot.
Thank you NetGalley for this early E-ARC .

The Queen of Fives is a delicious book and has all the ingredients of what I’m coming to know as classic Alex Hay. Gorgeous historical detail, fabulous settings, ingenious characters who you totally fall for. I adored Quinn and loved following her deception… Fake Heiress is such a great con to follow... The audiobook was superbly read. Hope this book does brilliantly - love the cover design too!

Actual rating 4.5.

What an absolute romp this was! Fans of a good Victorian novel, you need to get this on your list 👏

This was such a fun and clever read, full of colourful characters and historical details. I love a good con woman, and Quinn was pretty damn good - brilliant at what she does, but also with a heart of gold, which softens as the story progresses. But she’s not the only strong and compelling female character in this story that’s just bursting with them! I loved how feisty the women in this story were, and the combination of strong female characters, a clever and twisty plot and that historical detail really reminded me of reading Laura Sheperd-Robinson. I adored @alexhaybooks’s debut, The Housekeepers, but I think he’s gone and topped it with this gem - a must for any historical crime fans!

The Queen of Fives is a deliciously entertaining read. It is full of deception, lies and skulduggery set in 19th Century London. Quinn Le Blanc has earned her reputation as the ‘Queen of Fives’, the highest-ranking con artist in the city. Her place was hard won; she has had to demonstrate her skills in card play and as a card sharp par excellence. She is a mistress of disguise and can pass for any rank, gender or class. It is Quinn’s job to play by the house rules – and there are many – in initiating and carrying off a con. But times are hard for the con artists in the thieving and conning fraternity and as head of her household, she needs to ensure that enough money is coming in to keep all the necessary payments to her fixers, mark spotters and intelligence gatherers.

So, she needs to pull off a big score and as fast as possible as well as make sure that there can be no comeback on her from her marks or others who seek to displace the crown from her head. The answer is to pull the big con; one that is well known in her world – the marriage con.

Her choice seems obvious. The Kendals are an old established and wealthy family and the Duke of Kendall is of marriageable age. The Duke has a sister, Victoria and a step-mother and the family seem close. More, Quinn establishes that the family are keen to see the Duke married and to sire an heir to keep the lineage going.

As Quinn seeks to place herself in the eye of the Duke, whilst establishing her new reputation as a wealthy debutante, she has no idea of the machinations that are going on within the family. She has, of course, a spy in the household, but nothing she learns will prepare her for what is to come. The family has secrets of its own, not least the Duke, who is keen to marry but seems uninterested in whom he marries. Nor is she aware that all the while her most fearsome enemy is marshalling forces in preparation for a very personal battle.

Polly Edsell reads with well-modulated tones, injecting the personas of Quinn, the Duke, Victoria and The Dowager Duchess of Kendall with spirit and personality.

Verdict: The Queen of Fives is a great listen. Full of fascinating characters it is entertaining, replete with lies and duplicity; sometimes a surprising honesty. It kept my interest throughout and has a number of surprising plot developments that genuinely caught me unawares. It was both a fun and a delightfully enjoyable listen.

I enjoyed the authors first book so was keen to read this.

However, I found it rather to long and slow for me and found myself wanting to skin though.

It did pick up pace towards the end but not enough to save the story for me. Too similar in general plot idea to the first book to feel interesting as well.

The audio itself was well done and I enjoyed the narration.

Quinn Le Blanc is a conwoman. It's quite refreshing to read about a female conartist. She needs money to keep the Chateau afloat so the long-running trickster games can continue. She's five days to wed the Duke.

Set in Victorian times, it was fun to watch this storyline play out. Told from different POV, it was good to know what the characters were thinking.

I've loved every minute reading this book, which is full of secrets, underhand trickery, and blackmail.

It's so nice to read about a con artist who is a woman in 1890's London.
The multi PoV gives more layers to the story and the characters. The question is : who is the con (wo)man and who is the target? The clever plotting, the suspense and the twists keeps you gripping till the end.
Through the last half of the book I kept asking myself how this could end? I had 2 choices (evident ones), it was neither of them.

Nice reading, beautiful writing, the audiobook is great, the narrator gives life to all the characters with ease.