1938 London. A fundraiser is being held to assist with the war effort. Hosted by Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham and held in the beautiful Hursley House, the event is attended by every celebrity and politician. A successful event until Sir Henry Heathcote, head of the Hursley family is found dead the next morning. Assigned to the investigation is DCI Lilian Wyles, the first woman detective chief inspector in the CID. When she and her partner DCI Richard Davidson run into roadblocks trying to interview the "named" guests, she'll ask the 4 Queens for assistance. The combined methods of these four writing royalty make for a fascinating mix. I've read books by all four, but when Rosanne Limoncelli combined their efforts under the direction of the star struck DCI Wyles, it lifts the mystery to a new level.

Limoncelli does an excellent job of maintaining the reputations of the 4 women authors while mixing in the DCI's willingness to learn. There are many more famous crime authors from this era, will DCI Wyles get the chance to work with all of them? I'm game to read them.

Who can resist a mystery featuring the four queens of crime - Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham? Not me. When the four authors band together to raise funds for the WVS at a gala, the cream of society rush to attend. But a grisly surprise awaits the attendees the next morning when a body is found in the library. Scotland Yard Detectives Lilian Wyles and Richard Davison are called in to investigate. But penetrating the secrets of high society proves difficult - and who better to help than the esteemed experts in murder and mystery?

I loved that real life characters were part of the story - especially my favourite mystery writers. The use of historical figures and issues of historical significance worked perfectly. I enjoyed seeing the story unfold from the points of view of the different writers.

I found the story fascinating, and tying it in with political machinations of the day gave it an extra layer of complexity and interest. Following the women as they used their own individual skills was a joy. A great mystery.

Set in 1938 in England, THE FOUR QUEENS OF CRIME by Rosanne Limoncelli is an intriguing debut novel featuring four famous mystery writers: enlists Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham. They have been invited to a charity gala being hosted at the estate of Baronet Sir Henry Heathcote. The party seems a fabulous success, but the next morning a dead body is discovered, and the writers eventually help the police sift through multiple personal and professional motives to unmask the killer. THE FOUR QUEENS OF CRIME received starred reviews from Library Journal and Publishers Weekly. Mystery readers may also have fun comparing this to the recently published The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict. I thought that Limoncelli did a better job of giving each of the writers a more distinctive character (she certainly relied less than Benedict on describing their outfits). I also liked how Limoncelli included other real people (Detective Chief Inspector Lilian Wyles, Lady Stella, even Home Secretary Sir Samuel Hoare) in her story and included a helpful character list. I am looking forward to more mysteries from this author and hope that as she develops her craft, she becomes more confident in subtly showing/pointing her readers to conclusions and clues rather than “telling” them. This cozy is an entertaining escape – enjoy!

In Rosanne Limoncelli's Preface, she introduces the real-life people she is portraying fictionally. I was already familiar with the four best-selling crime writers of their day-- Christie, Sayers, Marsh, and Allingham-- but I'd never heard of DCI Lilian Wyles, and I enjoyed watching these five characters work with each other. Wyles had a particularly difficult time of it because her male counterpart thought the four writers would have absolutely nothing worthwhile to add to the investigation. The five women had to learn how to work around him.

The mystery revolved around a typical British aristocratic family in a large country house just before the start of World War II. Although the whodunit was rather easily deduced, the upstairs-downstairs tension worked well. Those who are familiar with the four authors' books will also find amusing moments along the way, as in Agatha Christie getting the germ of an idea for And Then There Were None.

All in all, The Four Queens of Crime was a pleasant way to spend a few hours, but I didn't find it to be a standout.

I grew up reading the mysteries of Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Dorothy Sayers. How wonderful to see them united by Roseanne Limoncelli. In 1938 they were all invited to host a charity ball to raise funds for the Women’s Voluntary Service. It was held at the estate of Lord Henry Heathcote, a prominent businessman. The ball was a success, but the next morning Henry was found dead in his library. DCI Richard Davidson and DCI Lilian Wyles were sent from Scotland Yard to investigate. Wyles is eager to recruit the writers to observe the family , while Davidson refuses to accept their interference in his investigation. As the writers were socializing with the guests they were aware of Henry’s interactions with the family. His son Charles was hoping to be introduced to influential guests to help his political career. Instead, he was threatened with being disinherited over his engagement to an unacceptable fiancee of mixed blood. Henry’s young daughter Kate was publicly berated for her behavior and refused permission to enter college. He ended his engagement to Lady Sarah after discovering her grandmother’s Jewish background. He was also heard arguing with his brother Ambrose, who managed his accounts. Each family member had a motive. When the family joins forces, it is the writers’ casual conversations with them that are more effective than Davidson’s interviews.

