1931, crime-writer, journalist, misogynistic-era, historical-fiction, historical-figures, historical-mystery, historical-places-events, historical-research, thriller, suspense, collaborators, colleagues, amateur-sleuth, mystery, women's fiction, murder, murder-investigation, cozy-mystery****

Tired of the misogyny among renowned mystery writers, the women writers who are considered the Grande Dames (or queens) of the art of mystery fiction band together to prove their superiority by solving a current murder of an English nurse in coastal France in 1931. They travel together to do their own investigation, and the first thing they notice are the inconsistencies in the police reports.
With the reader as voyeur, they are able to elicit more information and correctly solve the mystery
I requested and received a temporary review copy from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you
Pub Date Feb 11 2025 by #MarieBenedict #TheQueensOfCrime #NetGalley

3.5, rounded up.
A fun, quick mystery with just enough history to make it feel slightly literary and give it some gravitas. The only thing that dampened my enthusiasm was that this was the third in a string of books about a ragtag team of amateur detectives coming together to solve a murder/crime (Thursday Murder Club, The Southern Bookclub's Guide to Slaying Vampires, and now this). I'm not sure how I happened to read these three in a row, as they've got very different release dates, but such is life.

Going into this one, all I knew was that I liked Benedict's penchant for exploring the lives of under-the-radar women from history. I have previously read The Christie Affair, which was just okay, so I knew a bit about the famed disappearance of Christie, and I'm glad that this book doesn't really focus on that particular mystery. Yes, it comes into play a bit, but this book is focused on an entirely different case, and is told from the POV of Dorothy Sayers, who was supposedly far more 'type A' than the notoriously shy Christie. I do wish the book had included a brief section that told us about the real-life ladies and which things were drawn from reality, as I had no idea these ladies were indeed members of the London-based Detection Club. I struggled to suspend my disbelief throughout the entire book because the concept of them being involved in a club together felt like such a plot device, so knowing it was true from the start would likely have made it an even more enjoyable read.

Fans of mysteries and historical fiction with a feminist bent will enjoy this.

In a field dominated by men, a legendary group of female writers come together to solve an actual murder in order to gain distinction and prove that they belong in the Detection Club along with the men. Characters Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Marjorie Allingham and Broness Emma Orczy are historical crime writers and this book is based on actual historical events. The story is a delightful mystery that becomes even more compelling when you know that these women were actual real life people. I found myself researching background information about these women and learning so much.
This book kept my attention from beginning to end. The story was very engaging. I have read a number of Marie Benedict’s books and they are always a fascinating perspective on a female historical figure. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a different type of book for my Marie Benedict. She was able use historical figures and a historical framework to create a suspenseful detective story. I enjoyed reading this book. The pacing was good. It definitely read a lot faster than most of her other books. Overall, I enjoyed this book and the subject matter.

I received a free ARC ebook of <i>The Queens of Crime</i> from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Marie Benedict is a prolific writer of historical fiction featuring women. Here, she highlights authors of detective series, especially Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie. Both women and the other "queens" are experienced in creating and solving mysteries, but this time, they tackle a real murder with a very real victim.

Benedict excels at placing her characters in the social norms of the time. This novel takes place in England in the early 1930s when the effects of the Great War are still evident, but fascism has not yet become a threat. Unmarried women are viewed as "surplus" with few opportunities available. Earning a living is obviously a necessity, but independent women were suspect. The victim, a single nurse, is easily discounted when her body is discovered with a syringe nearby. Her death is hardly investigated, and her reputation is destroyed.

Dorothy and the other female authors long to prove their mettle by solving a real murder. Their investigation places Dorothy in danger.

This book was a bit of a slow start for me, but the second half was much faster paced.

Very good read. Five mystery authors come together in search of answers to a young woman’s disappearance and murder. Recommend. I was given an advanced reader copy of this book by NetGalley and I am freely sharing my review.

I received a free e-arc through Netgalley. It started off a little slow, but then I got pulled into the story about 5 Queens of Mystery solving a real mystery instead of just writing about it. The locked room mystery aspect was quite appealing. I loved the distinct personalities of the female writers. The newspaper stories and the police jumping on the first possible explanation for May's death was quite appalling, but believable.

I love historical mysteries - the details of life in this time frame are fascinating.
This book was slow to start and then picked up steam. I really enjoyed the interaction between the 5 female mystery authors who came together to solve the mystery.

I received an arc from Netgalley.

The Queens of Crime is a captivating historical fiction novel that brilliantly intertwines real-life mystery writers like Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers in a thrilling murder investigation. Benedict masterfully captures the essence of 1930s London, showcasing the strength and camaraderie of these pioneering women as they navigate a male-dominated literary world. With its engaging plot and rich character development, this book is a delightful tribute to the power of female friendship and the art of storytelling.

Thank you to Net galley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book.

This one had a premise that attracted me as soon as I saw the blurb. It’s obviously fiction but the author uses real golden age of mystery writers as the main characters and I am here for it.

The main protagonist is Dorothy Sayers. She had the great idea to start a club of detective fiction writers called the Detection Club. The only problem? The men who are part of the club she created are adamant that the only female members should be she and Agatha Christie.
This doesn’t sit well with the two women and Dorothy devises a plan to have them, along with three other female crime fiction writers, solve a real mystery.

A young woman has disappeared with no trace from a train station restroom in France. The bathroom has no exit other than the one door into the very public main station. No window, no air conditioner duct work, nothing to aid her in leaving the room without being seen. A true locked room mystery in a quite busy place.

