This was my first read/listen to a Marie Benedict novel. It was average. I had no trouble hitting the pause button. It didn’t have me hooked that I couldn’t wait to finish.

Another great story from Marie Benedict! Although the “queens” include Agatha Christie and three other female mystery writers of the day, the focus is on Dorothy Sayers this time. Her character was developed so well and as usual, I appreciate the extensive research done by the author. All five of the women had such strong and interesting personalities! I especially liked how Agatha became such a great support to Dorothy in her personal life. Of course, the highlight of the book is the actual solving of a murder. Anyone who likes murder mysteries will appreciate how creatively the women uncover the clues and work together to trap the murderer. The suspense around the threats to Dorothy’s life adds to the enjoyment of the book. And I have to mention again that the women had such strong personalities - it was almost comical how they outwitted the men.
I listened to the audio version of the book and the narrator did an excellent job with the voices and nuances.

In “The Queens of Crime” Marie Benedict reminds us how far women have come and how recently in history they were marginalized. Narrated by Dorothy Sayers, we join her in 1930 London as she’s organizing the Detection Club. Sayers and Agatha Christie are the only women invited to join the group of like-minded mystery novelists. The men did not want to discredit their club with more female contemporaries but Sayers invited Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy - creating the Queens of Crime. To build credibility, The Queens set out to solve a real murder. By speaking to observant female witnesses and other marginalized members of society, they have success where the police’s narrow view failed.
I both listened and read this book and highly recommend the audiobook. Bessie Carter gave each of the Queens a distinct voice and tells the story with emotion and intrigue.

The Queens of Crime is like a historical Nancy Drew mixed with the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Readers will love figuring out the mystery alongside the Queens and join in their unexpected circle of friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Dorothy Sayers was a prolific mystery crime writer and decided to pool her resources to legitimize the genre with other crime writers. There was a concern that too many women would join but Dorothy baulked at that by brining in 4 successful female crime writers, including Agatha Christie, dubbing themselves the queens of crime. Wanting to show their value they set out to solve a real life murder mystery similar to one of their detective novels. Englishwoman and nurse, May Daniels, disappeared from a locked bathroom in France while her friend was waiting for her to be discovered murdered a few weeks later. The police are not investigating the murder to the women's liking so they set out to get justice for the poor woman. Just like the characters in their books these women unlock clues from May's past to discover who murdered her and why.

Marie Benedict returns with another great historic female driven fiction novel. I am a huge fan of her previous works and this one does not disappoint. The story is loosely based on the real story of these famed novelists working to solve a murder. It is told from Dorothy's perspective but paints a nice portrait of each of the women. Benedict takes great care in rounding out her characters to make them real and relatable. Since Dorothy is the main character she is a bit overly involved in all aspects of the sleuthing. The pace is good with enough action and lead discovery to keep the story moving. It felt like being inside one of their detective novels. I highly recommend picking this one up if you are a fan of historical fiction and a good murder mystery.

I had the audio version read by Bessie Carter who has an excellent performance. She is easy to listen to with good characterizations and timing. I would enjoy listening to more of her narrations.

THE QUEENS OF CRIME is a captivating historical fiction adventure that delves into the intriguing world of crime and mystery.

Step back in time to the 1930s, a period of societal change and female empowerment. Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy, five of the most influential female writers of the era, are the stars of this historical fiction. They form the 'Queens of Crime' group, a collective of mystery authors who, in a society where men still opposed the admission of women, set out to solve an actual murder to gain men's respect. Under Dorothy Sayers' leadership, they investigate the locked room murder of May Daniels, a young British nurse whose case was not thoroughly investigated by the authorities for a variety of reasons.

Benedict offers a resolution to what was actually an unsolved murder. It is loosely based on an incident in Dorothy Sayers' life. She skillfully combines the "Queens of Crime" club with the murder. This mix results in a well-crafted, delightful, and engaging narrative.

For those who prefer an auditory adventure, Bessie Carter's performance is a treat. Her narration skillfully brings the story to life, and her ability to portray a variety of voices for the numerous characters is excellent, enhancing the audiobook's immersive experience.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with the audio copy of THE QUEENS OF CRIME in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Marie Benedict for crafting such a captivating story. Each story is a testament to your storytelling prowess, and I can't wait to see what the next book holds.

I really enjoyed this. The Narration gives it the perfect Downton Abbey type feel.
The story flows easily and was a delight. For me this is a bit out of my typical genre but I found myself invested and enjoying the story.