While Henry’s public persona was benevolent, he was a tyrant in his dealings with family. He was ruthless in business and supported the policies of Hitler and the Nazi party. Limoncelli’s characters and setting bring life to the 1930s and her inclusion of the actual DCI Wyles, the first female DCI in Scotland Yard’s CID, was a wonderful addition. The Four Queens is a reflection of the Golden Age of mysteries and I hope that Limoncelli will bring them back to solve another crime. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing this book.

Set in 1938, there is talk of war with Germany. To this end, Sir Henry Heathcote and his family have agreed to host a Gala ball at their house, Hursley House near Southampton to raise funds. It is described as the Queen of Crime fundraiser, and the honoured guests will be Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers, Margery Allingham and Ngaio Marsh. There will also be invited titled friends of the family, the Home Secretary, household staff, outside caterers and a band. Plenty of suspects for what follows next.
The ball appears to be a huge success, but the following morning, Sir Henry is found dead in the library. The Police are called in to investigate, DCI Lilian Wyles and DCI Richard Davidson are to take charge, as this case is politically sensitive.
The narrative is told like a police procedural, statements are taken, verified and cross referenced, a time line is established of all the events, locations of witnesses and suspects, which involve varying accounts, uncertain memories, and hostile reactions and radical views pertaining to that period of history.
It is quite amazing to modern readers how many of the upper classes were willing to sue for peace and to work alongside a Nazi Germany. The attitudes also expressed are anti Jewish and very strong views on racism. The ruling classes are shown as protective of their own heritage and money, and ways to exploit the system, which still seems to be prevalent in these strange times in 2025.
These investigation are long winded, repetitive and exhausting to read, but it shows the skills employed in searching for the truth from those who have much to hide. The landed gentry seemed to genuinely believe they should be believed and never questioned, their house and their rules!
Having read novels written by all these Queens of Crime, I was intrigued to see which author came the closest to finding the murderer, and if they used any of the facts and characters in subsequent books.
I really enjoyed this book, despite the fact that there were so many statements to understand and so many characters involved. I was exasperated and frustrated in equal measures, but although I had an idea of the identity of the murderer, the motive was surprising.
A five star read, and a book to recommend to my local library and my book groups.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Crooked Lane Books, for my eARC, freely given in exchange for my honest review. I will leave reviews to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication.

It was 1938 in London, and a fundraiser was being held at Hursley House, with four Queens of Crime having been invited as hosts. Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham were those four, and the weekend would prove to be a challenge for the four special guests, along with the family of Hursley House. It was the morning after the ball when Sir Henry Heathcote, baronet and head of the family, was found dead in the library. Immediately Scotland Yard was called, discretion being of the utmost importance. Detective Chief Inspectors Lilian Wyles and Richard Davidson were sent to investigate.

It wasn't long into the proceedings when Lilian realised they needed to use the four crime writers to assist with the investigation. Richard was against it, but Lilian could see the benefits. But would they discover who had killed Sir Henry in such a heinous manner? There was much they had to delve into...

The Four Queens of Crime is an entertaining historical mystery with four great minds at work, along with the detectives. Author Rosanne Limoncelli has written a clever mystery, set just prior to WWII beginning and with some well written characters, mostly likeable. I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful story, and have no hesitation in recommending it highly.

With thanks to NetGalley & Crooked Lane Books for my digital ARC to read and review.

To help Britain prepare for war, the four queens of British crime fiction – Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham – host a gala to raise money for the Women’s Voluntary Service. A baronet offers his home for the event, but when he is found dead the next morning, the DCI in charge of the case recruits the Queens to assist in the investigation, to the consternation of many of her fellow police.

This is the second book I’ve read in the past couple of months featuring these crime writers, although the other book also included Baroness Emma Orczy in the group. Both are very good books, and each has a different take on having these women solve a murder, so both are worth reading.

This book provides a good look at the ‘upper crust’ of London in 1938, although I was appalled to read how many of them thought England should not go to war with Germany. Then again, hindsight is always 20/20, and I might have felt differently back in 1938. I loved watching the ‘queens’ work on solving the case despite the attitudes of many of the characters involved – “You’re just writers, what do you know about murder?” They each had their own method to gather information, and each was successful to some degree.

There were a lot of potential suspects to consider for this murder, and their possible motives were as varied as they were. My list kept changing as the story proceeded, but I wasn’t able to narrow it down to just one person until just before it was revealed in the book. I wasn’t entirely surprised by either the motive or who the culprit was.

I enjoyed this book and will look for more books by this author.

During a 1938 London gala hosted by crime fiction’s leading ladies, the event host is murdered. Scotland Yard engages the help of the queens of crime to navigate a sea of suspects and uncover the killer.

I really enjoyed this story. The characters are fascinating, with plenty of suspects to keep me guessing.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

"In this debut mystery, DCI Lilian Wyles, the first woman detective chief inspector in the CID, is determined to find a killer with the help of the four queens of crime, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham, perfect for fans of Elly Griffiths and Claudia Gray.

1938, London. The four queens of British crime fiction, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham, are hosting a gala to raise money for the Women's Voluntary Service to help Britain prepare for war. Baronet Sir Henry Heathcote has loaned Hursley House for the event, and all the elites of London society are attending. The gala is a brilliant success, despite a few hiccups, but the next morning, Sir Henry is found dead in the library.

Detective Chief Inspectors Lilian Wyles and Richard Davidson from Scotland Yard are quickly summoned and discover a cluster of potential suspects among the guests, including an upset fiancée, a politically ambitious son, a reserved but protective brother, an irate son-in-law, a rebellious teenage daughter, and the deputy home secretary.

Quietly recruiting the four queens of crime, DCI Wyles must sort through the messy aftermath of Sir Henry’s death to solve the mystery and identify the killer."

And you'll have to read it to find out of Dorothy L. Sayers is as antisemitic on the page as she was in real life.

The person who killed the host of the fund raising gala didn't think about the fact that Dorothy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh, and Agatha Christie would be there that's for sure. These four expert murder mystery writers band together in this entertaining cozy of sorts set in 1939 London to uncover a villain. There are, of course, red herrings but fans of the genre might enjoy this more for the chance to see the four work through them together. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Fun.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded to 4 ⭐️

This was a fun little cozy mystery! A big gala takes place with the four queens of crime as honored guests - Dorothy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh, and my favorite, Agatha Christie. The next morning, a body is discovered! 👀

I have to say the first 20% of the book moved slowly, and often felt repetitive. But once the body was found, things started moving! 🙌🏻

I also struggled with who “solved” the crime. I won’t go into detail so as not to spoil it, but while I understand why this person was chosen, I feel like there was a missed opportunity and it wasn’t what I was expecting. 🤷🏼‍♀️

I still recommend this to anyone who loves classic mysteries or are fans of the four queens! 👏🏻

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

What a fun idea to write a 1930s classic aristocrat weekend party murder mystery featuring the four best British mystery writers: Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham. I’ve enjoyed all their books so it was so enjoyable to reconnect with them. The author has added in the real-life Lilian Wyles whom I’ve learned was one of the first women to become an officer for the Metropolitan Police and then become a chief inspector for Scotland Yard.

The four so-called Queens of Crime have been invited to attend a party to raise money for the Women’s Voluntary Service in 1938, a period when fears of Hitler are starting to break through in England. There’s the little cast of suspects who all have motives for killing the rather loathsome host, Sir Henry Heathcote. There is also the upstairs/downstairs look at life in a big country house.

If you’re familiar with Agatha Christie’s mysteries, you might be able to figure out who the murderer is.

I don’t know if the author will continue the series. I can’t imagine that there are numerous opportunities to bring the four authors together, especially since Marsh needs to move back to New Zealand. But I’d be very interested in reading another entry featuring Wyles and the late 1930s era.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

I really enjoyed this murder mystery which features Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham as well as the very smart D.C.I.Lillian Wyles.

It is 1938 in London and the fabulous four are hosting a gala to raise money for the upcoming war. It all takes place at Hursley House, home of Sir Henry Heathcote and his family. The Gala is a success, but someone ends up dead. The rest is classic Golden Age style with a locked room mystery, a party of guests who are forced to remain under one roof until the murder is solved, and all the trickiness for the police of interviewing the upper classes.

