July 3, 2023
Bennett’s witty third Windsor family-focused cozy (following 2021’s A Three Dog Problem) finds Queen Elizabeth II entering amateur sleuth mode during a 2016 Christmas gathering at Sandringham Estate. Shortly after the royal family arrives, a severed hand washes up on a nearby beach. With a glance at the police photos, the Queen identifies the victim—based on his distinctive signet ring—as Edward St. Cyr, a boyhood friend of Prince Charles. The personal connection draws her into the investigation, assisted by her faithful secretary, former army officer Rozie Oshodi. As Rozie and the Queen dig deeper, they stumble on long-buried family secrets they’ll have to bring to light if they want to catch a killer. True to cozy form, Bennett tosses a number of frothy detours into the mix—organic farming tips, a fox hunt, and a trip to the Royal stables among them—but none detract from the sturdiness of the core mystery. Bennett is excellent at capturing the Queen’s poise and patience as she sifts through layers of protocol, and there’s plenty of fun to be had in eavesdropping on imagined conversations among the real-life royals—particularly Prince Philip, who was not one to mince words. Anglophiles will be in heaven. Agent: Grainne Fox, Fletcher & Company.