Loved it. Very funny and very different to what I would normally read. I enjoyed this thank you to Netgalley and the publishers and the author for the privilege to read this book for my honest opinion

An intriguing murder mystery, mixed in with the goings on at Windsor Castle, and the efforts of HM The Queen to find the guilty party.

We had a glimpse at the necessary organisation for events at the Castle, which was fascinating in itself, including all that needed to be done, and also the hierarchy of who gets what kind of sleeping accommodation according to their status and part they were playing in the event.

The day after the event HM The Queen is horrified to hear of the suspicious death of one of those taking part, and is determined to find the culprit. Of course it is impossible for her to be seen to be poking around and questioning the guests, so she enlists her assistant private secretary, Rozie, just returned from a family wedding in Nigeria. Rozie sets up meetings, asks difficult questions, and reports back to HM The Queen.

There are more deaths which may or may not be linked

Intriguing, and well worth the read.

I was invited to read this by an online book group TBC

I absolutely love a mystery novel and am a huge supporter of Queen Elizabeth || so this book just seemed ideal to me. A perfect combination that could only come from the wildest depths of imagination.
Obviously it’s a work of fiction but you can’t help but imagining the Queen in your mind whilst reading which made it hilariously funny and relatable.
The actual storyline of the book is great and had me gripped, wanting to know what happened next and how things would turn out. I would have perhaps liked slightly more suspense and twists but that is simply personal preference and should take nothing away from this being a very good book. I’d happily recommend this book and read more by the author wether they be sequels to this or other standalones. Definitely worth a read for mystery lovers. I really hope you enjoy as much as I did if you read it.

The Windsor Knot by S.J. Bennett takes us back to April of 2016 in London where Queen Elizabeth II hosted a soiree the night before at Windsor Castle. Her Majesty was stunned when she was informed that the pianist was found dead in his room and the details are quite salacious. At first blush it looked like an accidental death, but it is soon discovered that the musician was murdered. When the police begin looking at the household staff, Queen Elizabeth feels she must do something to assist. What most people do not know is that Queen Elizabeth has a flair for solving mysteries. It is a secret that Queen Elizabeth would like kept. Her Majesty sets out to learn who killed the musician without anyone being the wiser. The synopsis for The Windsor Knot had me excited. I thought the author captured Windsor Castle, the staff, and how a royal household is run (especially the number of staff it takes to run the large household). She also captured Queen Elizabeth (or how I imagine her) with her concerns for her royal duties, her dry wit, her keen intelligence, and her formal manner of speech. I thought the story, though, lacked depth and I did not like the way the book started. The book begins after the pianist has died. I felt the story should have begun before the party and led up to his death. It would have provided the tale with a better flow. The mystery was interesting. It was thought out and unique. It was clever how the crime was pulled off. I enjoyed solving this whodunit. However, I felt that the mystery was not at the forefront of the book. It gets pushed aside for Queen Elizabeth’s duties and engagements. The Windsor Knot has an intriguing and original premise (Queen Elizabeth as a sleuth). I just felt the book missed the mark. I would like the focus to be on Queen Elizabeth solving the mystery instead of her royal duties. The story also needed more action to spice up the pacing. I enjoyed the interesting facts about Windsor Castle and the royal family. The Windsor Knot will appeal to anglophiles and those who enjoy gently paced cozy mysteries.

This was a very enjoyable book and in a true British style. I loved it as well as the imaginative way the author has used such well known people to be characters in the story. Well worth a read.

This is a fictional crime thriller that has the Queen as the central character who apart from ruling, also solves mysteries.

In the morning of her 89th birthday dinner party, Queen Elizabeth finds a male guest dead. Despite, the person hanging themselves, the police rules it as a homicide and suspect foul play from one of the Royal household servant. However, she thinks otherwise and investigates with her trusted secretary, Rozie at her side.

The front cover itself is appealing with the bright red on the black border. I especially like the silver crown.

I like how it's written, in the way that as a reader you too are investigating and finding out about what had happened. I also like how the characters were developed. As well as there's a prologue to the next book at the back.

Reading it, reminded me of one of those murder mysteries like a Sherlock Holmes case but with the Queen as an added charm. I will be looking forward to reading the next book in this series as well as other books by this author.

