The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict is a fun, fast-paced historical mystery that brings together five of the greatest women crime writers of the early 20th century—including Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers—as they team up to solve a real murder.

I’ve always loved how Marie Benedict shines a spotlight on remarkable women from history who deserve more recognition, and she’s done it again here. This time, though, there’s less of the frustration I sometimes feel with her books, because these women actually get to take justice into their own hands. Along the way, I learned so much about authors I only knew by name, and I enjoyed getting to follow their investigation, which felt like something right out of one of their own novels.

The story is told from Dorothy Sayers’ point of view, and while there’s a bit too much focus on fashion in the beginning, the real heart of the story is about women fighting to be taken seriously in a male-dominated field. I especially appreciated how Benedict touched on post-WWI issues like the “surplus women” and the ways women’s intelligence and voices were often dismissed.

The mystery itself was engaging, with twists and turns that kept me reading, and I thought Benedict did a great job blending her usual historical fiction with the fun of a classic locked-room whodunit. I also really enjoyed the audiobook, narrated by Bessie Carter, who brought the story and its colorful characters to life with great energy and emotion.

If you love historical fiction, classic mysteries, or stories about women making their mark, The Queens of Crime is a must-read.

When mystery writer Dorothy Sayers founds the Detection Club, she wants to celebrate all of the great writers in her genre, male and female. But, when her male counterparts seem unwilling to allow more than Sayers and Agatha Christie to join, Dorothy develops a plan to prove their worth: she and four other female writers will solve a real life case! She enlists the "Queens of Crime" (Sayers and Christie, along with Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy) to discover who murdered the young nurse May Daniels. As they begin their investigation, the writers discover clues overlooked by male detectives and journalists, and they soon realize they may be the only ones willing and able to find the truth.

This was a fun, quick read, but the mystery was a little simple and I found myself annoyed by obvious clues in the narrative that these brilliant writers seemingly missed. It works better as historical fiction with the author creating a fully realized world for these women to inhabit. The audio narration was excellent with just the right tone and subtle voicing changes to distinguish characters and moods.

I have always been a fan of Agatha Christie and I love books about her, so was immediately drawn to this. I didn't know much about Dorothy Sayers before reading this and that's always one of my favorite aspects of historical fiction! lately I have been drawn to books focusing on female friendship - especially in groups, for those women who maybe have had to deal with some BS - and this fit the bill perfectly. Marie Benedict is a queen herself and I am thankful to have been given the opp to review this novel!

Great minds. . . .put them together and you might come up with solutions to old crimes . . .collaboration is all! In the days when the Old Boys clubs were serious about their no girls allowed rules (except in the 1purpose rompus rooms), five minds of a devious, certain bent decided they'd had enough. They chose an old, cold case that the men in blue, the men in any color had never solved - and why was that the five wondered?! - well, those five made a pact and began the work to find out what happened to May Daniels.

Who were they? the Fabulous Five, of course! Agatha (Christie), Margery (Allingham), Dorothy (Sayers), Ngaio (Marsh) and the fashionable Baroness Emma (Orczy). . .mystery writers turned their day-to-day skills to the task at hand: What Really Happened to May Daniels???

I leave you to it. A great read. Especially full of that readerly jazz if you are a fan of one or any of the Fabulous Five - the Queens of Crime Marie Benedict has put together - is a very believable team. Do I dare dream that she might have them dig up some more cold cases from the past???? I do dare, dear Reader. I do.

*A sincere thank you to Marie Benedict, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

Queens of Crime is a fictionalized story about some real life characters. Four ladies, three of whom were known as the "queens of crime" back in the golden age of detective fiction. The premise is detective writers use their skills of imagination to solve a whodunit that remains unsolved by the menfolk who are quick to attribute superficial qualities to the female victim. I was only familiar with Agatha Christie and Baroness Orczy, so this was an introduction to Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham.

This was a fun, historical detective fiction with great audio narration.

Marie Benedict is one of those authors who's been on my radar for a while now, and I have several of her books on my TBR, but I hadn't actually read any until this one. I was drawn to it because of the subject matter, a group of female mystery writers who call themselves the Queens of Crime, and band together to solve a murder and thus prove that they can hold their own with the male mystery writers of the time. It's 1930, between the wars, and they have their hands full with both missions. The interesting factor here is that these are actual women who were writing mysteries at the time, including Dorothy Sayres and Agatha Christie. As a Nancy Drew kid who grew up to continue to love mysteries until this day, I enjoyed the mystery here and the lengths the Queens go to to in their attempt solve this murder that occurred in France. I found myself checking on some of the names and histories as I read, and adding more names to my mystery TBR list. I listened to the audiobook, and Bessie Carter's narration was brilliant, with different accents and voices for the different characters. Overall, a very enjoyable historical mystery.
Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing copies for an unbiased review.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an audio-ARC of The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict.
As with all Marie Benedict books, the reader is plunged into a time a place to meet characters that impacted history. The Queens of Crime joins queens of mystery including Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, to solve a murder. This book is a great combination of historical events and mystery! A fun read!

This is a wonderful tale of historical fiction, mystery and facts woven together to put you right in the middle of a whodunnit.

This was first experience with the talented Marie Benedict and it will not be my last. She has a beautiful way of just dropping you right in the story and painting it for you.

What a power house of characters and the fun part knowing this is based on true events how amazing right.

Bessie Carter did a brilliant job giving this story a voice.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this audiobook production.

Narrator was good. I could see my book club reading this book as we have read some of the author's books in the past. I enjoyed the story; I like the tie in with actual people from the past. It did seem a little "go women" in the end, but overall enjoyable.

