All the Queen’s Men by SJ Bennett

 

Are you a mood reader?  I am, which does make it difficult sometimes when I’m trying to finish up a book for a book club and I’m not in the mood for it!  I’ve been in the mood for mysteries lately and was delighted to receive an early review copy of All the Queen’s Men by SJ Bennett.

I adored The Windsor Knot last year, which was the first in the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series.  All the Queen’s Men is book two in the series. It’s the summer of 2016 and one of the Queen’s housekeepers is found dead from a cut to the ankle by the pool at Buckingham Palace.  While it's deemed an accident, the Queen thinks there may be more to it.  She also has her Assistant Private Secretary, Rozie Oshodi, who helps her investigate mysteries in the palace such as, why did a painting that used to hang outside her bedroom turned up at a maritime museum in Portsmouth?  Why are members of the household receiving mysterious threatening letters?

I enjoyed the mystery and its conclusion.  I love how the Queen is the mastermind amateur sleuth and has to put the clues in order to the actual investigators to figure out.  Her characterization is wonderful.  I love the bits of humor and a look into behind the scenes at the palace. I also really love the character of Rozie.  She’s got guts and the smarts to help the Queen out as needed.  I enjoyed that current events for 2016 were also interwoven into the story.  There were also hints of the Queen solving crimes as a youth.  I would love prequels with a young crime solving Queen. 

Favorite Quotes:

“’What’s it called when an employer makes your job so unpleasant that you can’t do it.’  He thought for a moment.  ‘ Constructive dismissal, ma’am.’” – Unfortunately, I’ve been in that situation!

“These were the memories that made the rest of it possible.  What could be more precious than that?”

Overall, All the Queen’s Men is a very enjoyable cozy mystery.  I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Book Source:  Review Copy from William Morrow via Netgalley. Thank-you.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.