I am so happy I got this book! I absolutely love this series and I hope it continues!! Thank you for letting me preview this!

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC of this audiobook for my honest review

I didn’t enjoy this one. It had some nice characters but it was overall a bit boring and dragged out. The comedy was probably the only thing that got me through to finish this book and I feel like I couldn’t follow the detective work.

Despite my best efforts, this just wasn’t to book for me. The author did a nice job with the storyline, and the narrator was lovely. I cannot give this book anything but 5 stars, as the work itself was wonderful. It just wasn’t my personal preference.

I wondered how Bennett would continue this series, and going back in time works wonderfully. An excellent addition to the series and I look forward to more.

I've not read the previous 3 books in this series, but that wasn't necessary for this to be a fun little book.

It was interesting to hear the interpretation of the author around Queen Elizabeth and how she might have handled all these situations in her youth, I enjoyed the characterization. The narrator was excellent on this audiobook, they gave a great performance.

Overall a good read I'd recommend to anyone who likes a cozy mystery, especially if they are looking for one with a Windsor bend to it.

Thank you for the ARC!

This is my fourth trip, as I have read all the books in this series, to visit the late and very much missed Queen Elizabeth II. Reading these books feels like meeting a very dear friend. I absolutely loved the idea of the APS teaming up with the Queen, I find it quite brilliant. This trip to the 1950's rings absolutely true to life as I feel that the author has researched the customs and restrictions of the time wonderfully. The very plot is filled with twists and turns and red herrings that kept me guessing till the end.

I found that I enjoyed book so much more, with its view in the past working with just the queen, than the previous three books (which I also loved) in the current day. I hope the author stays in the 50s, with her Majesty.

Book Review: Her Majesty The Queen Investigates “A DEATH IN DIAMONDS”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: S.J. Bennet @sophiabennett_writer
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing @harlequinbooks Canary Street Press @canarystreetpress @harlequin_audio
Thank you @netgalley for th ARC and ALC,

It is 1957, in the early days of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, and two of the earliest mysteries are set before the queen. It will be intriguing to observe how she establishes a pattern for her involvement in these mysteries. Her Majesty resolves the mysteries and provides anonymous support to Scotland Yard, accomplished with the assistance of her secretary. The queen encounters the murder of a woman working as an escort, along with the man who hired her. The deceased woman is found wearing a stolen tiara, leading to British tabloid headlines of the 'tart in the tiara.' As the story unfolds, numerous secrets begin to surface about some of society's upper crust. Naturally, any book about the Queen would not be complete without mention of Prince Philip, leaving one to wonder if some of his secrets are involved in this murder. A second mystery occurs during a state visit to France, directed at the Queen. Is someone within her inner circle attempting to hurt and discredit her? She doesn't know who to trust, except for her secretary, Joan. The two of them collaborate to uncover the identity of the person behind this plot and their ultimate endgame. The Queen, still in the early stages of her reign, with the country recovering from the aftermath of World War II, seems somewhat apprehensive at times. This apprehension is understandable, given her responsibilities as a young wife, mother, and monarch. This book was a delight to read, and for this American reader, the late Queen became even more relatable. Although the book fell outside of my typical genre, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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I’ve read this series from the beginning and thoroughly enjoy seeing Queen Elizabeth II as an amateur sleuth. She knows people well and has access to a lot of information but needs her assistant private secretary to do most of the legwork. This time around we’ve gone back in time to the late 50s. It’s early in the Queen’s reign and she has two young children. She and Prince Phillip have been married about 10 years and their marriage has more stressors than most, one being that a club Prince Phillip attends has been connected to a murder.

Joan, the assistant private secretary, is bold, resourceful, and intelligent. She is the only one the Queen can truly trust, since in addition to the murder case, they are trying to figure out which of the Queen’s advisors has been attempting to sabotage her trips abroad.

