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>.

The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict is a mystery book reader's delight! Favorite mystery writers unite to solve a real life murder. What a treat!! Benedict really brought the queens to life, their interests and quirks, and even their writing process as they delve into solving real life crime. Friendships are made and explored as they learn how to rely upon each other as a team. The real life mystery was engaging with twists and turns. A wonderful read!
Thanks to #NetGalley and #St. Martin's Press for the Arc.

Five women crime writers become the Queens of Crime as they investigate the murder of young British women found in France. Set in the 1930's, these women are determined and resolute in finding the answers as the local authorities have blown off the case.

The pacing was a bit slow and un-intriguing, and the story needed to be infused with more more drama/excitement.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press.

Such an interesting plot & the characters were great!

Didn't blow my socks off but kept me on my toes wanting more.

I am a huge Marie Benedict fan - I love all her books and I especially loved The Mitford Affair. This one fell flat for me though. I enjoyed the storyline of the murder but the women authors who felt they had to solve it came off as they just had nothing better to do. I understand it was because they wanted to fit in with the men in the Detectives Club, but solving a real murder was not the way to do that. It took me a while to get through it and thank goodness this one is over. I hope her next one will be better but I really do like it when she teams up with Victoria Christopher Murray for books.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy. I am not a reviewer who will retell the plot, just my feelings towards the book as the reader can look up the plot themselves.

Solving a crime proves harder than devising one

In early 1931 noted mystery author Dorothy Sayers is helping to found a new organization of mystery writers to be known as the Detection Club, dedicated to supporting one another in their craft and banding together to help their genre gain more respect in literary circles. Alas, while no one disputes that Dorothy herself should belong and all agree that the equally well-regarded Agatha Christie should as well, there are grumblings that there oughtn't be an "abundance of women" in the group; the male writers argue that having more than the two women in the club would undermine their reputation in all that they are trying to achieve. Not inclined to allow this chauvinistic hesitancy to stand, Dorothy enlists Agatha's aid in a subterfuge to force the group's hand into inducting three additional women writers more than worthy of admittance....namely the Baroness Emma Orczy, Margery Allingham and Ngaio Marsh. They are able to gain admittance for the five of them through their machinations, but just as a horse can be led to water but not made to drink male authors can be made to admit women to their new club but not forced to accept them as peers. Feeling slighted and more than a little annoyed at being frozen out by their male counterparts, the women (at Dorothy's instigation) decide to prove to the men that they are more than worthy of their places in the Detection Club...by solving a real life murder. The recent case of a young British nurse who disappeared while on a day trip to Boulogne with a friend has had both the French and British police stymied, and her dead body has only recently been found. Dorothy's husband, journalist Mac Fleming, has just been assigned to head to France to report on the murder and Dorothy will tag along. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Mac, the other four women will descend upon Boulogne as well, and the five (having dubbed themselves the Queens of Crime) will use their skills heretofore devoted to devising mysteries to instead attempt to solve the murder of May Daniels. They soon discover that a heinous crime like this is no parlor game, nor is the victim a fictional creation...it is deadly serious, and the five women will be putting themselves in danger if the killer discovers their endeavors.
As a lifelong lover of mysteries (I started with Nancy Drew and The Bobbsey Twins and never looked back) and someone who has read pretty much the entire canon of most of these women of the Golden Age of Crime Fiction, once I read the first blurb for this novel I knew I had to read it. Author Marie Benedict introduces these five distinct women of differing ages, backgrounds, and even nations of origin (Ngaio Marsh being from New Zealand, the Baroness Orzcy Hungarian) who share at least one characteristic...they are all women writers of high caliber whose chosen speciality is the mystery novel. In a time when women working in general was not universally accepted, choosing to write in a genre that was thought of as a masculine domain was certainly bold. As the story unfolds the reader watches the women evolve from colleagues to friends, learning about each of their life experiences and current circumstances (and secrets they hold) even as the mystery they are working to solve heats up. Combining historical fiction, a paean to the value of women's friendships and a twist on the locked room mystery, The Queens of Crime is an enjoyable read with an entertaining premise. While I wouldn't say that the mystery component is equal to those written by the actual writers portrayed (that would be a pretty high bar, after all) it was still quite a bit of fun, a solid 3,5 rounded up to a 4 given the concept behind the novel. Fans of any of the writers portrayed will certainly enjoy seeing them stretch their literary skills to solve a real-life murder, and readers of authors like Allison Pataki, Paula McLain and Fiona Davis (plus those who enjoyed earlier works by author Marie Benedict) should add this to their TBR list. Many thanks to NetGalley and St, Martin's Press for allowing me access to this engaging novel in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for granting access to this arc/alc.

