What do you think?
Rate this book
The Queens of Crime
The New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie returns with a thrilling story of Christie’s legendary rival Dorothy Sayers, the race to solve a murder, and the power of friendship among women.
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.
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.
310 pages, Hardcover
First published February 11, 2025
2709 people are currently reading
71788 people want to read
About the author
Marie Benedict
21 books12.5k followersMarie 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 the novella, Agent 355. With Victoria Christopher Murray, she co-wrote the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian and the Target Book of the Year The First Ladies.
Her books have been translated into thirty languages, and selected for the Barnes & Noble Book Club, Target Book Club, Costco Book Club, Indie Next List, and LibraryReads List.
Up next is the February 11, 2025 release, The Queens of Crime, the thrilling story of Agatha Christie’s legendary rival, mystery writer Dorothy Sayers, the race to solve a real-life murder, and the power of friendship among women.
And in April, her first children’s book will released, a middle grade historical adventure co-written with Courtney Sheinmel called The Secrets of the Lovelace Academy.
Her books have been translated into thirty languages, and selected for the Barnes & Noble Book Club, Target Book Club, Costco Book Club, Indie Next List, and LibraryReads List.
Up next is the February 11, 2025 release, The Queens of Crime, the thrilling story of Agatha Christie’s legendary rival, mystery writer Dorothy Sayers, the race to solve a real-life murder, and the power of friendship among women.
And in April, her first children’s book will released, a middle grade historical adventure co-written with Courtney Sheinmel called The Secrets of the Lovelace Academy.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,574 reviews
December 20, 2024
The Queens of Crime, Marie Benedict’s latest, combines her standard historic biographical novels with a locked room mystery.
Loosely inspired by a real event in Dorothy Sayers’ life, Benedict provides an ending for what, in real life, was an unsolved murder. In addition, she brings together five of the golden age female mystery writers.
Even though Dorothy Sayers was the energy behind the formation of the Detection Club, the men still fought the inclusion of too many women. So, Dorothy, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy name themselves the Queens of Crime. They decide the way to win the men’s respect is to solve a real murder. They embark on a quest to solve the locked room murder of May Daniels, a young nurse found murdered in France.
This was a fun, entertaining story. It’s told solely from Dorothy’s perspective, but the reader gets a decent feel for the others. We also learn important facts about her personal life.
There’s a wee bit too much emphasis in the beginning on the fashions of each woman as a means to differentiate their personalities. I was more impressed with Benedict’s thoughts about “surplus women” after WWI, discounting female witnesses or finding intellectual fulfillment in marriage.
The story moves at a strong pace with little downtime. It worked well as the women realize writing about detectives is very different than being one. Benedict acquits herself well as a mystery writer.
I was sorry that there was not an Author’s Note, something I expect from a historical story. This is an ARC, so hopefully that omission is fixed before publication.
I appreciated having both the e-book and the audio for this story. Bessie Carter did a good job as narrator.
My thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this book.
Loosely inspired by a real event in Dorothy Sayers’ life, Benedict provides an ending for what, in real life, was an unsolved murder. In addition, she brings together five of the golden age female mystery writers.
Even though Dorothy Sayers was the energy behind the formation of the Detection Club, the men still fought the inclusion of too many women. So, Dorothy, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy name themselves the Queens of Crime. They decide the way to win the men’s respect is to solve a real murder. They embark on a quest to solve the locked room murder of May Daniels, a young nurse found murdered in France.
This was a fun, entertaining story. It’s told solely from Dorothy’s perspective, but the reader gets a decent feel for the others. We also learn important facts about her personal life.
There’s a wee bit too much emphasis in the beginning on the fashions of each woman as a means to differentiate their personalities. I was more impressed with Benedict’s thoughts about “surplus women” after WWI, discounting female witnesses or finding intellectual fulfillment in marriage.
The story moves at a strong pace with little downtime. It worked well as the women realize writing about detectives is very different than being one. Benedict acquits herself well as a mystery writer.
I was sorry that there was not an Author’s Note, something I expect from a historical story. This is an ARC, so hopefully that omission is fixed before publication.
I appreciated having both the e-book and the audio for this story. Bessie Carter did a good job as narrator.
My thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this book.
April 12, 2025
“The Queens of Crime is…a work of fiction, inspired by real events and actual people from the past.” Be sure to read the ‘Author’s Note’ at the end.
“Very few of us are what we seem.”
It is 1931. Mystery writer Dorothy Sayers (Lord Peter Wimsey) is plotting. And, it isn’t her latest book. She and Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Tommy & Tuppence) want more women in the esteemed Detection Club. The “preeminent organization of mystery writers” which is unfortunately dominated by males. And, they are both determined that women authors, who have made a name for themselves, will be part of this group. Thus, they have invited fellow female mystery authors, Ngaio Marsh (Inspector Roderick Alleyn), Margery Allingham (Albert Campion) and Emma Orczy (Sir Percy Blakeney), to join and also be a part of the “Queens of Crime.” (Hence: the title of the book!)
Sayers desire for such a group was to “inspire members to extol one another’s talents, support one another’s novels, collaborate on books, and elevate the genre so reviewers see that the detective novels are every bit as good as so-called literary fiction.”
But this effort to consider women as worthy of being a part of this group isn’t working the way the women hoped. And so, the women set out on a mission to solve a real murder. The death of a 21-year-old nurse named May Daniels whose body has just been discovered.
How do they intend to do this? And, what kind of notoriety will this bring the women? And, will they gain the respect they deserve from their male counterpart mystery authors who also make up the distinguished Detection Club?
As Sherlock Holmes would say (even though he and his author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are not a part of this)…
The game is afoot!
As the police and journalists make assumptions about May’s death and life, the women dig in and through relentless pursuit of information move forward with their investigation. What truth will they discover? Will they find her killer? Most importantly, will they discover the truth of who May Daniels was as a person? And, in so doing, will they find justice for May Daniels? And, perhaps solve another mystery, as well? (No spoilers from me.)
Will these authors also be able to find out something about themselves that can enhance their own writing experiences?
“Suddenly I wonder: Have I ever had my detectives experience these emotions as they study the belongings of the victim? I fear I’ve created cold and calculating investigators who don’t recognize the humanity of the deceased and feel a sense of loss at their death.”
This is a fast-paced, engrossing procedural though the eyes of authors who meticulously plan out mystery plots that will intrigue their readers. And, in this case, Benedict does. Intrigue us. And, take us on an amazing journey for the truth, as well as give readers background on the author’s themselves, based on fact. Which makes this story a beautiful marriage of fact, historical fiction and mystery.
“Very few of us are what we seem.”
It is 1931. Mystery writer Dorothy Sayers (Lord Peter Wimsey) is plotting. And, it isn’t her latest book. She and Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Tommy & Tuppence) want more women in the esteemed Detection Club. The “preeminent organization of mystery writers” which is unfortunately dominated by males. And, they are both determined that women authors, who have made a name for themselves, will be part of this group. Thus, they have invited fellow female mystery authors, Ngaio Marsh (Inspector Roderick Alleyn), Margery Allingham (Albert Campion) and Emma Orczy (Sir Percy Blakeney), to join and also be a part of the “Queens of Crime.” (Hence: the title of the book!)
Sayers desire for such a group was to “inspire members to extol one another’s talents, support one another’s novels, collaborate on books, and elevate the genre so reviewers see that the detective novels are every bit as good as so-called literary fiction.”
But this effort to consider women as worthy of being a part of this group isn’t working the way the women hoped. And so, the women set out on a mission to solve a real murder. The death of a 21-year-old nurse named May Daniels whose body has just been discovered.
