The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict

This book is considered Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Historical Fiction

Trigger Warning: 

This book deals with murder, crimes against women, sexism, child loss/abortion, and threats/blackmail.

"Most of us are mysteries unto ourselves, and part of our lifelong quest is an effort to understand our authentic selves and our purpose."

The best crime writing women in history, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, Baroness Emma Orczy, and of course, Agatha Christie, have banded together to form a secret society; The Queens of Crime. Together, they decide to take up the case of May Daniels, a young English nurse whose death has caught their eye as suspicious and is being investigated by the police. 

While on an excursion in France with a fellow nurse and friend, May seemingly vanishes into thin air. Months later, her body is found in a nearby woods. While the whole situation seems fishy, the authorities seem content to paint May's death as just a tragic accident or overdose leading to suicide. But the Queens of Crime aren't buying it. Why would a nurse go all the way to France just to buy something she could readily get at home?

Determined to prove that the police have not taken May's death seriously, the Queens of Crime take on their own investigation. In doing so, Dorothy Sayers finds herself being threatened, attacked, and suddenly blackmailed to back off. 

The Review

I wanted to love this book. The concept is brilliant. Mystery writers are diving into a real-life crime, trying to solve it as their fictional characters would. But unfortunately, it fell short for me. I had never heard of any of the "Queens" except Agatha Christie, and after reading the book, I can say I don't really know anything more about Emma Orczy, Margary Allingham or Ngaio Marsh than I did going in. Frankly, if I didn't know about Agatha Christie, I don't think I would have gotten an accurate idea of who she was as a person or author either. That being said, it is hard to imagine Dame Agatha Christie as a side character in anyone's story. Though that did seem to be explained away somewhat. 

I was a little put off by the story because of the underlying theme. Obviously, the point of the book was to champion feminism and point out how sexist men (especially police officers) were in the 1940s. It seemed to be a gentle jab at men in general, and even the "good men" like Dorothy's husband were depicted as a bit sexist and condescending. And yet at the same time, there was more talk about pretty dresses, fancy dinners, and tea time and any actual sleuthing.
 

SPOILER ALERT

I enjoyed the twist at the end. That it wasn't the insurance salesman after all, and that someone else was the father of her unborn child. That definitely was a twist. I fell into the trap of thinking that the married insurance man would have done anything to keep his shameful secret, just that, a secret. But it was much more sinister than that. A pregnancy resulting from a rape and stuffy old men trying to keep it all under wraps. It definitely fit the time period and was very realistic. 

My only hang-up about this ending is that there wasn't really any hint at this possible outcome. We knew that May had visited someone at the theatre that night. And we quickly figure out who. But there was never any implication that anything untoward happened or that he might be her assailant. It all seemed very out of the blue and rushed to have an ending. Like someone was picked out of a crowd, and then everything else pieced together. 

I borrowed the audiobook from the library through the Libby App. 

Rating and Recommendation

I think a part of the disappointment I had in this book was that I expected these exceptional authors to play a bigger role in the plot. To be honest with you, it could have been any five women, and it wouldn't have made a difference. Only once was there a mention of one of the women having done excessive research on a subject that was actually helpful to their investigation. You could have literally changed the name of all the characters, and it wouldn't have mattered. 

I also felt that what little Agatha Christie did appear in the book, her characteristics (that she is known for) didn't shine through at all. I don't know the other authors, but I wonder if that was the case for the majority of them also. (I would assume the only one that matched her true self would be Dorothy Sayers, though I have never heard of her.) This kind of took me out of it, also. They were all so two-dimensional when Agatha Christie (and I am sure the others) had such a dynamite personality. 

I wouldn't buy this book. I did see a few other Marie Benedict books that interested me. If I enjoy them and buy them, I may think of adding it to my collection at some point. But I definitely wouldn't go out and buy it beyond that.

Conclusion

I read a lot of people find Marie Benedict's books hit or miss. If you are one of them, give it a try. It wasn't for me, but maybe I am just not used to her style yet. The idea is very interesting, and it will definitely keep you guessing (sometimes wondering what is going on). I think if you know any of the women "starring" in the book, you may have better luck enjoying it. (Though don't quote me on that!) 

