I received a free copy of, Murder Most Royal, by SJ Bennett, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is the third book in, Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series. Queen Elizabeth II has a murder to solve, running a country is not enough for her. Will she be able to solve the Christmas mystery? This is a nice cozy mystery.

This is an absolutely delightful book for all Anglophile mystery readers. Set in Christmas 2016, HM Queen Elizabeth II is ready to take her annual holiday break at Sandringham in Norfolk. Both she and Prince Phillip have come down with miserable colds so their holiday already starts out disrupted. When a severed hand is discovered on a nearby beach, this information is relayed to HM by her Assistant Private Secretary (APS) Rozie Ashodi. Rozie knows HM displayed keen insights in events occurring near her in the two previous books in this series. Once again, HM is able to connect the unusual or unexpected in such a way, while being totally herself, to allow justice to be done. Just a really clever premise and thoroughly enjoyable book.
There are delicately handled references to rape so this might be a trigger for some readers.

"Murder Most Royal" by S.J. Bennett is a captivating mystery novel that follows the adventures of Her Majesty the Queen, Queen Elizabeth II, as an amateur detective. Set in Buckingham Palace, the Queen finds herself drawn into solving a murder that takes place within the palace walls. With wit, charm, and a keen eye, she navigates the investigation while managing her royal duties. S.J. Bennett's unique premise and skillful storytelling make "Murder Most Royal" an engaging read, offering a delightful blend of mystery and royal intrigue.

These intelligent mysteries featuring the late Queen Elizabeth as a sleuth are charming and thoughtful. The queen has a talent for sniffing out the truth and her first-rate brain and logical mind shine through. Her assistant private secretary Rozie does the legwork and she is quite a character in her own right - she is Nigerian with a stellar military background and an affectionate but professionally respectful relationship with Her Majesty.

The queen and Prince Philip are recuperating from a nasty flu bug over the holidays at their Sandringham Estate. Lots of details make this a nice behind the scenes glimpse. There is an unfortunate incident during their stay - a severed hand is found nearby and the queen is dismayed to recognize the distinctive signet ring on one of the fingers.

There is a lot of old history to be explored in this one and the queen quietly dispatches Rozie to help uncover the truth. These books are becoming gently philosophical as the series goes on, and in this one the queen ruminates on everything from the future of her family to the stewardship of the land. Quite enjoyable. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I love this series. When I tell people about it, that the books have Queen Elizabeth II as the detective, there are many skeptical raised eyebrows. The wonder of the books: the plots are wonderful; there’s diversity in the characters – the Queen’s foil is her aide, Rozie, a London born Nigerian – and the respect for the Queen, by all accounts a practical and dutiful woman, shines on every page in the nicest possible way. The books allow you to imagine that it might have gone this way if the Queen really was a secret detective, guiding the police and Scotland Yard to solutions she’s already figured out, with Rozie’s help. There’s also a shining thread of feminism underneath all the stories, celebrating women’s strength in the many forms that strength takes.

The action in this third installment takes place in 2016, entirely at Sandringham, where the Queen and Prince Phillip spend the Christmas and New Year holidays. It’s at the nexus of Trump’s election and the reality of Brexit; and unfortunately, shortly before the Queen’s arrival, a hand in a plastic bag is discovered washed up on the beach. When Rozie shows the Queen a photo, she recognizes the hand – she knows the signet ring and a missing fingertip. It’s the hand of her sometime Sandringham neighbor, Ned. St. Cyr.

When some other events surround the hand – a drowning, and a hit and run – the Queen and Rozie put their heads together to try and figure out what’s going on. Unlike the police (or the Chief Constable in this story, very traditional village mystery) they are sure the events are connected. The Queen has a network of former female aides who have helped in her investigations – one of them lives near Sandringham and is a help to Rozie in understanding the local lay of the land. Of course, the Queen has that bit covered.

Ned’s family owns a nearby stately mansion, Ladybridge, and the chatelaines (the Ladybridge chatelaine is recently deceased) shared a love of gardening, back when the Queen’s mother was in charge of the Sandringham gardens. The gardens play into the plot, but everything this author does is smart and well planned. There’s a reason for each detail she includes, so overlook no detail, as a reader! These books are nothing if not enjoyable reads, but the author also makes a demand that the reader keep up and pay attention.

