This was a fun introduction to a possible series starring the women who ruled the interwar mystery scene. If you are intrigued by the premise of seeing Allingham, Christie, Marsh, and Sayers interact, this book is definitely worth your time.

In “The Four Queens of Crime” we experience a who-done-it in a classic fashion. The twist is that 4 of the guests are Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham, and Ngaio Marsh – the Queens of Crime – who are known for their own mystery stories.

The time is during Hitler’s reign in Germany but before the UK has entered the war. In preparation for that future possibility, Lady Stella plans a gala ball to generate donations for the Women’s Voluntary Service. The main attraction to the gathering is that the 4 Queens of Crime will be there. The ball is a huge success, but there were many tensions that the ladies picked up on. The next morning, the host, Sir Henry Heathcote is found dead. Scotland Yard is called and a team of detectives, including the first woman to receive the rank of C.I.D. (Chief Inspector Detective), arrive to solve the case.

What is truly fun about this story is that many of the people involved were actual individuals who lived during that error. The story is fictional but it’s interesting learning about them and thinking about how they would behave. The preface tells you more about the real-life situations of Lilian Wyles (CID), Dorthy Peto, Lady Stella, Sir Samuel Hoare, and of course the 4 authors.

The mystery is a satisfying one, where you are given many motives and suspects. I’m not sure a person could truly “solve” it, but you could have a good guess at the point the murderer is revealed. I found it to be engaging and kept me wanting to read.

The point of view does change a fair bit throughout the book but that is actually helpful and not confusing.

My only minor negative is that I found that we went over the timeline a lot in the book. Each time, something new was found out, and I suppose it gave a good orientation to the reader, but it also became a bit redundant. I do appreciate that it was simplified as we went on.

I liked the hit of a romance between two of the characters. I won’t say which characters, for it might be thought a spoiler.

I want to thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me early access to this book.

An extra note, I'm not sure the author intended this, but parts of the story had me thinking about current times. It was mentioned how good people can have their ideas and ideals twisted by clever propaganda. We have a situation now where folks are polarized, at least in the USA, based on the media they consume. I think it has led to good people making bad choices. Hopefully, this won't have the same outcome as back in 1938.

London, 1938: The four queens of the golden age of mysteries (Agatha Christie, Dorthy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham, and Ngaio Marsh) have been invited to be hosts for a gala raising money for the Women’s Voluntary Service to help Britian prepare for War. Founder Lady Stella Reading has convinced Sir Henry Heathcote to hold the gala at Hursley House; when the following morning Heathcote is found dead, Scotland Yard is quickly summoned, including Lilian Wyles, the first female detective chief inspector. With the help of the four famous authors, will she be able to solve the case?

I have mixed feelings about this book. While I really enjoyed the plot (and felt the character of Lillian was interesting), I felt the tone was wrong. While Sayers is known for her beautiful writing and Christie for her elegant writing style where she was able to hide clues in plain sight, the tone of this book was less sophisticated, some of the dialogue a bit artificial. It just didn’t match what I was expecting from a book that included those great writers. Ironically, I picked up this book because it mentioned some of the greatest mystery writers of the era, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if they were fictional characters (rather than having ‘Agatha Christie’ herself appear, have an Agatha Christie like character). Overall, however, it was enjoyable – I’m hoping to read more books featuring DCI Lilian Wyles by herself.

Recommended. I received a copy of this from netGalley.com that I voluntarily reviewed.

This was a great book. Using the actual Queens of Crime is brilliant. Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers,
Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham, and having them host a Gala is perfect. The build up to the
murder is perfect. The people, and the personalities involved had me unable to put the book down.
The murder is common but the ladies are instrumental in solving the case with the DCI who is also
pretty clever. There is a favorite character for everyone. Hopefully this is the first in a series!
My thanks to Crooked Lane books via NetGalley for the download of this book for review purposes.

Sorry for the overdue review for this book.

But I loved it so much. The details and the construction of the story was well written. It is up my genre and I enjoyed every bit of it that I couldn't stop reading unless it's the sleepiness that kicks in. But the story made me engrossed that I couldn't even put down and just a brief stop every time a plot twist happens.

Thank you so much for the ARC copy.

The Four Queens of Crime, by debut author Rosanne Limoncelli, is the story of how the four most celebrated women in British crime fiction — Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham — help solve a murder following a posh party in 1938. They word with DCI Lillian Wyles, the first female detective chief inspector at Scotland Yard, and her partner, Richard Davidson.

