I absolutely love this very different take on a murder book!

Set in 1930's London, 5 talented woman crime writers join together to prove to their male counterparts in the legendary Detective Club, that they were no longer willing to be treated as less than the men. These five writers, Dorothy L. Sayers ( the groups founder and leader of the woman), Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy become the Queens of Crime and seek to be equals with the men. How will they prove their worth? Why by solving a real life murder! How else!?

A young English nurse, May Daniels, vanishes from a bathroom while her friend waits outside of the door for May to rejoin her. A few months later Mays body is found in the woods nearby and the police announce she died by strangulation. But why was there also a large amount of blood located at the crime scene? How did May disappear from a room with only one exit. An exit her friend was standing at watching and waiting for her. The press and the police have written the death off as a drug deal gone wrong but the Queens believe differently. The Queens set out on their own to uncover what really happened. In the process they discover secrets about May as well as themselves.

As like many other crime readers I adore Agatha Christie so I really enjoyed learning about these other four woman. I will be honest in saying that I had no clue these woman were really people let alone crime authors. I really enjoyed researching each woman and learning all about them and their writing. I also added many of their books to my ever growing TBR list.

This book held me captive until the very end! The way the woman use their combined knowledge, skills and place in society to solve a murder that the French had already written off was brilliant! The Queens of Crime is the perfect historical fiction meets murder book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. It started out with a bang, loved the camaraderie of the mystery writing women, some I've never heard of, all of I've never read 😬 except Agatha Christie, so it was nice getting to know them and solving this murder with them! This was my first Marie Benedict book, though I own a couple of them so it won't be my last!

The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict

This was a true and classic “whodunnit” story as 5 detective crime writing women aim to solve the true life murder of Miss May Daniels, to prove their credibility to their male counterparts. They quickly form a friendship and bond that steps beyond their crime solving work, as become the trusted “Queens of Crime” girlfriends each of them needs.

This book has short chapters and therefore reads quickly. However you can say the language is quite verbose, and while that goes back to 1931 detective novel writing women, sometimes I just wanted to cut the fluff and get on with the story.

This is the 2nd Marie Benedict book I’ve read. I didn’t love it as much as The Only Woman in the Room, but still it was entertaining and had me turning pages to see what would come next.

Thank you to @netgalley and the author @authormariebenedict for an ARC copy of this book. I missed the publication date but it was still a pleasure to read and review this book while it was still “fresh.”

While I wouldn’t necessarily classify this as a historical fiction, it does take place in 1931 and features 5 real female mystery writers as characters, including Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers.

When the female writers are dismissed at a detective writers club by the male members they decide to solve a real mystery. This was a fun and very enjoyable read. The writing style, story and characters kept me entertained and the pages turning. Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The magic of Marie Benedict is that one starts reading and knows the book is fiction but then there's the realization that the characters are real people and that this is an actual happening. Or a fictionalized version of something that was real to an extent or a probable real situation. Either way, somehow my dense brain didn't clue me into the Queens of Crime being the real group of authors that I've loved, known, read, and admired for years.
When a group was founded of the English authors who all write crime excluded women on the grounds their work wasn't worthy to be included, Dorothy Sayers, a founding member, objects and finds a way to include Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy. When they are still treated like second class citizens of the Detective Club, the women set out to solve one of the most prominent closed door murders in the news.
This book touches on each of the controversies of the named authors as well as illuminating how they come to their writing styles but also how easily women were (and frankly still are) dismissed to make life easier. As the book unfolded it was harder and harder to put down.

#arc
#netgalley
#thequeensofcrime

Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, Baroness Emma Orczy, and Dorothy L. Sayers are five incredible female mystery writers in the 1930s. Treated by their male mystery writer counterparts as lesser, the women set out to prove themselves by solving a real life unsolved crime.

This was a great book. First of all, the main characters being famous mystery writers, in particular Agatha Christie, was such a clever and fun idea. I loved learning more about these authors, and seeing them solve a mystery. The mystery took a real life murder and solved it, and the solution scene was captivating. I don’t typically read historical fiction, but this book was more than worth my while. I would recommend this book.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

The Queens of Crime caught my attention and interest because of one of the main characters, Agatha Christie. I am a huge fan of her books, and I love seeing her pop up in books as a character. I have heard of the other four women in the book but have never read any of their works. After reading The Queens of Crime, I also look forward to reading their works.

