Kate Plus 10

In 1917, when most crime fiction relegated women to victims or accessories, Edgar Wallace gave us Kate Westhanger: a criminal mastermind who thinks three moves ahead of everyone around her. Kate runs refined operations from London's shadowy Crime Street, but her true ambition lies in targeting the corrupt elite who deserve it. When Inspector Michael Pretherston begins closing in after solving a missing pearl necklace case, he discovers his adversary is the brilliant young woman who call herself Miss Tenby, and he's been outmaneuvered before she even reveals herself. What follows is an exquisite cat-and-mouse game played across London society. Kate poses as a chorus girl to charm wealthy Reggie Boltover, while Michael traces her calculated approach to his business and lays a trap at his own flat. Each encounter crackles with sharp dialogue, mutual fascination, and the electric tension of two brilliant minds sparring. The chemistry between them is undeniable, but so is the stakes: Kate is executing a plan far larger than any single theft, and Michael must decide whether justice means catching her, or understanding her. Wallace delivers a propulsive, witty thriller that feels startlingly modern. Kate Westhanger remains one of crime fiction's most refreshing heroines: brilliant, morally complex, and utterly unrepentant. Perfect for readers who want their period crime with genuine edge, sharp social satire, and a protagonist who refuses to be caught.