Absolutely love Kimberley Chambers books.
This book was another absolute gem.
Thankyou for the opportunity to read.

Abuse and tragedy blight Queenie's early life, she takes control and becomes notorious. There is a believable family bond in this East End gangland story. The story is authentic with pertinent historical details and vibrant characters. Gritty and graphic elements balanced by family banter and humorous interludes make this an entertaining read despite the noir crime.

The characters' immerse the reader in their stories, and you find you can like the person even though you dislike their criminal and violent activities. This is an addictive read for all crime fiction enthusiasts.

I received a copy of this book from Harper Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

What a great read! Thoroughly enjoyed this book from first to last page. Would recommend Kimberley Chambers' books to anyone. It is about a woman named Queenie and her three sons and daughter who live in the East End and it is about her struggles in life.

‘For the first time it occurred to me that Albie might be right. In raising Vinny the way I did, I’d created a monster.’

And yes she did!

A first for me, I’ve not read Kimberley Chambers before. I’m so glad I’ve been introduced to another great author ✍️🤗! Now I’ve got a whole new load of books to read, as if I haven’t got enough to read already.

I am a Martina Cole addict and Kimberley Chambers is up there, I love the way she writes.

This was gritty, fast paced and hard hitting. Be warned it’s harrowing, and heartbreaking in parts. Heartwarming and funny too. Domestic abuse, rape, murder, violence, vengeance, trauma, loss, grief, addiction, romance, narcissism and more; all covered in this excellent read.

It’s set in Whitechapel, the East End, starting just before WWII and takes you into the early 60s. A story about Queenie and her sister Viv, this is a prequel to the Butler series introducing Queenie’s shocking start to life and how and why she became the mother of a family not to be messed with.

The war had a devastating affect on Queenie and her family. It’s all about survival. The girls were evacuated during the war which unfortunately broke Queenie for a while and was the start of a series of harrowing events.

She made a great friend of an Irish neighbour, her mentor, Mary O’Leary and this relationship was heartwarming. A substitute mother as she felt her own was too weak. Queenie wants a better life for her and her family one where money is no object and one where SHE gets called to the front of the queue in front of everyone else.

This covers that path, creating strong images, bringing back memories and different feelings to mind, which made me smile.

I love to read about the East End and gangland crime, sagas written over decades, epic tales and this didn’t disappoint. The characters are credible but not likeable and yes, Queenie has raised a monster!

She is tough, clever and beautiful, you don’t mess with Queenie or her boys. Nothing will stand in her way. Dramatic ending! So now I can’t wait to read the Butler series to read about how she reacts to this heartbreaking event. Think I’ll be sitting on the edge of my seat with anticipation of what happens next.

Would highly recommend if you enjoy a gripping gangland crime story and criminal families.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Harper Collins for this ARC provided in exchange for this unbiased review.

Life was difficult for Queenie growing up in London's Whitechapel. Her mother was a doormat for her drunken father

Her husband Albie is useless, barely bringing home enough money for them to survive. Queenie raises her three boys to be strong, stick together and to have the life she never had.



I heard this author one afternoon earlier in 2020 on Radio 2 I think it was and was intrigued by her book - it sounded interesting. I haven't read a book set around English wartime for a while nor had I heard of her, but when I saw it on Netgalley I thought why not, let's give it a go.

This story starts off during the Blitz in London when Queenie is a kid and moves onto the 60's following her and her brood of children. Queenie is a tour deforce when it comes to her children, and at times she and her eldest son are rather unpleasant characters.

Overall the story was just okay, but I left feeling rather disappointed by it; it certainly wasn't gripping as the by-line has you believe. Whilst it told you about her background I guess it was really about her boys growing up and the bad stuff they got into. It felt like a who's who at times as well; a big list of TV programmes they could now watch or the music hits of the day or references to the Krays - she was treated in a way that was too similar to the Krays mother for my liking in going to the front of the queue in the greengrocers when her son's didn't really deserve the accolade the author had led you to believe they had, it just wasn't there. Plus some of the terminology used in the book also felt perhaps a little too modern for the period and Queenies background.

I received this book from Netgalley in return for a honest review.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author & it was so so good! Absolutely brilliant writing. You will not be disappointed. Definitely need to purchase her other books now!

