Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC of this novel, and also to MacMillan Audio for the audiobook version.

Marie Benedict is rightly celebrated for her thoroughly researched and captivating historical fiction, especially focussing on women and their times. She has already touched on one of this novel’s main characters, Agatha Christie, in her fascinating The Mystery of Mrs. Christie. The rest of the self-named ‘Queens of Crime’ are Christie’s contemporaries, women mystery writers of the Golden Age of mystery-writing between the wars. Led by the indomitable Dorothy Sayers, the group also includes Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and the Baroness Emma Orczy of Scarlett Pimpernel fame. Faced with the condescension of the male writers of their time—the novel is set in 1930-31–who dominate the Detection Club, they plan to gain their due respect by solving the disappearance, and murder, in France of a young British nurse, May Daniels. So this book of historical fiction is also a locked door murder mystery of the kind that defined the Golden Age writers. But solving a real mystery, they quickly find, has elements not encountered on the page—such as threats, blackmail, and actual physical attacks.

Benedict is adept at writing mystery, but her strength is in crafting these women as historical figures carefully set within the very real constraints that women faced constantly in a time when marriage was touted as their true profession, and the Great War’s toll on marriageable men resulted in what was construed as a crisis of ‘surplus women.’ The minority who were educated could find employment in teaching and nursing, but any hint of pregnancy terminated their positions. These five knew their good fortune in being able to write for a living—but never with the status of male writers.
This is a very witty and entertaining book that says much about women as victims but even more about women turning to each other in friendship, protection and encouragement.

The audiobook in some ways even enhances the historical context because the narrator, Bessie Carter, is very good with accents, English and French, high-brow and otherwise. She brings the period to life through the character’s tones and expressions.

Marie Benedict has done it again! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC of The Queen of Crimes . The story follows Dorothy Sayers and her female detective writer friends on case of a murdered nurse that the police just dismissed. Keep you interested from beginning to end Intriguing storyline and strong female characters. Definitely one of her best books yet !!!

The Queens of Crime is a standalone historical mystery by Marie Benedict. Due out 11th Feb 2025 from Macmillan on their St. Martin's Press imprint, it's 320 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a well written and engaging historical story featuring real life characters (Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Orczy) amateur sleuths and collaborators. There are cameos from other real historical characters and events, and the fictional narrative is so cleverly interwoven, it's not always clear where fact shades into fiction.

Four stars. Readers of historical fiction like Tasha Alexander, Deanna Raybourn, and Andrea Penrose will find this one to their taste as well. It would be a good choice for public library acquisition, home readers, or a buddy read/mystery book club selection.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I would like to start this review by thanking St. Martin's Press and Marie Benedict for allowing me to read this novel, Queens of Crime, via #netgalley. All opinions following are my own.

The Queens of Crime is a book about solving a mystery, but it is also about giving women the recognition they deserve. The novel takes place in 1930. The five most popular women crime writers of the time, including Agatha Christie and the main character, Dorothy Sayers, have joined together with their male crime-writing counterparts to start a Detection Club where they'll all discuss their writings and their individual writing processes. However, the women, minus Dorothy Sayers and Agathie Christie, are less than welcome. That's when Dorothy comes up with an idea, with the help of Agatha, to have the five of them solve a real-life murder. They decide to call themselves the Queens of Crime.

They choose to try to solve the murder of May Daniels, a young training nurse, who who went missing several months prior, in October. Her body has recently been discovered, and it makes news until a syringe with morphine is found near her body. When this happens, the police and investigative crime reporters write off her death as either an overdose or a drug deal gone awry. This doesn't make sense to the Queens, and they vow to solve her murder, even when the lives of one of their own is put in danger.

After devouring this book, I gave it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. It had a little of everything: mystery, thrill, humor, illicit romance. I was intrigued from the first page to the last. When this book drops on Tuesday, February 11, I encourage everyone to get their hands on it, and read it!

