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.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you St. Martin’s Press for this advanced digital copy. I paired the audio with the digital copy, and the audio was very well done!

Set in 1930s London, The Queens of Crime is the story of friendship among women — we are stronger together than we ever imagined.

Inspired by a true story, I loved seeing these talented female writers take charge and prove themselves in the male dominated literary world.

The moment I heard what this book was about, I knew I wanted to read it. I mean — a story about female authors who write stories about murder solving a real life murder that could have come from the pages of their own stories — sign me up!

As they race to solve a real life murder, they must keep their own secrets hidden.

Side note: I did feel that the story dragged on a bit in the middle, but I had to know how it ended, so I stuck with it. I’m glad I did!

Five female mystery writers (the Queens of Crime) are inducted into an all male writers club. The women feel patronized and not really welcomed by the group of men. They come up with a plan to solve a real live mystery to get acceptance they deserve.
Young May is a nurse who is found dead with a syringe. The police conclude that she is a drug dealer/user nevermind the evidence that suggests otherwise. The Queens investigate to redeem May’s name and find her true killer.
This book is okay. Found it slow moving. The initial three suspects remain throughout and so there is no surprise or mysterious tension at all. Overall a disappointment.

Marie Benedict is one of those authors who's been on my radar for a while now, and I have several of her books on my TBR, but I hadn't actually read any until this one. I was drawn to it because of the subject matter, a group of female mystery writers who call themselves the Queens of Crime, and band together to solve a murder and thus prove that they can hold their own with the male mystery writers of the time. It's 1930, between the wars, and they have their hands full with both missions. The interesting factor here is that these are actual women who were writing mysteries at the time, including Dorothy Sayres and Agatha Christie. As a Nancy Drew kid who grew up to continue to love mysteries until this day, I enjoyed the mystery here and the lengths the Queens go to to in their attempt solve this murder that occurred in France. I found myself checking on some of the names and histories as I read, and adding more names to my mystery TBR list. Overall, a very enjoyable historical mystery.
Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing copies for an unbiased review.

Set in 1930s London, the novel follows Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy as they form a secret society to prove their worth in the male-dominated world of detective fiction.
The novel’s theme—a group of brilliant women using their expertise to crack a baffling case—is both clever and compelling. The mystery itself is intricately plotted, with twists and turns that keep readers engaged until the end. For fans of historical fiction, classic detective stories, and strong female protagonists, The Queens of Crime is a must-read.

This one was just okay. I guess I had higher expectations than were actually met. I think fans of this author and/or classic female mystery writers will enjoy it.

I highly recommend this cozy mystery. I am probably dating myself but I felt like I was reading a Murder, She Wrote episode if the television series were a book. The Queens of Crime were crime writers by day and amateur sleuths by night. They were determined to solve a murder mystery that appeared to be botched by the male detectives investigating the crime. I enjoyed the historical references to classic novels written by these charming relatable book characters. I especially loved the strong themes of friendships, justice for women and loyalty.

I received an advanced electronic copy from publisher St.Martins Press books and Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview this book.

In The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict a group of prominent female crime writers has formed a secret society. They call themselves The Queens of Crime and their plan to prove they are legitimate crime writers is to solve a murder.

A young nurse has been found dead in a wooded area under what seem like suspicious circumstances. Can The Queens of Crime solve the mystery and prove their worth in the genre?

Enjoyable, quick mystery featuring characters you'll recognize.