I love the friendship between the Queen and Rozie. I love that the Queen knows she can trust Rozie, and that Rozie’s confidence is growing as the series goes forward. As the book begins, Rozie is slightly annoyed that she’s not spending her holiday in the St. Bart’s sunshine, but by the end of the book, she’s as much in love with North Norfolk as the Queen. The tone of these reads is sweet but not saccharine; smart but fully engaging; and best of all (to me) a terrific back stage look at the workings of the royal family. Fictional or not, it feels authentic. These are books not to be missed.

It's December, 2016, a body part is found near Sandringham where the Queen and Prince Phillip are staying for the holidays. Rozie Oshodi, assistant private secretary, tells the Queen and she recognizes a ring that belongs to Edward St. Cyr, cousin to Baron Mundy, a neighbor. She also learns of a hit and run accident that seriously hurt a local lady who was involved in all the villages activities. But when a suicide of a local man comes to light, she begins to wonder if these incidents are all somehow connected. She then has Rozie checking on up of all her concerns while the Queen, herself, entertains family and friends for the holidays.
A quick, entertaining and enjoyable third entry into the Queen's mystery solving activities as she asks the questions and has her assistants get the answers that lead to the unmasking of the villains.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for this e-galley of "Murder Most Royal".

Murder Most Royal by SJ Bennett is a great contemporary cozy mystery that is the third in the adorable Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series.

I have really enjoyed this series and I think the secondary characters are really starting to come into their own. The relationship between Rozie (her Assistant Private Secretary) and The Queen is quite charming and blossoming.

Of course there is a murder and subsequent investigation within this installment as with the previous, but this time it takes place near Sandringham House. Can this duo figure things out, before they become the next victims? I enjoyed finding out.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and William Morrow for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/26/23.

This is the first book I have read in this series and I adored it! The author wrote a solid mystery and intertwined it with the Queen’s holidays with family. It was completely well written and charming in and of itself, but the mystery was a solid hit as well.

I adored the Queen’s view on our 45th president here in the US and can’t wait to read more in this series. I’m so glad that this is written in the past so that we have more time with one of the most formidable women of my lifetime.

4.0 stars

I received a complimentary Kindle book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to SJ Bennett, Zaffre, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This is the third book in the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series. It was a fun and twisty novel. When I thought that I had figured it out that was another serious twist!!

I love that these novels are easy, light reading (for a serious mystery), and quick to read!!

RECOMMEND

I love this series of books. Especially after the loss of the queen it allows us to look back fondly on a fictionalized version of her. I hope that the series goes back and forth so it can continue for a long time and doesn't have a shelf life because of her death.

This book will absolutely delight cozy mystery fans and royal watchers. What a premise it is to have Queen Elizabeth discreetly investigating murder and mayhem. She may well become many readers favorite amateur sleuth.

In this third in the series, the Queen is in Norfolk for the festive December holidays. However, all is not well. A hand has turned up on the beach. The hand sports a specific signet ring which leads the Queen to name the owner of this body part. No, She is not squeamish. What happened? Who was responsible? Will justice be achieved?

The mystery itself is well done although I confess that, at times, I had a bit of trouble keeping all of the characters distinct in my memory. But, that did not pose any major difficulties and I very much enjoyed this book.

The delight of this novel lies in the insider feel that Bennett gives readers into royal life. The house and grounds of Sandringham feel accurately described as do events such as Boxing Day shoots and the exchange of gag gifts.

At Sandringham with the Queen are Anne, Charles, Beatrice, Phillip, Harry and others. No William however as he and Kate are at the Middletons. Every one is made to feel very real with personalities that reflect the sense that readers may already have of them.

As was true in the earlier titles in the series, 6 foot tall, Black, Rozie, the Queen’s APS, make her appearance. She is such a fun character.

I highly recommend this one. Readers who have not read the other books in the series will be fine here but many will want to go back to the first two just for the fun of it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this title. All opinions are my own.

The Queen is back to solving mysteries when a nobleman's hand is found. While at Sandringham for the holidays, the Queen quietly pieces together what could have happened when a family rift became murder.