How do they intend to do this? And, what kind of notoriety will this bring the women? And, will they gain the respect they deserve from their male counterpart mystery authors who also make up the distinguished Detection Club?
As Sherlock Holmes would say (even though he and his author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are not a part of this)…
The game is afoot!
As the police and journalists make assumptions about May’s death and life, the women dig in and through relentless pursuit of information move forward with their investigation. What truth will they discover? Will they find her killer? Most importantly, will they discover the truth of who May Daniels was as a person? And, in so doing, will they find justice for May Daniels? And, perhaps solve another mystery, as well? (No spoilers from me.)
Will these authors also be able to find out something about themselves that can enhance their own writing experiences?
“Suddenly I wonder: Have I ever had my detectives experience these emotions as they study the belongings of the victim? I fear I’ve created cold and calculating investigators who don’t recognize the humanity of the deceased and feel a sense of loss at their death.”
This is a fast-paced, engrossing procedural though the eyes of authors who meticulously plan out mystery plots that will intrigue their readers. And, in this case, Benedict does. Intrigue us. And, take us on an amazing journey for the truth, as well as give readers background on the author’s themselves, based on fact. Which makes this story a beautiful marriage of fact, historical fiction and mystery.
January 18, 2025
Marie Benedict takes a slight turn with her newest historical fiction release, The Queens of Crime. Pulling together Agatha Christie and a few other famous mystery writers in the early/mid twentieth century... female mystery writers who were fighting for a seat at the table (when their work was most certainly proof but the times held them back)... she gives us a true murder mystery to solve. A nurse disappears and no one seems to care. But the 4 amateur detectives collaborate with Dorothy Sayers in the lead to solve the case and build their own society of authors in the male-dominated genre. (Side Note: I need to read more of Sayers' books - I loved the ones I have to date). Enjoyed the POVs and getting to know the authors. Liked the mystery. Great theatrical fun with the setting. A little more than the typical Benedict novel because not only do you get the divine historical fiction perspective she always effectively delivers but you sink your teeth into a murder with many twists and ruthless characters. Recommended!
February 23, 2025
2.5 Stars
I usually really like Marie Benedict’s books as they are based on strong women characters who were ahead of their time.
Oh……..this one is slow. It was such a great premise, 5 Real Mystery Writers decide to solve an actual murder. They are Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Emma Orczy, Margery Allingham, and Ngaio Marsh. These were women that Marie Benedict continually points out struggled with sexism. I am sure this is correct and for these five women to survive and publish books they had to be intelligent, resilient, and bold. Yet, sadly that is not how they are portrayed in this book. Beyond describing meetings for high tea at restaurants, how each woman dressed, manners, and just stale discussions, I never felt I knew these striking women at all. There is no depth to their characters. The mystery of a young nurse being murdered also carries little suspense or intrigue. Dorothy Sayers narrates the book and Agatha Christie is the second biggest contributor, but think that was for her name. The other three, well I know how they dressed and if they bickered or not. That’s about all.
I have read several of Marie Benedict’s books and really enjoyed them. This one just fell flat for me. It has the making for such a great book and it honestly does not deliver. It took me two weeks to finish and usually I read one of her books in a couple of days.
Thank you NetGalley, Marie Benedict, and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book. I leave reviews for all books I read.
I usually really like Marie Benedict’s books as they are based on strong women characters who were ahead of their time.
Oh……..this one is slow. It was such a great premise, 5 Real Mystery Writers decide to solve an actual murder. They are Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Emma Orczy, Margery Allingham, and Ngaio Marsh. These were women that Marie Benedict continually points out struggled with sexism. I am sure this is correct and for these five women to survive and publish books they had to be intelligent, resilient, and bold. Yet, sadly that is not how they are portrayed in this book. Beyond describing meetings for high tea at restaurants, how each woman dressed, manners, and just stale discussions, I never felt I knew these striking women at all. There is no depth to their characters. The mystery of a young nurse being murdered also carries little suspense or intrigue. Dorothy Sayers narrates the book and Agatha Christie is the second biggest contributor, but think that was for her name. The other three, well I know how they dressed and if they bickered or not. That’s about all.
I have read several of Marie Benedict’s books and really enjoyed them. This one just fell flat for me. It has the making for such a great book and it honestly does not deliver. It took me two weeks to finish and usually I read one of her books in a couple of days.
Thank you NetGalley, Marie Benedict, and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book. I leave reviews for all books I read.
February 12, 2025
Happy Publication Day - February 11, 2025
What can I say, The Queens of Crime by a favorite historical fiction writer, Marie Benedict, was a delightful journey into the world of crime writing in the 1930s, and specifically of women as in Agatha Christie. It is in this book that we come to know Dorothy Sayers, purported to be Agatha Christie’s legendary rival. But it is in this fast-paced mystery novel that we are enthralled in the power of friendship among women as five of the greatest crime writers have banded together to form a secret society to prove their worth to their legendary counterparts in the formidable Detection Club. They call themselves The Queens of Crime.. Led by Dorothy Sayers, this illustrious group included Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy. They take it upon themselves to solve the crime of an actual murder of a young English nurse found strangled in a park in France. The mystery surrounding her death ultimately leads to very interesting circumstances and places and mystery and suspense, this was a page-turner. But at the heart of this was the involvement of these women in what may have first only been a lark and a challenge but soon captured their hearts in their quest for the truth.
My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an advanced reader’s copy of this book to be published in February 2025.
What can I say, The Queens of Crime by a favorite historical fiction writer, Marie Benedict, was a delightful journey into the world of crime writing in the 1930s, and specifically of women as in Agatha Christie. It is in this book that we come to know Dorothy Sayers, purported to be Agatha Christie’s legendary rival. But it is in this fast-paced mystery novel that we are enthralled in the power of friendship among women as five of the greatest crime writers have banded together to form a secret society to prove their worth to their legendary counterparts in the formidable Detection Club. They call themselves The Queens of Crime.. Led by Dorothy Sayers, this illustrious group included Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy. They take it upon themselves to solve the crime of an actual murder of a young English nurse found strangled in a park in France. The mystery surrounding her death ultimately leads to very interesting circumstances and places and mystery and suspense, this was a page-turner. But at the heart of this was the involvement of these women in what may have first only been a lark and a challenge but soon captured their hearts in their quest for the truth.
My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an advanced reader’s copy of this book to be published in February 2025.
April 7, 2025
I've read several of Marie Benedict's novels and have thoroughly enjoyed them. This one, however, was such a tedious read for me.
February 12, 2025
3.5 stars, rounded up for the awesome MC’s - Overall, I really liked this one, and I loved the look into the “Queens”, I was mostly only familiar with Christie, though I did know of the other authors. I liked the idea of it also being a mystery as well as a historical, though I found that part a bit less successful & I felt the pacing was really off — too slow at the start & too quick at the end. Still fairly happy with it & glad I read it!
December 19, 2024
This was a very enjoyable story. It was filled with some of my favorite things: intelligent women, strong positive female friendships, and an interesting mystery to solve.
This story is based on a true unsolved murder of a young English nurse as well as real female novelists. I love Benedict's writing and her take on a possible scenario. She blends the murder, the Detection Club, and the "Queens of Crime" quite seamlessly. This combination made for a wonderful story. I really enjoyed getting to know the different personalities of the different characters and trying to work out the mystery along the way.
