BLOG TOUR: Maiden Voyage - Bradley Harper

Three female thieves, a priceless painting, and a Pinkerton agent aboard the Titanic. What could go wrong?

Colette DuVall, a young jewel thief from Canada, follows Mary Carr, the 'Queen' of the criminal gang The Forty Elephants, aboard the Titanic to steal a painting by the French master, Blondell. Her resolve weakens when she meets Harry Worth, a young Pinkerton agent hired to safeguard the wealthy passengers during the ship's maiden voyage. Harry, the son of master criminal Adam Worth, questions his role as a private policeman exacting private justice, and his doubts deepen after losing his heart to the charming Colette. Can two people on opposite sides of the law find love and survive the sinking of the largest object ever made?

Loyalties collide as fiercely as the ship with the iceberg, and as the three struggle to escape the foundering colossus they find that love may be the greatest thief of all.

 

What did I think?

I love stories about the Titanic so I was very excited to read Maiden Voyage and I was not disappointed.  As well as some of the characters being real people who were on the Titanic, Bradley Harper imaginatively includes Mary Carr, the Queen of the Forty Elephants, among the passengers with a cunning plan to steal a valuable painting on board.

The art heist plot is fantastic and it really kept me riveted, especially as the reader knows that time is running out for RMS Titanic but the thieves are still going full steam ahead.  The drama and tension just keeps on ramping up as the ship starts to fill with water and I couldn't read fast enough to see how it was all going to end (spoiler alert: the ship sinks).

Bradley Harper's writing is so very evocative and vivid that I could easily visualise the scenes in my head.  I even had a pretty good idea of what the painting would look like before I even realised it was on the front cover of the book!  Maiden Voyage is Bradley Harper's fourth novel and I will definitely be looking to read his earlier books on the strength of this one.

Imaginative, original and compelling, Maiden Voyage is a stunning novel that gave me goosebumps as I was reading.  It is incredibly entertaining and dramatic as the art heist plays out against the infamous and poignant backdrop of Titanic's fatal voyage.  A very highly recommended read.

I received a gifted digital copy to read for the Paste Creative virtual book tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon

Bookshop.org

Indigo.ca

About the author:

Bradley Harper is a retired US Army Colonel and pathologist who has performed over two-hundred autopsies and some twenty forensic investigations. A life-long fan of Sherlock Holmes, he did intensive research for this debut novel, A KNIFE IN THE FOG, including a trip to London's East End with noted Jack the Ripper historian Richard Jones. Harper’s first novel was published in October 2018 and was a finalist for the 2019 Edgar Award by the Mystery Writers of America for Best First Novel by an American Author and won the Killer Nashville 2019 Silver Falchion for Best Mystery. Harper’s second novel, QUEEN’S GAMBIT, was awarded the Killer Nashville 2020 Silver Falchion Award as Best Suspense and Book of the Year. 

MAIDEN VOYAGE is Harper’s fourth book.

ONLINE LINKS

Website:  https://bharperauthor.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bharperauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bharper1888/

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PUBLICATION DAY PUSH: Poor Girls - Clare Whitfield

 

Don't get angry.

Get rich.

1922. Twenty-four-year-old Eleanor Mackridge is horrified by the future mapped out for her - to serve the upper classes or find a husband. During the war, she found freedom in joining the workforce at home, but now women are being put back in their place.

Until Eleanor crosses paths with a member of the notorious female-led gang the Forty Elephants: bold women who wear diamonds and fur, drink champagne and gin, who take what they want without asking. Now, she sees a new future for herself: she can serve, marry - or steal.

After all, men will only let you down. Diamonds are forever.

In Poor Girls, Clare Whitfield exposes the criminal underbelly of 1920s London - but this isn't a morality tale, it's an adventure for the willingly wicked.

What did I think?

Having absolutely loved Clare Whitfield's stunning debut novel, People of Abandoned Character, I was very excited to read Poor Girls and I was not disappointed.  It's a book that hooked me from the start and refused to let go even after turning the final page...I am still thinking of Nell (Eleanor Mackridge) and her escapades.

Inspired by a true story and real women, Clare Whitfield weaves a wonderful tale of crime, family, friendship and adventure that entertains the reader from start to finish.  I had previously read about Alice Diamond and the Forty Elephants so I knew a little about these remarkable female criminals.  Of course, you don't need to have any prior knowledge to read Poor Girls as Clare Whitfield lays out the history in such a vivid way.

The class divide is very noticeable in the 1920s; you either have money or you don't.  Eleanor Mackridge falls into the latter category and finds herself waiting on the rich, snooty and downright rude.  After one snide comment too many, Eleanor quits her job in a moment of fury but all is not lost as she has been noticed by the Forty Elephants.  Eleanor's life is about to change...some say for the better, some say for the worse but it's certainly a life filled with danger and adventure.

I absolutely adored Nell (previously Eleanor) and her quest for adventure and fun; she may be a fictional character but she was brought to life just as much as the real historical figures who feature in the novel.  I loved the camaraderie between the girls in the cell but with that old saying rattling around in my head: "there's no honour among thieves", I worried for Nell but whether or not I was right to worry you will just have to read the book to find out.

Hugely atmospheric and wildly adventurous, Poor Girls is a stunning novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.  It's a cross-genre novel that's part historical fiction brought wonderfully to life and crime fiction that has you rooting for the criminal.  A very highly recommended read.

I received an ARC to read and review for the publication day push and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy link: https://geni.us/poorgirlspb

About the author:

Clare Whitfield was born in 1978 in Morden (at the bottom of the Northern line) in Greater London. After university she worked at a publishing company before going on to hold various positions in buying and marketing. She now lives in Hampshire with her family. Her debut novel, People of Abandoned Character, won the Goldsboro Glass Bell Award and is also published by Head of Zeus.

Social Media Links – 

https://x.com/whitfield_riley

https://www.instagram.com/clarewhitfieldauthor/

https://bsky.app/profile/clarewhitauthor.bsky.social

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