This book is the third in the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates mystery series by S.J. Bennett. I am surprised that I haven’t reviewed this series on the blog yet, as I immensely enjoyed books 1 and 2 of this series. So when I had the chance to review this book, I jumped on it. In this book, Queen Elizabeth II, is in Sandringham for the Christmas holiday looking forward to spending the festive season with her children, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and getting some down time. Of course, it is not meant to be. When local police discover a severed hand on the local beach, the Queen is shocked when she recognizes the signet ring on the hand’s finger. The ring is known to be worn by the men in the noble St. Cyr family who are neighbors of the Queen at Sandringham and one of the brothers is now missing.

The Queen tries to quiet her mind and leave the investigation to the police, but she just cannot help herself. People have a tendency to tell her things because she is the Queen and they don’t know that she has solved other murders in the past. She wants to stay out of the investigation, but the villagers surrounding Sandringham know her penchant for solving crimes close to the Crown. Using Rozie to help her along in her investigations, the Queen just might have met her match this time.

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the previous two as it lacked the pace and excitement that its predecessors brought to the series. While this was still a good read, I was hoping for a little more intrigue and mystery in this installment. Overall this is a quirky mystery series featuring Queen Elizabeth II that is different from others in the genre. I highly recommend mystery lovers to check out this series and discover it for yourselves.

Overall Rating: 3.5 stars
Author: S.J. Bennett

Series: Her Majesty the Queen Investigates #3

Publisher: William Morrow

Publication Date: September 26, 2023

Pages: 292

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Get It: Amazon

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Rosie and the Queen are at it, again, involved in a murder investigation. This time, it might be a person well-known to the Royal family. This is the third book in the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series. I’ve read all three and they just keep getting better and better. While this is the third book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone.

The Queen is clever, compassionate, sharp, and eager to solve mysteries. While she’s the monarch of the British Commonwealth, used to luxury, she’s really a down-to-earth person who enjoys simple things, like farming and animals.

Rosie is a former member of the military with a background in banking. She’s the Queen’s assistant personal secretary, and the Queen’s go to person when mysteries pop onto the radar. She’s willing to do whatever the Queen asks of her, and she’s good at doing the legwork. She doesn’t hesitate to question Her Majesty’s assumptions when necessary, and she protects the Queen’s participation in these investigations. It wouldn’t do for the Queen to get involved.

I love this series! These are cozy mysterious that are interesting and humorous. This one does involve an implied rape, if that’s something that might be important to you. There isn’t anything explicit described, just a general situation. There’s also an instance of suicide.

I’m delighted to learn, as mentioned in the author’s note in the book, that there will be more books in this series to follow. I was concerned that the series might end with the Queen’s death. I look forward to the next book in this series. They’re so engaging and entertaining. I highly recommend all of them.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I thank all concerned for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.

This is the third book in this series, and I enjoyed it! This one is set in 2016 at Sandringham, mostly over the Christmas season.

As the title implies, there’s another murder close to the royal family, and the Queen is quite the detective behind the scenes. Rozie, her valuable and trusted assistant, is quite helpful as well.

The book opens with a rather grisly find on the beach near Sandringham, a severed hand with a signet ring. The Queen recognizes the ring and knows it belongs to a neighbor, Edward St. Cyr. But where is Edward or the rest of his body?

As quiet inquiries are made, we get a glimpse into royal life for all those involved in royal circles. As other odd things happen, it isn’t clear if they are all coincidences or if there is some evil at work. The ending was a bit of a stretch, but I enjoyed the book overall.

The Queen and Rozie make an interesting pair, and I have enjoyed the imaginings of the royal family through these books.

This third book in the series had me hooked from the very start when a young woman finds a hand washed up on the beach. Queen Elizabeth, at nearby Sandringham recognizes the hand and gets involved in the investigation with her assistant Rozie. Of course the Queen can’t be seen detecting, but she does so behind the scenes. Highly entertaining series.

I enjoyed the first two installments in this series and was thrilled at the release of the third novel. In this one, the Queen of England and her trusted assistant, Rozie, are on the case when a severed hand washes up on a beach next to the Queen’s home at Sandringham.

I’m sad to say that I didn’t enjoy this novel as much as I loved the first two. I felt like it was missing the charm and cozy feeling of the first two novels. The book lacked the charm and coziness of the previous ones, had too many minor characters with their own backstories, and a convoluted plot.

This is a very enjoyable mystery starring Queen Elizabeth II as the lead investigator—with an assist by her Assistant Personal Secretary, Rozie. Although this is the third entry in the series, it could be easily read and enjoyed as a standalone.