I was fortunate to have the audio in addition to the ebook of this novel. The audio was fabulously narrated by Bessie Carter and I highly recommend it. She somehow managed to even bring the time period to life.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with complimentary electronic copies of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This story is based on a true unsolved murder of a young English nurse as well as real female novelists. I love Benedict's writing and her take on a possible scenario. She blends the murder, the Detection Club, and the "Queens of Crime" quite seamlessly. This combination made for a wonderful story. I really enjoyed getting to know the different personalities of the different characters and trying to work out the mystery along the way.
I was fortunate to have the audio in addition to the ebook of this novel. The audio was fabulously narrated by Bessie Carter and I highly recommend it. She somehow managed to even bring the time period to life.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with complimentary electronic copies of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 12, 2025
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
THE QUEENS OF CRIME by Marie Benedict is a historical fiction/mystery story featuring The Queens of Crime, their founding and friendship, and a locked room mystery they work together to solve in 1930 London and Boulogne-sur-Mer. Told solely from Dorothy Sayer's perspective this is an entertaining story with an intriguing mystery.
Mystery writers Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Baroness Emma Orczy, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham band together as The Queens of Crime to be recognized as equals to the male members of the legendary Detection Club. To receive that recognition, they plan to solve an actual murder straight out of the headlines.
A young nurse takes a day trip to Boulogne-sur-Mer, France with a friend and disappears. She went into the ladies room at the ferry terminal and never came out. Her body is discovered several months later in a park with signs of strangulation. Determined to solve the mystery, the ladies use their skills to investigate. As they get closer, Dorothy is threatened with the revelation of a secret from her past and attacked. Will they be able pull all their skills and talents together to solve the mystery before anyone else becomes a victim?
I was really looking forward to getting this book, and while it is an entertaining read, with an excellent locked room mystery intertwined, the Queens are not as fully developed as individual characters as I was hoping for. I felt Dorothy was developed as a good lead character, but the other ladies were lacking. There is a heavy emphasis on their clothes and food, with in my opinion, only minimal emphasis on their personalities. I enjoyed the history surrounding the WWI "surplus girls" and the mystery plot itself, though it started slowly it was filled with interesting twists and red herrings.
Overall, an enjoyable historical fiction/mystery book, just not my favorite by this author.
THE QUEENS OF CRIME by Marie Benedict is a historical fiction/mystery story featuring The Queens of Crime, their founding and friendship, and a locked room mystery they work together to solve in 1930 London and Boulogne-sur-Mer. Told solely from Dorothy Sayer's perspective this is an entertaining story with an intriguing mystery.
Mystery writers Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Baroness Emma Orczy, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham band together as The Queens of Crime to be recognized as equals to the male members of the legendary Detection Club. To receive that recognition, they plan to solve an actual murder straight out of the headlines.
A young nurse takes a day trip to Boulogne-sur-Mer, France with a friend and disappears. She went into the ladies room at the ferry terminal and never came out. Her body is discovered several months later in a park with signs of strangulation. Determined to solve the mystery, the ladies use their skills to investigate. As they get closer, Dorothy is threatened with the revelation of a secret from her past and attacked. Will they be able pull all their skills and talents together to solve the mystery before anyone else becomes a victim?
I was really looking forward to getting this book, and while it is an entertaining read, with an excellent locked room mystery intertwined, the Queens are not as fully developed as individual characters as I was hoping for. I felt Dorothy was developed as a good lead character, but the other ladies were lacking. There is a heavy emphasis on their clothes and food, with in my opinion, only minimal emphasis on their personalities. I enjoyed the history surrounding the WWI "surplus girls" and the mystery plot itself, though it started slowly it was filled with interesting twists and red herrings.
Overall, an enjoyable historical fiction/mystery book, just not my favorite by this author.
May 15, 2025
This book had a lot of potential. I liked the concept and the subtext, but I was bored by the execution. I'm sure many others would like this book, but I generally struggle with historical fiction as it is. So it's 3 stars for effort on its own.
January 13, 2025
The Queens of Crime offers a delightful twist on the classic mystery novel. The story brings together five iconic female mystery writers—Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Baroness Emma Orczy, Margery Allingham, and Ngaio Marsh—who band together to form a group aptly named The Queens of Crime. Their initial goal is to solve a real-life murder and prove to the male members of the newly formed Detection Club that women writers are just as capable as their male counterparts.
However, as they delve into the mysterious death of young nurse May Daniels, their mission transforms from a bid for recognition to a genuine pursuit of justice. Along the way, the women discover that crafting fictional detectives is far easier than confronting real-life criminals. With engaging characters and a clever plot, this novel is a must-read for mystery lovers and fans of these legendary authors.
However, as they delve into the mysterious death of young nurse May Daniels, their mission transforms from a bid for recognition to a genuine pursuit of justice. Along the way, the women discover that crafting fictional detectives is far easier than confronting real-life criminals. With engaging characters and a clever plot, this novel is a must-read for mystery lovers and fans of these legendary authors.
February 11, 2025
Cozy mystery fans are going to love this new historical fiction book by the bestselling author, Marie Benedict. The title The Queens of Crime actually refers to four real life female English novelists from the 1930s, which was considered to be the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction". This group of extremely successful writers contains Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie (who was the title character in one of Marie Benedict's other novels, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie), Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and the addition of Emma Orczy.
These five strong-willed crime writers, like most women of that era, were often unrecognized, unappreciated, and unheralded. To cement their places amongst men of the same ilk, they came together to solve an actual mystery surrounding the disappearance and death of a young female nurse from England who was on a day trip to France with a friend. I was impressed by how this all-star team of self-appointed female detectives skillfully worked their way through the tasks of gathering clues and talking to witnesses. It was like watching an Agatha Christie play take place on a stage.
The ending for the Queens themselves is easy to guess, but the enjoyment lies in the pleasure of watching them solve the puzzling crime. I can definitely see this novel becoming a popular movie or TV series.
My sincere thanks to St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC of this novel through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
These five strong-willed crime writers, like most women of that era, were often unrecognized, unappreciated, and unheralded. To cement their places amongst men of the same ilk, they came together to solve an actual mystery surrounding the disappearance and death of a young female nurse from England who was on a day trip to France with a friend. I was impressed by how this all-star team of self-appointed female detectives skillfully worked their way through the tasks of gathering clues and talking to witnesses. It was like watching an Agatha Christie play take place on a stage.
The ending for the Queens themselves is easy to guess, but the enjoyment lies in the pleasure of watching them solve the puzzling crime. I can definitely see this novel becoming a popular movie or TV series.
My sincere thanks to St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC of this novel through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 13, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. It hasn't affected the contents of my review.
I'm sad to say this was a disappointment. Pretty sure I'm done reading this author's books, as both have resulted in the same outcome for me: frustration that a great premise (and great research!) was wasted on subpar execution.
Said premise: Dorothy L. Sayers (our narrator) has been the driving force behind the creation of The Detection Club, a real club formed in 1930 by Britain's most prominent mystery and crime writers, for the benefit of their genre. They were tired of being discounted by the literary establishment and wanted to safeguard their chosen form and promote it at the same time. Other members included: Agatha Christie, Baroness Orczy, Anthony Berkeley Cox, and G. K. Chesterton, the first president. (The club also famously wrote up The Fair Play Rules for mystery authors, which I most recently enjoyed a prominent mention of in Benjamin Stevenson's book, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone.)
Queens of Crime opens when the club is having its initiation, and Sayers and Christie are both very frustrated at the attitude of the male members towards inviting more women than themselves into the club, as they view Sayers and Christie as exceptions to the norms of "womanhood". Your basic sexist bullshit. So Agatha and Dorothy scheme to get more women in, including Ngaio Marsh, the Baroness Orczy (The Scarlet Pimpernel), and Margery Allingham. I believe there were liberties taken with the membership history here, but I don't know for sure because the ARC copy didn't have her author's notes. But even as they are successful in getting five women mystery authors into the club, they are treated poorly or dismissed by the men, and determine to show themselves worthy of membership.