It made me want to research some of these women and see what they wrote, and if that would be more my speed. 

You can find The Queens of Crime in its respective mediums below: 

* Book cover image retrieved from GoodReads. All rights belong to the author and/or publisher. 
* All the "stickers" in this blog were provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley).

* Magnify Glass provided by bluebudgie via Pixabay, and used under the Pixabay Content License
* Links in this blog may be generated through the Amazon Associates Program. By using this link, I may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase.

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (Book 6 of the Robert Langdon Series) - Book Review

This book is a thriller! 

Other genres: Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Adventure, Historical Fiction, Crime

Trigger Warning: Violence, Murder, Kidnapping, Psychological Torture, Bomb Threats, Corruption. 

"The right book at the right time can save your life."

Robert Langdon, academia's most eligible bachelor, has finally settled down. He and Katherine Solomon, a celebrated academic in her own right, are in Prague, where Katherine is giving a lecture about her latest developments in Noetic science. 

Prague is old and steeped in history, folklore and ancient mysteries. The exact backdrop in which Robert Langdon thrives. But little does Robert and Katherine know that this simple trip to Prague will turn into a battle for their lives and freedom. 

A cryptic dream wakes Katherine Solomon during the night. She is panting and frightened as she relays to Robert all the details of the nightmare she has just woken up from. Just as the weight of the dream disappears, strange occurrences begin to happen. 

After his morning swim, Robert is walking back to their hotel building when he sees her. A haunting figure walking the bridge, dressed in a crown and carrying a spear. Almost an exact replica of Katherine's dream. The scene wouldn't be odd at all against the Prague backdrop, except it is the early morning, and the woman seems to be in a trance. 

As the dream Katherine told him about replays in his head, Robert races to the hotel - he needs to get to Katherine, he needs to evacuate the hotel! But Katherine is not there, and once the dust settles, Robert has a lot of questions to answer. Where is Katherine? Is she safe? Is all this a coincidence? 

The Review

Katherine Solomon, you may recognise the name from The Lost Symbol. She is Peter Solomon's sister and the main female character. In passing it is stated that she is a noetic scientist and that she is working on experiments, but this book really explores her work. Robert has set her up with his publicist, and Katherine is writing a book. In her book, she plans on revealing a new conclusion that she has come to in noetics. But someone doesn't want that book to see the light of day.  

As things go down in Prague, Jonas Faukman, Robert's book editor, is having a night of his own. Working late in his New York office, Jonas is alerted to a security breach. The only thing the hackers were after and got was Katherine's manuscript for her new book. To say that Jonas is on edge is an understatement. This should not be able to happen on their secure servers. Who would want to steal a noetic science book! Thankfully, he has made a few hard copies, so he can edit them by hand. Little does he know that these people will stop at nothing, including abducting him off the street, to get their hands on every last copy. 

SPOILER ALERT

These Robert Langdon books are starting to get a little played out. As you can probably imagine, if someone dies, Robert needs to play hero; he is in trouble with the law, but at the end of the day, he saves the girl, his name is cleared, and they live happily ever after. In this case, Katherine is missing. She was supposed to meet Brigita Vesna. She is the woman who invited Katherine to Prague in the first place. Vesna has this new state-of-the-art lab, and she is excited to show Katherine the work she has been doing there. 

Slight problem. Vesna is found dead, the lab is broken into, and Katherine is nowhere to be found. This, of course, piques the interest of local police, especially since Katherine Solomon's companion, Robert Landon, has just pulled a fire alarm at their hotel, caused a mass evacuation and has jumped out of his hotel window into the waiting river below. 

It all seems like a lot of drama for nothing. We eventually do find Katherine; she has hidden herself in a little nook that Robert taught her about while they were touring a museum. They meet up, eventually, and then have to make a daring escape, which seemingly includes burning Katherine's manuscript in order to get out of their sticky situation and not get detained by the police. 