The five ladies travel to France to see this room for themselves and try to solve this case, not only to find the missing woman, but figure out how the lady got out of the station without being seen. Dorothy has a secret of her own that she wants to keep hidden. That adds a unique component to the story.

Their adventure is undertaken with due seriousness as well as a bit of fun with taking tea and visiting shops to talk to potential witnesses. The plot moves along nicely.

I very much enjoyed the storyline as well as the personalities of the five main characters of whom I’ve read some of their work. Of course, these were fictional imaginings, but the author seemed to capture the spirit of each of the ladies as they appeared to be in life.
An interesting plot that was well-constructed and enjoyable to read. Many moments of the humanity of these women and how they related to each other and their friends and family also fully fleshed out the story. The locked room component was clever as well

A very enjoyable read.

I loved this book. The twists and turns will keep you up reading all night long. Just when you think you know how it will end, the story will take you somewhere else.

Marie Benedict is one of my favs! This was an interesting historical fiction about 5 female mystery writers…who help solve a mystery. I wish I knew a little more about each of the writers going into the book - I actually have MB’s Agatha Christie book on my TBR - but it was still an enjoyable book regardless (I just think it would have made it even better!). As usual, MB’s books are always very well-written with beautiful language and descriptions. I looked forward to reading this every chance I got!

(3.5) I’m always excited to see which female in history Marie Benedict decides to write about. This time around, she’s writing about a group of women, namely Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh, and Emma Orczy.

When a young woman (May Daniels) is found dead, this team of five authors find themselves investigating her case, using their skills as mystery writers to track down her killer.

This book felt different from other Marie Benedict novels I’ve read and I enjoyed it. I might have enjoyed it a bit more with fewer main characters (though the emphasis is on Dorothy Sayers), but it felt like a nice homage to these ‘Queens of Crime’. I also enjoyed the camaraderie between these female writers who had to band together in a male-dominated industry.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital ARC of the book!

Thank you to the publishers and @netgalley for this freeARC in exchange for a fair review. I have always been a huge fan of Marie Benedict and jumped on the chance to read her newest book. It had all of the elements of a story I love. Strong female protagonist, great imagery, and a good and compelling mystery. I see this being a huge hit once it is released. The balance between girl power and a serious mystery was a masterful, as is the Marie Benedict way!

This was a great murder mystery about a young nurse that goes missing and is found several moths later dead

The story kept you on your toes
It was a great read and would recommend
Thank you for letting me read an early copy

Thank you #StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for providing this #ARC Advance Reading Copy. The expected publication date is February 11, 2025

#OUABC 2024 Reading Challenge: 40 Prompts (27. A book about best friends) • 4 Stars

"The Queens of Crime" by Marie Benedict is a historical fiction set in 1930s London, where five renowned women mystery writers secretly form the Queens of Crime to solve an actual murder mystery, inspired by real events. The group, including Dorothy L. Sayers and Agatha Christie, tackles the case of May Daniels, a nurse found dead under mysterious circumstances in France. Their quest intertwines their fictional detective skills with real-life investigation, aiming to prove their mettle against the male-dominated Detection Club. The story explores themes of female empowerment, camaraderie, and the fight for recognition in a patriarchal society.

#TheQueensOfCrime #MarieBenedict #Bookstagram

I enjoyed this one about a detection club featuring Agatha Christie and Dorothy sayers among others and takes you into their minds and lives . Benedict is a master at historical fiction
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review your book

Marie Benedict's The Queens of Crime deviates from her usual style and feels somewhat forced. While she is known for her engaging historical fiction that brings lesser-known figures to life, this novel attempts to tackle a murder mystery featuring iconic mystery writers from the 1930s, like Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. Unfortunately, it often reads like a series of name drops rather than a cohesive narrative.

The dialogue among characters lacks depth, making it tedious to read. Additionally, the relentless internal questioning leaves little room for readers to form their own thoughts or draw conclusions about the characters. The mystery itself is straightforward and lacks suspense, which diminishes the overall experience.

Another drawback is the frequent use of untranslated French dialogue, which can alienate readers who aren’t fluent. While some might appreciate the cozy murder mystery elements, I found the pacing drawn out and the plot unengaging. Overall, this was a disappointing departure from Benedict's typical storytelling.

The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict tells the story of Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy all mystery writers in London 1930. They are part of the detection club but are shunned by the male members. So the ladies decide to solve the murder of May Daniels.

I really loved this book. The characters were great and so was the dialogue. The female relationships were very well portrayed. The reader got to see how authors think and write their murder stories.

I highly recommend this novel. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.0. I like Marie Benedict but I don’t love her books as I like some but not all as I find them inconsistent. I really did like this one which focused on five women mystery writers in the early 1930s, Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy, who take it upon themselves to use their talents as the writers of fictional sleuths to investigate a real crime to show their male counterparts in the newly formed and legendary Detective Club that women mystery writers are on a par if not better than the men at their craft... The women come and work together to investigate a high profile crime of a British woman on French soil, where for various reasons the authorities failed to thoroughly investigate the case, and as a group these women all bring their particular strengths to the case It’s a historical novel where we find out about the personal lives of these mystery writers which I found very interesting. . As with all her works, this one was well researched. It’s fun and interesting reading and I highly recommend even for those who do not read mystery novels. Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased and candid review