Firstly, this approach rankled me. Why must they have to go so far out of their way to prove themselves to these men? It's gross.
Anyway, they hatch a plan to solve the murder of a woman called May Daniels, whose body has just been found after she went missing months before. They choose May because they believe the men running the investigation have discounted many things about the case because they lack the perspective of women, and because the fate of the dead young nurse is one they'd like to address if they can.
This had the bones of a good story, great historical research, compelling characters (in theory), a twisty mystery, and an emotional hook based on these women doing something that men can't to fight for the respect they should have been given automatically. But unfortunately, Benedict's style is very lacking in almost every aspect of the craft that makes stories compelling for me. The characters are wooden, the descriptions and events as they are laid out are very very workmanlike with absolutely no sense of emotional or artistic flair. It is a logic-based approach to story, and it did not work for me at all. The result of all this is a book that feels overall plodding and lifeless, which is an impressive feat, considering the quality of materials the author had to work with. How do you make such vibrant historical women seem so mundane on the page?
I really wouldn't recommend this book. I wish this author would team up with another author with more artistic flair, or that someone else had written a book with this same premise, like happened with Benedict's other book featuring Agatha Christie*.
*The Mystery of Mrs. Christie was published around the same time as The Christie Affair, which was a much, much better book, in my opinion.
Very sad with this outcome, but it is what it is, and I've learned my lesson.
[2.5 stars]
I'm sad to say this was a disappointment. Pretty sure I'm done reading this author's books, as both have resulted in the same outcome for me: frustration that a great premise (and great research!) was wasted on subpar execution.
Said premise: Dorothy L. Sayers (our narrator) has been the driving force behind the creation of The Detection Club, a real club formed in 1930 by Britain's most prominent mystery and crime writers, for the benefit of their genre. They were tired of being discounted by the literary establishment and wanted to safeguard their chosen form and promote it at the same time. Other members included: Agatha Christie, Baroness Orczy, Anthony Berkeley Cox, and G. K. Chesterton, the first president. (The club also famously wrote up The Fair Play Rules for mystery authors, which I most recently enjoyed a prominent mention of in Benjamin Stevenson's book, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone.)
Queens of Crime opens when the club is having its initiation, and Sayers and Christie are both very frustrated at the attitude of the male members towards inviting more women than themselves into the club, as they view Sayers and Christie as exceptions to the norms of "womanhood". Your basic sexist bullshit. So Agatha and Dorothy scheme to get more women in, including Ngaio Marsh, the Baroness Orczy (The Scarlet Pimpernel), and Margery Allingham. I believe there were liberties taken with the membership history here, but I don't know for sure because the ARC copy didn't have her author's notes. But even as they are successful in getting five women mystery authors into the club, they are treated poorly or dismissed by the men, and determine to show themselves worthy of membership.
Firstly, this approach rankled me. Why must they have to go so far out of their way to prove themselves to these men? It's gross.
Anyway, they hatch a plan to solve the murder of a woman called May Daniels, whose body has just been found after she went missing months before. They choose May because they believe the men running the investigation have discounted many things about the case because they lack the perspective of women, and because the fate of the dead young nurse is one they'd like to address if they can.
This had the bones of a good story, great historical research, compelling characters (in theory), a twisty mystery, and an emotional hook based on these women doing something that men can't to fight for the respect they should have been given automatically. But unfortunately, Benedict's style is very lacking in almost every aspect of the craft that makes stories compelling for me. The characters are wooden, the descriptions and events as they are laid out are very very workmanlike with absolutely no sense of emotional or artistic flair. It is a logic-based approach to story, and it did not work for me at all. The result of all this is a book that feels overall plodding and lifeless, which is an impressive feat, considering the quality of materials the author had to work with. How do you make such vibrant historical women seem so mundane on the page?
I really wouldn't recommend this book. I wish this author would team up with another author with more artistic flair, or that someone else had written a book with this same premise, like happened with Benedict's other book featuring Agatha Christie*.
*The Mystery of Mrs. Christie was published around the same time as The Christie Affair, which was a much, much better book, in my opinion.
Very sad with this outcome, but it is what it is, and I've learned my lesson.
[2.5 stars]
January 9, 2025
The Queens of Crime bring five powerful women crime writers who demand recognition of their mystery genre. It is inspired by a true story of Dorothy Sayers’ own life.
London, 1931. The five great female writers come together and form Detection Club - an organization of mystery writers created due to lack of consideration for their work as literature. Dorothy L. Sayers leads the group which includes Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy. Their goal is to elevate the mystery genre so the detective novels are seen as good as literary fiction. But in the male dominated world, their club rather causes them to be even more ostracized. To prove their worth, they decide to solve a real-life murder.
Recently, the murder case of May Daniels, a young English nurse, resurfaced as her body was found in a park in France. Four months earlier, she disappeared into thin-air in France, after stepping into a bathroom at the train station before bounding for England. Police reported that there was only one way in and one way out, and her friend was waiting for her outside the bathroom.
Dorothy’s husband is a journalist who previously covered the story. Now, he’s heading back to France to cover the story again. This gives Dorothy an idea to tag along with her husband, and her four co-detectives would travel to France in secret and reconnect there to get a scoop on the details.
As the women uncover details, they follow in May’s footsteps in the order they occurred. There are perplexing clues but they are good at untangling them. But this private investigation turns against Dorothy when the killer targets her, threatening to expose a secret which she’d prefer to keep hidden.
This insightful story delves into a theme of the marginalized women and how they had to propel themselves to be taken seriously. There was a reluctance to investigate the murder of a woman, and the women became serous about solving it.
The narrative is original and each of five women has her distinct voice, but I wished there was more to character development. This is a plot-driven story which is different from this author’s previous books which are character-driven. This is an excellent read for those who enjoy plot-driven stories.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
London, 1931. The five great female writers come together and form Detection Club - an organization of mystery writers created due to lack of consideration for their work as literature. Dorothy L. Sayers leads the group which includes Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy. Their goal is to elevate the mystery genre so the detective novels are seen as good as literary fiction. But in the male dominated world, their club rather causes them to be even more ostracized. To prove their worth, they decide to solve a real-life murder.
Recently, the murder case of May Daniels, a young English nurse, resurfaced as her body was found in a park in France. Four months earlier, she disappeared into thin-air in France, after stepping into a bathroom at the train station before bounding for England. Police reported that there was only one way in and one way out, and her friend was waiting for her outside the bathroom.
Dorothy’s husband is a journalist who previously covered the story. Now, he’s heading back to France to cover the story again. This gives Dorothy an idea to tag along with her husband, and her four co-detectives would travel to France in secret and reconnect there to get a scoop on the details.
As the women uncover details, they follow in May’s footsteps in the order they occurred. There are perplexing clues but they are good at untangling them. But this private investigation turns against Dorothy when the killer targets her, threatening to expose a secret which she’d prefer to keep hidden.
This insightful story delves into a theme of the marginalized women and how they had to propel themselves to be taken seriously. There was a reluctance to investigate the murder of a woman, and the women became serous about solving it.
The narrative is original and each of five women has her distinct voice, but I wished there was more to character development. This is a plot-driven story which is different from this author’s previous books which are character-driven. This is an excellent read for those who enjoy plot-driven stories.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 11, 2025
4 True Crime Stars - now available
This is my second book by Marie Benedict, but I enjoy her writing so much that I’m going back and reading some of her older titles! She’s a master at historical writing that brings real people to life.
