We chat with author Beezy Marsh about her latest release Queen of Thieves, which is an electrifying historical adventure about a ring of bold and resourceful women thieves in post-World War II London.
Hi, Beezy! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! Thank you for inviting me for the interview. I’m an author from the UK who writes novels about the hidden history of ordinary women’s lives in the early twentieth century. I’m obsessed with family secrets and what drives people to break the rules, partly because I discovered my grandfather’s hidden second family as I was growing up, and a murder that no-one talked about! I’m a busy mum to two teenage boys and I combine writing fiction with working as a national newspaper journalist too.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I used to write stories when I was young, just to entertain myself. When I was nine, I told my teacher I wanted to be a poet and she laughed at me. Eventually, I became a newspaper reporter, telling other people’s stories. I think that helped me hone my writing skills and form believable characters because I saw first-hand what makes people tick.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
It was a book of fairy tales. I was obsessed with Rapunzel and her long, swishy hair.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte made me want to become an author. I read it as a young teen and fell in love with Heathcliff. At university, I was dazzled by the way Emily Bronte created such an amazing sense of character and place in her novels.
I’m hooked on books which transport me to a different era, so right now I’m reading The Alice Network by Kate Quinn. It’s a powerful novel based on real women spies of World War Two, who made huge sacrifices. It is a dual timeline narrative with one part set in 1915, so it also works as a mystery, which keeps me turning the pages
Your latest novel, Queen of Thieves, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Female Peaky Blinders of London
What can readers expect?
A rip-roaring tale of female power and revenge, from the slums of 1940s London to the bright lights of Soho and posh department stores, where The Queen of Thieves plied her trade.
Where did the inspiration for Queen of Thieves come from?
The Forty Thieves were a real gang of shoplifters, or ‘hoisters’ who terrorised London in the first half of the Twentieth Century, led by the fearsome Alice Diamond, Queen of Thieves. I’d heard stories about them from my gran, who worked as a barmaid in seedy Soho in the 1930s, but a few years ago, I met a real gangster and became fascinated by the women in his family. It turned out they were the daughters and granddaughters of the original gang, taught by Alice Diamond. I was hooked!
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I absolutely loved writing the women in this book because nobody in the gang is ‘good’, in that they are all thieves. Alice Diamond, Queen of Thieves is just so wicked, because she loves stealing and is out for herself, but I also wanted to explore why she is that way. You can’t help rooting for Alice, because she’s taking on society, as well as the men running gangland.
Nell, the slum girl who falls under Alice’s spell, was a delight to write because she starts out as a victim of circumstance and then finds her feet and becomes determined to turn the tables, even though the odds are stacked against her. Go, Nell!
Can you tell us about your research process?
As an investigative reporter for UK national newspapers I relish the ‘deep dive’ of research and getting to know the relatives of the real gang was the first step. From there, I spent hours reading old newspaper and court reports, checking family histories and learning about the secretive methods of The Forty Thieves, which had its heyday from the 1920s to the 1960s. I always become rather obsessive about my subject, with no stone left unturned.
Do you have any advice for those who may have set some writing resolutions for the new year?
Don’t set unrealistic goals, such as ‘I must write 1,000 words a day’, or beat yourself up if you have days when the words don’t flow. Sometimes going for walk or doing something completely unrelated to your book can provide you with a flash of inspiration to get your writing moving in the right direction.
What’s next for you?
I have already written the sequel, Queen of Clubs, set in 1950s London, which is out in the UK now with Orion and will also be published by William Morrow. I’m just finishing the origin story of The Forty Thieves gang, for the prequel, Queen of Diamonds, based in the 1920s, which will follow! After that, there are more historical novels to come, always featuring strong, gritty women.
Lastly, are there any 2023 releases our readers should look out for?
I’m really looking forward to The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, by Janice Hallett (Profile Books), author of the best-seller, The Twyford Code. The journalist in me is immediately seduced by her sparklingly clever writing, which is filled with shocking twists. This time, crime author Amanda Bailey is investigating a sinister cult, which brainwashed a young mum into wanting to harm her baby. But her research sets her on a dangerous path, promising a secret conspiracy and a mystery which the reader is invited to solve. Can’t wait.
You can find Beezy on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, along with at her website!