This is a fun mystery and a real hoot to read. It is based on the premise that Queen Elizabeth 2nd moonlights as an investigator and amateur sleuth.
When a Russian pianist is found dead in a cupboard in Windsor Castle after a sleep over party the secret service decide it is a Russian plot but her majesty is not so sure. With the help of her assistant private secretary, the magnificent Rozie, she sets about discovering the truth. Rozie is amazed at what the Queen is doing but discovers she has a history of taking action in this way when she speaks to one of her predecessors.
Rozie is ex army and an ex city banker so she is well set up for this sort of work and when things turn nasty she knows exactly how to protect herself.
This was such an enjoyable read, full of information about the Queen’s “supposed” life as a monarch which was obviously imagined but strangely believable.
When the Queen talks about herself she refers to herself as “ one” which made me smile every time! We also get details about her family including the great grandchildren. When she rings up to speak to Charlotte on her birthday, George says”Hello Gan-Gan” on the phone. This makes her sound like any other Grandma and is charming.
The Queen’s comments and asides about her life were so amusing and made the book all the more enjoyable.
A thoroughly enjoyable read which I highly recommend. It seems this is going to be part of a series and I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

Set in 2016, The Windsor Knot is a cosy murder mystery with Her Majesty the Queen as a crime-solving genius! After a dine and sleep event at Windsor Castle, a Russian pianist called Maksim Brodsky (24) is found dead, in a compromising position, in his room. At first, it's assumed that his death was accidental but the evidence seems to suggest otherwise.

With all kinds of theories flying about, the Queen subtly investigates the crime with the help of her assistant private secretary, 30-year-old Rosemary (Rozie) Oshodi, who does the groundwork and speaks to various people and makes enquiries. She is a former soldier in the Royal Horse Artillery and an ex-investment banker. She grew up in Peckham and Notting Hill and her family are from Nigeria originally.

The case gets more and more complicated and there are lots of different strands to it. I wasn't really sure how it was all going to be resolved. There were some interesting twists and turns, and some surprising reveals.

There are lots of different characters in the story and, at times, I got confused and had to look back to remember who was who.

The Queen was great and I loved her humorous interactions with Phillip and her wiliness, quick mind and the way she handled her staff. She was very cunning and shrewd at times and definitely didn't need to be shielded from the truth. A lot of people in the Queen's circle seem to underestimate her and it was amusing that she always seems to be a step ahead and is feeding them clues to help solve the murder.

I also really liked Rozie as she's clever, brave and adaptable. I believe this is going to be a series and I look forward to seeing how her character develops.

Overall, I enjoyed this entertaining and amusingly written cosy crime novel. It's engaging and a bit different from the norm and I liked the interactions between the Queen and others. There were also some nice little facts about the Royal family too – I had to look up the tasty-sounding chocolate biscuit cake to see how to make it!

Source: I received a review copy of the book via NetGalley. This review is my honest opinion. The Windsor Knot is out now from Zaffre in the UK. If you like audiobooks, check out the audio edition, read by Samantha Bond!

Overall, I found this book to be a delight and am absolutely recommending it. For those concerned about the Queen's involvement in politics etc and needing to avoid such upsetting topics - this book is set in 2016.

I was fortunate enough to attend the online launch party for this lovely book last night, so as well as reviewing, I'm going to share one or two snippets I picked up with you.

Firstly, I loved The Windsor Knot and will definitely be looking out for the rest of the series. Sophia (the author - publishing for adults as S J Bennett) said that there are currently four books planned for publication, and she is keen to continue after that, so this is a series that could run and run! The novel is written with a lightness of touch that imbues the characters - even though many of them are world-renowned - with a reality and homeliness that makes them easy to relate to and root for. The Queen is particularly sympathetic here, and shines bright as an investigator who is sharp of mind and eyes, but gentle with her words. This is perhaps one of the reasons that she is underestimated by many - a reason given for her being able to carry out her investigations.

I was intrigued to learn that Sophia has had a fascination with the Queen from a young age - since 1977 - spurred in particular by a book about Her Majesty's clothes. This book revealed a lot about her life, through explaining how details in her clothing would pick up on the colours or emblems of countries she was visiting; how she has to have weighted hems; she should not be too fashionable et cetera. Sophia also is fortunate enough to have learned about the Royals from family anecdotes, as her father has come into contact with them, and with the Queen in particular, through work. I was also fascinated that Sophia herself interviewed for the position of Assistant Private Secretary - Rozie's job in the book - in the 90s, which gave her various insights that gave her research a head start.