The story is set at Sandringham, where the queen is celebrating the Christmas holidays along with various members of the royal family.. Although the mystery is mildly interesting, it is the Queen and her assistant Rozie who steal the show. The Queen seems softer and more reflective than I remember from previous novels, and Rozie has settled into her job and seems calmer and more confident.

I enjoyed this much more than the previous volumes in this series. It is more of a cozy mystery, with most of the violence taking place “off screen.” Family relationships and memories play a critical role, which is even more poignant given the events of the recent past.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Another excellent book from SJ Bennett. I enjoyed the character development of Rozie Oshodi, Queen Elizabeth II's Assistant Private Secretary. I liked the descriptions of life in a royal household in the countryside, as well.

The latest in a series of cozy mysteries featuring the hypothetical detective savvy of Britain’s late Queen Elizabeth II, SJ Bennett’s Murder Most Royal begins with a teenage girl’s grisly discovery on the beach near her home: a severed human hand, its only distinguishing feature the signet ring on the little finger. When Crown employee Rozie reports the incident to the Queen, Her Majesty — or “the Boss,” as the tiny but formidable monarch’s staff affectionately refers to her — immediately knows that the hand in question belongs to her lifelong acquaintance Edward “Ned” St. Cyr. As famously brusque Royal consort Prince Philip is all too quick to observe, Ned could be a bothersome man — but were his eccentricities enough to drive someone to murder? With the aristocratic rumor mill in full swing, the Queen’s investigation must be carried out with the utmost discretion. As she carefully brings one St. Cyr family secret after another to light, however, the royal sleuth finds that some secrets may be safer in the shadows.
This latest creation of SJ Bennett is a fresh and often surprisingly dark take on the typical cozy mystery. The royal theme combined with the grotesqueness of St. Cyr’s severed hand, for example, brings Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus to mind. On a much lighter note, the finer characterization details of the royal family members featured in the story are so true to life — according to mainstream British and international media, that is — that Bennett could pass for one of the so-called “royal rota.” This is a genius tactic in making the idea of Elizabeth II as an undercover sleuth a bit less bizarre, as are humorous and modern details such as Ned St. Cyr’s young fiancée and her heavy contouring and Prince Philip’s grumpy derision of veganism. While a lot of the plot is packed in just in time to tie up loose ends, Murder Most Royal is a fun and exciting read, and I now find myself eager to explore more of SJ Bennett’s work.

I’m just confused.

I haven’t read the first two books so that didn’t help the confusion.

There are too many characters,The pace was slower and the politics too involved. As a cozy/whodunit it didn’t work.

I found myself skimming and just not caring towards the last part.

This didn’t work for me at all.

SJ Bennett has just released Murder Most Royal, the third book in the 'Her Majesty the Queen Investigates' series. I've read the previous two entries and have quite enjoyed them.

This third book takes place at Christmas 2016 at Queen Elizabeth's beloved Sandringham House. I love the details Bennett gives her physical settings. It lets me create vivid mental images, not just of Sandringham, but other settings that the book visits. And it's at one of those other locations that a severed hand, still wearing a signet ring, is found. It is the Queen who identifies the ring.

Now, the Queen is not the one physically investigating. But she is conducting a secret inquiry of her own alongside the formal investigation. She again employs her Assistant Private Secretary Rozie Oshodi, to be her eyes, ears and legs, reporting back only to her. This time around the Queen is doing more investigating herself than in the previous two books. She knows all of the family ties of her titled neighbours and uses that information to gently direct the constabulary.

I initially had concerns over how the Queen would be portrayed in that first book. Well, I didn't need to worry. She is drawn as kind, gracious, wise, highly intelligent, well-spoken, observant, but imposing as well. All quite true. Her inner dialogue is a treat to read and her sense of humor is dry, as are her observations about her Royal family. The relationship between the Queen And Prince Phillip is lovely and loving

Rozie brings her own take on things as well. Bennett weaves current events from 2016, such as Brexit, through the book.

The plotting is well done, giving a believable reason and victim by book's end. There are a number of characters to keep track of and more than once I had to stop and think who was who.

I quite enjoyed Murder Most Royal. It's a fun, clever read that could be considered cozy. But with corgis and no cats. :0)

Another fun mystery from Bennett! This series brings me so much joy and I love seeing how crafty the Queen gets during each investigation. This one ups the action compared to the first two and has a variety of characters who make excellent suspects. The relationships deepen in this one and it was my favorite of the series thus far. I’ll be interested to see where the fourth book takes the Royal Family!

