I think the best word to describe this book is, charming.
Whether you’re a Royal watcher or not, the idea that Queen Elizabeth II is an amateur sleuth is pretty compelling. Author SJ Bennett has taken the Agatha Christie Miss Marple trope and turned it on its ear.
When I read the premise of this book, my first thought was, how can the most famous woman in the world, whose every move is watched and catalogued, possibly be a crime-solver? How would that work? Are the courtiers in on this? What would MI5 think (to say nothing of the Prime Minister)?
True to form for an amateur sleuth novel, the lead detective is a bumbling idiot who is making a botch of the investigation and it’s up to the Queen to anonymously point him in the right direction. The twist is that when he does solve it, she has to knight him for his service to the Crown.
The story takes place at the time of the Queen’s 90th birthday, so Prince Philip is still alive. He makes a cameo appearance and honestly, he steals the scene.
All in all, this is a very light crime story with zero gore. Although, the manner of death is a tad more riqué than I was expecting. The crime almost takes a backseat to the setting, which is Windsor Castle in all its regal glory.
If you’re a fan of the Netflix series, The Crown, and are growing impatient for the next season, The Windsor Knot might be just the thing to tide you over. It’s a little bit of mystery, and a whole lot of atmosphere.
Audiobook Review
The audiobook is expertly narrated by Jane Copland, and since this is a G-Rated story, you can feel comfortable listening to it in mixed company.