I have always had a fondness for cosy crime and would agree with Sophia's statement that what the genre offers is a sense of safety. I do also enjoy reading (and watching) 'gritty' crime, but that tends to leave you more aware of the dangers in the world, whereas the cosy crime stories are more focused on the disentangling and the wrap-up, treating crime more as an anomaly than a constant. I think that's why cosy is more of a mood than a set of rules.

A final point I would like to share from the launch is this. Sophia was asked about the feminist slant to the books, which she stated was definitely deliberate. It was stated more than once that the Queen's ability to investigate is largely due to people's (I might be tempted to say men's...) tendency to routinely underestimate her. There are several comic scenes in the book where the comedy derives from men explaining things to her, where she is, in fact, in possession of more of the facts than they are. But of course, she's both too polite - and too shrewd - to reveal this.

So clearly, I'm advising you to read this if you like a good mystery. It's out in beautiful hardback now (the endpapers are rather lovely...).

In the morning after the "dine and sleep" event at Windsor Castle, the body of a young Russian pianist is discivered in one of the rooms. The Queen is unhappy about her home being invaded by the well meaning but clueless police and securtity and with a help of a new APS, Rozie, decides to take matter in ones own hands - not for the first time! "The Windsor Knot" is a delightful and funny murder mystery, very British one in its quirky characters and tounge in a cheek narration. It is not perfect, and I would love to see more of Rozie in it, but I will be definitely following the series, to find out more about domestic side of the Queen, corgis and murder mysteries in the royal household. "The Windsor Knot" is a perfect whodunnit for those who want to escape the reality and be transported into a middle of a murder investigation with a very unlikely heroine. Move over, amateur sleuths, the real Queeen has arrived!

A young Russian musician is found dead in mysterious circumstances at Windsor castle. The authorities suspect some international conspiracy and think that it could be one the Queen's loyal servants. With the help of her secretary Rozie, it's up to the Queen to solve the mystery.

The Windsor Knot is a light hearted mystery, not to be taken too seriously!

The story really shows the Queen in a different light, I always thought she was kind of grumpy but the story shows a woman who is under an immense amount of pressure but still has a caring side (I really hope she's actually like this in real life!).

The standout character for me was her secretary Rozie. A former soldier, she's strong, independent and smart. She helps the Queen solving the mystery, becoming a confidant of sorts.

It was a solid mystery with a few surprises along the way but I had to keep reminding myself that the sleuth is meant to be the Queen of England, not some Miss Marple like character. Also I didn't really enjoy the denouncement of the case at the end, it just felt a bit lacklustre.

I’d recommend this if you’re looking for a quick light hearted mystery.

I was invited to read this book with a book club otherwise I would not have been aware of The Windsor Knot by S J Bennett. Her first book in a cozy mystery series set around the Queen being involved in solving mysteries.

The Queen was currently residing at Windsor Castle and she agreed to host a party for Charles so he could invite some guests over. Everything seemed to go well until the next morning when a body was discovered. It was one of the young guests who had played the piano and danced so well. The police were called, everyone was questioned, the Queen was informed but the main thing was to keep it out of the news. It was embarrassing to think something like that could happen within the castle grounds.

Queen Elizabeth hears that the police believe one of her servants could be involved, she doesn’t think that is the case. She tasks her secretary Rozie with setting up meetings for her. Also, she requests Rozie to find out information for her which is then fed back. Sometimes Rozie has to use her initiative to do this without her boss finding out as it wasn’t part of the original job description!

Why was the young man killed? How did the killer get into the castle with all the security in place? Will the police be able to find the killer?

I enjoyed reading this book. It was an easy style of writing, so easy to read and got into the story from the start plus it was funny in places. The life of the Queen in the book seemed true to life, carrying out everyday duties. There is time for Rozie’s character to develop as this is the first book and she is learning the ropes so to speak. Her and the Queen get on well which is a start. If there is a second book I would give it a look.

Introducing HM The Queen as Miss Marple!!
I really enjoyed this cozy mystery

Loved the characters and particularly the Queen and Rosie, plus the Queen’s private secretary. I also think meeting Rosie’s predecessors is a master stroke as it gives depth to the challenges she’s facing.

The Queen as a private investigator is fabulous. Who would have thought it. The author has researched well and little details and facts are woven in which provide colour and a dose of reality in what could otherwise be a little absurd.

Having binge watched the Crown during early lockdown, I can imagine loads of the scenes and it has worked really well. Yes the M15 bloke was tedious but that made other characters come to Life for me.