The peeks into royal life are fun. The queen visits a few other countries in this one and it’s interesting to get a fictional look behind what the cameras show. Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother are around, adding humor and bringing out the personal side of the Queen.

The post-war setting was interesting, with the places and famous people. The attitude of the times also left the Queen and Joan underestimated by the mustached men. They use it to their advantage but it had to be frustrating.

The mystery is good, with several suspects and red herrings. The police are making little progress, which is why the Queen decides she need to find information to help prod them along.

I listened to the audio and the narrator did a wonderful job. The characters were distinct and the pacing was good. She handled the humor well and made the Queen kind and relatable and solid and practical. She really is a fabulous character.

Looks like the next in the series will take place in 1961. I’m looking forward to Joan and the Queen solving another murder.

Samantha Bond, please read every book on my tbr. What a rich voice and so emotive.

So this was my first read in the series and I loved it. It humanized the Queen, who has to be on vigil constantly and she needs her team. So when cracks appear in her team, it's hard for her. And Joan what a dynamite! Older, wiser, smarter but still very much a person with feelings, goals and ambitions. The mystery was well done and had a high level of intrigue.

#netgalley #ADeathinDiamonds

4 stars
A Death in Diamonds, the fourth installment in the series, once again brings a fictionalized Queen Elizabeth II to the forefront, solving intriguing mysteries with the assistance of her plucky aide, Joan. Joan takes charge of the legwork and delves deep into the sleuthing, making for a delightful partnership.

This particular book captures attention with its inclusion of iconic figures like Marilyn Monroe, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, and Princess Margaret, adding an extra layer of historical charm and intrigue.

Samantha Bond's narration is absolutely spot-on for this series. One memorable scene, where Joan finds herself in peril, stands out vividly in my mind thanks to Bond's masterful conveyance of the drama and tension.

This series is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries, especially those set against the picturesque backdrop of England. A Death in Diamonds is a sparkling addition to a brilliantly crafted series.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing a copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

5 Stars

Listen, I did not expect Queen Elizabeth to be out here solving murders like Miss Marple with a crown, but I am so here for it. A dead woman in a tiara, a man taken out brutally, and a high-society card game full of suspects? The drama is top-tier.

The Queen’s got that sharp mind, royal connections, and just the right amount of nosiness to crack the case, and honestly? She eats. The vibes are rich, the mystery is juicy, and the whole thing feels like a classy yet savage game of Clue. I’m obsessed.

A Death in Diamonds is the fourth entry in this most enjoyable series that offers readers Queen Elizabeth the sleuth, and what a talented detective she is. This title can be read on its own but readers will, I think, enjoy every one of the earlier books as well.

This time, a Bishop’s bolthole is the site of the murders of a couple seemingly having an assignation. The woman is wearing a valuable tiara that, it turns out, Princess Margaret had wanted to possess.

Who are these two? Why were they killed? Are their murders related to a series of subtle threats and annoyances that Queen Elizabeth has been facing? Is someone in the Queen’s most inner circle, in fact, unworthy of her trust?

As the Queen cannot do everything (after all, she has many other duties), she looks to help from her newest employee, the formidable Joan, to assist. The two communicate in varied ways, including by sending messages through what others will see as the frivolity of the Queen’s fashion.

What I most enjoy in this series is the reasonably plausible way in which the Queen’s life is portrayed. There are interactions between her and Philip and with Charles and Anne, the two children who are alive at the time that the story is set. The mysteries themselves also offer a fun read.

It is easy to recommend this title to Anglophiles and lovers of traditional mysteries. I look forward to the next in this series.


THE AUDIO BOOK:

How fortunate listeners are to have actress Samantha Bond read this story. She carries the story along and is a delightful companion throughout the audio. I feel that her British intonation adds a sense of verisimilitude to the novel.

Many thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this excellent audio title.

All opinions are my own.

This is the first book in the series that i've read but i don't that made any difference to my enjoyment of it.
A fun, cozy crime story that kept me interested with a few giggles.
Will definitely read more in the series.