In this story, we have five female crime writers (of course, Agatha Christie is among them) who band together in a club and decide to tackle an actual murder case and try to solve it. Dorothy Sayers is the main character in this one, and while I have heard of her, I haven’t read any of her books. Those are on my list now, too!
Watching these five women solve a crime like their book detectives and build a friendship was quite a ride. It was harder to read about how women were treated and thought of in the 1930s. Nursing was not a good profession; once pregnant, no woman could work. There were more women than men after WWI (and WWII). Despite contributions during the war, the women are now considered “surplus women” and expected to return to traditional household roles. Women were considered below men on so many levels. I’m glad some progress has been made on these fronts.
The women travel to France and all over England to solve the murder of Nurse May Daniels and redeem her name. I loved the ingenuity of the women and this was a delightful story to lose myself in for a few hours!
This was a good buddy read with Marilyn. Be sure to check out her review to see if she liked it, too.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and honestly review this one.
This is my second book by Marie Benedict, but I enjoy her writing so much that I’m going back and reading some of her older titles! She’s a master at historical writing that brings real people to life.
In this story, we have five female crime writers (of course, Agatha Christie is among them) who band together in a club and decide to tackle an actual murder case and try to solve it. Dorothy Sayers is the main character in this one, and while I have heard of her, I haven’t read any of her books. Those are on my list now, too!
Watching these five women solve a crime like their book detectives and build a friendship was quite a ride. It was harder to read about how women were treated and thought of in the 1930s. Nursing was not a good profession; once pregnant, no woman could work. There were more women than men after WWI (and WWII). Despite contributions during the war, the women are now considered “surplus women” and expected to return to traditional household roles. Women were considered below men on so many levels. I’m glad some progress has been made on these fronts.
The women travel to France and all over England to solve the murder of Nurse May Daniels and redeem her name. I loved the ingenuity of the women and this was a delightful story to lose myself in for a few hours!
This was a good buddy read with Marilyn. Be sure to check out her review to see if she liked it, too.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and honestly review this one.
June 20, 2025
3 stars
Mystery writers Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy want to prove themselves to the otherwise male membership of the newly formed Detection Club, made up of England’s best crime writers. They decide to work together to solve an actual crime, the murder of May Daniels, an English nurse on holiday in France with a friend.
This was such a great idea, but it wasn’t exactly what I expected. This story is about Dorothy, the other four writers are in supporting roles. Based on the Afterword there may be some historical precedent for this choice, but I assumed (hoped) all the writers would be featured; Ngaio Marsh gets especially short shrift and is really just an argumentative cypher who prefers menswear. It’s too bad.
The mystery was fine, it was nothing exciting and most of us have seen it before. So overall the book was just OK for me. Benedict could definitely make this a series if she so chooses (I don’t know that there’s any short of plan for that; the end of the book isn’t a set up for another volume and, again, this case is based loosely on a real event.)
Read for 2035 Book Lover’s Challenge by Book Girls’ Guide, prompt #5, May, books about writers and editors.
Mystery writers Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy want to prove themselves to the otherwise male membership of the newly formed Detection Club, made up of England’s best crime writers. They decide to work together to solve an actual crime, the murder of May Daniels, an English nurse on holiday in France with a friend.
This was such a great idea, but it wasn’t exactly what I expected. This story is about Dorothy, the other four writers are in supporting roles. Based on the Afterword there may be some historical precedent for this choice, but I assumed (hoped) all the writers would be featured; Ngaio Marsh gets especially short shrift and is really just an argumentative cypher who prefers menswear. It’s too bad.
The mystery was fine, it was nothing exciting and most of us have seen it before. So overall the book was just OK for me. Benedict could definitely make this a series if she so chooses (I don’t know that there’s any short of plan for that; the end of the book isn’t a set up for another volume and, again, this case is based loosely on a real event.)
Read for 2035 Book Lover’s Challenge by Book Girls’ Guide, prompt #5, May, books about writers and editors.
February 20, 2025
My first historical fiction book for 2025 and what a way to start! This book was so much fun and I was sad when it ended. This year one of my reading goals is to read more Agatha Christie and this book was nice side read. I can’t believe that this was inspired by real life adventures! These women were fabulous and the narrator was brilliant. She did a fantastic job at giving each character a unique voice, and I was especially impressed by her kiwi accent.. not easy to do without sounding awful!
It is the early 1930s and women are still trying to be taken seriously. 5 incredible crime writers are on a quest to have them seen as equals to their male counterparts. Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Margery Allingham, Baroness Emma Orczy and Ngaio Marsh form their own society and decide to solve a real life murder and show the men what they are made of. A young nurse, May Daniels went missing in France months ago and now her body has been discovered. They use all their research and knowledge of crime fiction to work together to solve this case.
The Queens of Crime were formidable. Nothing stopped them from getting to the truth and justice for this poor woman. It was at times funny, at times sad. I got lost in the story. I need to check out books from the rest of these women now.
If you love a good mystery then grab yourself a copy of this fantastic book. Publishes on February 11th. Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for my advanced copy to listen to.
It is the early 1930s and women are still trying to be taken seriously. 5 incredible crime writers are on a quest to have them seen as equals to their male counterparts. Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Margery Allingham, Baroness Emma Orczy and Ngaio Marsh form their own society and decide to solve a real life murder and show the men what they are made of. A young nurse, May Daniels went missing in France months ago and now her body has been discovered. They use all their research and knowledge of crime fiction to work together to solve this case.
The Queens of Crime were formidable. Nothing stopped them from getting to the truth and justice for this poor woman. It was at times funny, at times sad. I got lost in the story. I need to check out books from the rest of these women now.
If you love a good mystery then grab yourself a copy of this fantastic book. Publishes on February 11th. Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for my advanced copy to listen to.
March 12, 2025
Dorothy L. Sayers, acclaimed crime novelist, is appalled when her Detective's Club dislikes the idea of having an "abundance of women" as club members (other than Agatha Christie, natch). So Dorothy summons Agatha, Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh, and Baroness Emma Orczy together to infiltrate their numbers—by solving an actual murder and proving their superiority once and for all. As they begin to unpick the knot that led to May Daniels's death, the self-named "Queens of Crime" discover that life isn't like their books (until it is). (Or something.)
1. This is in first person, which, ugh. It's just not my favorite narrative tool, especially when it's paired with investigations and character studies. It reads as clunky, as the narrator has to stop and react to things and notice things and think about things in a way that doesn't come across as natural or organic or compelling.
2. The "observations" on the other "queens of crime" were ... weirdly shaped around a lot of appearance indicators and assumptions. Eventually (very late in the book) Sayers (the narrator) begins to examine the very broad stereotypes she uses on these other women, but this change was far too close to the end and far too superficial for it to undo the fact that we're given more detail about what each author wears to every meeting than we are about their professions, their craft, their outlook on the world, their relationships, their general being in the world they allegedly inhabit. It's pretty disappointing.
3. I've said this about other books that dabble in the fact vs. fiction realm, but I ... mostly don't like it? Especially when you assign drivers or objectives or goals to the characters that may not align with who they really are or were.
For example, there's a sub-sub-plot about (no spoilers here because real people / actual fact) Dorothy L. Sayer's son (John Anthony) who was born out of wedlock and raised by her cousin Ivy Shrimpton. In The Queens of Crime, Benedict's "Dorothy" ends up recuperating from an attack with cousin Ivy and opines the fact that Mac (her husband) has indicated that he and Dorothy would someday "adopt" John and live together as a family. Except "no time is ever right" and the adoption has been delayed and delayed again, with Mac finally dangling a "summer holiday stay" as a means of reconciling this whole sub-sub-plot.