This is the third book in the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series and I think it might be my favorite. I loved the change in location and how the setting informed the story so well. I love the crime solving duo of the Queen and her assistant Roz. This is a little bit Sherlock Holmes and a little bit the Thursday Murder Club. I don't think you have to read the first two books to enjoy this one, but I do love how both the Queen and Roz (and their supporting characters) grow in each book. This is a must-read mystery series for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

Anglophiles get comfy because you are going to enjoy another cozy read from SJ Bennett!

The third book in the “Her Majesty the Queen Investigates” series focuses on the Royal Family’s Christmas at Sandringham. The usual holiday respite for Queen Elizabeth ll is disturbed by the disappearance & possible murder of Ned St. Cyr, a longtime neighbor. Of course Her Majesty is compelled to look into the matter along with the help of her trusted aide, Rozie.

Thanks to Bennett, we get a glimpse into life at Sandringham House, “eavesdrop” on family gatherings and experience life in a small Norfolk village full of quirky characters.. This was well written and researched and did not get bogged down with details.

I thoroughly enjoyed Murder Most Royal and look forward to more of the Queen’s sleuthing. God Save the Queen!

Pub Date: 26 Sep 2023

Murder most royal had a very Miss Marple feel to it, which surprised me. I wasn’t expecting HRH Queen Elizabeth II to take the role of crime solving sleuth. Or, for the royal family to be part of a cozy mystery. However, as I read, I found that I quite enjoyed the mix of history and mystery.

After she recognizes the ring on a hand that washes up near her Sandringham estate, HRH enlists the help of a current and a former Assistant Private Secretary to solve the mystery.

Along the way she encounters secrets, a suspicious accident, and another death. And, all while carrying on the business of being Queen.

Murder most royal is an entertaining read that kept me enthralled throughout.

A fitting addition to the series of Her Majesty's solving crimes. Bennett has created lovable characters and a realistic alternate reality where the Queen of England (RIP) is also a mastermind at solving crimes that appear where she resides.

Thanks to NetGalley, Zaffre Publishing, and S.J. Bennett for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this third and latest mystery in this series, which could not have been solved without the behind-the-scenes involvement of the Queen! This time the Queen is in residence at Sandringham over the Christmas holidays when strange and unsettling events occur which might or might not be related to each other. Only the Queen is in the unique position to make links between them, but she is not able to investigate herself, so she uses her Assistant Personal Secretary to help her make discrete inquiries.

I love the way the author shows her awe of and respect for Queen Elizabeth on every page. I equally love the very strong, modern character of Rozie. Between the two of them, there isn't a situation that they can't confront!

Kindle Copy for Review from Net Galley, Killer Crime Club and arperCollins Canada.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

A delightful read featuring Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second as uses her sleuthing powers to solve the mystery of a death near her grounds before it gets closer to her.

It is Christmas time at Sandringham as most of her the family is gathered. Despite feeling a bit out of sorts with a cold she manages to carry on with the Christmas festivities.

She’ll have to use her intuition and limited access to solve the case. A charming quaint read as you feel like you are really around her and glimpses of her family.

This was the third book in the series. Now I will say I love how sweet and endearing the queen is in these books. I must admit, I gave the first book 5 stars, second book 4 stars. Maybe the stories aren’t as unique as I once found them. This book was a 3 star read for me. That does mean I still enjoyed it, just not as much as the first two. I do love how the characters are developed, especially the queen and Rozie. If you liked the first two, you will enjoy this one. Loved the dedication, truly fitting for a queen.

Thanks to NetGalley, publishers, and the author for the arc of this book on exchange for my honest review.

In the latest book in the Her Majesty the Queen Invesitgates series, we travel with the Queen and Rozie to Sandringham for the Christmas season. Upon her arrival, the Queen learns of a human hand found on the beach near her estate and begins her covert investigation into the disappearance and presumed death of the aristocrat whose hand was found. Full of intrigue, the book is a must read for all Royalists around the world.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. Definitely the best story in the series this far!

A continuation of a really well nuanced view of the British monarch, now deceased, with mysteries to solve. These titles are both irritatingly bound by traditions and thoughtful about the power of women. A good read for readers of cozies who want to bit a bit provoked.