The team at Tandem Collective were kind enough to send me a free audiobook copy of The Windsor Knot by S.J. Bennett. I have been listening to audiobooks more often this year and I enjoyed this one too.

About The Book:

Synopsis:

On a perfect Spring morning at Windsor Castle, Queen Elizabeth II will enjoy a cup of tea, carry out all her royal duties . . . and solve a murder.

The morning after a dinner party at Windsor Castle, eighty-nine-year-old Queen Elizabeth is shocked to discover that one of her guests has been found murdered in his room, with a rope around his neck. When the police begin to suspect her loyal servants, Her Majesty knows they are looking in the wrong place. For the Queen has been living an extraordinary double life ever since her coronation. Away from the public eye, she has a brilliant knack for solving crimes.

With her household’s happiness on the line, her secret must not get out. Can the Queen and her trusted secretary Rozie catch the killer, without getting caught themselves?

My Thoughts:

The Windsor Knot is the first installment of a cozy mystery series set in England, called Her Majesty the Queen Investigates. As the title suggests, Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II is the detective, solving a crime that happens in her castle.

I feel like the idea behind it is good, but it didn’t deliver in the way I wanted it too. The writing was good, and the author has done amazing research on the monarchy. For instance, the circumstances of the murder was quite intriguing. However, the mystery aspect was way too cozy for me, and didn’t excite me, therefore my rating.

I loved the fact that the Queen herself had an assistant that was out in the field, gathering clues and talking to people. I think any other alternative would have been far too unrealistic. But the story still felt a bit flat, with a mediocre ending. I expected more plot twists and thriller elements, more uncertainty and higher stakes. But this book felt more like a story where we get to find out more of what the Queen’s daily life looks like, and in this version, she just happens to like solving mysteries as a hobby.

Even though it wasn’t my cup of tea, I am certain that people who love cozy reads will truly enjoy this one. It’s a very relaxing story, and it’s quite interesting to dive in the Queen’s world, even just for a moment. There were some amazing facts about the monarchy as well, and I was surprised that I knew some of them, as I live near Windsor and Ascot.

In conclusion, if you are looking for an interesting story, The Windsor Knot will please you. But if you like more hardcore mysteries, I suggest you find another book. I am not sure I will be picking up the next book in the series, but I will definitely be looking out for S.J. Bennett’s next books, as I loved the writing.

Rating:

★★★

About The Author:

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