And the whole thing is just....kind of gross? Without any evidence to the contrary, Benedict assigns a lot of weight to the idea that her Dorothy wants desperately to be a mother to John and is deeply emotional when she sees him (which is only semi-frequently due to her schedule and work). And maybe the Real Actual Dorothy L. Sayers felt that way—but maybe she didn't, and choosing to apply that characterization to her feels ... pretty ick.
(It also makes her relationship with Mac seem ... less idealistic than I think Benedict wants to portray, so that's another interesting facet to the entire thing. Because there are things about their marriage (in the book) that seem strained but they're carefully excised / worked around rather than confronted as actual shades of gray to "Dorothy's" world. Another pitfall of first person.)
4. The mystery itself was also kind of ham-fisted, in that the "queens" find a critical letter that is....written in a way that no human on earth would ever write. It's crafted to be a Mystery Novel Clue and reads like a sand trap, intentionally leading down a dead end so that the "twist" can happen twenty pages later—making the letter basically nonsense because of how intentionally vague it was. (Also it's just full of weird details like sneaking out of the restaurant and what dress the victim wore to a dinner date and her feelings when accosted in the park. Like, if I was afraid for my life I wouldn't write about sitting in a park feeling rage; I'd want to capture relevant details about the people who were perpetrating the potential crimes instead of talking about the fact that I had to wear an old dress to dinner. Perhaps this is just me. Or perhaps it's just not an authentic letter for the circumstances in which it was supposed to have been written. WHO'S TO SAY.)
(I'm to say: I'm the reader and I say: bad.)
5. The actual denouement and accusation was a weird sour note, too, with lots of shouting and awkwardness and death. Very odd.
6. I do want to check out books written by the other "queens of crime" though, so I suppose that's a good outcome of this!
1. This is in first person, which, ugh. It's just not my favorite narrative tool, especially when it's paired with investigations and character studies. It reads as clunky, as the narrator has to stop and react to things and notice things and think about things in a way that doesn't come across as natural or organic or compelling.
2. The "observations" on the other "queens of crime" were ... weirdly shaped around a lot of appearance indicators and assumptions. Eventually (very late in the book) Sayers (the narrator) begins to examine the very broad stereotypes she uses on these other women, but this change was far too close to the end and far too superficial for it to undo the fact that we're given more detail about what each author wears to every meeting than we are about their professions, their craft, their outlook on the world, their relationships, their general being in the world they allegedly inhabit. It's pretty disappointing.
3. I've said this about other books that dabble in the fact vs. fiction realm, but I ... mostly don't like it? Especially when you assign drivers or objectives or goals to the characters that may not align with who they really are or were.
For example, there's a sub-sub-plot about (no spoilers here because real people / actual fact) Dorothy L. Sayer's son (John Anthony) who was born out of wedlock and raised by her cousin Ivy Shrimpton. In The Queens of Crime, Benedict's "Dorothy" ends up recuperating from an attack with cousin Ivy and opines the fact that Mac (her husband) has indicated that he and Dorothy would someday "adopt" John and live together as a family. Except "no time is ever right" and the adoption has been delayed and delayed again, with Mac finally dangling a "summer holiday stay" as a means of reconciling this whole sub-sub-plot.
And the whole thing is just....kind of gross? Without any evidence to the contrary, Benedict assigns a lot of weight to the idea that her Dorothy wants desperately to be a mother to John and is deeply emotional when she sees him (which is only semi-frequently due to her schedule and work). And maybe the Real Actual Dorothy L. Sayers felt that way—but maybe she didn't, and choosing to apply that characterization to her feels ... pretty ick.
(It also makes her relationship with Mac seem ... less idealistic than I think Benedict wants to portray, so that's another interesting facet to the entire thing. Because there are things about their marriage (in the book) that seem strained but they're carefully excised / worked around rather than confronted as actual shades of gray to "Dorothy's" world. Another pitfall of first person.)
4. The mystery itself was also kind of ham-fisted, in that the "queens" find a critical letter that is....written in a way that no human on earth would ever write. It's crafted to be a Mystery Novel Clue and reads like a sand trap, intentionally leading down a dead end so that the "twist" can happen twenty pages later—making the letter basically nonsense because of how intentionally vague it was. (Also it's just full of weird details like sneaking out of the restaurant and what dress the victim wore to a dinner date and her feelings when accosted in the park. Like, if I was afraid for my life I wouldn't write about sitting in a park feeling rage; I'd want to capture relevant details about the people who were perpetrating the potential crimes instead of talking about the fact that I had to wear an old dress to dinner. Perhaps this is just me. Or perhaps it's just not an authentic letter for the circumstances in which it was supposed to have been written. WHO'S TO SAY.)
(I'm to say: I'm the reader and I say: bad.)
5. The actual denouement and accusation was a weird sour note, too, with lots of shouting and awkwardness and death. Very odd.
6. I do want to check out books written by the other "queens of crime" though, so I suppose that's a good outcome of this!
December 10, 2024
The Queens of Crime is a nod to the five greatest female Golden Age mystery novelists: Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy. They are members of the newly formed Detection Club, which still exists today. Treated poorly by the club's men due to sexism, the Queens use their mystery writing skills to solve a real case: the strangulation of an English nurse found in a park in France. This locked-room style mystery is well-suited to their skills and a great way to gain respect from their male counterparts. As they investigate the crime further, Dorothy becomes targeted by the killer. It's hard to know who to trust as the Queens suspect this could go up high in the British government.
Benedict does a splendid job of illustrating the bias against female victims. There are parallels to women in today's workplace. How far is one willing to go to get the recognition one deserves? As a woman, do you ever feel marginalized by not being taken seriously? I also loved the strong, historic female characters that Benedict carefully crafted and the fierce friendships among group members. For lovers of historical fiction and mystery, this book is a must-read!
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martins Press and Marie Benedict for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
Benedict does a splendid job of illustrating the bias against female victims. There are parallels to women in today's workplace. How far is one willing to go to get the recognition one deserves? As a woman, do you ever feel marginalized by not being taken seriously? I also loved the strong, historic female characters that Benedict carefully crafted and the fierce friendships among group members. For lovers of historical fiction and mystery, this book is a must-read!
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martins Press and Marie Benedict for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
July 20, 2024
Review closer to publication date!
February 12, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins's Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own
Marie Benedict is one of my favourite authors. She writes about strong women and the trials and tribulations that they encountered in their lifetime( Clementine Churchill, Agatha Christie, Hedy Lamarr, The Mitford sisters etc.). The Queens of Crime is only a slight departure from her previous books in that it surrounds a mystery. Benedict's main protagonist is author Dorothy L.Sayers, who along with four other mystery writers( Agatha Christie, Baroness Emma Orczy, Margery Allingham, and Ngaio Marsh) find themselves trying to solve the mysterious death of a British nurse vacationing in France. At the same time, the authors are trying to find their place in a very male-dominated Detection Club(London Detection Club). The crime provides all five women with the chance to prove their worth as real detectives.
I found this book to be very entertaining and from the moment I opened the book, I was committed to following these five author sleuths to the end of the tale. I have read several Agatha Christie titles and have read at least one title of Dorothy Sayers and Baroness Emma Orczy under my belt. However, I thank the author for bringing to my attention two authors- Margarey Allingham and Ngaio Marsh that I was not familiar with but now desire to find their books to read.
The story also highlights views in the 1930s on women writers, children out of wedlock and those who fell prey to serious crimes. A very memorable read.
