We chat with author Heather Webb about her latest release Queens of London, which is a story of Britain’s first female crime syndicate, the ever-shifting meaning of justice, and the way women claim their power by any means necessary.
Hi, Heather! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m a former high school teacher and track coach turned USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of ten novels. An explorer at heart, I love to travel, try new things, and enjoy sharing a cigar with my girlfriends around a camp fire when the air turns crisp in the fall. I’m also most alive near the beach or with a very excellent plate of something delicious. (In my next life, I want to be a famous chef, or a food critic. Ha!) I never kicked the teaching habit and really enjoy helping other writers hone their voice and grow in their craft, so when I’m not writing, I’m a freelance editor and a writing coach for TheNovelry.com. I live in New England with my family and a couple of mischievous but cuddly cats.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
The very first story I wrote was on picture paper for crayon drawings with lines at the bottom of it. It was about my little sister and a peanut butter sandwich. As a tween, I followed that up with a few bad attempts at historical romance in my diary. From there, I didn’t come back to writing until I was pregnant with my second kid! I had recently resigned from teaching to finish my master’s degree and to be home with the kids (I couldn’t afford daycare for two kids on a teacher’s salary), and it was a dream that brought me to writing. I know, that sounds so cliché but it’s completely true. I had a dream about Josephine Bonaparte for a couple of weeks, so I started reading obsessively her and Napoleon, and the next thing I knew, I was writing a novel! Becoming Josephine was my debut and was published with Plume, a former imprint of Penguin.
Though I write historical fiction, most of my books have something of a suspense element or are page-turning. Queens of London actually brought me into the world of criminal activity!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Besides Dick and Jane? Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys and a few years later, Little Women.
- The one that made you want to become an author: I don’t remember a specific book, but I will say that Harlequin romance novels and Mary Higgins Clark novels featured prominently in my library stacks from a young age. As an adult, I read Phillippa Gregory at the exact “right” time and fell in love with historical fiction and that was it! I was hooked.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: From childhood I’d say The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. From adulthood, it changes regularly but one that has stayed with me the last few years is The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. Her books really stick to my ribs. Her latest, Starling House, was also amazing.
Your latest novel, Queens of London, is out February 6th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Suspenseful, raucous, gritty, tender, compelling
What can readers expect?
A compelling, fast-paced read from four points of view of three women and one young girl, all in different aspects of struggling to make ends meet or find their footing in the underbelly of London. From elegant roadsters to rowdy gin houses, from knives to pearls, it’s about Britain’s first all-female crime syndicate, the ever-shifting meaning of justice, and the way women claimed their power by any means necessary.
Where did the inspiration for Queens of London come from?
I first learned about the Forty Elephants—the all female crime syndicate also known as the Forty Thieves—while reading an article about something else entirely. I don’t even remember what the article was, but there was a single phrase that referenced a Victorian all-female shoplifting ring and I got goosebumps. Instantly fascinated, I wrote that sentence onto a blank document and saved it in a folder of book ideas I keep tucked away for a rainy day. About the time I was deciding on my next book, I’d started watching the Netflix hit, Peaky Blinders, and as it turns out, they knew and crossed paths with the Forty Elephants as well as the male counterpart to the Forty Elephants called the Elephant & Castle gang. I was so excited by the idea that I started research. Diamond Annie, leader of the Forties, is a tough character and a survivor. I’m always drawn to characters like this who broke the rules of society and propriety. They’re interesting and nuanced and a challenge to write, which I really enjoy. I’m always trying to stretch my wings a bit and develop my craft in that way.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
The climax is always fun to write in any of my books so I definitely enjoyed that aspect, but I also really loved Alice’s first shoplifting scene, and the first few chapters from Hira’s point of view as well when she runs away and meets her little sidekick, a mutt named Biscuit. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed writing from all four of my main characters’ points of view. They were all so different and yet, at their core, they shared a strong commonality.
Can you tell us a bit about your research process and any interesting tidbits you discovered along the way?
When I begin a new topic, I tend to “front load” my research. In other words, I read as much as I can get my hands on about the subject, watch documentaries, seek out any primary and secondary sources that are useful, and visit the location where the book takes place. It’s really so helpful and important to visit a location in person if at all possible. There are sensory details you miss by simply reading, as well as the essence of a play, and also potentially the layout of a building, outdoor space of some kind, or even a town. Google Maps only takes you so far. From there, I write a historical outline by important topics and themes in the book, and once that’s finished, I begin writing. I do another round of research during the second draft to shore up what I’ve already included and also to double-check my facts. There are always moments during my first couple of drafts where I have to stop and do more research in order to move forward so though I “front load,” unexpected questions always arise.
For Queens of London, I found the history of the female police fascinating as well as the history of Scotland Yard and the first detectives. I fell down a rabbit hole researching a ton about it that I ultimately didn’t need or use in the book, but I couldn’t seem to help myself! I also got caught up reading about many of the male gangs in not only London but Birmingham and a few other towns.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on a novel tentatively titled The Hope Thief about a fictional jeweler who works for Evalyn Walsh McLean, the last woman that owned the Hope Diamond. My jeweler becomes obsessed with the idea of a curse, the tragic death of her twin brother, and the socialite, Evalyn, whose own tragedies leave their own lingering questions. If I were to pitch it with comparison titles, I’d call it The Great Gatsby meets the film, Notes on a Scandal with Judy Dench and Cate Blanchett.
Lastly, are there any 2024 book releases that you’re looking forward to?
So many! A few recently released include The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins and Picasso’s Lovers by Jeanne Mackin, but I’m also looking forward to Catherine Mack’s Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies, The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay and my favorite romcom writer, Christina Lauren’s latest, The Paradise Problem.
