The Queens of Crime
- Judith D Collins
- Feb 10
- 6 min read
By: Marie Benedict
Narrator: Bessie Carter
ISBN:9781250280756
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: 02/11/2025
Format: Other
My Rating: 4 Stars (ALC)
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.
This program is read by actor Bessie Carter, best known for her role as Prudence Featherington on the Netflix series Bridgerton.
Praise
"In this excellent novel, Benedict vividly brings to life real Golden Age mystery novelists ... Fans of Benedict’s previous novels and those who enjoy historical whodunits will find this hard to put down."
―Library Journal, starred review
“Mystery fans may know the classic novels by the real queens of crime; now, thanks to historical-fiction star Benedict’s cleverly realized portraits of women committed to friendship and feminism, readers will know the wise, empathetic, and resourceful people who wrote them.”
―Booklist, Starred review
“A shrewd speculative whodunit … Benedict easily brings each of her five distinct writer/sleuths to life, and honors their literary legacies by providing plenty of ingenious, fair-play clues to help careful readers follow along and solve the central mystery. This is a treat for fans of golden age whodunits.”
―Publishers Weekly
“Benedict brings both the twisty mystery and the legendary ladies to life with impeccable style, taking us full circle from the Golden Age and back again.”
―CrimeReads
“In this marvelous locked-room puzzle, we’re treated to a masterclass in solving mysteries from the grand dames of the form … A delight from beginning to end.”
―firstCLUE
“I was riveted by this quintet of mystery writers... Smart, biting, and a tribute to female friendship and loyalty. An absolute delight!”
―Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Spectacular
"Faithful to history and at the same time wonderfully inventive, The Queens of Crime is a brilliant, irresistible, and page-turning delight, as well as a rallying cry for what women can accomplish when we stick together. If I always had a new book by Marie Benedict, I would do nothing but read sixteen hours a day."
―Nina de Gramont, New York Times bestselling author of The Christie Affair
"I loved Marie Benedict’s stellar The Queens of Crime....[it] will move you with its themes of female friendship and equal justice, which resonate so powerfully even today.”
―Lisa Scottoline, New York Times bestselling author of The Truth About the Devlins
"Marie Benedict takes her formidable talents to a new level in The Queens of Crime... Breathtaking suspense and female friendship make for a heady combination in this wonder of a book, which will have fans of both historical fiction and thrillers torn between racing through the pages and wanting to savor every word."
―Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of Code Name Sapphire
"Full of Benedict’s richly textured language, complex moral questions and delicious historic detail, The Queens of Crime reads with the urgency of a mystery and the charm of a captivating, character-driven narrative ―this is one to savor. "
―Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of Finding Margaret Fuller
My Review
Inspired by a true story in Dorothy Sayers' life, NYT bestselling author Marie Benedict brings to life in this captivating novel THE QUEENS OF CRIME, the lengths 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.
About...
From five of the most remarkable women writers of the Golden Age of Mystery, a riveting story to solve a real-life murder.
Set in London in 1930, five women form a group called The Queens of Crime, Led by the formidable Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy. They are the greatest crime writers and have banned together to form a secret society with a single goal in mind:
These women, refusing to be relegated to the sidelines, are determined to show they are no longer willing to be treated as second-class citizens by their male counterparts in the legendary Detection Club.
They plan to solve an actual murder 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 as they prepared to board a ferry home. Months later, her body is found in the nearby woods.
Let the detective games and clues begin!
My thoughts...
THE QUEENS OF CRIME is a spellbinding narrative that follows the five women as they embark on their own investigation. They demonstrate their strength and determination as they meticulously examine all the clues, including the meaning of a secret letter, and discover they are stronger together. Even when the killer targets Dorothy, threatening to expose a dark secret from her past that she wants to keep hidden, they remain resolute.
Marie Benedict skillfully brings to life the struggles and challenges faced by women during the Golden Age of Mystery. She vividly portrays their creative minds in a male-dominated world and the strength of their female friendships, enhancing the reader's appreciation of the novel.
We are invited to accompany these women on their journey to England, where they are determined to solve the murder of the nurse and restore her name.
Get caught up in a whirlwind of five strong crime authors with grit, determination, courage, and wit in this highly entertaining story from a master storyteller.
Audiobook...
For those who prefer to listen, the audiobook, narrated by Bessie Carter, offers a truly immersive experience. Carter's outstanding performance brings all the voices to life, vividly capturing the characters, setting, and period. The actor is best known for her role as Prudence Featherington on the Netflix series Bridgerton.
Recs...
THE QUEENS OF CRIME is a must-read for women's crime mysteries fans and those who appreciate engaging characters, strong women, and a clever plot. It is a compelling read for mystery lovers, fans of the author, and those who enjoy biographical fiction, women's detective stories, and 20th-century historical fiction.
Thanks to Macmillan Audio for an advanced listening copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. #MacAudio2024
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Feb 11, 2025
About the Author
Marie Benedict is a lawyer with more than ten years' experience as a litigator at two of the country's premier law firms. She found her calling unearthing the hidden historical stories of women. Her mission is to excavate from the past the most important, complex and fascinating women of history and bring them into the light of present-day where we can finally perceive the breadth of their contributions as well as the insights they bring to modern day issues.
She 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. WEBSITE