#brenbreathesbooks #brenreviewsbooks #mariebenedict #Mystery #HistoricalFiction #BasedOnTrueEvents #netgalleyreviewer #ARCReader #ARC #comingsoon #reader #readerlife #februaryreads #stsimonspress #5starreads #bookish #bookworm #booknerd #goodreadschallenge #thequeensofcrime

Thank you St. Martins Press for the eARC and thank you Macmillan Audio for the #gifted listening copy of The Queens of Crime! #MacAudio2025 #macmillanaudio #stmartinspress #TheQueensOfCrime #mariebenedict

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

𝟒★

Marie Benedict is such an amazing historical fiction author. She’s back again with such an amazing story about Dorothy Sayers and the importance of friendship. In the 1930s, women were considered second-class citizens to their male counterparts in the well-known Detection Club. But Dororthy Sayers was ready to change that. Sayers, along with four other crime writers called themselves The Queens of Crime, with the plan of solving an actual murder. Those other women included Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy. Together, they try to solve the murder of May Daniels, using their own strengths as mystery writers. As the group continues to gather clues, they suddenly find themselves in more danger than they realized was possible.

I loved how this was based on a true story. More than that, I loved watching these women do whatever necessary to be taken seriously, and I loved how they bonded together to prove they are just as capable as their male counterparts. As always, Benedict is such a great storyteller did such a great job researching all of the authors and the and the Detection Club. I loved how she provided additional information at the end with her Author’s Note, too!

🎧I alternated between the eARC and the audiobook, which was narrated by the talented Bessie Carter. I loved how Carter brought this story to life. She did a phenomenal job and I absolutely loved my time listening to this audiobook!

Posted on Goodreads on February 8, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around February 8, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on February 11, 2025
**-will post on designated date

This book started slow for me, but then it took off onto an unexpeccted journey. The authors are proving their right to belong with the men of their time who were taking their work seriously. Imagine these great writers sitting down for tea and solving a real life crime collaborating with all their talents to honor the memory of a young woman whose life was cut short by the act of murder. The crime was hard to prove but not to our Queens of Crime! Compelling read!

I couldn't sleep so I read until 3 AM and finished "The Queens of Crime" instead! Yes, it's an "I can't put it down" book, the kind of historical fiction that had me looking up photos of the real women, pictures of fashion from dresses to shoes to motorized transportation. Marie Benedict serves up the five most well-known and beloved detective novelists in a dish best served over and over again! The five (4) 'Queens' as they were really known band together as a sub-group of a detective novelists' association/club. At first they are out to prove that women deserve a place in the ranks of writers as much as the men do. Soon, however, they find a real crime to solve and it takes all their skills as crime novelists to plan their investigations and achieve what the police in two countries cannot seem to achieve. I found "The Queens of Crime" captivating. I'm going to miss those five magical women. Guess I'll start reading THEIR books, now!

"The Queens of Crime" is an exciting book by one of my favorite authors. It tells the story of five famous mystery writers working together in the 1930s. The plot has many surprising twists, some dangerous, as these women solve a murder case. I was on the edge of my seat from the beginning to the end. This book is a must-read for all those who enjoy reading murder mysteries.

Thanks to Marie Benedict, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the eARC.

A Riveting Mystery Featuring the Queens of Crime

Marie Benedict’s latest novel immerses readers in 1930s London, where five pioneering women crime writers—led by the formidable Dorothy L. Sayers—form a secret alliance to prove their worth in the male-dominated world of mystery fiction. When a young English nurse is found murdered in France under baffling circumstances, Sayers, Agatha Christie, and their literary peers take matters into their own hands, determined to solve the case.

Blending fact with fiction, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie author once again delivers a thrilling historical whodunit. With clever twists, deep friendships, and a chilling personal threat against Sayers herself, this novel is a testament to the power of women in crime writing. Fans of classic detective fiction will be enthralled by this sharp, atmospheric mystery inspired by true events.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy- the Queens of Crime-discover it can be harder to solve a crime than to write about solving a crime in this entertaining novel. May Daniels, a young British nurse, was a victim who was more or less ignored except to the extent that her reputation was smeared. This is also an intriguing look at attitudes toward women in the wake of WWI (the concept of surplus women was new to me). The large cast can feel a bit unwieldy at times but this sent me off to look up more information on each of the women and their work, giving me leads to books I've not read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

In yet another masterful story by Marie Benedict, legendary female authors from the Golden Age of Detective Stories team up to solve the unsolved murder of a young nurse. The cast of characters- Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, G.K. Chesterton- piqued my interest, but the adventures, clues, and dialogue drew me in. I loved how this book inspired me to learn about a couple of females authors I hadn’t heard of before. I’m eager to jump into their works.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC digital and audio books. I went back and forth between print and audio and both are delightful.

