Benedict, Marie The Queens of Crime
As a long-time lover of detective novels, I was intrigued by
the central idea of Marie Benedict’s 2025 novel, The Queens of Crime. Set in London in 1930, it posits that six
grand dames of crime fiction (Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh,
Margery Allingham, and the Baroness Emma Orczy), feeling left out by the male
writing contingent ignoring their accomplishments, decide to form a secret club
to solve a real murder.
The murder of a young nurse in France provides their case,
and by investigations in both London and France, they close in on the villains who have preyed on at least two women. Their
methods strain credulity at times, particularly the use of out-and-out
blackmail and a convenient accident to put things to rest.
We get constant references to the plots of the ladies’ own
books, plus a style rundown of every piece of clothing worn each day by our female
sleuths. If there is a category for “chick mysteries,” this one fits it to a T. I found it a bit too fru-fru for my
tastes.
I give it a 2 out of 5
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