That seems like an underlying theme of most Robert Langdon books. Sticky situation, no way out, and then Robert Langdon finds a way. I do have to admit, the plot twist at the end, where Sasha is the Golem. I did not see that coming. It makes total sense, but still, it is a bit of a mind-blowing revelation. 

I originally read the physical book. 

Rating and Recommendation

It hurts my heart to give Dan Brown such a low rating. But unfortunately, this latest book just wasn't as good as his earlier work. The strengths of earlier Robert Langdon books are that they were filled with symbology, codes, cyphers and riddles. It was kind of like a game you could play along with and try to solve with Robert. Now there are fewer little things like that and more, just Robert Langdon knows these obscure facts and details. 

The story was perfectly enjoyable, and it was a cool little twist. But I don't think it is what most people come to expect from Dan Brown. My excitement for the latest book may have also led to my disappointment.  

I preordered this book months in advance. All I had to hear was Dan Brown and new book, and I was there. I don't regret it, but I definitely feel like it wouldn't have been life-changing to wait for it to come on sale.   

Conclusion

If you are a Dan Brown fan, you will pick up this book. It isn't bad. It is an enjoyable enough read. But I think most fans will be slightly disappointed. I know I am. And even now, I am having a hard time putting my finger on why. I love that Robert and Katherine have gotten together. I love that he is finally with someone steady and that she is a strong lead for his strong personality. But something just didn't feel classic Dan Brown to me. I think most fans of Dan Brown, or at least the Robert Langdon series, will be glad they got the book. (Even more glad if they get it at a discount.)

** If you like Robert Langdon and Katherine Solomon, and you haven't already, check out The Lost Symbol, the first time we are introduced to Katherine and her family. You can find my review for that book here.  

You can find The Secret of Secrets in its respective mediums below: 

Like The Lost Symbol, The Secret of Secrets is being adapted into a TV series for Netflix. The expected release date is September 9th, 2026. 

* Book cover image retrieved from the author's website. All rights belong to the author and/or publisher. 
* All the "stickers" in this blog were provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley). 
* Links in this blog may be generated through the Amazon Associates Program. By using this link, I may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase.

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (Book #3 of the Robert Langdon Series) - Book Review

This book is a thriller! 

Other genres: Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Adventure, Historical Fiction, Crime

Trigger Warning: Violence, Murder, Kidnapping, Psychological and Physical Torture, Occult/Ritualistic Practices. 

"We all fear what we do not understand"

Harvard professor Robert Langdon was enjoying a quiet evening when he was summoned to deliver a speech at the U.S. Capitol Building on short notice. As a favour to his mentor and friend, Peter Solomon - philanthropist and prominent mason - Robert jets off to the nation's capital. 

However, within moments of his arrival at the Capitol Building, Robert realises something is wrong. In the middle of the Capitol's Rotunda sits a recreation of the Hand of Mysteries. A severed hand, tattooed with symbols, sitting there, pointing to the sky. It is a clear message sent to Robert Langdon. 

Robert finds himself in the centre of an ancient Masonic secret as he tries desperately to solve the clues left behind to save his kidnapped friend Peter Solomon before it's too late. 

The Review

This is a fast-paced, puzzle-driven thriller that feels a little more personal than Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code. In this one, he is dragged, not for his expertise but because of his connection to Peter Solomon. He is targeted for what he knows and what he possesses. 

One of the things I like about this book is that it really plays on Robert's specialities. It makes sense that he is called. Not only is he Peter's friend, but he is also a professor of Symbology and Religious Studies; this is right up his alley. He is probably one of the few people who could solve the mystery. 

That's really the draw, I think of Robert Langdon and the stories, in my opinion. He isn't some Joe Shmoe; he has the knowledge to solve the problem. It's not random. There's a reason for him to be there (unfortunately, some of the later books don't have that feel). It's not typically a "right place, right time" kinda of trope. Usually, he is the only person in the situation, which can be a hard line to walk. But in this case, it makes sense, and it feels deeper.  

