Bennett’s Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series is a favorite of Auntie M’s, and by going back in time to the Queen’s earlier years, Bennett has given herself plenty of years to travel through cases with the lively woman who would go on to serve her nation for decades.
In this one we are brought to the height of James Bond fever. It’s 1961, with Prince Charles now 12 and Princess Anne at 10 already in love with horses. The Queen is on the royal train with her entourage that includes her sister, Princess Margaret, and her photographer husband, Anthony Armstrong Jones.
It is after dinner that one of the group claims to have seen a murder from the train’s window, not seen by any of the others who were all in the dining car. An unreliable witness, her claim still must be investigated as it has recently come to light that a photographer friend of Tony Armstrong Jones is missing.
The Queen relies on her assistant private secretary, Joan McGraw, to help her work the investigation amidst the threat of the Cold War, and an important upcoming visit to Italy with time on the royal yacht Britannia, where the Queen Mother makes an appearance.
What follows is a well-crafted mystery as the Queen uses Joan to help her get to the bottom of the death of the body seen from the train. Elizabeth’s wit and intuition is called on, and her ability to use her staff to her ends is delightful.
A marvelous addition to a fine series.
Auntiemwrites Crime-Mystery Author M K Graff 