I’ve read about criticism of legions of characters - i think they are necessary as it rounds it out and gives colour otherwise too obvious where it’s going to proceed. The M15 man is odious but I thought he added something to the story along with the Chief Inspector. Of course if he had wanted Her Majesty’s involvement, there wouldn’t be much point in the book!!

As with all books of this cosy mystery type, it’s all wrapped up a little too neatly (and dare I say it quickly) which detracts from the overall delivery. Overall it’s a strong 3.5*-4*, - it’s worth a read if it appeals to you (and good for bibliophile fans of The Crown)

I enjoyed this book. As a detective story it is quite run of the mill, the joy is in the unusual choice of Queen Elizabeth II as the detective. The royal setting is done well, and Bennett succeeds in bringing HRH to life, whilst also giving her dignity and showing admiration for her unfailing sense of duty and unrivaled work ethic.

The plot centres around the death of a young Russian, who dies in a guest room at Windsor Castle. Initially the death is seen as an auto-erotic accident, but it is soon revealed to be murder. The Queen, with the help of her assistant, investigates and solves the crime.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy.

The Windsor Knot revolves around a murder at Windsor Castle and the attempts made by the police and M15 to solve it. It is set as the queen is about to turn 90 and refers to current affairs and Royal Family anecdotes as the investigation unfolds making it extremely enjoyable and relatable to any member of the British Public or Royal Family fan.

I received a review copy of the book and was mostly drawn to it as it is based at Windsor Castle and I live nearby. Upon reading the blurb I wasn't sure if this book would be excellent or quite awful but I flew through it and really enjoyed it. It gave me Alexander McCallSmith vibes which is certainly not a bad thing!

I thought the storyline was relatively believable and reflected the royal family in a good light (or in line with the depiction in The Crown) and dealt with the Queen been unable to take credit for solving mysteries rather well - she might be the queen but she is still ruling in a mans world! I would have like to know more about the previous cases alluded to in the blurb, maybe these will follow in later books? Overall an enjoyable and easy going read.

Queen Elizabeth II is hosting one of her events at Windsor Castle, the so – called „dine and sleep“. Everything runs smoothly and the guests, including Sir David Attenborough and the Archbishop of Canterbury, are enjoying themselves. However, the next morning, a young Russian pianist Maksim Brodsky, the one who was entertaining the guests with piano playing, is found dead, in rather compromising position and circumstances. The MI5 and police are brought to investigate and quickly this what looked like a suicide turns into murder. As the investigations go, according to Queen, in wrong direction, she – enlisting the help of her private secretary, Rozie - decides to investigate herself. Rozie realises that it’s not the first time that Queen is playing a private investigator, that she has solved cases in the past and is surrounded by people who will gladly help her out again. But danger lurks around every corner – will they solve the murder before something wrong happens again?

The idea of this book is brilliant and I’ve immediately felt drawn to it, I’ve never thought that Her Majesty herself might be heading investigation for a murder that happened in her own place – I find it incredibly refreshing and original. Moreover, I’ve somehow missed the information that it’s the first book in the series that will feature Queen solving mysteries, and yay! That’s great, I’ll be for sure keeping my eyes peeled for the next book, as it was a very entertaining and promising start to the series.

There were many, many characters introduced to us in this book, I had a feeling that every single chapter is about a different character, and yes, it was confusing, but also it didn’t bother me so much because, let’s be honest, it was the Queen that kept the story running. I think she was brilliantly portrayed and hats off to the author for managing to pull it off in such a great way. Not so long ago I was complaining about a fictional book featuring real characters, that, in my opinion, didn’t have much to do with their precursors. Here, in „The Windsor Knot“, the Queen was written just like I imagine her to be and I loved this version of her. If she is like this – no idea, but I simply enjoyed her like this, in this romantic version of the monarchy. The Queen herself was warm, lovely, indulgent, wearing her „spring green“ outfits, going for rides, surrounded by her beloved corgis, so what’s not to love here, right?
I also adored the cameos of other Royal Family members, they were brilliant mentions, especially those of Prince Phillip, humorous and laid – back. But especially it was Rozie who was an outstanding character, I loved her, and my admiration to her grew even more after one action on the tube. You rule, Rozie!

