Name: The Queens of Crime
Rating: 4 (6 reviews)
Author: Marie Benedict

About this book

Summary
Book Club Questions

Book Summary

The New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie returns with a thrilling story of Christie's legendary rival Dorothy Sayers, the race to solve a murder, and the power of friendship among women.

London, 1930. The five greatest women crime writers have banded together to form a secret society with a single goal: to show they are no longer willing to be treated as second class citizens by their male counterparts in the legendary Detection Club. Led by the formidable Dorothy L. Sayers, the group includes Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy. They call themselves the Queens of Crime. Their plan? Solve an actual murder, that of a young woman found strangled in a park in France who may have connections leading to the highest levels of the British establishment.

May Daniels, a young English nurse on an excursion to France with her friend, seemed to vanish into thin air as they prepared to board a ferry home. Months later, her body is found in the nearby woods. The murder has all the hallmarks of a locked room mystery for which these authors are famous: how did her killer manage to sneak her body out of a crowded train station without anyone noticing? If, as the police believe, the cause of death is manual strangulation, why is there is an extraordinary amount of blood at the crime scene? What is the meaning of a heartbreaking secret letter seeming to implicate an unnamed paramour? Determined to solve the highly publicized murder, the Queens of Crime embark on their own investigation, discovering they're stronger together. But soon the killer targets Dorothy Sayers herself, threatening to expose a dark secret in her past that she would do anything to keep hidden.

Inspired by a true story in Sayers' own life, New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict brings to life the lengths to which five talented women writers will go to be taken seriously in the male-dominated world of letters as they unpuzzle a mystery torn from the pages of their own novels.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

These questions were originally posted on the author's website at https://www.authormariebenedict.com/book-clubs.html

The novel opens with the main character and narrator, mystery writer Dorothy L. Sayers, speculating that "None of us is as we appear." How does this notion permeate the novel? Does the dichotomy between perception and reality manifest in the characters and the events in the story?
Had you heard of Dorothy before reading The Queens of Crime? Aside from the famous Agatha Christie, were you familiar with the three other successful authors of detective fiction who play significant roles: Baroness Emma Orczy, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham? Which of the women, if any, did you find to be the most relatable?

Media Reviews

"In this excellent novel, Benedict vividly brings to life real Golden Age mystery novelists ... Fans of Benedict's previous novels and those who enjoy historical whodunits will find this hard to put down." ―Library Journal (starred review)

"A shrewd speculative whodunit…Benedict easily brings each of her five distinct writer/sleuths to life, and honors their literary legacies by providing plenty of ingenious, fair-play clues to help careful readers follow along and solve the central mystery. This is a treat for fans of golden age whodunits." —Publishers Weekly

"I was riveted by this quintet of mystery writers...Smart, biting, and a tribute to female friendship and loyalty. An absolute delight!" ―Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Spectacular

"Faithful to history and at the same time wonderfully inventive, The Queens of Crime is a brilliant, irresistible, and page-turning delight, as well as a rallying cry for what women can accomplish when we stick together. If I always had a new book by Marie Benedict, I would do nothing but read sixteen hours a day." ―Nina de Gramont, New York Times bestselling author of The Christie Affair

"I loved Marie Benedict's stellar The Queens of Crime....[it] will move you with its themes of female friendship and equal justice, which resonate so powerfully even today." ―Lisa Scottoline, New York Times bestselling author of The Truth About the Devlins

This information about The Queens of Crime was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

Reader Reviews

Write your own review

PhyllisE

Inspired by a true story
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

Inspired by a true story in novelist Dorothy L. Sayers’ own life, the clever premise of this well-written historical mystery begins when the five greatest women crime writers of the 1930s band together to show they are as capable as any of the male members of the Detection Club, comprised of the day’s leading British detective novelists. How to demonstrate their talents and be taken as seriously as their male counterparts? They plan to solve an actual murder using the same skills they employ in writing their best-selling murder mysteries.

Led by the accomplished Dorothy L. Sayers, who narrates the story, the group includes Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy. They call themselves the Queens of Crime.

It took a few chapters for me to become absorbed in the novel – the mystery, the women writers, Dorothy’s personal story, but then I couldn’t wait to finish it. I enjoyed trying to solve the murder along with the famous women writers. I must admit I was able to solve most of the clues ahead of the Queens, but that didn’t make the book any less engaging.

In addition to the mystery, I appreciated the message within the novel that women must be taken seriously – as writers, as detectives, as people in all walks of life. This was an especially significant point as I read the novel during Women’s History Month. Also, the fact is as important to highlight today as in 1930. Another point emphasized throughout the novel was the power of women’s friendship.

The author’s research brought the time period to life – the clothes, transportation, food, and mannerisms as well as the sexism and prejudices against women.

I’ve read several of Marie Benedict’s historical novels and have a few others waiting to be read. She is an author I can count on to entertain as well as offer thoughtful perspectives of educated women who overcome the limitations of their time. And now I want to explore Dorothy Sayers’ mysteries as well.

Jill

The Detection Club
The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC eGalley — pub. date February 11, 2025

A historical fiction book that is well written and researched of a group of strong women, by Marie Benedict. Five great women crime authors come together to form a secret society to show their male counterparts of the legendary Detection Club that they will not be treated as second class citizens. Writer, Dorothy L. Sayers is the leader of this club with writers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy. They call themselves the Queens of Crime. They decide to solve a murder of a young woman that was strangled in France and bring the culprit or culprits to justice.

I had never heard of this Detection Club, formed by a group of British mystery writers in 1930. This club still exists today. I thought the author skillfully wove the personalities and working relationships the crime writers had into this story. I appreciate how Marie Benedict writes about strong women and matters concerning them; usually something I’m not familiar with. I did think this was unlike some of her other books I’ve read. Written more like a cozy mystery read. A perfect read for a February 11th pub date, with a cup of tea and snuggled up in a blanket by the fire.

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Author Information

Biography
Books by this Author

Marie Benedict Author Biography

Marie Benedict is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Queens of Crime, The Mitford Affair, Her Hidden Genius, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, The Only Woman in the Room, Lady Clementine, Carnegie's Maid, The Other Einstein, and with Victoria Christopher Murray, the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian and the Target Book of the Year The First Ladies. All have been translated into multiple languages, and many have been selected for the Barnes & Noble Book Club, Target Book Club, Costco Book Club, Indie Next List, and LibraryReads List. She lives in Pittsburgh with her family.

Author Interview
Link to Marie Benedict's Website