3.5 Stars

A young woman finds a severed hand that has washed up on a beach next to Queen Elizabeth II’s estate at Sandringham in North Norfolk. Elizabeth is able to identify the victim from the very distinct ring on his finger. Elizabeth notices some other strange occurrences, such as a woman almost being killed in a hit-and-run accident and thinks there could be a connection. The Queen enlists the help of her Assistant Private Secretary, Rozie Oshod, to help her investigate to prevent the killer from striking again.

This book is the third Her Majesty the Queen Investigates, but the first I’ve read. Although I was familiar with the members of the royal family, such as Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Beatrice, Eugenie, and others, there were a lot of fictional characters. I often found it hard to keep track of who everyone was and who they were related to. I enjoyed the character of Rozie, formally in the British Army, who enjoys the excitement of the investigation. Her friendship with Elizabeth, two women who would seem to have little in common, was one of the highlights of the book.

The book is set at Christmastime, and reading about the royal family’s Christmas celebration was really fun. In fact, the book is at its best when it shows the lively banter and discussions between Elizabeth and other members of her family. The complex plot and political discussions, even though they’re brief, greatly slowed the pace of the story and didn’t always hold my attention. I love the charming premise of Queen Elizabeth as an amateur detective, as well as the other royal characters in this book. As a whole, the book would have been better if things moved along a little faster.

~ Christine

Queen E. and her sidekick Rozie are on the hunt again. The police in Norfolk are baffled by the discovery of a man's hand in a plastic bag found on the beach. Queen Elizabeth, at Sandringham with her family for the Christmas season, is the first to identify it, and through her deep connections in the area, to discover the story behind it.

SJ Bennett's fictional portrayal of the late queen and her family is affectionate and respectful. I enjoy every detail of the royal household and its workings. Rozie, her assistant is a strong capable woman and carries her share of the story as well.

I'm pleased that Bennett plans to carry on the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Her majesty, the Queen, is very busy indeed. Not only running the country of England, but solving murders! Of course, this is on the D.L. Mostly, through her private secretary, Rozie, the Queen is able to figure out the murder of a fellow aristocrat. And all of this during the Christmas holiday and into the New Year, while also dealing with Brexit and the new U.S. president. (Did I mention this takes place in 2016?) Anyway, in R.L. we have lost this amazing monarch, who I'm sure was also quite the Agatha Christie. But at least we still have this wonderful series by S.J. Bennet to keep the Queen's memory alive and well. And wonderful.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and W.M. Morrow for this e-arc.*

Lovely addition to the series; I really enjoy seeing Rozie grow j to the position and it’s such fun getting (faux) glimpses into the royal household. Additionally, it’s always such a gentle read that I find it relaxing to meander through the whole mystery.

I’ve really enjoyed this series about Queen Elizabeth II solving mysteries. You get the feeling of hanging out with the Queen and other royals plus intriguing mysteries to solve. This mystery was a bit improbable, but I enjoyed seeing how the Queen sends out her spunky Assistant Private Secretary, Rozie, to gather information for her. This time, the royal family is spending Christmas at Sandringham when a hand washes up nearby. ELizabeth recognizes the ring on the hand and so gradually gets drawn into investigating the mystery. The cast of characters are interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed the illusion that we were hanging out with the Queen’s in her private moments.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review

Many thanks for the ARC, NetGalley and William Morrow Books! This book was a fun read! The author does a really good job of bringing you in and capturing you into the story. I loved that this showed the Queen and Prince Phillip in a fun, unfamiliar light. This is a book that I will be recommending to all of my friends who are anglophiles.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Strange things are happening at the Queens residence. When police launch an investigation, the royals ate questioning what happened and why. It will take alot for the police to solve this case.

I love these books so much. Having the Queen (quietly) investigate goings-ones at her estates and utilizing Rosie’s skill set is so enjoyable. Add in that Bennett includes real stories and anecdotes about the royal family and with how recent the Queen’s passing has been, it feels like an amazing tribute (even fictionally) to an incredible human.

This book is intriguing, gripping, full of twists and turns, mysterious, and more! Whenever I picked up "Murder Most Royal", I put on my sleuthing-hat, and this book was so difficult to put down.

SJ Bennett is such a phenomenal writer! Her storytelling jumps right off of the page, and she brilliantly weaves the various puzzle pieces of the mysteries, revealing each clue at just the right time to push the story forward.

It is holiday-time, and when a severed hand is found nearby, the case is believed to be a murder mystery as well. Queen Elizabeth II quickly becomes involved, and is determined to solve what is going on.

I was hooked from the first page to the last trying to see if, and how, the various mysteries throughout were connected to one another, both in the past and presently.

If you enjoy Cozy Mysteries, I highly recommend this book! I look forward to reading the next book (hopefully books!), in this series!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC of this book, and to William Morrow for sending me a finished copy as well! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.