SPOILER ALERT

The first time I read The Lost Symbol, I don't remember putting the pieces together that Mal'akh was Peter's son, Zach. I actually thought his cellmate in prison realised he was worth a lot of money, and he killed Zach for it. I assumed that once he ran out of (Zach's) money, he went after the family because he knew they had more. I think I also believed that Zach wouldn't kill his grandmother (or try to kill his aunt), even though he was mad at his father. It was also a little hard to believe that Peter didn't recognise his own son, in my mind. So I never connected the dots until it was spelt out at the end.

I originally read the physical book. As a review for this blog, I also listened to this book through my local library (via Libby). 

The audiobook of The Lost Symbol was narrated by Paul Michael. I personally loved Paul Michael's style. He did different voices for all the characters, and it was really easy to follow the story, even though the novel itself jumps around a lot from different characters and points of view. I think he did an amazing job, and I think anyone who is familiar with the books would really find a familiarity with his tone and the atmosphere he provides.  

Rating and Recommendation

This is one of my favourite Dan Brown books. It is actually tied, for me, with The Da Vinci Code. (Which I love for different reasons. They are so different it is hard to compare.) I read it the minute I could get my hands on it. I loved it. This book is the only thing I have ever demanded back in a break-up! Typically, I chalk up anything left at an ex's as lost. But I could not leave my book behind. 

If you like any type of thriller or adventure story and you can stomach some intense themes, you will love this book.

I own a hardcover copy of ALL of Dan Brown's books, including this one. I am actually (desperately) seeking the illustrated version of the book for a (somewhat) reasonable price.  

Conclusion

If you are a Dan Brown fan, or just a fan of thrillers and adventures. I definitely recommend this book. While it is part of the Robert Langdon Series, you do not have to read the books in order. The stories don't really overlap (though some offhand comments do refer to other novels). If you enjoy conspiracy theories or just American History (keeping in mind this is pure fiction), I think anyone could enjoy this book. The tour of D.C. is fascinating. And if you are in the D.C. area, Dan Brown has a travel guide to all his books on his website. 

** If you like Robert Langdon and Katherine Solomon, you can see a continuation of their story in Dan Brown's new book, The Secret of Secrets. 

You can find The Lost Symbol in its respective mediums below: 

I was anxiously awaiting the movie. I was so excited to see Tom Hanks play this out. I had gotten attached to Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon. And I was so upset that they decided to make Inferno first. But still, I would be patient. And then I was devastated when they decided to make it into a series. But! Once I saw the series, I was pleasantly surprised. And I really think they did the book justice. 

* Book cover image retrieved from the author's website. All rights belong to the author and/or publisher. 
* All the "stickers" in this blog were provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley). 
* Links in this blog may be generated through the Amazon Associates Program. By using this link, I may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase.

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman (Book 1 of the We Solve Murders Series) - Book Review

 

This book is considered Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Murder Mystery, and a Cozy Mystery.

Trigger Warning: 

This book deals with mature subject matter. While there are various humorous moments, it also addresses murder, attempted murder, and other criminal themes. 

"If you have any sort of personality, someone will eventually want to kill you"

Steve Wheeler is living a quiet, retired life. A former police detective, Steve enjoys doing the odd investigation work around Axley, a sleepy English village in the New Forest area. His cases consist of missing money from the local shop's till and a missing dog. He has his simple routine, eating lunch with his friends, participating in the pub quiz, and walking to his favourite bench to talk to his deceased wife, Debbie. The highlight of Steve's day is petting his cat, Trouble and talking to his daughter-in-law, Amy, when she has the time. 

Amy Wheeler is the exact opposite. Drawn to adrenaline and sticky situations, Amy is a bodyguard. Working in private security brings danger to her doorstep almost every day. She wouldn't have it any other way. She and her father-in-law have their careers in common. While Steve's days in the police force are over, he still loves hearing about her latest case and newest adventures. 

This week, her assignment has brought her to a remote island owned by Rosie D'Antonio, a mega-bestselling author whose life is being threatened. So far, Amy has sat in the sun by the pool and watched Rosie have one too many drinks. Everything is going well until shit starts hitting the fan. Trouble in paradise leads Amy to call the only person she can trust.  

