Title: The Queens of Crime: A Novel
Author: Marie Benedict
Genre: Historical Mystery, Historical Fiction, Mystery
Book Blurb:
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie—a thrilling story of the five greatest women writers of the Golden Age of Mystery and their bid to solve a real-life murder.
London, 1930. The five greatest women crime writers have banded together to form a secret society with a single goal: to show they are no longer willing to be treated as second class citizens by their male counterparts in the legendary Detection Club. Led by the formidable Dorothy L. Sayers, the group includes Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy. They call themselves the Queens of Crime. Their plan? Solve an actual murder, that of a young woman found strangled in a park in France who may have connections leading to the highest levels of the British establishment.
May Daniels, a young English nurse on an excursion to France with her friend, seemed to vanish into thin air as they prepared to board a ferry home. Months later, her body is found in the nearby woods. The murder has all the hallmarks of a locked room mystery for which these authors are famous: how did her killer manage to sneak her body out of a crowded train station without anyone noticing? If, as the police believe, the cause of death is manual strangulation, why is there is an extraordinary amount of blood at the crime scene? What is the meaning of a heartbreaking secret letter seeming to implicate an unnamed paramour? Determined to solve the highly publicized murder, the Queens of Crime embark on their own investigation, discovering they’re stronger together. But soon the killer targets Dorothy Sayers herself, threatening to expose a dark secret in her past that she would do anything to keep hidden.
Inspired by a true story in Sayers’ own life, New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict brings to life the lengths to which five talented women writers will go to be taken seriously in the male-dominated world of letters as they unpuzzle a mystery torn from the pages of their own novels.
My Review:
Can five female mystery writers solve an actual murder and prove to all they are the queens of crime? The Queens of Crime is a brilliant mystery filled with engaging characters, a complex plot and an intriguing investigation. The five main characters are five of the greatest female mystery writers: Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Emma Orczy. Written for the historical mystery lover, The Queens of Crime is an unforgettable story.
I have to start with these characters. Marie Benedict makes these female trailblazers come to life. Each character is like an icon to me, so it was fun to see them in a different setting. I mean, I’ve read all their books but never knew much about their personal lives. I could close my eyes and envision the dialogue and action of each woman.
The mystery plot itself is complex with subtle clues, a detailed investigation, and a few red herrings thrown in. I was captivated by the mystery and got swept away.
The writing is sublime. Not only is it historically accurate but the author encapsulates historical figures to perfection. Another gem by Marie Benedict and worthy or multiple awards.
My Rating: 5+ stars
Buy it Now:
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Author Biography:
MARIE BENEDICT is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Mitford Affair, Her Hidden Genius, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, The Only Woman in the Room, Lady Clementine, Carnegie's Maid, The Other Einstein, and with Victoria Christopher Murray, the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian and the Target Book of the Year The First Ladies. All have been translated into multiple languages, and many have been selected for the Barnes & Noble Book Club, Target Book Club, Costco Book Club, Indie Next List, and LibraryReads List. She lives in Pittsburgh with her family.
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Reviewed by: Nancy