My only complain is that there came a moment when the book started to feel repetitive, with the feeling of going round in circles, and it started to drag, making me feel a bit impatient. Please don’t get me wrong, I adored the descriptions of the behind – the – scenes activities, and the charm of the Queen was brilliantly captured, but the all the time changing characters were bothering me and I had a feeling this book could be much shorter and would do exactly as well with less characters and twists. Yes. Twists. I think the author has simply tried too much with her story and has overdone a little. Also, the book was rich with anecdotes about royal life that I loved but it also gave the impression that it tries to pull us away from the lack of plot, lack of events, and the murder didn’t feel as important, compared to the royal activities. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this story, and even though I didn’t solve the crime and I still can’t see the clues in the story, I enjoyed it as a relaxing, interesting and humorous read.

I loved the way this book was written. The author has a way with words, her descriptions are vivid, colourful and captivating and she also brilliantly captured the slightly more formal language of the protagonist. That doesn’t mean that the book feels stiff and full of official language, what I mean is SJ Bennet has found the happy medium for her descriptions and dialogues. The Queen speaks in a way I imagine her to speak, well – articulated and eloquent, and the other characters are on the more down – to – earth side, and the changes in styles are subtle and clear.

Altogether, „The Windsor Knot“ is a lovely and engaging cozy – crime with unusual main character, filled with humorous moments, a story that you have to read with a grain of salt, however who really knows what goes behind the palace walls, right? It was brilliantly British, warm and clever and while I might not have understood everything about the murder itself, as there were so many possibilities, red herrings and roads leading to nowhere and the wrapping up of the case a bit sudden, I still enjoyed it immensely. It’s a fun read, a lovely and much needed escape and I’m really looking forward to the future books in the series. Truly recommended!

A murder takes place at Windsor Castle and Her Majesty is determined to get to the bottom of it.

I was looking forward to this book as I found the premise intriguing. The book was clearly well researched, referring to various aspects of the Queen’s life and history and was easy to read.

However, parts of the plot didn’t make sense to me and I subsequently didn’t really invest in the story. There were too many characters introduced at the start and some really felt surplus to requirements in the end. The actual ‘solving’ of the murder was underwhelming and not particularly satisfying.

If you’re looking for a cosy murder for an easy Sunday afternoon read then this will work but I’m afraid I won’t be rushing to buy the sequel.

2🌟review 📚
Cosy mystery story about the very unlikely event of our Queen being an amateur sleuth. Some interesting reflections with characters well-known to readers in the UK such as the Queen and Prince Philip which caused a wry smile. I also enjoyed reading about the ‘inner workings’ of the palace which may or may not reflect what happens, like Sir Simon and the daily ‘boxes’.
This story, for me, had far too many characters and sadly I found that I didn’t actually care who did commit the murder. The plot was intertwined with moments of humour and at one point I was gripped (during the underground scene).
I read to the end to see the plot resolved (which was unnecessarily convoluted), explained by the bumbling heads of MI5 and the Met, despite having been pushed towards solving the crime by HM, and found I was none the wiser by this point.
Rozie and the previous employees in her role were well- described and here I was interested.
Sadly not a book I would recommend.

An easy, entertaining read where Queen Elizabeth is also a detective. I enjoyed my time reading it.
Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

The Windsor Knot is the first instalment in a highly original and delightfully clever crime series in which Queen Elizabeth II secretly solves crimes while carrying out her royal duties. It is the early spring of 2016 and Queen Elizabeth is at Windsor Castle in advance of her 90th birthday celebrations. But the preparations are interrupted when a guest is found dead in one of the Castle bedrooms. The scene suggests the young Russian pianist strangled himself, but a badly tied knot leads MI5 to suspect foul play was involved. The Queen leaves the investigation to the professionals—until their suspicions point them in the wrong direction.

Unhappy at the mishandling of the case and concerned for her staff’s morale, the monarch decides to discreetly take matters into her own hands. With help from her Assistant Private Secretary, Rozie Oshodi, a British Nigerian and recent officer in the Royal Horse Artillery, the Queen secretly begins making inquiries. As she carries out her royal duties with her usual aplomb, no one in the Royal Household, the government, or the public knows that the resolute Elizabeth will use her keen eye, quick mind, and steady nerve to bring a murderer to justice.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable and unique murder mystery which is compelling and gripping from start to finish, and I loved the delightful irreverence of the Queen solving dastardly crimes; it's a wonderfully charming and cleverly constructed read. SJ Bennett captures Queen Elizabeth’s voice with skill, nuance, wit, and genuine charm in this imaginative and engaging mystery that portrays Her Majesty as she’s rarely seen: kind yet worldly, decisive, shrewd, and most importantly a great judge of character. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Zaffre for an ARC.