Fans of mysteries will love this book, as five of the most prominent female mystery writers get together to solve a real mystery. The Detection Club was formed so mystery writers could get their genre recognized and respected. As only Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers are accepted, Dorothy comes up with the idea to have the three other prominent writers, Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh and Emma Orczy work together to solve a real locked room mystery in the disappearance of a young nurse, thus proving themselves. I recommend this well written and most enjoyable novel. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Not your typical Marie Benedict book or writing style. She wove together historical fiction with mystery together. In this story Dorthy wanted to united a group of women writers together. This went against the male author’s wishes. Dorthy teamed up with Agatha (yes Agatha Christie). Together these two writers recruited members to their group and called themselves “The Queens of Crime”. After reenacting deaths to help with their writing, the ladies decided to solve a crime that the police has stalled out on. Together, they solve the murder of May. I like how Marie Bendict weaved the historical fiction together with a mystery. With her descriptions of everything, I could easily envision myself at the time frame of the story and watching it as a movie.

I loved this book. Based on real life but fictionalized to show the terrible way the women of the 1930s were treated, I couldn't put this book down. I have always loved Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, and have seen The Scarlet Pimpernel, albeit years ago, but the other two authors were new to me. The characters were all clearly defined and the way in which they learned to support each other was wonderful. I am a fan of Marie Benedict (Heather Terrell) and grab every book I can that she writes. Although a bit slow in spots, it always picked up and regained my interest. When these five women decide to prove to the men in the Detective Club that they are equal to them in ability by actually trying to solve a real crime, the game is afoot, as they say! Meticulously plotted, I enjoyed reading about the comeuppance that came to the villains and mourned May Daniels' murder. Women are NOT surplus and should not be treated this way, but in some fields very little has truly changed. I heartily recommend this book to mystery lovers and those who want to find out more about these five women and how they band together to find the murderer. Although I received an ARC, my opinions are my own and freely given.

I was provided both an ARC and an ALC of this book via Netgalley and the SMP Influencers Program, all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the narrator and thought she did a great job voicing not only Dorothy, but the other Queens and characters as the story unfolds. It made it really fun to go on this adventure with these ladies as they solved this crime and try to sort out all of the evidence as well as build each other up and establish their friendships.

This was delightful! If you are a fan of historical fiction and classic mysteries this will take you on a fun adventure through England and France to solve a murder with some of the most famous mystery writers of all time. Dorothy Sayers, whom I didn't know anything about prior to this book, was a real person, a successful mystery writer, and a founding member of the very real writer's group The Detection Club which apparently still exists to this day. Dorothy is appalled that The Detection Club initially is not open to admitting female writers despite their success outside of Dorothy and the also famous Agatha Christie, so she invites 3 additional writer friends to join her to solve a real murder case to prove to the men that they are not only worthy of membership in the club but a cut above. The group of five capable ladies makes up the Queens of Crime.

This story is told from Dorothy's point of view as the Queen's gather information about the victim and the crime scene as and piece together the solution as the characters from their novels would. The victim is being painted in a poor light by the French police and in the newspapers, but the Queen's will not give up on justice for May Daniels. With all the makings of a locked room mystery that they are all familiar with writing, they have to work together as a team to put the puzzle pieces together to solve May's murder and tell her story. I loved the way the women worked together. Their group was so realistic as the story unfolded. Their interactions were filled with snark and jokes, pain when secrets were kept, and concern and compassion when one of their own was in need. I was engaged the entire time, trying to figure out the mystery and who-dun-it myself. I loved the characters and their interactions and felt like I was there with them as they traveled between London and France to gather clues and investigate.

As with all historical fiction books, I highly recommend reading the author's note to understand what liberties were taken with the facts, what was fabricated, and what was factual. This book has inspired me to look into these women and read some of their books, as the only one I was aware of prior was Agatha Christie. The author's research into the time and the women clearly shows as the story is told.

Marie Benedict's novels are always such a treat, and the premise of this one is SO fun, I love how she blends historical reality with fiction, and her latest book, we embark on a journey with five mystery writers, as they attempt to solve a murder. They called their club the queens of crime, a sub group of a bigger club that is mostly men. I think this book did a good job of exposing what the times were like, especially for women, while being very feminist, and telling a wonderful story about characters I cared about. Highly recommend. Thank you in NetGalley for a comp title in exchange for an honest review.

I have always enjoyed Marie Benedict's novels, she does such a good job of introducing us to historical women who made a difference in real
life. This book is no different as we go on a journey with five real life mystery writers as they strive to solve a murder. The mystery, who killed a young English nurse who was spending a day in France with a friend? Dorothy L. Sayers, along with Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy start their own small club called The Queens of Crime. This club is a subgroup of the Dectection Club, where all the members are mystery writers and the mostly men group looks down on their female counterparts.

