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A review by pocketfulofprinting
The Windsor Knot by S.J. Bennett
2.0
I need to put my thoughts down while they're still top of mind. When I first picked up The Windsor Knot by S.J. Bennett, the synopsis sounded fresh and original. This is mystery-lite, which I'm completely down with, but the pacing was slow, the stakes were low, and the revelations didn't engage.
The gist of the story (and I'm guessing the theme of a future ongoing series) is Her Majesty The Queen, along with her assistant secretary, take it upon themselves to solve a murder that happened inside the walls of Windsor Castle following a "dine and sleep." The actual authorities appear to be on the wrong track and Queen Elizabeth, over the course of the novel, neatly steers them back.
Bennett clearly did her research and portrays a realistic portrait of the Queen, Prince Philip, and the royal goings-on at various palaces. In real life, Queen Elizabeth is famous for her soft power, diplomatic skills, and non-partisanship and these traits follow the Queen into the book. However, they make for a very boring lead character in a murder mystery novel. I would be willing to suspend belief if it allowed the Queen to have more agency and an active role in the solving of this mystery. Between galas, horse shows, and privy council meetings, she primarily makes suggestions to Rozie Oshodie (her assistant secretary) on who to interview and Oshodie does all the legwork. When Oshodie does find something of note, they then have a non-discussion discussion about it. Never explicitly mentioning what they're really talking about.
The final reveal is a surprise, not because of what it reveals, but by how little I cared (I feel terrible saying that!) The reader is never given the chance to guess the outcome for themselves because the murder players were underdeveloped and one of them comes out of left field. Ultimately, I would try her next book because the concept has a lot of promise. However, I would like to see the Queen take an active role and not be a passive presence sitting in her plush palace. I think it would be more fascinating if they took her back to the '50s-'70s and she could really flex some detective skills! The book hints that she's been solving mysteries for decades, so I'm ready to see it.
The gist of the story (and I'm guessing the theme of a future ongoing series) is Her Majesty The Queen, along with her assistant secretary, take it upon themselves to solve a murder that happened inside the walls of Windsor Castle following a "dine and sleep." The actual authorities appear to be on the wrong track and Queen Elizabeth, over the course of the novel, neatly steers them back.
Bennett clearly did her research and portrays a realistic portrait of the Queen, Prince Philip, and the royal goings-on at various palaces. In real life, Queen Elizabeth is famous for her soft power, diplomatic skills, and non-partisanship and these traits follow the Queen into the book. However, they make for a very boring lead character in a murder mystery novel. I would be willing to suspend belief if it allowed the Queen to have more agency and an active role in the solving of this mystery. Between galas, horse shows, and privy council meetings, she primarily makes suggestions to Rozie Oshodie (her assistant secretary) on who to interview and Oshodie does all the legwork. When Oshodie does find something of note, they then have a non-discussion discussion about it. Never explicitly mentioning what they're really talking about.
The final reveal is a surprise, not because of what it reveals, but by how little I cared (I feel terrible saying that!) The reader is never given the chance to guess the outcome for themselves because the murder players were underdeveloped and one of them comes out of left field. Ultimately, I would try her next book because the concept has a lot of promise. However, I would like to see the Queen take an active role and not be a passive presence sitting in her plush palace. I think it would be more fascinating if they took her back to the '50s-'70s and she could really flex some detective skills! The book hints that she's been solving mysteries for decades, so I'm ready to see it.