Publication Date 11/02/25
Goodreads Review 12/02/25
Marie Benedict is one of my favourite authors. She writes about strong women and the trials and tribulations that they encountered in their lifetime( Clementine Churchill, Agatha Christie, Hedy Lamarr, The Mitford sisters etc.). The Queens of Crime is only a slight departure from her previous books in that it surrounds a mystery. Benedict's main protagonist is author Dorothy L.Sayers, who along with four other mystery writers( Agatha Christie, Baroness Emma Orczy, Margery Allingham, and Ngaio Marsh) find themselves trying to solve the mysterious death of a British nurse vacationing in France. At the same time, the authors are trying to find their place in a very male-dominated Detection Club(London Detection Club). The crime provides all five women with the chance to prove their worth as real detectives.
I found this book to be very entertaining and from the moment I opened the book, I was committed to following these five author sleuths to the end of the tale. I have read several Agatha Christie titles and have read at least one title of Dorothy Sayers and Baroness Emma Orczy under my belt. However, I thank the author for bringing to my attention two authors- Margarey Allingham and Ngaio Marsh that I was not familiar with but now desire to find their books to read.
The story also highlights views in the 1930s on women writers, children out of wedlock and those who fell prey to serious crimes. A very memorable read.
Publication Date 11/02/25
Goodreads Review 12/02/25
March 13, 2025
Wish I passed this one up.
If you think this is about Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, etc., it’s not.
It’s about a group of women solving a murder and their names just happened to be used. I demand a recount.
If you think this is about Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, etc., it’s not.
It’s about a group of women solving a murder and their names just happened to be used. I demand a recount.
March 1, 2025
**** 2/24/25 **** Finished this book just after its release and just before its archive from NetGalley! This is a classically well-researched historical fiction by Marie Benedict, in which 5 real-life female mystery writers form the Queens of Crime, a group within a larger group of mystery novelists in 1930's London. Women's rights are a major sub-theme of the book, and are the reason why the 5 women decide to pursue a real-life unsolved murder of a young female nurse from their community, in order to "earn" the respect of their fellow male writers.
To solve the murder, they must think creatively and use their well-honed murder mystery acumen to establish a timeline, identify suspects, and elicit new insights from witnesses. They interchange their pen names with their married names to gain entrance or hide their identities depending on the situation. Each character is clearly defined by status, clothing and personality, consistently throughout the book. Their gender allows them more freedoms in some ways, as they were "just women having tea" or similar. The police are written to be fairly incompetent in the novel, and that may be realistic for the time - I do not really know.
We have a major side-story dealing with Dorothy Sayers' husband and their desire to have a family. This is the one part of the story that didn't fully resolve and left me a bit uncomfortable (no spoilers). There were also some disagreements between the Queens a time or two that showed their strong personalities, but we never got to know most of the Queens very well beyond Dorothy and a little bit more of Agatha Christie.
Overall I really liked this book and if you are a fan of historical fiction with strong female protagonists and very well-researched, well-written narratives, you'll love this one. 4.25 stars rounded up. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the book in exchange for my honest review.
2/20/25: Yay! Was just approved by NetGalley to review this book, although it was just published about a week ago and will be archived by NetGalley in 5-days, so I better get moving! This book is on the shorter side at about 315-pages, and is a classic Marie Benedict historical fiction based on 5 real life mystery novelists, set in 1930's London. Really looking forward to this one and will review after reading.
To solve the murder, they must think creatively and use their well-honed murder mystery acumen to establish a timeline, identify suspects, and elicit new insights from witnesses. They interchange their pen names with their married names to gain entrance or hide their identities depending on the situation. Each character is clearly defined by status, clothing and personality, consistently throughout the book. Their gender allows them more freedoms in some ways, as they were "just women having tea" or similar. The police are written to be fairly incompetent in the novel, and that may be realistic for the time - I do not really know.
We have a major side-story dealing with Dorothy Sayers' husband and their desire to have a family. This is the one part of the story that didn't fully resolve and left me a bit uncomfortable (no spoilers). There were also some disagreements between the Queens a time or two that showed their strong personalities, but we never got to know most of the Queens very well beyond Dorothy and a little bit more of Agatha Christie.
Overall I really liked this book and if you are a fan of historical fiction with strong female protagonists and very well-researched, well-written narratives, you'll love this one. 4.25 stars rounded up. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the book in exchange for my honest review.
2/20/25: Yay! Was just approved by NetGalley to review this book, although it was just published about a week ago and will be archived by NetGalley in 5-days, so I better get moving! This book is on the shorter side at about 315-pages, and is a classic Marie Benedict historical fiction based on 5 real life mystery novelists, set in 1930's London. Really looking forward to this one and will review after reading.
August 1, 2024
The Queens of Crime
By: Marie Benedict
Pub Date: February 11, 2025
Publisher: St. Martins Press
I love Benedict's novels. Her historical fiction always connects me with strong women from our past. I love that she explores more of Agatha Christie’s life in this intriguing novel.
When a group of well-known women crime writers gets together their minds unravel a death which the law wants to move quickly and forget with a quick motive, which is suspicious to the women. The crime writing men is like an all-boys-club in the Detection Club, and the women are tried of being pushed aside.
Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Aligham and Emma Orczy decide to join forces to sold the murder of a young girl.
I loved the mystery, grit, minds and witty banner between the characters. I was not familiar with several of the women, so it was a nice to learn more about htem. I will have to look into their work. Thank you St. Martins Press for this gifted eARC.
By: Marie Benedict
Pub Date: February 11, 2025
Publisher: St. Martins Press
I love Benedict's novels. Her historical fiction always connects me with strong women from our past. I love that she explores more of Agatha Christie’s life in this intriguing novel.
When a group of well-known women crime writers gets together their minds unravel a death which the law wants to move quickly and forget with a quick motive, which is suspicious to the women. The crime writing men is like an all-boys-club in the Detection Club, and the women are tried of being pushed aside.
Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Aligham and Emma Orczy decide to join forces to sold the murder of a young girl.
I loved the mystery, grit, minds and witty banner between the characters. I was not familiar with several of the women, so it was a nice to learn more about htem. I will have to look into their work. Thank you St. Martins Press for this gifted eARC.
April 26, 2025
I’ve read two other books by this author and I can say I’ve liked them all. The other books I would consider historical fiction, while this is perhaps that also but mixed with the cozy mystery genre. I found this book to be a lot of fun! Or at least as much fun as a book based on a woman’s murder can be.
The book features five women crime writers , set in London in 1930. Dorothy Sayers is disturbed that a club she helped create for crime writers looks down on their female counterparts. She brings Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and the Baroness Emma Orczy together. She suggests they gain status by solving a current unsolved crime.
They decide to take on the case of May Daniel’s, who disappeared during a trip to France with her friend; May is later found dead. They start where the mystery starts, as a locked room mystery. And of course… they solve that part! They find out bits and pieces from shop clerks and others that saw the young woman, but will they really be able to identify the killer?! Based on Dorothy Sayers’ life and certain historical elements, the author takes us all to this earlier time. Women have gained some rights, but there is still push back from society when women act too independent. And a woman can easily lose her reputation and face shame. I would love for the story of these crime writing, mystery solving women to continue!
The book features five women crime writers , set in London in 1930. Dorothy Sayers is disturbed that a club she helped create for crime writers looks down on their female counterparts. She brings Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and the Baroness Emma Orczy together. She suggests they gain status by solving a current unsolved crime.