Solving the mystery is interesting and well handled but I was more engrossed by the misogyny in their trade and how these women who work alone as writers need to learn how to work together and use their tricks of their trade, how they have their fictional detectives solve crimes. This is 1931 and women are certainly not given a lot of respect by the police and authorities.

I recommend this novel, it is an interesting read. I do hope there is an Author's Notes in the published copy, I missed how Benedict blended history and fiction. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Queens of Crime is Marie Benedict's newest historical fiction novel. In it, 5 women mystery writers including Agatha Christie become part of a writers club called the Detection Club. As a way to become more accepted in the group, the women go about working to solve a real crime. As a fan of historical fiction, Marie Benedict is one of my auto reads and I think this is my favorite of all her books I have read.

This book was a lot of fun. An unsolved murder taken into the hands of 5 women crime writers. They are tired of men ignoring them and are determined to solve the murder of a woman strangled in a park in France. Together, the take their book writing skills and apply them to real life, determined to find out what really happened. I loved the history woven throughout this book. The main characters were so fun - I loved that they were all crime writers and women, often not taken seriously by men. I found that the characters and their interactions were amazing. The mystery behind the book was fascinating. I was engaged from page one and despite the 400+ pages, the book flew by. I had this in audio and ebook and switched between the two seamlessly. They were both incredible. 
Pub Day: February 11, 2025
Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copies.

<b>Queens of Delight</b>
<i>A review of the St. Martin's Press NetGalley Kindle ARC (downloaded January 31, 2024) in advance of the St. Martin's Press hardcover/eBook/audiobook release (February 11, 2025).</i>

This was right up my alley as books from The Golden Age of Detection (1920 - 1940 or so) are among my top favourite guilty pleasures. The original quartet of The Queens of Crime are my favourite authors from that period.
<img src="https://scontent-yyz1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/476503895_29424053713860034_7523954519253330522_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=KzzBB5zMW_cQ7kNvgFtGijN&_nc_oc=AdjIAZpm9Ir7AcfFHM0JziHoI1-nMwTgWpLGoqK0sLh14hIVMrU6gKNjUCoBXpSRFTI&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.xx&_nc_gid=A_I01ofqMVDzyXf4yzip0m2&oh=00_AYDreOh2O9n2hIU5wgY0QuK1rCCtPzWsrSODe-zfuRDU1g&oe=67AC25DE">
<i>A quick summary of the 4 Queens of Crime. Text generated by Copilot AI.</i>

Marie Benedict expands the classic foursome into a quintet by adding Baroness Emma Orczy to the podium. That is substantiated due to the Baroness being one of the original members of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detection_Club">The Detection Club</a> (1930-), although these days she is best known for her adventure novels featuring <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/168426-the-scarlet-pimpernel-publication-order">The Scarlet Pimpernel</a>. Orczy did write one of the first professional female detectives though, with her [book:Lady Molly of Scotland Yard|1207098] (1910).

Benedict does bend history somewhat by including Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham into the mix well before they actually joined the Detection Club, but there are good reasons for that decision as well. Possibly some of that is explained in the author's Afterword which was not yet available in the NetGalley ARC that I read.

In any case, this was a total delight as the setup has Dorothy Sayers enlisting the other four in an effort to solve an actual cold case which both the English and the French authorities have dismissed as a possible drug-related suicide. English nurse and one-day excursion tourist May Daniels disappeared while on a trip to France in somewhat of a locked-room scenario. Her body was found weeks afterwards with a morphine syringe by her side.

The team use their various connections and their methods of detection honed from their writing skills to uncover the culprits behind the crime. There are callbacks to Benedict's earlier Agatha Christie related historical fiction [book:The Mystery of Mrs. Christie|54221749] (2020) as well as a subplot related to a secret in Dorothy Sayers' own real life. Knowing the true life backgrounds to much of these writers' lives did enhance my enjoyment here, but it is not necessary for other readers. You will likely be curious to follow up on some of the Golden Age writing yourself though!

My thanks to the author, the publisher St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this preview ARC, in exchange for which I provide this honest review.

<b>Trivia and Link</b>
There is a book trailer for <i>The Queens of Crime</i> which you can watch on YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RufcyNKo6g">here</a>.