The Thief of Blackfriars Lane

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.

The Thief of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep is Christian Historical Fiction but this book is so much more. Michelle Griep books have plenty of action, thrills, mystery, romance, unusual characters and unexpected story plots. I love that I just never know what will happen next. There is a Christian theme including an encouraging gospel message of trust and faith in the Lord. The historical details are excellent throughout and the book includes an afterword with even more information that will please any history lover. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

Christian-fiction, historical-novel, law-enforcement, London, verbal-humor, situational-humor***** Kit heads a gang of petty thieves in a dark area of London, the twist is that the money is used for the needs of the poor, the sick, and the unwanted. Forge is a young man who desperately wants to be a policeman, but he already flubbed it twice. They work together to find a special cabbie and encounter unknown dangers. I thought it was a very pleasant read for a cold afternoon. I requested and received a free ebook copy from Barbour Publishing, Inc./Barbour Fiction via NetGalley. Thank you.