They decide to take on the case of May Daniel’s, who disappeared during a trip to France with her friend; May is later found dead. They start where the mystery starts, as a locked room mystery. And of course… they solve that part! They find out bits and pieces from shop clerks and others that saw the young woman, but will they really be able to identify the killer?! Based on Dorothy Sayers’ life and certain historical elements, the author takes us all to this earlier time. Women have gained some rights, but there is still push back from society when women act too independent. And a woman can easily lose her reputation and face shame. I would love for the story of these crime writing, mystery solving women to continue!
December 12, 2024
THE QUEENS OF CRIME is Marie Benedict at her very best... In this delicious insightful novel of historical fiction, the reader finds themselves swept into the mind of Dorothy Sayers, a renowned crime writer of the early 20th century, and a group of her fellow writers including a favorite of mine, Agatha Christie, who join together to be known as "The Queens of Crime" as they search to uncover the truth of a murder of a young nurse when the real life detective work has gone shoddy and without answers....
I had so much fun with this novel; it is a truly captivating one. It does lean quite heavy into the fiction than the history I believe.... but the case is just so page turning and Benedict has written all of these women to perfection with marvelous individual personalities that would translate beautifully onscreen. I hope this one gets adapted. My new favorite Marie Benedict novel for sure...!
I had so much fun with this novel; it is a truly captivating one. It does lean quite heavy into the fiction than the history I believe.... but the case is just so page turning and Benedict has written all of these women to perfection with marvelous individual personalities that would translate beautifully onscreen. I hope this one gets adapted. My new favorite Marie Benedict novel for sure...!
February 14, 2025
How can a lady's detective group prove that they are as good as a group of male detectives?
In the year 1931 women were deemed not as capable as men.
The Queens of Crime decided that if they could solve a "real life" murder, they would be respected.
They all asked themselves where could they find a real life murder to investigate and lo and behold a body of a young woman assumed to have disappeared was found.
They were on the case.
The book dragged and wasn’t a book I was anxious to get back to.
Gorgeous, pull-you-in cover, but I was disappointed because I normally enjoy Ms. Benedict's books. 3/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
In the year 1931 women were deemed not as capable as men.
The Queens of Crime decided that if they could solve a "real life" murder, they would be respected.
They all asked themselves where could they find a real life murder to investigate and lo and behold a body of a young woman assumed to have disappeared was found.
They were on the case.
The book dragged and wasn’t a book I was anxious to get back to.
Gorgeous, pull-you-in cover, but I was disappointed because I normally enjoy Ms. Benedict's books. 3/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
November 13, 2024
4 stars - enjoyed - Benedict is a good hist. writer! Might have to look at some of those old books!
March 29, 2025
My first time reading Marie Benedict was her 2020 release The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, and I can’t believe I waited until her 2025 release to read her again! The Queens of Crime was absolute perfection and I loved the little nod to Agatha Christie’s famed disappearance in 1926. Even though I haven’t read Christie (gasp!) I can tell that Benedict is heavily influenced by her as well as other greats, and that’s not simply because she put them together in this book. The premise of the secret society of women crime writers putting their skills together to solve a murder hooked me immediately and I loved the backdrop of 1930s London.
The audiobook is just as fantastic as the book itself and the amazing actress Bessie Carter is unbelievably talented. She seamlessly transitioned through multiple accents, and I especially loved the way she voiced Ngaio. She gave each of the 5 ladies a distinct voice and made every single character feel alive. I really hope she dives further into the audiobook narration world as I would love to listen to her again. (Good time to note she is also the narrator for Reputation by Lex Croucher).
The mystery itself was thrilling and filled with red herrings and plenty of twists, and I didn’t figure out who the killer was before it was revealed. Dorothy Sayers was a formidable leading lady in the group, and she was definitely the most fully formed of the 5 FMCs. I loved this world that Benedict created, and I never wanted to leave it. I had so much fun following along with their investigation and was happy to have a few ah-ha moments along the way. Also, do make sure to catch the author’s note which is also in the audiobook!
Read this if you are looking for historical fiction focused on real female writers, cunning investigation, and a brilliant intricately woven plot.
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The audiobook is just as fantastic as the book itself and the amazing actress Bessie Carter is unbelievably talented. She seamlessly transitioned through multiple accents, and I especially loved the way she voiced Ngaio. She gave each of the 5 ladies a distinct voice and made every single character feel alive. I really hope she dives further into the audiobook narration world as I would love to listen to her again. (Good time to note she is also the narrator for Reputation by Lex Croucher).
The mystery itself was thrilling and filled with red herrings and plenty of twists, and I didn’t figure out who the killer was before it was revealed. Dorothy Sayers was a formidable leading lady in the group, and she was definitely the most fully formed of the 5 FMCs. I loved this world that Benedict created, and I never wanted to leave it. I had so much fun following along with their investigation and was happy to have a few ah-ha moments along the way. Also, do make sure to catch the author’s note which is also in the audiobook!
Read this if you are looking for historical fiction focused on real female writers, cunning investigation, and a brilliant intricately woven plot.
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
June 18, 2025
Book 11 of the
2025 Read Your Hoard Challenge
3.75 stars?
I picked up this novel with very high hopes—perhaps too high. I mean look at that gorgeous cover! It just begs you to read it. Plus it features Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers as characters, both of whom are writers who I love. All of this potential goodness wrapped up in one volume.
It took me a while to warm up to the first person, present tense writing. Somehow it kept me at arm's length from the action, not really fully engaged. Eventually I found my stride and was able to quit obsessing over it. Told entirely from Sayers' point of view, I felt the story could have been improved by giving at least one of the other authors their turn.
I haven't read any books by Margery Allingham or Ngaio Marsh, nor have I read biographical material of them or Emma Orczy. I have read many of Sayers' Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane books and almost all of Christie's novels. In addition, I've also read Christie's autobiography and a recent biography and a biography of Sayers. My memory is less than perfect, but Benedict seems to have done her research on these women. I will be trying some Marsh and Allingham mysteries in the future in order to get to know these women.
It was a great idea, based on actual events. The author's note at the end sorts out the fictionalized aspects. I will have to re-read the last pages once more before heading off to book club tomorrow. I am scheduled to chair this meeting and I'm interested to hear the opinions of the other members. The book came highly recommended by a bookstore employee, but I am struggling to analyze exactly how I feel about it. Perhaps our discussion will help me sort out my thoughts?
3.75 stars?
I picked up this novel with very high hopes—perhaps too high. I mean look at that gorgeous cover! It just begs you to read it. Plus it features Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers as characters, both of whom are writers who I love. All of this potential goodness wrapped up in one volume.
It took me a while to warm up to the first person, present tense writing. Somehow it kept me at arm's length from the action, not really fully engaged. Eventually I found my stride and was able to quit obsessing over it. Told entirely from Sayers' point of view, I felt the story could have been improved by giving at least one of the other authors their turn.
I haven't read any books by Margery Allingham or Ngaio Marsh, nor have I read biographical material of them or Emma Orczy. I have read many of Sayers' Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane books and almost all of Christie's novels. In addition, I've also read Christie's autobiography and a recent biography and a biography of Sayers. My memory is less than perfect, but Benedict seems to have done her research on these women. I will be trying some Marsh and Allingham mysteries in the future in order to get to know these women.
It was a great idea, based on actual events. The author's note at the end sorts out the fictionalized aspects. I will have to re-read the last pages once more before heading off to book club tomorrow. I am scheduled to chair this meeting and I'm interested to hear the opinions of the other members. The book came highly recommended by a bookstore employee, but I am struggling to analyze exactly how I feel about it. Perhaps our discussion will help me sort out my thoughts?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,574 reviews