I was highly anticipating reading this book as I have read several other historical fiction books by Marie Benedict and really enjoyed them. Unfortunately, this was not one of those books. I am majorly disappointed. I can't quite put my finger on what I didn't like about this book, but I just feel that I really couldn't connect with the story or the characters unfortunately and it kind of felt like a chore to read. With that being said, I did like the audiobook narrator, Bessie Carter and I thought she had a very pleasant voice. I definitely still want to read more books by Marie Benedict in the future, it's just that this particular book was not for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for granting access to this arc/alc.

Imagine the potential of bringing together the best female mystery writers and then having them create a “Detection Club to include the pre-eminent mystery and detective writers of the time. Them imagine these women being treated like fluff and stuff by the pretentious and overbearing men who keened onto the idea of this club and immediately started carping about the “abundance of women in the ranks.” What’s a girl to do I ask you - well if you are Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy - you are going to solve a murder and show those blowhards how detecting is done and then written.

Like many of Marie Benedict’s book this was a well researched and plotted book. I enjoyed it but wasn’t engaged to the point that I found it a page turner that could not be put down. It seemed like more of a police procedural with a small bit of action. With a nod to the marginalization of women there is a telling comment regarding the devaluation of everyday women by the authorities and others. A bright young woman reminds us that perhaps a woman’s murder needs to be solved by female sleuths because they are the only ones who will “properly credit female witnesses.” A profound and sad commentary on the bigotry of the situation and times in London in 1931.

I am rounding up for the planning, writing and general ingenuity involved in creating this story. Thanks to St. Martin’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for a copy.

THE QUEENS OF CRIME by Marie Benedict received a starred reviews from Library Journal and Booklist; it was also a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for February. In her latest work of historical fiction (1930s England and France), Benedict conveys the personalities of five Golden Age mystery writers. She teams Dorothy Sayers with Agatha Christie, plus Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy. As part of an effort to impress the male writers at the Detection Club, these women work together to solve a murder of a young English nurse, May Daniels, in France. They trace her stops at the ferry and various shops, often employing their own characters' techniques to learn much more than the local police while still providing plenty of suspense for readers. In the process, they redeem Daniels' reputation and enhance their own. A great historical whodunit. 4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this venture into the 1930’s with five famous female mystery writers. I felt like one of their club members as I followed along with their attempts to solve a murder. While there were some wandering paragraphs where I skimmed a bit, the storyline held my attention and kept me guessing. I liked how the story wrapped up and everyone received their just desserts. Read when you want to spend time with a group of unique women who band together to find justice for a murder victim.

The Queens of Crime is the newest historical fiction book written by Marie Benedict. This one is set in the early 1930s and features five well known female detective story authors, including Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. They want to be taken seriously by their male counterparts and have formed a club to help them gain this acceptance. They’ve also decided to solve a real life crime to help up their presence in their club. If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, then this is the book for you. Read and enjoy!

Marie Benedict has been on radar for a while but this was the first time I read one of her stories.

I found this really well written historical fiction, I really liked the characters and their interactions, as well as the locked room mystery aspect.

But… The Queens of Crime didn’t succeed in pulling me in as fully as I’d hoped. Though I did enjoy it, I felt like something essential was missing.

Though this one didn’t fully work for me , I would read more of the author. ,



Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the DRC

I was given an advance reading copy of this book from NetGalley.com in exchange for a fair review. I have heard a lot of good things about author Marie Benedict, but I have never read any of her work. I so wanted to like this book, but I was quite disappointed. The story centers around five prolific British mystery writers who happen to be women. They want to prove themselves to their male counterparts so they take on an unsolved murder of a female nurse in an attempt to figure out 'whodunit'. The story is told by Dorothy L. Sayers who is the ringleader along with Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy. I am not normally a mystery reader so maybe I am being a little too harsh, but I found the writing stilted and boring. Maybe it was written this way on purpose, but I did not enjoy it. Maybe a true fan of the genre will feel differently. I will admit that I have never read one book by any of these ladies and I probably never will. Just not my cup of tea.

