Overview

The incredible story of Britain's female gangsters from the seventeenth century to the present day. Robin Hood, Dick Turpin, Ronnie Biggs, the Kray brothers... All have become folk heroes, glamorised and romanticised, even when they killed. But where are their female equivalents? Where are the women who led gangs of pickpockets, formed Victorian crime syndicates and launched nationwide shoplifting gangs? Queens of the Underworld reveals the incredible story of female gangsters from the 17th century to the present. From Moll Cutpurse who ruled the criminal underworld in Jacobean London, to Mary Carr who led the Forty Elephants Gang in Victorian England, and Shirley Pitts who formed Britain's most successful shoplifting gang of the 20th century, these were charismatic women at the top of their game. Female criminals have often been dismissed as either not 'real women' or not real criminals, and in the process their stories have been lost – this book tells the truth about their lives for the first time. AUTHOR: Caitlin Davies is a novelist, non-fiction writer, award-winning journalist and teacher. She is the author of six novels, six nonfiction books, and several short stories. She has written for The Independent, The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. Her books include 'Bad Girls: a History of Rebels and Renegades', a history of Holloway Prison, which has been optioned for a TV historical drama series. 20 b/w illustrations

Full Product Details

9780750993173

Table of Contents

Reviews

What a brilliant piece of research; pieced together with compassion, heart and understanding. Caitlin's book gives voice to women who have been forgotten or have only been seen through a male prism. She wrestles back their stories. This book is an extremely important part of women's social history. Read it! -- Maxine Peake This riveting book begins with the surprise of a different ever after and goes on to confound expectations, assumptions and stereotypes. In Queens of the Underworld, Caitlin Davies displays that rare talent for history and storytelling without judgment. Female Crooks in particular could do with more of this. -- Shami Chakrabarti Neither sentimental nor judgmental, Davies presents these characters as important examples of criminological history.

What a brilliant piece of research; pieced together with compassion, heart and understanding. Caitlin's book gives voice to women who have been forgotten or have only been sen through a male prism. She wrestles back their stories. This book is an extremely important part of women's social history. Read it! -- Maxine Peake This riveting book begins with the surprise of a different ever after and goes on to confound expectations, assumptions and stereotypes. In Queens of the Underworld, Caitlin Davies displays that are talent for history and storytelling without judgment. Female Crooks in particular could do with more of this.

Author Information

Caitlin Davies is a novelist, non-fiction writer, award-winning journalist and teacher. She is the author of six novels, six non-fiction books, and several short stories. She has written for The Independent, The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. Her books include 'Bad Girls: a History of Rebels and Renegades', a history of Holloway Prison, and 'Queens of the Underworld' about female crooks. She lives in London.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available