The Queen of Fives by Alex HayMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Three and a half stars.
Quinn Le Blanc is the Queen of Fives, sort of head of a group of con-artists of the highest order with strict rules of engagement, including that no con can last longer than five days. A bit like the TV series Hustle, Quinn and her crew only target the evil, the corrupt, the cheaters. But things haven't been going well for a long time, she is sinking deeper into debt and needs to pull off a big con to re-establish herself. Quinn decides to raise her aim from cheating bankers and stockbrokers to the Duke of Kendal, reputedly one of the wealthiest men in England and also, allegedly, a depraved man who unsavoury personal proclivities. Quinn decides to play the False Heiress con, pretend to be a wealthy heiress, get engaged to the Duke, and then vanish into thin air with lots of his lovely wealth.
Unfortunately, all is not what it seems in the House of Kendal and there is another player on the scene, someone who wants to be the Queen of Fives, spoiling Quinn's plans.
The other week I reviewed the third book in Anthony Horowitz's excellent Susan Ryeland series and remarked that it was easier to follow the story reading than I found it watching the series on TV. Well I think this would be easier to watch on TV or in a film that it is to read - you know when in the Ocean's Eleven films they show you flashbacks to reveal how the con was performed - like that. As it was, reading it the twists felt too implausible and difficult to follow. Also, keeping the identity of Quinn's nemesis a secret required a lot of convoluted shenanigans and I'm not sure it really worked - I also suspect the timeline wouldn't work.
Overall, not really Bridgerton, maybe more steampunk meets Oceans Twelve or Thirteen (ie not the best one).
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
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