Thank you to St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I have loved all of Marie Benedicts books so far, and this one is no exception. This book was just fun. When five real historical mystery writers try to solve a real-life crime, will they have success?

I can definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves Historical Fiction or just a good mystery.

Being a big fan of Marie Benedict books, I usually devour her new novels, however this one was a little bit different for me. 5 women authors band together to form a society that will bring show others (ie men) that their work should be taken more serious. As the women work the murder of May Daniels, they uncover details and clues that will bring danger to their own lives.
The premise of this book sounded fun to me, and I always like Ms Benedict's stories, as they usually follow strong women leads, however this story really drug out. I found myself casually skimming pages, and not really picking up on much of the story, then I would set the book down and a week would pass by before I realized I hadn't picked it back up. Unfortunately this one had potential, it just didn't quite hit the mark for me.

This book is an engaging and inspiring tribute to the pioneering women who shaped the mystery genre. Benedict brings to life the stories of legendary authors like Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham, and others, highlighting their influence, struggles, and achievements in a male-dominated literary world. The book combines compelling storytelling with historical insights, offering readers a captivating look at how these women broke barriers and created timeless classics. Benedict’s writing celebrates their legacy and underscores their importance in both literary and cultural history.

I loved this! The characters were well thought-out and the plot was really fun. I loved the female friendship and empowerment aspects of this one and the way the girls outsmarted the guys (per usual!).

Thanks, St. Martin’s Press, for the arc!

I enjoyed THE QUEENS OF CRIME by Marie Benedict! It would be a fun read, but I’m so glad I listened to it as the narration by Bessie Carter was incredible!

It’s the type of historical fiction I love - real people and places with made-up stories. I’ve also found I really love it when books are mysteries, and Agatha Christie herself is a character in the book. So, this plot was perfect for me!

Then add the terrific narration by Bessie Carter in, and it felt like I was right there in the 1930s on the case with the legendary Detective Club: the Queens of Crime.

I think this is a book that is equally fun to read with your eyes or ears, but if given the option, I would choose ears!

I really like how Marie Benedict takes real life people and real life events and using them to inspire her historical fiction stories. She weaves the fact and fiction together so well I usually end up looking things up after the fact so I can know for sure what was true and what was creative license. This one continued with her formula. It just did not resonate with me as much as others.
I felt like it was more surface with the characters. The primary focus of the story was the mystery, but I just didn't feel the depth and connection to the Queens of Crime.
It was still a great story by a wonderful writer. Just wasn't my favorite of hers.

I was so excited when I was approved to read the Queens of Crime as Marie Benedict is one of my very favorite authors. But when I heard that the audio version was done with different "voices" (which turned out to be accents), I decided I would wait until I could listen to it--and it took forever. But I think it was worth the wait. It was fun to hear the New Zealand and Hungarian accents; the way Bessie Carter could change her voice to be the different characters made the book come alive and define the characters. The plot is simple--solve a crime, but the twists and turns the clues lead the ladies to is fun and looking at how they describe their writing methods was interesting, which a little more added the book could be a "how to be a mystery writer". I'm sure this book is a gem for reading and the amount of holds indicates that. The only thing that could have made it better- is if Angela Lansbury was still alive and could insert her Jessica Fletcher character into the group and become the sixth "queen".

I love when women are powerful and use their skills for good. I loved reading this book. Marie Benedict is one of my favorite historical fiction writers.

What a clever and enticing read! This story had me intrigued from the start and the perfectly placed and described details kept me reading.

Marie Benedict excels at historical fiction and knows her characters. A young woman has mysteriously vanished and then when her body is found, the police are quick to write off her death while blaming her. These five women decide that instead of figuring out pretend murders, they want to figure out what happened to May Daniels. Though at the time, women being detectives and asking questions is frowned upon, these women stand up and decide this woman deserves justice.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. With historical fiction, I feel like you play a happy medium with writing truth interwoven with fiction - Marie was able to weave them so perfectly that I could see this story playing out in my head like a movie. And I am here for it - dare I say, a sequel would be AMAZING!!! A true bonafide, four star read with me telling YOU to go read it!

This book 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.

I love Marie Benedict’s novels simply because in reading them I learn so much about historical females, most of whom I was never aware. Each time I read one of her novels, I find myself G**gling her protagonists, so I can read about their real-life stories. It’s fascinating! Mystery writer Dorothy Sayers is just the latest in this new title The Queens of Crime.

In the story, Sayers gathers four other female writers of detective fiction in the 1930’s to form a subgroup of GK Chesterton’s Detection Club: Agatha Christie (the subject of Benedict’s book The Mystery of Mrs. Christie), Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy. Each of these women has a well-received detective series that was also published in the early 20th century. In an effort to prove their worth to the male dominated Detection Club, these five set out to solve the real-life cold case disappearance of a young English nurse on French soil. Concurrent to the mystery at hand is Sayer’s empathy towards the nurse’s personal struggle as it mirrors her own.