The story is told through a single POV, that of Dorothy Sayers. However, she is with the other Queens throughout the book. I fear it would have been confusing if the book had been told through multiple POVs.

The mystery was well constructed, and offered several twists and turns along the way. While I had my suspicions of the culprit, it wasn’t until the end that they were confirmed. There was enough evidence that pointed in other directions to ensure you weren’t 100% certain who was behind the mystery.

While The Queens of Crime is the first book I’ve read by Marie Benedict, it will not be the last. I have one of her other books languishing on my TBR, and I feel I will pick it up sooner rather than later.

Who do I think will enjoy reading The Queens of Crime? Everyone! The book is set in the Golden Mystery era and features five strong women trying to find justice for a woman society deemed a “surplus.” There’s drama, tension, and travel. What’s not to like?

From the moment I read the description of this book I was intrigued. The fact that it is based on actual real authors and events made it such a great read. I enjoyed all the characters and loved the way the women came together to prove to their male colleagues that they were just as good and qualified at writing murder mysteries by actually solving a real-life mystery made it even better. This book has made me interested in reading Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orcz's books. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this great story.

4.5 Stars

Marie Benedict’s The Queens of Crime is a delightful blend of historical fiction and classic mystery, bringing together some of the most celebrated female crime writers of the early 20th century—led by Dorothy L. Sayers—as they attempt to solve a real-life murder. When a young nurse is found strangled in a park, the authorities seem all too eager to dismiss the case. But these pioneering women, eager to cement their place in the male-dominated literary world, take it upon themselves to unravel the mystery.

Benedict does a fantastic job weaving historical details with a cleverly plotted whodunit. The novel is richly atmospheric, capturing the literary circles and social struggles these women faced. The multiple POVs allow us to step into the minds of these brilliant authors, adding depth to the story and making it all the more engaging. The mystery itself is compelling, with plenty of twists and ruthless characters to keep readers hooked.

While the ultimate resolution may not be the most surprising, the real charm of The Queens of Crime lies in the journey—watching these intelligent, determined women collaborate, challenge societal norms, and forge deep friendships along the way. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable read, one that could easily translate into a compelling TV series or film. Fans of historical fiction and classic mysteries will find much to love here.

This book was so much fun. Crime writers solving crimes.

Thank you for the opportunity to read it!

This was fun. Dorothy Sayers starts a club of mystery writers but the men frown upon having women there even though it was Dorothy's project. She is joined by Agatha Christie, Emma Orczy, Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham, all successful mystery writers. In order to prove that they are worthy to be there they decide that they need to solve a real murder. Since this is 1931 women's rights are a huge deal with women being overlooked or ignored completely, after all their job is to be at home raising children.

The murder they decide to look into was May Daniels, a nurse who is found murdered in France. Because a syringe is found nearby the police are chalking it up to a loose woman addicted to drugs.

The characters were so fun. Each one's personality was brought forth and I loved the way they worked together using their writing process to figure out the culprit.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

Another wonderful historical novel with strong female characters from this author! A group of female writers of detective novels in the early 20th century set out to solve a real murder. They persist despite the social constructs of the times and leave everyone impressed by their endeavors. I loved the banter among the characters regarding class and gender. I would have liked an author's note, which I feel is required reading for all historical fiction, but unfortunately this was not included. Hopefully, that's included upon publication.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Marie Benedict for the arc!

What a terrific romp this book was for me … I absolutely loved it! A fictional twist on historic women mystery crime writers of the 1930s: Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy.

They come together to solve a real life murder mystery in order to prove their worth among the male dominated “Detection Club”. The author does an amazing job giving us glimpses of the personality of each of these women & their growing relationships as friends! The locked room crime they set out to solve is a clever puzzle, but still no match for these smart & sassy women!

I can see this leading into a series with the Queens of Crime solving murders and mayhem and I would be here for it!

An enjoyable historical mystery, this novel is told from the perspective of Dorothy Sayers, a real mystery novelist in the 1930s. Dorothy helps start an organization of mystery writers called the Detectives Club, but when the only women writers they want to admit and Dorothy and Agatha, the two of them form a plan to recruit three other prominent women mystery writers of the time - Baroness Emma Orczy, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham. And then they decide that to win respect, the 5 women should attempt to solve a real life crime that is in the news - a locked room disappearance and subsequent murder of nurse May Daniels.

This was a good read - the idea of real life mystery writers banding together to solve a crime, and it’s written somewhat in the style of that era of golden age mysteries and comporting with the rules of that type of mystery. This was the third book I’ve read by Marie Benedict, and my favorite so far.