★ ★ ★ ★☆ – A Thrilling Read with Powerful Female Dynamics

Queens of Crime was an unexpected delight! While the mystery and suspense kept me turning pages, what really stood out was the dynamic between the women at the center of the story. Their evolving relationships—ranging from tense alliances to deep bonds—added real heart and depth to the plot.

The story delivers plenty of twists and intrigue, but it’s the way the women connect, clash, and ultimately support each other that makes this book memorable. It’s refreshing to see a crime novel where character development is just as strong as the plot.

Why not five stars? A few pacing issues slowed things down in the middle, but it didn’t take away from the overall experience.

Final verdict: A smart, gripping, and emotionally layered mystery. If you love crime stories with strong female leads and compelling interpersonal dynamics, this one’s worth the read.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance listening of this book. The narration was fabulous as was the story but I was joyed Benedict’s other book better than this one.. it was entertaining and I did not have a clue that this actually existed. Great read!

This book is a total treat for mystery lovers and fans of literary history. I loved watching real-life legends like Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers team up to solve a murder that feels straight out of one of their own novels. The blend of fact and fiction is clever, the writing is sharp, and the 1930s London setting adds just the right moody atmosphere.

Packed with locked-room vibes, dark secrets, and sharp commentary on women in publishing, The Queens of London is a smart, engaging read that celebrates the brilliance and boldness of the original queens of crime.

Books like this are a great reminder that authors can literally write whatever they want to, which is fun sometimes but also can elicit a eye-roll on occasion. I chose to read this because of the description and my love for mysteries, and it was just okay all said and done.

What a fun premise! I definitely enjoyed this read, although I did find it slow at times. The mystery kept me hooked and guessing. I was not super emotionally into this one, but I will say I overall really enjoyed the writing and would be interested in picking up more of this authors books!

This is the first book that I have read by Marie Benedict. I loved the combination of the fictionalized story with real life characters (but based on facts). I feel like she did such a great job storytelling with the information that was accessible regarding the real life happenings. I will be checking out other works by her.

I always love any book by Marie Benedict, and this one was no different! Diving into the life of Agatha Christie and other female mystery writers during the same time period, this book was so intriguing and explored the social implications of being a woman during this time. The narrator also did a wonderful job.

--I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.--

I listened to the audiobook version of The Queens of Crime and loved the author’s narration. This was a fast-paced mystery with well-developed characters. You will be drawn into the story and held tight until you have absorbed the last word of the book. Based on a true unsolved murder, the “queens of crime” do an admirable job of using their mystery writer gifts to help uncover the person who is guilty of committing the crime. In addition to the unsolved murder, one of the characters is targeted by the killer which adds to the intense atmosphere. What a group of strong and intelligent women. It was also nice to see the relationships they develop with each other. A great addition to the historical fiction genre and one I encourage you to add to your to-be-read list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Fiction
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I listened to this audiobook over the holiday break and it was a great choice, as I was fully able to get lost in the story. While I’m very familiar with Christie and Sayers, and somewhat familiar with Orczy, Marsh and Allingham are new to me, so in addition to a new story, I also have more authors to explore. I think that Benedict introduced all five authors skillfully- we learned enough about them and their careers/novels to keep up with the story, but it was not clunky or forced. (There is a reason her novels remain popular.)

The story is framed around the women wanting to prove themselves to their male contemporaries by solving a real crime, a story that feels rather relevant even in 2025. Because you can’t very well have five people wandering around investigating everything together, you get some very interesting combinations throughout the novel. (The different pairings allowed us to dive into different aspects of each author’s life and career, and I think it works perfectly.)

Bessie Carter’s narration for the audiobook is sublime, as always. (Yes, the Bessie Carter who is the daughter of Imelda Staunton and Jim Carter and was Prudence in Bridgerton.) She has quickly become one of my favourite narrators and I will continue to look out for her next projects!

The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict

It’s 1930 and 5 of the greatest women crime writers want their props… So they decide to solve an actual murder…It’s got all the makings of a lock door mystery and the police are stumped!

So the author takes 5 of the most notable women crime fiction writers of the 30s…Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy and makes one of the most exciting mystery novels I have read in a long time! It was exhilarating.

May Daniels, a nurse, is found murdered but no one saw her leave a bathroom with one exit.. I was enthralled!! It was pretty well paced for a mystery too! The plot was amazing and centered around the real life Detection club that included all 5 of these crime writers! I went down a rabbit hole about it. The writing was quite excellent and the narrator did a super amazing job of bringing these epic women to life for me.

4 stars

This fiction story is told from the POV of real life authoress Dorothy L Sayers, who joins up with Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy to form the Queens of Crime. In order to prove their worth to their male mystery writer colleagues, they decide to sole a real mystery of an English nurse, May Daniels, who is murdered in France.

The women use their skills, more from being female than being authors, to figure out what happened to the nurse. Their unique perspectives result in new information coming to light. For example, they question female business owners and shop girls more than the police ever did. Particularly asking and evaluating the answers to questions based on things that only seem odd or relevant to another female. As the women dig into Ms. Daniels’ life, the reader learns more about the Queens’ lives as well. The book cleverly brings up many issues that women of the times (and often our own as well) faced as a result of society’s standards for women.

What I enjoyed the most is the author’s prior research and dedication to her subject. In her Author’s notes she mentions her love of Golden Age mysteries and her research into Ms. Sayers’ life. As it turns out, the murder in this book actually happened and Dorothy reviewed it as part of her research, however she did not actually try to solve it herself.