Marie Benedict's book was inspired by a true story from crime writer Dorothy Sayers. These five famous crime writers come together as women who could approach a crime and look at it in a different way than the authorities.

These writers and friends meet for lunch to discuss solving a real crime. Once they all agreed to work on this together, they became the "Queens of Crime".

London 1930 - a young nurse is found dead, strangled with a lot of blood under her body. Last seen at a train station in France, headed back home to England, but her body is found in the woods nearby. How was she killed if she was in a train station? Did anyone see her? What clues were left?The Queens begin asking questions of the authorities and then take it from there as to who to talk to next.

I enjoyed this story - solving the crime and the thought processes of these crime writers which were quite different than the police. I also enjoyed the revelations of a couple of these Queens who shared some secrets with each other. One of which sent me to the internet. Always a good sign of a good book that I loved when I want to know more!

I really enjoyed the narrator, Bessie Carter, who sounded so much like Julie Andrews lovely but strong voice!
My thanks to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillian Audio for an advanced copy of this e-book and audiobook.

This was a very enjoyable story. It was filled with some of my favorite things: intelligent women, strong positive female friendships, and an interesting mystery to solve.

This story is based on a true unsolved murder of a young English nurse as well as real female novelists. I love Benedict's writing and her take on a possible scenario. She blends the murder, the Detection Club, and the "Queens of Crime" quite seamlessly. This combination made for a wonderful story. I really enjoyed getting to know the different personalities of the different characters and trying to work out the mystery along the way.

I was fortunate to have the audio in addition to the ebook of this novel. The audio was fabulously narrated by Bessie Carter and I highly recommend it. She somehow managed to even bring the time period to life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio copy to listen to in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know why I keep sleeping on Marie Benedict books. I have loved every single on. I'm really in an Agatha Christie era and this was such a fun read that fits perfectly into my current reading obsession. I loved reading about other female authors of crime who were from the same time. I also enjoy going down the rabbit hole of looking up the characters and learning more about them and their work. The mystery in this novel really highlights how women were (mis)treated and understood in the past. A great read with a lot of good content and food for thought.

At first I didn’t like this book but it grew on me to the point that I truely adored this!!

We meet 5 women in London England in the 1930’s who are famous crime writing authors, they are part of the first ever detective club full of women. When a women is found dead the queens of crime, it’s what they call them selves, decided they are going to get to the bottom of this and find out the truth! How ever during this time, women are looked down upon, can’t work if they have children, reputations are tarnish if they do and public opinion is what matters the most, surprising of all nurses are looked down on as a disgrace of service. I was stunned!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this lovely little gem look forward to more of her work!!!

The Queen of Crimes by Marie Benedict is an absolute gem of a read! Set in 1930s London, it follows the fascinating story of five iconic women crime writers—Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy—who form a secret society to solve an actual murder and prove their worth in a male-dominated literary world. The murder mystery itself is intriguing, with a young woman found dead under mysterious circumstances that echo the locked-room mysteries these authors are famous for. Benedict does an excellent job of bringing these legendary women to life, portraying them as strong, clever, and determined to be taken seriously. The mix of real-life history with fictional intrigue is seamless, and I thoroughly enjoyed the way the women come together to uncover the truth. The Queen of Crimes is a compelling, well-written read that will captivate fans of historical fiction and mystery alike. Highly recommended!

A wonderful book of a collections of top women detective story writers. The story brings them all together to solve a murder in each of their different ways and roles. Highly recommend this to anyone who loves murder mysteries and these writers

I could not put this book down - finished in a day! The Queens of Crime include some amazing female crime authors including Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczyavorite. These women become members of the legendary Detection Club and they join forces to investigate the murder of a young nurse May Daniels.

The story takes into 1930's Europe and you experience the challenges the women had navigating in society trying to taken seriously as they uncover clues and use their skills to solve the murder.

