THE QUEENS OF CRIME

Marie Benedict

St. Martin's Press

1/28/25

Historical Fiction / Mystery

Hardcover, 320 pages

"In this excellent novel, Benedict vividly brings to life real Golden Age mystery novelists ... Fans of Benedict’s previous novels and those who enjoy historical whodunits will find this hard to put down." 

—Library Journal, starred review

Inspired by a true story from Dorothy L. Sayers’ life, Marie Benedict reveals how five women writers navigate a male-dominated literary world while unraveling a mystery drawn from their own novels.

London, 1930. The five greatest women crime writers have banded together to form a secret society with a single goal: to show they are no longer willing to be treated as second-class citizens by their male counterparts in the legendary Detection Club. Led by the formidable Sayers, the group includes Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy. They call themselves the Queens of Crime. Their plan? Solve an actual murder, that of a young woman found strangled in a park in France who may have connections leading to the highest levels of the British establishment.

May Daniels, a young English nurse on an excursion to France with her friend, seemed to vanish as they prepared to board a ferry home. Months later, her body is found in the nearby woods. The murder has all the hallmarks of a locked room mystery for which these authors are famous: how did her killer manage to sneak her body out of a crowded train station without anyone noticing? If, as the police believe, the cause of death is manual strangulation, why is there an extraordinary amount of blood at the crime scene? What is the meaning of a heartbreaking secret letter that seems to implicate an unnamed paramour?

Determined to solve the highly publicized murder, the Queens of Crime embark on their own investigation, discovering they’re stronger together. But soon the killer targets Dorothy Sayers herself, threatening to expose a dark secret in her past that she would do anything to keep hidden.

Dear Reader,

The Queens of Crime has been in the making since my middle school days. A beloved aunt— an English professor, poet, and a rebellious nun — fed me a steady diet of Golden Age of Mystery novels, and later, I became entranced by the women who wrote those novels. So when I learned that Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers had befriended other female literary lights, such as Baroness Emma Orczy, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham, I was stunned. And when I learned that their friendship not only dismantled barriers against female writers but also solved real crimes against women, I became obsessed.

An ode to strong women, the writerly life, the power of friendship, and my aunt, The Queens of Crime is in keeping with my earlier novels and yet, at the same time, something entirely new.

I love talking to book clubs! Please contact me with an invitation to join your discussion.

Marie Benedict

Orange poppyseed cake, teatime finger sandwiches, Bakewell tarts, Battenberg cakes, scones with clotted cream, roast with Yorkshire pudding, and a bracing spot of tea, all topped off with a cocktail or glass of Champagne. And that’s only what my heroines — famous mystery writers all — nibble on and sip while galavanting around England as they attempt to solve a real-life murder. The menu becomes a bit more exotic when their investigation takes them across the English Channel to the French seaside town of Boulogne-sur-mer. There, they indulge in espressos, croissants aux amandes, pains au chocolate, chouquettes, steak frites, and coq au vin, among other delicacies. Never mind that their sleuthing takes some dark twists and turns, my authors-turned-detectives never lack for a scrumptious meal or a refreshing drink, and their repast serves to revive them for the hard work ahead.

Given that The Queens of Crime is bookended with glorious feasts — not to mention liberally sprinkled throughout with mouth-watering delights — what cuisine would I suggest for a book club discussing the novel? While the subtlety of French fare is enticing, an elegant, classic English afternoon tea seems just the ticket (even if you’re not exactly meeting at traditional teatime) for a genre-bending novel that takes place in 1930s England, stars world-famous mystery writers, and solves a real-life crime while binding the detectives together in friendship. 

What would this book club menu entail? The options are plentiful but might contain dainty finger sandwiches with savory fillings, such as cucumber, salmon, or prawn, a pot of piping hot tea —a favorite of mine is Harney & Sons Cinnamon Spice— and of course, a heaping pile of pastries and cakes. My Dorothy Sayers had a penchant for the classic Battenberg cake —a somewhat complicated confection in a pink-and-white checkerboard pattern with marzipan. If you're attempting authenticity, you might consider the simpler Victoria sponge, a two-layer sponge cake, sandwiched with jam and whipped cream.

Whatever you choose, I hope you enjoy the novel, and like my strong, brilliant heroines, steep yourselves in mystery over a delectable English afternoon tea.

-Marie Benedict

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