Limoncelli’s story reminds me of Agatha Christie’s writing: detailed with a medium to slow pace. The point is to work out the murder on your own, and I think the author achieved that objective. It was a touch slow for me. I found the alternating POVs more distracting than helpful, because there were so many, I struggled to really get to know the characters. I would’ve loved to see more interaction between the queens themselves. Still, it was an enjoyable a read, and the classic ending was satisfying.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Writing style
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Characters
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Plot
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Premise
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pacing
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Impact

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If the names Agatha, Ngaio, Dorothy and Josephine are instantly known to you, then this is a book to add to your reading list. To anyone who doesn’t know, these women with last names Christie, Marsh, Sayers and Tey are among the most beloved writers of crime fiction ever. They are indeed the Four Queens of Crime of this book’s title.

One of the very fun things about this book is having the sense of eavesdropping on these four and learning more about each of them. For example, Agatha Christie notes that Max Mallowan was the better husband for her as compared to her first spouse. Readers learn that Dorothy Sayers’s husband was an invalid and so on.

At the same time, readers are treated to a classic country house mystery. The four writers are there for a fundraiser and thus are present when a murder occurs. There is a full range of suspects including the victim’s children and their significant others or friends, political figures, servants and more in this historical mystery set in the late 1930s.

An extra bonus is that a woman DCI, Lilian Wyles, based on the first woman to fill that role is also on the scene. She questions suspects and is a full participant in the investigation.

Lovers of traditional mysteries will, I think, very much enjoy this title. It is fun to observe the interviews and see who the murderer is.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Rosanne Limoncelli for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Four Queens of Crime coming out March 11, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’m obsessed with Agatha Christie novels, so I was really excited to check out this book. I don’t know the other three authors as well, but it was cool that the book featured them. The DCIs were good, but I think I would’ve just preferred the four women solving the case with generic police involvement. I thought it was a fast paced novel though. I loved it! I would read more books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys classic whodunits!

This book had a nice twist, instead of writing imaginary murders, they get together to solve a real one. Each of the authors had quite a distinct voice and opinions and this kept it fresh and interesting.

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.

will post online closer to publication date

///// English /////

*Disclaimer: I had received a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 7,5/10 – 3,75 stars out of 5
Genre: thriller, crime

A mystery involving four of today's most important female crime writers. Will they be as good detectives as their own protagonists?

In this book, we find a charity meeting in which the four most famous writers of the moment (Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham) decide to take part. But death follows them, in their books... and now in their lives. They will have to face a murder alongside our protagonist, Lilian Wyles.

The main character has a lot of potential for a saga as she is the perfect detective with her own point of view. She has strength, instinct and knows what to do to get results.

I loved the inclusion of the authors as characters, giving them their own personalities and even including references to their books and their personal lives, tastes and lifestyles.

It's very dynamic and there's always something happening. I guessed who the killer was, but I had my doubts about another character in particular because certain absences are not fully explained.

I liked it a lot, although I feel that it was left a bit hanging, that it lacked some details to develop it further. But I also think that the maxim 'less is more' worked wonderfully for it.





///// Español /////

*Aviso: Recibí un eARC gratuito a cambio de una revisión honesta.

Calificación: 7,5 / 10 – 3,75 estrellas de 5
Género: policíaco, crimen

Una muerte junto a las cuatro escritoras de misterios policíacos más relevantes del momento. ¿Serán tan buenas detectives como sus propios protagonistas?

En este libro nos encontramos con una reunión benéfica en la que las cuatro escritoras más conocidas del momento (Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh y Margery Allingham) deciden participar. Sin embargo, la muerte les sigue, en sus libros… y ahora en su vida. Se tendrán que enfrentar a un asesinato junto a nuestra protagonista, Lilian Wyles.

El personaje principal tiene mucho potencial para una saga, pues es la perfecta detective con su propio punto de vista. Tiene poder, instinto y sabe qué tiene que hacer para lograr resultados.

Me ha encantado el hecho de incluir a las autoras como personajes, dándoles su propia personalidad a cada una e, incluso, incluyendo referencias a sus libros y a sus vidas privadas, a sus preferencias y a sus formas de vida.

Es muy dinámico y siempre están pasando cosas. Sí adiviné quién era el personaje asesino, pero me quedaron dudas con respecto a otro en concreto porque no terminan de explicarse ciertas ausencias.

Me ha gustado mucho, si bien siento que se quedó un poco en el aire, que le faltó algún detalle para desarrollarlo más. Pero también creo que la máxima “menos es más” le ha sentado maravillosamente.

This was an enjoyable historical cozy mystery featuring 4 female mystery writers who were actively writing during this time period. Their interactions and work to solve the murder were entertaining. I really enjoyed this book!

A highly enjoyable locked room mystery! I really enjoyed meeting these "queens of crime"! As well as the distinct writing style, the characters are rendered with real personality – clearly the author is an absolute expert in the area of murder mystery writing. I'll be recommending this to friends ad family, as well as throughout my social channels. Thoroughly enjoyable, very classic.

A classic murder with our four queens of mystery Christie, Sayers, Allingham and Marsh. We are set right before the beginning of World War II, placed within the British aristocracy.
All the things we love in a golden age murder mystery are present in this. We are in an English Manor house, we have red herrings along with unexpected twists and turns to keep us guessing up until the final dinner. It felt at times like it was a bit dense in places where I found myself wanting more to happen. But overall it was a fun time.

Thank you to the publisher for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

It seems like the Queens of Crime are a popular subject lately, but I was pleasantly surprised by this debut! It felt fresh and not derivative at all. I really enjoyed the shifting perspectives juxtaposed against the classic "locked room" setup. I also really enjoyed the detectives as characters; and it was refreshing to see a detective that's actually interested in the amateurs' sleuthing. I hope to read more about DCI Wyles and hope she has continued adventures.

Debut author Rosanne Limoncelli writes a classic-style mystery featuring the four real-life "Queens of Crime" from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction--Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham. In 1938 London, all four have agreed to host a high-society benefit at the estate of Sr. Henry Heathcote to attract donors to an organization that aims to help Britain prepare for an inevitable war with Germany. And when, on the morning after the big event, Sir Henry is found murdered in mysterious circumstances, they can't help trying to work together to identify the murderer. That's fine with DCI Lillian Wyles, but her partner in the investigation, Scotland Yard's Richard Davidson, is reluctant to involve anyone outside of law enforcement.

I enjoyed the opportunity to "get to know" the Queens of Crime better, as they have some lively discussions about each one's style and how their writing differs. Their individual personalities are also distinctly imagined. As for the mystery, has Sr. Henry done something to bring about his untimely death? The suspects, of course, are plentiful, including quite a few from the extended Heathcote family and others who attended the gala.

Classic mystery tropes such as an English country house murder, hints of unexpected romance, lots of red herrings, and a final "reveal" over dinner are in evidence. It's a fun read.

My thanks to Crooked Lane and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

I enjoyed the premise of this book, gathering the four most influential female mystery writers from the Golden Age of Crime Fiction, and once a murder is committed, bringing in Lilian Wyles, one of the first women chief inspectors in the police force. However, I didn't feel like it quite lived up to its premise. I wish Limoncelli had settled into the viewpoint of one of the characters instead of jumping around. Also, I would have liked to see Dorothy Sayers' faith playing some sort of role in her response to the murder. She actually felt like the least well-developed of the four writers. In spite of these complaints, I still did enjoy the mystery.

I was so surprised when I found this title. (Because I'm a huge fan of Agatha Christie and this is an historical mystery that I hope she would be proud to be part of) I'm not so familiarize with the lives of Dorothy, Ngaoi and Margery but it was a blast the beginning. I had the time of my life reading this queens gossiping. And the is the mistery in a big country house just like this authors happens to write.

I was a fan of seeing this personalities interact with a female detective.

This is a book that has a slow pace but it's so comfy to read that I loved it. It has a classic mistery signature on it and I like that mixing of facts and fiction.

Thanks netgalley for the arc

The year is 1938 in London. The four queens of British crime fiction, Agatha Christie, Dorothy 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. The event took place at the Hursley house, which was the property of the family of the baronet Sir Henry Heathcote. It was a huge success and ended uneventfully, with minor inconveniences here and there but nothing serious. Until the next morning, when the dead body of Sir Henry was found in the library.
Detective Chief Inspector Lilian Wyles and Richard Davidson are leading the investigation. Everyone is a possible perpetrator. The four Queens are helping the investigation with their brilliant minds and watchfulness. Was this a crime of revenge, freedom from oppression, a crime of passion, for money or property? Will they manage to find the murderer responsible for this homicide?
I loved the author's style of writing, which reminded me of old criminal books (the style of The Four Queens). Moreover, I loved the idea of the author incorporating four well-known authors into the story, which makes it authentic as it really happened. The story reminds us of historical events and how people followed the strongest of the day. In my opinion, the book deserves to be read.

In 1938, the four "Queens of Crime", Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham, agree to host a gala to raise money for the Women's Voluntary Service, knowing the money raised will help Britain prepare for war. Baronet Sir Henry Heathcote offers his home, Hursley House, for the event, and the monied and influential people of London attend. Although the authors notice a few problems, most situations involving Sir Henry, the event is a success. However, the next morning, a maid finds Sir Henry murdered in his library. DCI Lilian Wyles, the first woman Detective Chief Inspector in the CID, is sent to Hursley House, along with DCI Richard Davidson. While Davidson is deferential to those of high status, Wyles wants to involve the mystery authors, knowing they are keen witnesses. When Margery Allingham loses valuable papers after someone hits her over the head in the library, Wyles and the authors know they're on the right track.

The inclusion of real people (the authors, DCI Wyles), adds to the enjoyment of this debut traditional mystery. Agatha Christie and Rhys Bowen fans will appreciate the details of the gala and the pre-war intrigue.