The Windsor Knot
A Novel
-
-
4.0 • 45 Ratings
-
-
- $11.99
Publisher Description
“Sheer entertainment… Bennett infuses wit and an arch sensibility into her prose… This is not mere froth, it is pure confection.” – New York Times Book Review
“[A] pitch-perfect murder mystery… If The Crown were crossed with Miss Marple…, the result would probably be something like this charming whodunnit.” – Ruth Ware, author of One by One
The bestselling first book in a highly original and delightfully clever crime series in which Queen Elizabeth II secretly solves crimes while carrying out her royal duties.
It is the early spring of 2016 and Queen Elizabeth is at Windsor Castle in advance of her 90th birthday celebrations. But the preparations are interrupted by the shocking and untimely death of a guest in one of the Castle bedrooms. The scene leads some to think the young Russian pianist strangled himself, yet a badly tied knot leads MI5 to suspect foul play. When they begin to question the Household’s most loyal servants, Her Majesty knows they’re looking in the wrong place.
For the Queen has been living an extraordinary double life ever since her teenage years as “Lilibet.” Away from the public eye and unbeknownst to her closest friends and advisers, she has the most brilliant skill for solving crimes. With help from her Assistant Private Secretary, Rozie Oshodi, a British Nigerian officer recently appointed to the Royal Horse Artillery, the Queen discreetly begins making inquiries. As she carries out her royal duties with her usual aplomb, no one in the Royal Household, the government, or the public knows that the resolute Elizabeth won’t hesitate to use her keen eye, quick mind, and steady nerve to bring a murderer to justice.
SJ Bennett captures Queen Elizabeth’s voice with skill, nuance, wit, and genuine charm in this imaginative and engaging mystery that portrays Her Majesty as she’s rarely seen: kind yet worldly, decisive, shrewd, and, most important, a superb judge of character.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
British mysteries have their own distinct flavor, but SJ Bennett takes it to a whole new level by making Her Majesty a detective. A young Russian pianist is found murdered at Windsor Castle following a private soirée. While MI5 accuses everyone from Vladimir Putin to the castle’s own faithfully loyal employees, Queen Elizabeth II takes matters rather delightfully into her own hands, with a bit of help from her no-nonsense assistant private secretary, Rozie Oshodi. It’s a treat whenever real-life celebrities—from David Attenborough to the Obamas—show up in this whimsical mystery. We also enjoyed all the loving exchanges between the Queen and Prince Philip, a charming detail that will especially delight fans of The Crown. You may recognize the names and landmarks in The Windsor Knot, but the book’s many twists and turns are sure to keep you guessing.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
British children's author Bennett (The Look as Sophia Bennett) makes her adult debut with the delightful first in a series featuring Queen Elizabeth II as sleuth. One day in the spring of 2016, the queen is hosting a gathering at Windsor Castle when a young Russian pianist is found dead in a guest bedroom. First ruled a suicide, the death turns out to be murder, and MI5 suspects it's an inside job by a sleeper agent planted at Windsor by Vladimir Putin. But when the authorities begin questioning the queen's staff, Her Majesty, whose loyalty to her people is as deep as theirs is to her, decides to conduct her own discreet investigation with the help of her assistant private secretary, Rozie Oshodi. Rozie is impressed with the queen's keen observations, as well as HM's ability to plant ideas and steer the investigation without anyone the wiser. As Rozie learns, the queen has had lots of practice. She's been quietly solving mysteries for decades. Bennett's depiction of the warm, wise, and witty queen and the insights into her royal life are fascinating. Fans of Netflix's The Crown will have fun.