This is the amazing story of Queenie and her family. Queenie and her sister Viv were born in the East End. Growing up during the war they were evacuated to the country to keep them safe. Queenie had a traumatic experience and contacted a neighbour desperate to go home. Her Dad was injured during the war and 5urned to drink. Queenie met and married Albie and had a family of her own. Such loveable characters and amazing storyline. I couldn't put this book down.

I've absolutely loved this whole series and getting this background on Queenie didn't disappoint, an a mazing addition to the line up!

Queenie and Vivian Wade were born and bred in Whitechapel East End of London. When the blitz started 7th September 1940 endangerIng families. Molly and Eric Wade made the decision their daughters 13 year old Queenie and 12 year old Vivian would be safer moving to live with a family in the countryside.
Queenie and Viv settled in to their placement in the countryside well. Little did they know this was to change their lives forever.
Queenie is the prequel to The Trap, Payback, The Wronged, Tainted Love and Backstabber. Not sure yet if I did the right thing but I read Queenie first. I absolutely loved Queenie love her feistiness look forward to reading the other find out what she gets up to?

Well Kimberly you have done it again with queenie loved reading her side of the story in places some sadness for her which were not known about before but a well loved character can’t wait for your next book I could not put it down

Queenie By Kimberley Chambers
Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc of this book, and much anticipated book in this series, it's a great read, fans if this series will enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

Having read the author’s Butler series of books I was pleased to be approved for this book. As always, the author has wrote a great book about Queenie covering her early years, childhood, marriage and life with Albie. She overcomes hardships, adversity and you read what makes her the woman she becomes in the Butlers series. At times she is not a likeable character, she is feisty and very strong willed. I thought this was a fab prequel and the story engaged me from beginning to end, it had lots of twists in it which I didn’t expect and I read this in less than two days. A very well written book with a great plot which was a pleasure to read. I’d recommend this and there was nothing about the book I didn’t like. Has made me want to reread the Butlers series again when I find time. 😀

This book has left me a little disappointed, it’s been on my TBR for so long and really hasn’t been what I expected. It’s been satisfactory enough but I definitely haven’t been desperate to see what happens next.

Queenie by Kimberley Chambers
Queenie was a great story. I was gripped from start to finish. We were transported back in time to hear the story of this strong eastender who faced many challenges. Although, I loved the story I found that her principles didn't always match her actions - I haven't yet read the Butler series so I've been told it was a good place to start.

Loves all the butler series and I was so excited when queenie was released I loved the book but I felt like it was missing something it wasn’t what I was expecting it was lovely to learn abt queenie instead of it being all about her boys and I did enjoy it it just felt like there could have been more

Really well written and enjoyable story. Even though this was part of a series, it didn’t matter as I read it as a stand alone. This was my first read by this author.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

So Queenie is back but this time we find out what made Queenie Queenie. I liked getting this insight into her early life in war torn East End and moving through the decades finding out what makes queenie tick and introducing the young Vinnie and his brothers. The book is well written but easy to read takes the reader through so many emotions and gives an understanding of what happened in previous books about a later time. so pleased I read it and would recommend any Kimberley Chambers fans to get their copy.
#Netgalley

I was really looking forward to this and it did not disappoint.
For the first time we get learn Queenie's story from a young girl in World War II up until the 60's.
Her rocky marriage and how she brings up her children, especially her Sons who she teaches from an early age to be tough. The family gain a reputation from the boys behaviour and Queenie revels in it much to her Husbands disgust.
There was some great characters in the book and the setting made the story so realistic you could visualise it. Quite a long book but the storyline kept me hooked.
Although I didn't see the ending coming I think I was expecting more from it.
A book I would highly recommend for fans of this genre.
My thanks go to the publisher, author and Netgalley ion providing this arc in return fora honest review.

Love Kimberley Chambers and feel so privileged to be given this book. I loved it so much that i have now bought it on Audio as well. Here goes to start reading The Butler series. Another brilliant gangland book

This is the first book I've read by Kimberley Chambers - which might have been a problem as this is part of a series. However, I loved it and read it in one sitting. I'll be looking out for the earlier books and will definitely reread this one (with so many books in the world, I don't often reread novels) after I've read the others.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read a copy this book in exchange for an honest review.