If you want a mystery/suspense about three famous mystery authors, then The Queens of Crime is for you. I don't normally read this genre, but I enjoyed this audiobook. It was entertaining, and the narrator was very good. I would recommend it to everyone.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance listening copy of Queens of Crime in exchange for a fair review. All opinions stated are my own.
The Queens are famous mystery writers who come together to solve a crime. It reads like a good, traditional mystery - like an Agatha Christie novel would. These are usually not terribly hard to figure out but are enjoyable in the journey.
As for the audio - the narrator has a voice a little like Julie Andrews, and if you like a good British accent to bring authenticity to your mystery novel, this one is smooth and well paced.
I give it a 3 because I liked the book and the narration, but its not one that I would normally reach for and, again for me, not the style and pacing I enjoy.
3*

The Queens of Crime, Marie Benedict’s latest, combines her standard historic biographical novels with a locked room mystery.
Loosely inspired by a real event in Dorothy Sayers’ life, Benedict provides an ending for what, in real life, was an unsolved murder. In addition, she brings together five of the golden age female mystery writers.
Even though Dorothy Sayers was the energy behind the formation of the Detection Club, the men still fought the inclusion of too many women. So, Dorothy, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy name themselves the Queens of Crime. They decide the way to win the men’s respect is to solve a real murder. They embark on a quest to solve the locked room murder of May Daniels, a young nurse found murdered in France.
This was a fun, entertaining story. It’s told solely from Dorothy’s perspective, but the reader gets a decent feel for the others. We also learn important facts about her personal life.
There’s a wee bit too much emphasis in the beginning on the fashions of each woman as a means to differentiate their personalities. I was more impressed with Benedict’s thoughts about “surplus women” after WWI, discounting female witnesses or finding intellectual fulfillment in marriage.
The story moves at a strong pace with little downtime. It worked well as the women realize writing about detectives is very different than being one. Benedict acquits herself well as a mystery writer.
I was sorry that there was not an Author’s Note, something I expect from a historical story. This is an ARC, so hopefully that omission is fixed before publication.
I appreciated having both the e-book and the audio for this story. Bessie Carter did a good job as narrator.
My thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this book.

The Queens of Crime is a little different than other books that I've read by this author, and I loved it! This book was so much fun. The story was captivating, and the characters were written brilliantly. I loved the power of the main female characters, and the sisterhood within the group of women. I thought the reveal at the end was perfect. I was not expecting it at all. This is a story that kept me turning pages so I could find out how everything was going to come together, but also not wanting it to end because it was so good!
I was lucky enough to be able to listen to the audiobook version of this one, and it was incredibly done. The narrator did a phenomenal job!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to and review an early copy of The Queens of Crime!

Five women mystery writers in 1930's London are trying to be taken seriously by their malen counterparts with no luck. They name themselves the queen of crimes and decide that if they solve an actually unsolved murder, they will gain some respect. They pick the murder of May Daniels and start to investigate. However, Dorothy becomes a target herself! I really enjoyed listening to this story!!

Marie Benedict is the queen of historical fiction and her newest novel Queens of Crime is another winner. When a group of female mystery writers embark on a journey to discover who brutally murdered a young nurse, they’re met with countless obstacles and a slew of information that the police have - purposely?- overlooked.

How can anyone resist these wily, charming sleuths? The cast includes Agatha Christie (after her own scandalous disappearance) and Dorothy Sayers, and it it impossible not to root for these “queens” as they work together to solve this murder despite the many male naysayers. When Dorothy herself becomes a target, the women ban together to bring the killer to justice before he can strike again.

Often laugh-out-loud funny and filled with suspense and unpredictable twists, this is a must read for anyone who loves historical fiction or a good old-fashioned mystery. The narrator of this audio book made it even more enjoyable and I would love to hear more from her in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the digital copy of this audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Five of the greatest Golden Age mystery novelists are members of the famous Detection Club (which I understand still exists today). The five women, Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Baroness Emma Orczy, and Margery Allingham, are tired of being treated terribly by the men in the club and decide to form a sub-group called The Queens of Crime. Then they set out to do something the men haven’t done: solve a real-life murder!

The case is the strangulation of an English nurse who was found in a park in France. The women are well-suited to this “locked room” style of murder and pick up clues as they delve into the mystery. As the investigation continues, Sayers becomes a target of the killer, and despite the Queens intelligence and keen sense of detection, they don’t know who to trust. There are implications that tie the murder to men in power in the government.

I’ve appreciated the other books by Marie Benedict that I’ve read, and this one is no exception. She has a way of writing historical fiction that makes it jump off the page and makes it relevant to today’s world. The fact that the Queens feel slighted by the misogynistic males in the Detection Club is still one of the issues women deal with today. These successful women are bright and not catty towards each other at all; they’re supportive and band together in part because they’ve succeeded in a time when women were told to stay at home and do all the cooking, if you know what I mean.

Bessie Carter does an excellent job of narrating. I’m not sure if I’ve heard her before, but she has a very pleasant voice.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves historical fiction and mystery!