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plantbasedbride's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The Windsor Knot reads like a cozy classic whodunnit with the added intriguing characterization of the Queen and her personal relationships.
After a guest at Windsor castle dies in suspicious circumstances with the Queen under the same roof, MI5 takes an interest in the case. With her assistant, Rozie, doing the legwork, the Queen does some sleuthing of her own, subtly pointing investigators of a more official capacity in the right direction.
While there were undoubtedly many aspects of this story that I enjoyed, the ending was particularly poignant and Rozie was a fascinating character; I did find the solution to the puzzle slightly underwhelming.
I also must admit, some of my reticence when it comes to the enjoyment of this book is due to recent circumstances in the news with the vilifying of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry and the very recent death of Prince Philip. I suppose this is the risk you take in writing fiction featuring real, living people as protagonists.
Still, overall I enjoyed this story. I listened to the audiobook, and the narration was very well done. It was a quick listen that made me chuckle and tear up and was a lovely choice for a rainy afternoon!
Thank you to William Morrow and Harper Audio for allowing me to listen to this audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
After a guest at Windsor castle dies in suspicious circumstances with the Queen under the same roof, MI5 takes an interest in the case. With her assistant, Rozie, doing the legwork, the Queen does some sleuthing of her own, subtly pointing investigators of a more official capacity in the right direction.
While there were undoubtedly many aspects of this story that I enjoyed, the ending was particularly poignant and Rozie was a fascinating character; I did find the solution to the puzzle slightly underwhelming.
I also must admit, some of my reticence when it comes to the enjoyment of this book is due to recent circumstances in the news with the vilifying of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry and the very recent death of Prince Philip. I suppose this is the risk you take in writing fiction featuring real, living people as protagonists.
Still, overall I enjoyed this story. I listened to the audiobook, and the narration was very well done. It was a quick listen that made me chuckle and tear up and was a lovely choice for a rainy afternoon!
Thank you to William Morrow and Harper Audio for allowing me to listen to this audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Drug use, and Suicide
katlouise's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Suicide, and Death
Minor: Homophobia and Hate crime
captainolyareads's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
"The Windsor Knot" is the first novel in a new series, Her Majesty the Queen Investigates, in which Queen Elizabeth secretly solves crime mysteries while carrying on with her royal duties. Windsor Castle is gearing up for Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday celebrations when a guest is found murdered in one of the rooms. While officials initially believe it was suicide, the evidence of a badly tied knot leads them to suspect otherwise. Unhappy at the mishandling of the case, the Queen decides to take matters into her own hands and enlists the help of her Assistant Private Secretary to determine what really happened.
I thought this was a well-written, well-researched novel but there were moments where I found it hard to stay engaged. Since this was set-up for later novels, I understand why there was so much information but the pacing felt sluggish. It also never felt like there were any real stakes with the Queen or other individuals, i.e., it never felt like anyone was under threat or serious injury, even death.
I thought this was a well-written, well-researched novel but there were moments where I found it hard to stay engaged. Since this was set-up for later novels, I understand why there was so much information but the pacing felt sluggish. It also never felt like there were any real stakes with the Queen or other individuals, i.e., it never felt like anyone was under threat or serious injury, even death.
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide and Drug abuse
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