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A review by sindri_inn_arsaeli
The Windsor Knot by S.J. Bennett
4.0
I was very excited to win an ARC of this title in a GoodReads contest! I enjoy the cozy mystery genre, and was excited to see how the author would create a series involving the current Queen of England!
My verdict? Quite charming! I had wondered if the story would follow a young Queen Elizabeth solving cases in the past, but this first in a series sets up a backstory that the queen has depended on special staff throughout her long career to help her in her crime solving, and it is her current Assistant Personal Secretary's first case with the queen. The characters were interesting and dynamic. The author did a great job of using the prose to reflect the voice of the character on the spotlight in each chapter or subsection. The plot was convoluted enough for me to be engaged the whole time, trying to figure it out. And when it finally came to the solution, it did indeed seem like a knot unraveling! The stakes were appropriately high to involve the queen without crossing into the realm of real spy novels, where I would expect more professional crime solvers. All in all, a satisfying and solid step in a new series!
My verdict? Quite charming! I had wondered if the story would follow a young Queen Elizabeth solving cases in the past, but this first in a series sets up a backstory that the queen has depended on special staff throughout her long career to help her in her crime solving, and it is her current Assistant Personal Secretary's first case with the queen. The characters were interesting and dynamic. The author did a great job of using the prose to reflect the voice of the character on the spotlight in each chapter or subsection. The plot was convoluted enough for me to be engaged the whole time, trying to figure it out. And when it finally came to the solution, it did indeed seem like a knot unraveling! The stakes were appropriately high to involve the queen without crossing into the realm of real spy novels, where I would expect more professional crime solvers. All in all, a satisfying and solid step in a new series!