My only disappointment was that my ARC did not have an authors note or acknowledgement telling me what was real and what was fiction, so I had to do some googling to try to figure it out. And having only previously read Agatha Christie, now I want to check out at a minimum a Dorothy Sayers mystery, and maybe ones by the other three authors as well.

It was the women's attire on the cover that snagged my attention.
It was the clever title that encapsulates this read.

Many a reader recognizes the indomitable Agatha Christie. But Dorothy Sayers? Not so much.
This was the latter's story. A scandalous real life event that came to be discovered only after her death is used as part of the narrative. As with any mystery, there are a number of 'aha' moments largely confined to middle to latter part of the book. A reader will find the pieces take some time to come together.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, St. Martin's Press, in exchange for an honest review.

3.75/5 stars

This story has an interesting premise. The five leading female mystery authors of their time (set in 1930 London) Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy form their own Queens of Crime Club after they are ostracized in the newly formed (all male) Detection Club. Their aim is to solve the "cold case" murder investigation of a young nurse murdered in a park in France months earlier whose body has just been recently discovered.

There were parts of this story that I enjoyed. Getting to meet (even though fictitiously) some of these authoresses that I was not familiar with was fun. Their interactions with each other were both humorous and informative as they each utilized their own particular intellects in working as a team.
But to be honest, the plot did not grab me, and the overall feel of the writing/story was of a cozy mystery which it was not billed as, and unfortunately, I am not a big fan of that particular subgenre of mysteries.

So, interesting and fun but not necessarily my cup of tea and not what I was expecting.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing the free early arc of The Queens of Crime for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Marie Benedict's latest is a wonderful mystery about 5 amazing (real) women authors in 1931 who work together to solve a real crime. This was thoroughly enjoyable and I just about figured it out!

Bessie Carter is an amazing narrator and just perfect for The Queens of Crime!

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 11 February 2025

What if five of the greatest women crime writers cracked a case of their own? If you’ve ever wondered, then you should absolutely read this historical whodunit!

Told from Dorothy L. Sayers' perspective, it follows her efforts to unite several fellow authors—including Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy—to form a secret society called the Queens of Crime. Their mission? Solve a highly publicized murder to show that they’re no longer willing to be treated as less than in the (mostly male) publishing world.

I loved this book! The mystery was twisty, the women were fierce, and the equality vibes were so strong. Classic mystery fans will adore the famous crime novel references, which have me eager to check out the other authors. The book also celebrates female friendships and it was a joy watching these five women grow closer as they became each other's champions.

While obviously a work of historical fiction, I was a little bummed when I learned exactly which elements were fictionalized. I won't divulge any specifics, but will say that the book lost some of it's power after I read the author's note.

Despite the little letdown at the end, it's still a fantastic novel that's ideal for classic mystery fans, 1930s enthusiasts, and anyone who finds comfort in strong friendships.

📱 The Queens of Crime 📱⁣
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⁣Genre- Historical Fiction. ⁣
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⁣Length- 320 pages. ⁣
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⁣Y’all the way I just gasped when I realized this book is only 320 pages! It felt soooooo much longer. 🫠 ⁣
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⁣The Queens of Crime features Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio March, Margery Allingham, and Emma Orczy- real mystery authors who set out to solve a real murder in hopes of being taken seriously by their male counterparts in the Detection Club. ⁣
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⁣It felt a lot like a cozy mystery- which was nice, but it was very slow moving and the characters were underdeveloped. Dorothy and Agatha had personalities, but it felt like the other queens were just filler. ⁣
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⁣Overall- this one was just fine. I was very happy when I finally finished it and could move on to my next read! Three stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
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⁣Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of The Queens of Crime.

While Marie Benedict has written “The Queens of Crime”, based on an event of one of the Characters, Dorothy Sayers, she continues to raise the bar for contemporary historical fiction authors. Based on events in England and France in the 1930s, the five female famous mystery writers, Margery Allingham, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Baroness Emma Orczy and Dorothy Sayers set out to find the killer of a young nurse while on a holiday trip with a fellow nurse. The reason for the five combining their talents: to prove their worth not only as female detectives but to prove to the illustrious male Detection Club of their status. I particularly enjoyed the author’s way of injecting into the story the style of each of these authors their style and personalities based upon their own books. If you enjoy historical fiction and/or mysteries and thrillers, make this your next read. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book; this is my honest opinion.