The Review

In my opinion, the book has a slow start. Though I think that is simply Richard Osman's writing style. The Thursday Murder Club is also slow in places, but I think I didn't notice as much because the cast of characters is so quirky that they keep you engaged. The build-up to what was going on felt a little drawn out, and understandably so; some of the backstory was a little long (but understandable for the first book in the series). 

Thankfully, it did pick up. And it was a very enjoyable book. One thing I enjoyed about this book that The Thursday Murder Club didn't have was the travel. Amy and Rosie (and eventually Steve) jetset around the world, going to new and unique places as they try to solve these murders (does that need a spoiler alert? If so. . . oops). I enjoyed hearing about that and what each new place brought. 

SPOILER ALERT

I am a little disappointed with the ending of this book. I enjoyed the book, I really did. I love Steve, and I enjoyed the quirky dynamic he and Rosie added to the story. The main characters are wonderful, just like his other series, The Thursday Murder Club. 

The whole book felt like a rollercoaster ride. For a while, I was certain Henk was Loubet, then I was certain it was Jeff! The writer in me thought for a while, maybe it was Adam, Amy's husband or one of Steve's friends from the pub. I even wondered if maybe Rosie herself was somehow behind it. Or if Felicity was going to come back from Steve's kitchen with a gun and a long story about how she had become tangled up in the whole thing. (Instead, she returned with cookies.) I did have my suspicions of Susan Knox, though. Given that only she, Jeff, and Henk had access to the files, it was clear it had to be one of them. I also thought maybe Susan would be working with one of them - she, Joe Blow, and one of the ex-partners, Francois Loubet. 

Needless to say, it was a little disappointing and anticlimactic to learn that Mickey Moody was the bad guy all along. 

As a writer, looking back on it, I think an amazing twist would have been if Francois Loubet would have been Gary Gough (Lauren's father). When they returned to Axley, I thought that may be the case that they were going to trust this guy, only for him to turn around and try to kill Amy. But at last, that wasn't the case. 

I read this book (paperback). 

Rating and Recommendation

I gave this book three and a half stars for two reasons. One, I liked The Thursday Murder Club better. That's why I bumped it down to four stars. After reading the ending and really sitting with my disappointments (as laid out in my spoiler section), I felt that my rating would be more accurately represented by three and a half stars. (On GoodReads, I will give it four stars because I do feel it is closer to a four than a three.) If you like The Thursday Murder Club, you will like this series also. Richard Osman has a unique way of writing and storytelling. If you enjoy that, you will enjoy almost any novel, no matter which series. 

I personally discussed this book with a family member recently. He enjoyed this one more than The Thursday Murder Club novels. I was slightly shocked. He felt that this book had less "filler". I, on the other hand, am an old lady in a young woman's body. I like small-town gossip, and I think that may be why I enjoyed The Thursday Murder Club more. That being said, I think it is clear that I rated this book based on the connections made to the characters and only slightly based on the story itself. 

Story time. As many adults know, Christmas shopping for other adults can be difficult. In our family, we are a little over the "surprise" of it all. To make it easier on everyone, we make lists, but we also sometimes ask each other if they would like to "purchase" certain things. One such example was this book.

Around Christmas 2025, I saw this book on sale at Coles. I bought it and a few other books while I was Christmas shopping. Later, a family member paid for the books as a Christmas gift. So full transparency. This book was a gift. However, I did buy it myself.

Conclusion

I strongly recommend you give Richard Osman a try. It may not be this book; you may want to start with The Thursday Murder Club. But I strongly believe once you read one of Richard Osman's novels, you will want to read the rest of them.

While I may not be a fan of the ending, the novel is a rollercoaster ride right to the end. While I wouldn't call this a "Cosy Mystery", I can see why some would. It does that cosiness to it. It is very humorous in places, and it's not very descriptive of the crimes or anything like that, so it's very PG in that way. 

You can find We Solve Murders in its respective mediums below: 

* Book cover image retrieved from GoodReads. All rights belong to the author and/or publisher. 
* All the "stickers" in this blog were provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley).

* Magnify Glass provided by bluebudgie via Pixabay, and used under the Pixabay Content License
* Links in this blog may be generated through the Amazon Associates Program. By using this link, I may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase.