Queen of Lombard Street

From New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas-a sweeping, richly layered Victorian novel about a trailblazing female economist who's determined to build Britain's first women's bank, but she must fight both financial corruption and a system intent on destroying the newly found family she's created.

In Victorian England, no woman-not even a brilliant economist like Reina Martin-is allowed to open her own bank account. Men will take care of everything, women are told. But Reina knows better. As the illegitimate daughter of a Spanish immigrant mother, she's haunted by the memory of living with unpaid grocer's bills and no coal for the hearth.

So together with her mentor, the powerful banker William Farlow, Reina will build the first all-women's bank, where women can manage their own financial security. At home, Reina's domestic staff of recently paroled prisoners are building new lives and becoming a found family. But soon Reina is shocked to discover that her enigmatic butler, John Pembroke, is an undercover police detective. He's been assigned to investigate Farlow, who's suspected of financial crime on a scale so massive, it could destabilize the British economy. Pembroke needs Reina's expertise for a high-stakes nighttime heist to obtain incriminating evidence.

Now Reina faces the agonizing choice of betraying her mentor or turning her back on thousands of working-class families who stand to lose everything. Either way, her dream of the women's bank may be over.

But courage and sacrifice aren't limited to the battlefield-they also occur at the kitchen table, where women who believe in compassion and community are working to remake the future. And when the stakes are highest, Reina knows to trust her heart as well as her intellect.

Based on real-life trailblazers such as Mary Paley Marshall, Britain's first female economist, and financial titan Hetty Green, Queen of Lombard Street brings to light the hidden history of extraordinary women whose achievements should be celebrated. How can we know who we are, if we don't know who we were?

From the publisher

Harper Collins / Avon | Oct 13, 2026 | 448 Pages | ISBN-13 9780063247635 | Historical Fiction

1. How do Reina Martin's background as the illegitimate child of a Spanish immigrant and her experiences with poverty motivate her to create Britain's first all-women's bank in 1880s London?

2. How does Reina's neurodivergence influence her approach to economics, logic, and interpersonal relationships?

3. John Pembroke poses as Reina's butler while investigating financial fraud. How does this power dynamic change your view of their early interactions? When does he shift from being a threat to a trusted partner? Did you forgive him, and when?

4. Farlow is Reina's mentor and the man making her dream possible. How did you feel about him as suspicions mounted? What does the book suggest about depending on powerful allies?

5. William Farlow faces accusations of bank fraud, and Reina must decide whether to protect her mentor or save struggling families. How did this dilemma test her values of community and compassion?

6. Reina hires people recently released from prison to work at her home. Why do you think she feels more at ease with them than with wealthy individuals?

7. How does this found family compare with the family she was born into, and what does it suggest about second chances?

8. The novel features real trailblazers like Mary Paley Marshall, Britain's first female economist, and financial leader Hetty Green. Did you know about these women? Did the book spark your interest in other women who are often overlooked in history?

9. In the novel, women in Victorian England needed a man to open a bank account. How does this financial dependence lead to their oppression, and how do the female characters fight against it?

10. Kleypas is known for historical romance, but this is her venture into historical fiction. How do the romance, economic, and mystery plots work together? Did any part stand out the most for you?

11. Reina is described as needing to trust her heart as well as her intellect. Does the book treat these as opposites, or as complementary strenghts?

12. If you could open an account at Reina's bank, what would it represent to you? What's a modern equivalent of the barrier she's trying to break?

Book Club Talking Points:
Queen of Lombard Street is a great book club pick because it mixes history, mystery, and women's issues, offering plenty to discuss. Reina's struggle for women's financial independence raises important questions about money, power and second chances. Her relationships with John, Farlow, and her unique household introduce emotional and moral challenges. The real-life women leaders included in the story allow book clubs to talk about the progress in women's financial freedom and the ongoing inequalities that still exist.

"Lisa Kleypas turns her pen to historical fiction with considerable panache! Brilliant economist Reina Martin knows she's considered an eccentric, from her household staffed with ex-convicts to her ambition of founding England's first all-female bank, but she's determined never to surrender her independence. When her mysterious new butler reveals himself as an undercover police detective, Reina finds herself embroiled in a massive fraud investigation that threatens everything she holds dear--including her heart. Queen of Lombard Street is an absolute delight!" - Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author

"After five years, Kleypas is back, and her fans will be delighted...a clever and well-researched one, with illuminating details of Victorian life on nearly every page. Compelling historical fiction with as much romance as economics. No matter how you describe it, it's a delight." - Kirkus, Starred Review

"Kleypas's many fans will celebrate her return in this highly anticipated release and find comfort in a standout historical novel celebrating a found family with a side of romance." - Library Journal

"[a] historical fiction with such a great romance, but it's about the first female banker in England. And it is fantastic." - Isabel Ibanez, #1 New York Times bestselling author, Good Housekeeping

"The rare author who can make you laugh and cry--on the same page." - Julia Quinn, #1 New York Times bestselling author