About the Book

Book: The Thief of Blackfriars Lane

Author: Michelle Griep

Genre: Christian historical

There’s Often a Fine Line Between a Criminal and a Saint

Constable Jackson Forge intends to make the world safer, or at least the streets of Victorian London. But that’s Kit Turner’s domain, a swindler who runs a crew that acquires money the old-fashioned way—conning the rich to give to the poor. When a local cab driver goes missing, Jackson is tasked with finding the man, and the only way to do that is by enlisting Kit’s help. If Jackson doesn’t find the cabby, he’ll be fired. If Kit doesn’t help Jackson, he’ll arrest her for thievery. Yet neither of them realize those are the least of their problems.

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About the Author

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the Christy Award-winning author of historical romances: A Tale of Two Hearts, The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest

More from Michelle

Zootopia in Victorian London

I admit it. I like kid’s movies. You know, the animated sort that entertain both young and old alike. One of my favorites is Zootopia, a rollicking adventure about a bunny whose dream it is to be a police officer and make the streets of the big city safe for all animals. In fact, I loved it so much that I thought why not set it in Victorian London?

So I did.

And that’s what The Thief of Blackfriars Lane is all about, but that meant I had to do a little digging into the history of police force of the late 1800’s. Here’s what I learned…

The Metropolitan Police (founded in 1829 by Robert Peel) was composed mostly of young men, many of whom were recruited from rural areas. Few were from London, the philosophy being that they would thus be free from local patronage and influence.

It is a bit of an anomaly that hero Jackson Forge and his friend, Officer Baggett, carry a sidearm. Some did, but most relied on truncheons. It was up to the officer. Revolvers were usually only supplied after the death of a police officer by an armed criminal, at the discretion of the Divisional Officer, or if a constable requested to use one during night duty. In 1884, after the deaths of several police officers, the Home Office ordered nearly a thousand revolvers from Webley & Scott to be issued to branches of the London police. . .which is where I got the idea of a shipment of guns for the villain to attempt to steal.

Police detectives were recruited from within the ranks of existing uniformed officers. There were actually women on the force at the time, employed as police matrons. But these were behind-the-scenes workers, tasked with guarding women and children. If my heroine, Kit, were to be out in public, serving as Jackson’s assistant, she’d have to keep her job secret. The first female police officer wasn’t seen on the streets until 1919.

And so, armed with that information, I wrote the adventures of not a police bunny and a con artist fox, but of Jackson Forge, a fresh-faced constable, and his thorn in the side, swindler Kit Turner. Snatch up your own copy and enjoy a visit to Victorian London!

My Thoughts

The Thief of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep has Jackson Forge off to a bad start on his first day as a constable with the Metropolitan Police in April of 1885. When Forge arrests the wrong the man, Sergeant Henry Grayborne is ready to give him the sack. A woman searching for her missing husband gets Constable Third Class Forge a reprieve. He has forty-eight hours to locate Joseph Card a jarvey who frequents Blackfriars Lane or will be canned. Inquiries lead Forge to the Grouse and Gristle where he gets picked up by two goons who take him to their boss. Kit Turner runs a crew on Blackfriars Lane and recently swindled Forge. Kit is concerned about Joe Card as well and she has the contacts Forge needs to locate the man. Forge and Turner come to an agreement that benefits both of them. Neither of them are aware that their search for Joe will lead them to something much bigger. The Thief of Blackfriars Lane is a well-written historical novel. The story has developed, colorful characters. I liked Jackson Forge and Kit Turner. Kit is a strong, smart, and wily woman. Michelle Griep did her research for this book. She captured the time-period with the language, attitudes, clothing, food, shops, conveyances, etc. I felt like I was transported back in time with the authors descriptive writing. I liked all the action in The Thief of Blackfriars Lane which kept the novel moving forward. I enjoyed watching Kit and Forge go from enemies to much more. Faith is beautifully woven into the story. There are good life lessons learned along the way. The mystery was intriguing and enjoyable to solve. The Thief of Blackfriars Lane has mystery, romance, drama, and humor. The Thief of Blackfriars Lane is a compelling tale with missing men, a stern sergeant, a jolly jarvey, a terrible trickster, a callow constable, and a sweet swindler.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Thief of Blackfriars Lane. Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click here to enter. Good Luck! The Thief of Blackfriars Lane is available from Amazon* as well as other major retailers. You can find Michelle Griep's other novels here. Thank you for joining me today. I will return on Monday with Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz. I hope that you have a fulfilling day and a joyful weekend. Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader