This is Queen Elizabeth II on the cusp of her 90th year, solving murder mysteries. With the aid of her trusted advisors, of course. The mystery? The scandalous death of the pianist who attended her party.

Putting our favorite Queen into a mystery plot is rather exciting... but sometimes I felt like it focused too much on the other characters solving the mystery... I desired a bit more royal action, but it was alright.

Content: Adult themes and innuendo, with vulgar language.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest opinion.

The calm and regal tone of The Windsor Knot is a welcome change from this crazy, speedy, American life. The narrator does an excellent job with accents; I feel like I'm watching The Crown when she speaks for the Queen. The details of the mystery are quite outside my experience and make for a learning experience as well as a who-done-it. Can't wait for the second book!

I received a free ARC audio of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't quite sure what to think of this book when I requested but thought it had a very interesting premise. I thought it was delightful. I finished it in a day. It flowed well, the story was interesting, the characters were well developed, and it was just fun to think the Queen has a knack for solving mysteries.

I sure hope they plan to come out with some more books in this series.

The morning after hosting a small party/soiree at Windsor Castle, the Queen learns that one of the performers, a Russian pianist, was found dead, in a with a rope around his neck, and at first glance his death appears to be due to auto erotic asphyxiation. They discover, however, that the scene was staged and he was actually murdered. the Queen, dissatisfied with the conclusions the police and MI5 are coming to, decides to solve the mystery herself.
This book was light, funny, and a great cozy mystery that got me out of a reading slump after February/March. It was a joy to read about what life might be like for the Queen and those around her. The audio narrator, Jane Copeland, was a delight. (Although when I tried to play the audio at a faster playback speed, there was a weird echo. This was my first audiobook from NetGalley so I'm not sure if that is typical?)

After a dinner party at Windsor Castle, one of the guests is found dead in his room the next morning. The immediate investigation shows that he strangled himself, but they quickly realize he was murdered and staged to look like a suicide. The Queen isn’t happy with how the murder is being investigated so she puts her own employees on the case. The Queen continues to carry out her royal duties, while also leading this investigation.

This was a fun twist on a detective mystery. No one would expect the Queen herself to be investigating a murder that happened in her own castle. Many of the characters felt nervous around her, especially when discussing the delicate nature of the murder. But, she got the job done.

This story mentioned other members of the royal family too. They were the same as the real British Royal Family, but made into fictional characters. It’s fun to imagine the Queen actually conducting her own investigations in the palaces.

I really liked the narrator of this audiobook. It was fairly short and a fun story. I’m curious to see what will happen in the next book!

Thank you Harper Audio for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a delightful whodunnit!

There has been a murder at Windsor Castle, and while the police are on the case, The Queen decides to take a further look into it herself. With the help of her assistant (who actually does most of the legwork), The Queen is able to make the connections and helps to ever-so-gently guide the officials to the right conclusion.

This book was quite enjoyable for me. For some reason, I'm drawn to the royal family and love to read things that give me some "insight" as to who they are and how they live (although, this is fiction, so not necessarily a reliable source of that information). It's been a long time since I've read a cozy mystery, and I must say, this book made me realize how much I miss them after reading thriller after thriller. The author does a great job of laying the necessary groundwork and a few red herrings to keep you guessing. I listened to an audio copy of this book, and I will admit that I did struggle with staying focused at times. I'm attributing this to the narrator, Her voice was very calm and soothing, and my mind kept having a tendency to wander away.

The author set the book in 2016, which I suspect is to be able to give her the opportunity to write more of these novels (given Her Majesty's advanced age, this seems a smart move), and I very much look forward to reading them.

I flew through this story, listening to the audiobook all day long trying to solve this fascinating crime. Unfortunately for me, all my guesses were way off. But that only goes to show the talent of SJ Bennett as a Mystery writer.

This story was inventive and funny, turning the Cozy Mystery genre on its head by having the story’s heroine be HRH Queen Elizabeth herself.

This story was well written and fast-paced, with a large ensemble of characters and a mystery that kept me guessing. I couldn’t ask for a better read!

A great read for fans of mystery, international relations, and the monarchy. While it wasn't my style I think there are plenty of fans out there who will enjoy this.

I loved this novel, The Windsor Knot. Such a good work of fiction to have Queen Elizabeth and her staff be detectives to save the reputation of the country and the Crown.
The night after a party a man is found dead in his room tied to the doorknob and. With other extenuating, mysterious circumstances. The night before the Queen was seen dancing with this man and thus the question of his death raises a lot of eyebrows. As in the past, the queen hears and discovers things that suggest a different opinion of the evidence from others so she sends her staff to detect the clues and finds out more than she bargained for. But with a voice in the right ear things change.
It’s amazing the way S. J. Bennett writes this using the current queen with current personalities. I’m looking forward to the release of #2 of Her Majesty the Queen Investigates.
I listened to this book as an audiobook and loved the voices but the quality of the background was not the best, but not sure if that was the app or the audiobook.
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for a chance to read this.
#Netgalley #WilliamMorrow #TheWindsorKnot

What's more intriguing than a murder at Windsor Castle? When Queen Elizabeth is the mastermind sleuth who is able to solve the whodunit. This cozy mystery was smashingly clever and a jolly good time. I am not a "ride or die" fan of the BRF, yet I thoroughly enjoyed being a fly on the wall behind the scenes. I can't wait for the next installment in the series.

AUDIO: The British voices/narration of all the characters, Elizabeth and Phillip in particular, were spot on.

While I wanted to like this book, I just couldn't suspend disbelief nor get past the ridiculousness and absurdity of so much of the book. It could have been fun, but I just kept picturing the Kids in the Hall-Helllllllooooooo! Sorry for the 90s reference but if you don't know it, go ahead and look it up. It's a hoot. And, yes, that's the guy from Superstore.

So the mystery itself is on the ludicrous side. You should see clues and use them to solve the mystery. Sure, some things will turn out to be nothing, red herrings thrown in for fun. But there should still be a line you can follow along. That's the fun. When you get to the end you should be able to pull those threads together and have some aha or ohhhh moments.

I just couldn't get behind the queen as this character, doing these things, etc. The narrator was good and the writing was well done. It was purely the story that lost me.

I’ve always wondered what’s behind Queen Elizabeth II’s enigmatic smile. Now, I would really like to believe that she is truly like S.J. Bennett’s portrayal of her: brilliantly, yet secretly, solving crimes that have stumped the best investigators, while making everyone believe she’s just a slightly doddering, sweet little, old lady.

And Bennett did a wonderful job of bringing her readers into the world of Queen Elizabeth II, right into the heart of Windsor Castle and the whirlwind that is the royal life, showing us that even when she was eighty-nine, the Queen was never idle. I loved that her mind was working circles around everyone else, not only to figure out what had really happened in the castle, but also to manipulate those around her into believing that they were the ones actually finding the clues!

I got to listen to the audiobook version of this novel, and must say that the narrator did a great job giving life and personality to each character. It was engaging and enjoyable.

This was a terrific read that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys mysteries and/or stories about British royalty. I’d easily give it 4 out of 5 stars. 🙂

Many thanks to HarperCollins/Harper Audio and NetGalley for the digital download of this audiobook for review purposes. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my very own! 🙂

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is an old woman in 2016. When a young piano prodigy is found dead, police detectives and MI5 are called in to investigate. The Queen investigates the murders herself along with her secretary Rozie.

The narration switches points of view from QE2 to Rozie, and I found my attention waning during Rozie's research. The queen is a much more captivating character, although she probably couldn't do all the legwork -- she is turning 90, after all.

The queen's banter with the Duke of Edinburgh is adorable and their interactions are the highlights of the novel. The queen is the plucky elder detective that I never knew we needed. Hopefully, there will be more of QE2 (and less of Rozie) in future installments. There's also a bit more foreign politics than I would have liked in a lighter murder mystery, but the queen's life heavily involves foreign relations.

(minor spoilers without telling you who done it ahead)

Even though the queen and Rozie find out much of the mystery before the police do, she allows the detectives to take the credit. She imagines they still see her as a doddering old woman and it's a little sad that she gets no credit in the end for solving the mystery. Having the queen gain either respect from the investigators or public acclaim would make the ending feel more uplifting.

Jane Copland's narration is delivered in a calming, even tone. Her voice imitates the unflappable nature of the queen. A couple of odd pronunciations may leave American listeners scratching their heads, and her briefly-used American accent for President Obama's dialogue is pretty bad.

Recommended for readers of royal fiction and mystery fans.

The perfect cozy mystery for a lazy Sunday afternoon. The Queen as a main character was interesting but a little confusing - I went into this not really thinking about time period, I guess I just assumed it would be historical fiction. I love the idea of her investigating, with the help of her trusted staff. The murder itself was a little more espionage themed than I am used to for cozies but it worked well. I will continue with the series.

I received a copy from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#TheWindsorKnot #NetGalley

This audiobook was such a pleasure to listen to during my commutes. You could almost imagine the real queen investigating and solving murder in her spare hours. It brings a whole new nuance to the monarchy. But really it was a well narrated book that definitely kept the listener entertained. I look forward to the next mystery.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this audiobook provided by NetGalley.

Fun, sweet and thoroughly enjoyable cozy mystery set in Windsor Castle with none other than Queen Elizabeth 2 as the master sleuth pulling the strings behind the scenes.
The way the queen is written makes her come to life, so real and relatable. All the characters are well written, especially her Assistant Private Secretary, Rosie Oshodi, who is her right hand person in the investigation.
The narration was spot on, with clear separation of characters.
Thank you to the publishers HarperAudio and William Morrow, NetGalley audio giveaway and The Book Club Girls Early Reads giveaway.
I have also posted this review on Goodreads.

The Windsor Knot is a delightful cozy mystery with a British royalty twist. I love anything royal related so I was immediately drawn to this book, but throw in a murder mystery solved by the Queen and I’m sold. Queen Elizabeth was such a fun character with her grace and dry wit. SJ Bennett wrote the Queen exactly as I imagine she would be in real life. Rozie, the Queen’s assistant and new partner-in-crime was also a delight. They made such an interesting pair.

In terms of the murder mystery aspect, it did end up being a little more vulgar than I had expected, but I think that made it even more entertaining. The mystery storyline did feel slow to me and I struggled to keep up with the many characters that were brought in to the mystery. I was not even close to guessing the ending, which is always a plus.

The audiobook was very entertaining and the narrator sounded just like I imagined as well. The story still read slow for me even on the audio, but it is still a fun book!

This book felt like following the Queen around in her day-to-day life with her sneakily solving a murder mystery along with her royal duties. It is perfect for fans of cozy mysteries and The Crown.

Thank you to William Morrow, Harper Audio, and Netgalley for my gifted ALC and finished copy!

Queen Elizabeth is secretly a crime investigator - such an interesting premise!

Happy Pub Week to S.J. Bennett and The Windsor Knot, her first novel for adult readers. The timing is unfortunate with the current negative press surrounding the Royal Family, but if you prefer an idyllic opinion of the Windsors, skip the news and read this book.

In this cozy-ish murder mystery (first in a series), the year is 2016 and the setting is Windsor Castle. A young Russian pianist who provided music for the Queen's "dine and sleep" soiree is found dead in compromising circumstances. While there are plenty of professionals looking into the crime, Queen Elizabeth conducts her own investigation with the assistance and subterfuge of her assistant private secretary Rozie Oshodi, a young and smart woman with military experience.

The mystery plot is complicated and a bit convoluted, involving the Russian government and many additional characters. I was far more interested in the events occurring in the Queen's life, which included hosting President and Michelle Obama, celebrating her 90th birthday, and attending the Royal Windsor Horse Show Pageant. I appreciated reading via audiobook; narrator Jane Copland's regal British accent infused authenticity and grandeur into the prose.

I'm looking forward to book 2, A Three Dog Problem, which is scheduled to publish in November. Thank you to William Morrow for the egalley and ALC audiobook; all thoughts are my own.

The Windsor Knot was not what I was expecting. I mean, I read the description, but I guess it didn't register with me that it is literally about the current sitting queen, Queen Elizabeth, solving crimes on her own, all the while making the authorities feel like they are the ones doing all the work and solving....I mean, it would be unseemly for the queen to be engaging in sleuthing.

The cutest aspect of the plot device is that it really handles the queen with grace and good humor. It also incorporates her marriage to Philip and reflects a sweet marriage that is loving and supportive of both partners while playing up some of the tabloid elements of their personalities, like Philip's hot temper.

The mystery was definitely closer to a cozy mystery than to a gritty one, which was a fun change for me. The story reminded me a bit of The Thursday Murder Club, where more senior, unlikely partners solve crime. The supporting characters were all well-written for the tone of the story. I would definitely be on board to read other entries into this series!

The Windsor Knot by SJ Bennett is the first in a new mystery series. Think of it as a mash up of Miss Marple meets The Crown. Though the mystery itself and its conclusion are a fun maze to solve; it is the scenes with Queen Elizabeth and her interactions with Prince Phillip and her staff that are most entertaining.

The plot is a bit of political intrigue with the murder of a guest staying overnight. Makism Brodsky is a talented Russian pianist who charms everyone with his musical abilities and dance moves with the Queen at a dinner party held at Windsor Castle. In the morning he is discovered by a maid dead by, and I am not making this up, autoerotique asphyxiation. Needless to say this discovery could prove very embarrassing for the Royals.

First thought to be an accidental death it is soon made clear it was murder. MI5 and the palace police believe it is the work of Russian leader Putin to let the Queen know he has spies everywhere.

However, Queen Elizabeth finds this hard to believe and with her trusty loyal assistant Rozie, an ex army Anglo Nigerian, she discreetly starts her own investigation.

Now all this takes place a week before the Queen's 90th birthday celebration. In between we get a peek into her visit with the Obamas, trading quips with Prince Phillip, and very cleverly leading the police to the real killer. We also learn this is not the first time the Queen has played investigator.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook from narrator Jane Copland's exquisite accents from English to Russian to the private thoughts of the Queen. The murder was almost an afterthought and the killer's reveal not all that shocking despite a few red herrings. All in all a pleasant way to spend some time with Royalty.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publisher via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.