The author writes all of her characters exceedingly well including the four already famous ones. Special mention for D.C.I.Wyles who deserves a follow up book of her own. I highly recommend this to all fans of the genre. Five stars.

The Four Queens of Crime tells the story of a murder that happens when the 4 more notorious murder mystery writers go to a gala. The four queens of crime are Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham. These writers then help police piece together the murder and help catch the killer.

From all these writers the only one I was familiar was Agatha Christie, I read a few of her books when I was younger and I loved them so I was very excited to read a book involving her. This book made me want to read at least one book from each of the four queens as the book spoke about their main detectives and writing styles.

Overall, I enjoyed this book but I felt it dragged a bit towards the end. I would recommend this book to anyone who has read any book written by the four queens of crime as it was a fresh take seeing these authors being transformed into characters in a book.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

1938 A fund raiser ball for the Women's Volunteer Service is to be held at Hursley House, the home of Sir Henry Heathcote. Hosted by the four 'Queens of Crime'. But after the event the next morning there is a killing. Can the police and the four crime writers solve the case between them. But what is the motive.
The story didin't quite capture by imagination but overall is was an enjoyable historical mystery with its cast of varied characters.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It is 1938 and the four queens of crime - Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham - have been invited to be co-hosts of a fundraiser for the Women's Voluntary Service. The event is set at the home of Sir Henry Heathcote who is a Baronet and industrialist and is attended by society's and industry's movers and shakers.

The four women arrive the afternoon before the event and note that there is some tension among the family members. Tensions escalate during the ball when Sir Henry manages to have acrimonious encounters with most of his family.

However, all are surprised when Sir Henry's body is discovered in his always-locked library the morning after the event. It is apparent to all that he was killed while smoking a poisoned cigar. Because one of the guests is the Home Secretary, Scotland Yard is called in and DCI Richard Davidson and DCI Lilian Wyles are called in to discretely investigate.

The queens of crime are also investigating by being sympathetic ears for the family and staff. Wyles is willing and eager to use what the writers learn. Her partner is less enthusiastic. The investigation is full and landmines and most of the family have motives to do the family patriarch in.

This was an entertaining mystery. I liked the insights of the authors and the mentions of their work. I liked the setting and the combination of real and fictional characters who make up the cast of this story.

So very strange to read a book so similar to Marie Benedict’s book about Queens of Crime. Did they know of each other’s story? But stories were different even though underlying plot was similar with the authors being characters in a book and solving a real crime. I liked them both however. Thanks to #NetGalley and #TheFourQueensOfCrime for advanced digital copy.

4/5 stars: This is Limoncelli's Historical Mystery stand-alone set in 1938, London and features the first woman DCI in Scotland Yard's CID, as she finds herself recruiting the four queens of British crime fiction, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham, to help uncover a Baronet's murderer. Gathered together to host a fundraiser gala, the authors find the successful event taking a deadly turn when the aristocratic homeowner's found dead the next morning. With a cluster of potential prominent and well-to-do suspects, the DCI, her partner and the crime writers will have to sort through the murder's messy aftermath to identify the killer. With plenty of twists and turns, Limoncelli has deftly crafted a mystery that balances the suspects and weaves in plenty of clues and red herrings that will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Written in multiple POV, Limoncelli's writing and character work are excellent; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. Lilian's great and I really love seeing literary greats Christie, Sayers, Marsh and Allingham as they sleuth a real crime. Additionally, the secondary characters are engaging and well-rounded. With tact and sensitivity, Limoncelli touches on some sensitive topics; so take care and the CWs. Great take of a country house, closed-circle Golden Age mystery, I look forward to reading more from this author.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
4 out of 5
Should appeal to fans of classic crime fiction like Christie and Sayers, and fans of historical cozies.
I'm sometimes not a fan of fiction using 'real' people as main characters, but I really enjoyed this book. The author not only puts Christie, Sayers, Marsh and Allingham right into a murder mystery, but adds DCI Wyles, another important woman in crime solving to the mix.
The actual murder and the family drama are pretty stock for a 'country house mystery' type of crime, but the perspective is fresh, and the compressed timeline (à la '24') moved the story along.
I liked that the narrative was driven by multiple POVs, as I felt it added realism, rather than just picking one 'narrator' and distancing the reader from the story.
I don't think anyone will be surprised by the ending, but I loved spending time with the characters, and the author wrote in a style that complemented the era and the setting.
I'd certainly recommend this for a book club looking at women crime writers.