I’ve always loved a good cozy mystery. There is nothing like stepping into the shoes of an amateur detective and solving the case in an afternoon or a weekend. And then you factor in a royal detective, and I’m fully committed. So, obviously I was thrilled when I spotted this on NetGalley in January, and rushed to request it. The Windsor Knot is a brilliant and entertaining mystery novel, and if you love mysteries, you will adore it! Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ALC of The Windsor Knot exchange for an honest review.
The Windsor Knot (Her Majesty the Queen Investigates, 1), SJ Bennett
It is the early spring of 2016 and Queen Elizabeth is at Windsor Castle in advance of her 90th birthday celebrations. But the preparations are interrupted when a guest is found dead in one of the Castle bedrooms. The scene suggests the young Russian pianist strangled himself, but a badly tied knot leads MI5 to suspect foul play was involved. The Queen leaves the investigation to the professionals—until their suspicions point them in the wrong direction.
Unhappy at the mishandling of the case and concerned for her staff’s morale, the monarch decides to discreetly take matters into her own hands. With help from her Assistant Private Secretary, Rozie Oshodi, a British Nigerian and recent officer in the Royal Horse Artillery, the Queen secretly begins making inquiries. As she carries out her royal duties with her usual aplomb, no one in the Royal Household, the government, or the public knows that the resolute Elizabeth will use her keen eye, quick mind, and steady nerve to bring a murderer to justice.
Why You Should Read This…
I must say, this is without a doubt one of my favourite books of the last few years, nevermind 2021. More often than not, I find it incredibly difficult to find a well-written mystery that I enjoy. I don’t want a ton of on-page violence or anything graphic, which cuts out many modern-day mysteries. I also don’t need a ton of friendship building or romance, which tends to be a lot of cozies right now. Bennett perfectly balances the mystery itself with world-building, and I couldn’t put this down. The murder was certainly interesting, and I didn’t see the ending coming at all.
This isn’t a royal read that is a mystery- this is a mystery that happens to be set at Windsor. As someone who loves the royals, I appreciated the setting of Windsor and the Queen as the detective here. I know some people were disappointed in the “royal” side of it, but I think that you need to go into this knowing that it is a (fantastic) mystery. I thought it was quite a fun and interesting setting that we don’t normally see in fiction, and I think that Bennett handled it well! Cannot wait for the next one!
I haven’t listened to anything by Jane Copland before, but I will certainly be looking out for her work now. She didn’t use any additional accents or voices, but perfectly differentiated between all characters. I think her voice is spot-on for a mystery where the queen is the detective- she has gravitas and wonderful pacing.
♠
Want more royal fiction? I’ve got a full list of royally-inspired historical fiction!
Are you going to read The Windsor Knot?
Cheers,
The Historian
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