This was a satisfying, enlightening, entertaining read with one exception: I really wanted to read the author’s notes, hoping to gain more insight into the true story behind the Queens of Crime, but there were none. I’m hoping they were only missing because I read an advanced copy and not the published version. With luck, other readers will have access to the truth behind the fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and to St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘
✷ Historical fiction with strong female leads
✷ Stories about writers and their legacy
✷ Literary fiction with a mystery twist
✷ Fiction rooted in real-life icons
✷ Atmospheric reads with rich historical detail

𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦
Marie Benedict never misses — and The Queens of Crime is no exception. I was completely engrossed from the first chapter, swept up in the mystery, the era, and the lives of three of the most iconic crime writers of all time. This book is a love letter to women who used their voices (and typewriters) to defy the expectations of their time.

What I admire most about Benedict’s work is her ability to take real historical figures and breathe fresh life into them with fiction. She doesn’t just recount facts — she builds a world around them that lets you feel what it might have been like to live through that moment. And in this case, she masterfully explores how Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Ngaio Marsh didn’t just write mysteries — they challenged the rules of the genre and the society around them.

The book is steeped in atmosphere and rich detail, and I loved spotting nods to their most famous works. While the pacing felt a bit slower at times, the way their lives gradually converged made it worth the ride. It’s not just a story of crime fiction — it’s a story of female legacy, resilience, and power through prose.

Marie Benedict continues to prove that history doesn’t have to be told through a male lens. She gives these literary legends the spotlight they’ve long deserved — and I’m so glad I got to witness it.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read and review The Queens of Crime, a novel, by Marie Benedict on NetGalley.

Published: 02/11/25

Stars: 2.5

Please see the synopsis, London 1930, Dorothy L. . Sayers, Agatha Christie and three other great crime writers work to solve a murder and gain respect from the men in the field.

The story is okay. I struggled with staying focused and it took me several days to finish. If you are a fan of the time period and of Sayers and Christie this may work for you. I was bored and am tired of conversational bantering.

I really enjoyed "The Queens of Crime" by Marie Benedict. A group of talented crime solving ladies, spunky and bright, yet dismissed by the men, as was common at that time. Suspenseful and enjoyable. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

✨ The Vibes ✨
An excellent blend of mystery and historical fiction

📖 Read if…
✨ You adore Golden Age mysteries
✨ You like historical fiction with a feminist perspective
✨ You prefer true mysteries over thrillers

Marie Benedict is one of those authors that’s billed as a must-read for historical fiction fans, and as I’ve been dipping my toes back into the genre, I figured her take on a society of women mystery writers would be right up my alley.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Queens of Crime. While the story is centered around Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy are also heavily featured throughout as they work together to solve the mystery surrounding the death of a young English nurse. Benedict carefully balances the mystery elements with the details of the women's lives in a way that makes everything flow seamlessly. It was a fascinating story, and even though I would have maybe liked a tad more mystery, I found the book to be very engrossing.

As I’ve started reading more historical fiction, one thing I’m always intrigued by is how much of the story is true to life, and I thought about that A LOT while reading this book. I appreciated how Benedict included a detailed author’s note at the end to explain her inspiration and process of researching and writing the story. It added another layer to the book, and really made me want to continue to learn about the women featured in the story.

The Queens of Crime is out now. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the overall story for this book but was not super impressed with the execution. I thought the main characters were annoying and had a hard time relating to them. It was overall just an ok book to me. At times it would put me to sleep.

a classic Marie benedict that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you love historical fiction with some mystery, this is for you

I enjoyed this book point of views of four different authors. An unique way to solve a crime while dealing with the men who felt the women did not belong. I loved the relationships the ladies had with each other.
The description of the scenes was well done and made me feel as if I was there. I could see it so vividly!

Thanks for the opportunity!

Unfortunately still not a fan of focusing on fictionalized history, This novel explores the relationship of Dorothy Sayers and the club of mystery writers in 1930s London.

A different type of adventure and a murder mystery rolled into one novel is the basis for Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict. The interesting concept of this novel is what five famous lady mystery writers of the 1930s can accomplish by using their literary knowledge and their wit. After the ladies are ignored by the male members of the All-Male Detective Club, Dorothy Sayers is annoyed, and she forms a ladies’ club within the Club. Calling together 4 other famous lady novelists, they set out to solve the murder of May Daniels and prove their sleuthing skills. While utilizing the techniques of their respective fictional characters, this amazing group of ladies show just how a murder is solved. Along with the suspense of the novel, the interesting characters introduced and the adventures while gathering of clues, Ms. Sayers gives the reader a brief description of the wardrobe of each of the ladies at their meeting. A truly delightful and enjoyable read as the Queens of Crime display their investigative skills and solve murders. A good mystery with some fun and haute couture included.