Queenie Dove, the daring thief at the heart of Jill Dawson’s Lucky Bunny, has been likened to a 20th-century Moll Flanders. She is born into an East End criminal family during the Depression and embarks on a life of crime, constantly outwitting the police. But beneath the daring escapades, lies a darker tale of loss and heartbreak.

Dawson’s latest novel is similar to her Orange Prize and Whitbread-shortlisted Fred and Evie. Both were inspired by real women whose stories shed light on their times.