This historical fiction from Marie Benedict was a cozy murder mystery solved by, who else, a cast of female murder mystery writers from the 1930s. The writing was charming, and while our writers (the likes of Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie) morph into true crime novice detectives, Benedict also explores themes of female friendships, and the inequitable allocation of resources to solve the murder of a nurse deemed “surplus”. While the dialogue and descriptions of place and time are quaint, it is impossible to miss the undercurrent of feminist power, which gives this story so much backbone. Overall an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital ARC.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a fun read - the concept of the Queens was interesting, and I enjoyed the female camaraderie and the mystery of May Daniels.

This book is a Dorothy Sayers showcase more than any other one of the female authors. The way the author built a fictonal story around real facts about the authors was the best part.

However, I feel like other than Agatha and, of course, Dorothy, the other 3 'Queens' come off a little underwhelming with deductions and basically require Dorothy to hold their hand throughout the investigation. Maybe Sayers and Christie would have worked better as a duo.


This book has increased my TBR pile, though!

Cozy historical mystery that was filled with mystery writers as characters… such as the elusive Agatha Christie. I enjoyed this nod to 1930s feminist sleuth style.

Thank you Net Galley, St Martins Press, and Marie Benedict

So pull up a chair and sit a while.

This one has great bones set in place by a highly talented author who can write with a capital "W".

Having read many books by Marie Benedict, I had to grab this one. Benedict takes us back to an era of remarkable sleuths.......all played by smart women. She sets things in high gear and we're locked in for a journey that taps on the brain and the intellect.

It's London in 1930 and just like libraries have the familiar whiff of aging books, the Detection Club has an all too recognizable aura of male testosterone. Dorothy, Agatha Christie, Ngaio, Emma, and Margery, who are famous female authors, barge their way into the upscale gathering of male authors. None receives a welcoming gaze from the crowd except from G.K. Chesterton.

So our little cluster of smart women decide to bridge the waters into their own group. They'll call themselves the Queens of Crime. Indeed.

What's more is the decision to take on a real unsolved crime and run it through the minds of these talented women. Fiction meets true crime. And the results will be mindblowing.

The Crime: A missing 21 year old nurse from the UK who disappeared after visiting Bourgogne, France on a getaway day back in October of 1930. (Actually based on a real happening)

May Daniels and her friend and fellow nurse took a ferry and a train across to France. Only one of them will be returning to the shores of the UK. May's body will be found months later in a park not far from where the women visited. The French police label this a suicide and soon the young woman is defamed and ridiculed. But the Queens believe that May's death deserves a second look and vow to search out the real facts.

Marie Benedict creates quite the mystery here and unravels all the twisted threads through the efforts of her little pack of women. These female authors write within the corridors of fiction, but their literary skills produce immediate results. They know crime and they are just the ones to search out the depths of the criminal mind.

The Queens of Crime is a crafty journey into crime solving of the 1930's. Although limited in the early stages of forensic science and criminology, these creative women know their stuff about human nature and it shows. The Queens of Crime is a jaunty trip into the past that does grab your attention from the onset. Bravo, Marie Benedict, just bravo.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to the talented Marie Benedict for the opportunity.

I am a tremendous fan of Marie Benedict, always eager to get my paws on her latest novel about a "forgotten" woman in history. This one was a little different, in that instead of focusing on one woman's story, it features a group of them - and within a much shorter timeframe. I enjoyed getting to know these female writers of Golden Age Mysteries, a couple of whom were brand new to me, and I loved the way they approached solving a real life mystery using their writing/fictional detectives' techniques. This story has some heart-wrenching, difficult moments, but is handled with care. It's as much an homage to detective stories as it is a commentary on society.

I've always been a fan of Marie Benedict, so let me add my thank you to Net Galley & Marie Benedict up front for this advanced copy!
While you don't need to have read The Mysterious Mrs Christie (Benedict's last book) to read this one, you might find it extra- interesting if you have. Mrs Christie (the famous Agatha) is one of the Queens of Crime, a group of female mystery writers. The protagonist for this book, however, is Dorothy Sayers. In an effort to get more respect for female crime writers, she and her friends attempt to solve a real life murder of a young nurse. As always in Benedict's book, each character is fleshed out & compelling, & the mystery unfolded well. I definitely found myself wanting to read books by each of the Queens of Crime, too! This is great for a fan of mysteries or historical fiction.