The Queen of England running around town solving crime capers? Oh My! What great fun! I bet the late Queen would have loved this series. I really enjoyed this story. The narration was fantastic. She made me feel like I was there, right along with her, solving crimes.

The fourth installment in the Queen investigates series was a unique surprise. In this novel, the Queen is young and navigating her relatively new role as a monarch when someone gets murdered and there is a potential for the DofE to be implicated. I loved the mystery aspect of this novel, but found at times the story to drag.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ALC. I spent some entertaining hours listening to this new instalment in this series by SJ Bennett.

Queen Elizabeth has a new personal favourite amongst her staff: secretary turned assistant Joan, who is just as observant as the queen herself.
It is 1957 and there have been two murders that are linked to the club that Prince Philip also frequents. On top of that, Queen Elizabeth feels someone is sabotaging her foreign trips. This has to be someone who is close to her. Who can she trust?

The crime itself was not so exciting in my opinion but I loved that characters of Joan en Queen Elizabeth. I love this time period, the fifties, and all the references to actual events.

I will continue reading this series for sure!

Bennett takes us back in time to a younger Elizabeth at the beginning of her reign, just starting her detective work behind the crown. I’m so satisfied that this is the direction the series is going in as picturing Her Majesty doing all of this as a much older person was my most difficult mental hurdle so far. This cast was also much more compact, leading to fewer moments of confusion. A perfect next step!

Thank you to NetGalley for my digital copy. These opinions are my own.

In a word: brilliant! This coming from a decidedly non-Royal watcher. But there’s just something about Queen Elizabeth and the way the author has captured her and life as a royal in general that is so engaging. And I love the clever way she has incorporated the amateur sleuthing while staying true to the reality of the Queen’s obvious logistical limitations.

The first three books in the series are contemporary novels but this fourth one takes us back to 1957 when a much younger Queen Elizabeth is juggling royal duties, family life and finding her way in a new post-war / Cold War world. Fascinating historical details and insights into what it must have been like for the young queen to gently break away from her trusted but oh so stuffy staff. Lots of pompous, moustached gentlemen who would prefer to remain in the past, keeping the Queen as a figurehead while they ‘wisely’ guide her path.

Only, there seems to be a saboteur in the palace and the astute Queen has her suspicions but lacks the freedom to find the evidence. And that’s where beleaguered typist (with an interesting war history) Joan comes in. She’s Watson to the Queen’s Sherlock.

Argh — there were times I wanted to scream over the insufferable chauvinism and backward 50s ideologies. But then I’d be chuckling over how the Queen deftly works around all those well-meaning men to solve not one, but two mysteries and all with them none the wiser. I dearly wished she could stand up and shout “Ta da! I figured it all out for you!” and take the credit instead of cleverly orchestrating the investigations behind the scenes.

A complicated mystery with lots of complex layers and multiple points of view kept me invested in the read right to the end. And left me hoping that we won’t have long to wait for the next ‘Her Majesty the Queen Investigates’ book to release.

Of note: Some mild language.

I listened to the audio edition, narrated by Samantha Bond who did a tremendous job with all these characters. From a young Queen to all the stuffy gentlemen and everyone in between. She made an already stellar story that much more engaging. Highly recommend the audio book if you are a listening kind of reader.

My thanks to Dreamscape Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

I have read all the books in this series, and this is by far my favorite. It takes place in 1957, with a young Queen Elizabeth II sleuthing with the help of Joan McGraw, a former WWII codebreaker who works in her office. I love the historical aspect of this novel, as well as the dynamic between the Queen and Joan. I hope the author continues with this new setting, as I will definitely continue with the series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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Another wonderful and amazing book in the fantastic series. Having the Queen being part of a mystery and helping to solve it makes her so real like and common. The author really brings her to a level that one can see her as a friend which in reality wasn’t really an option. The next book will be long and anticipated especially since this one just came out.