The Windsor Knot was a nice, easy going read. For me, it didn’t have enough going on to get and keep me gripped. 
It was quaintly enjoyable though, written well and had some good characters; Rozie and Sir Simon were my favourites.

I thoroughly enjoyed the cozy crime thriller.  I loved the idea of the queen just casually solving mysteries as a side hustle to her normal duties as monarch.  This is the start of a series and I will definitely read book 2 in the series.  Perfect for fans of the Agatha Raisin series! A light, easy read.

THE WINDSOR KNOT is the first in a new series that features the Queen as a detective. It’s 2016 and the Queen is soon to celebrate her ninetieth birthday. Before that she holds a ‘dine and sleep’ (a real and regular event apparently) at Windsor Castle, her favourite residence. Included in the mix of the great and the good is a young and handsome Russian musician. Disaster strikes the next morning when his naked body is found in a wardrobe, “strung up like a Tory MP”; the verdict being accidental death. The Queen is not so sure and suspects foul play. Though she cannot be seen to investigate she assigns the legwork to her very capable assistant private secretary Rozie and uses her own position to gently manipulate the Government investigators in the right direction. 

For all its outward appearance of being a ‘cosy’ read there is a bit more grit to it than that. As well as the manner of death, it also includes spying and drug-use as potential motives, but as this exchange between the Queen and Prince Philip shows, she’s unshockable: 

 “They forget. I’ve lived through a world war, that Ferguson girl and you in the Navy” 

“And yet they think you’ll need smelling salts if they so much as hint at anything fruity. All they see is a little old lady in a hat.” 

This is an enjoyable “country house” mystery with any wrongdoers having had to have been on the premises due to the tight security arrangements. The plot is quite complicated and revolves around a significant clue, one that the Queen can assist with explaining. If you watch ‘The Crown’ or are interested in the Royal Family, then that will give an added dimension.

I was extremely excited to read this as S.J. Bennett is better known as Sophia Bennett, one of my favourite YA authors, but under her new pen name she’s writing mysteries for adults in which the detective is the Queen! The Windsor Knot is mostly set at Windsor Castle, after an overnight guest dies and some think it is it was a suicide but the Queen suspects it was a murder. The story is mostly from the perspective of the Queen’s assistant private secretary, a younger woman who finds herself in this strange situation, secretly helping the Queen investigate a murder, acting as her eyes and ears a lot of the time! It’s a very interesting concept, I really enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to reading the second in the series!

I didn't really know what to expect when I first started this, if i'm being honest I only requested it since it sounded curious and it piqued my interest plus THE COVER LOOKS SO GOOD AND EYE CATCHING. It also seemed like it could be a lot of fun and also pretty bonkers considering the premise and i'm really pleased to tell you that I was right!

It was a really enjoyable murder mystery that I'd totally read again for a pick me up or just when i'm in the mood for a coy murder mystery, i mean a mystery solved by THE QUEEN? Who could say no? 🙈Though i loved that the Queen wasn't alone, along for the ride we have Rozie the queens personal secretary. Since the Queen can't do most of the main detective work since she's well THE QUEEN, it mainly falls down to Rozie and I think they really make a great queen!

What I really enjoyed about this whole novel though is the Queen herself, since I find sometimes when reading books about royalty or the monarchy or just Britishness in general you can either get two types of content, either brilliant books you can't put down, or a book that feels so cringe worthy you wipe it from your mind all together. I'm really pleased to say it's ended up being the former and I loved seeing this version of the Queen we see in the book! I loved how the police and MI5 thought of the Queen as this naive shockable old woman and instead she's bloody brilliant!

In conclusion, if you enjoy cosy mysteries and you're looking for a new one with a really interesting twist, then i'd totally pick this up when you have a moment! I really enjoyed it and hope you will too! I think it's getting a sequel (well, I hope so!) and i'm certainly planning to pick it up!

(3.5/4)  Starts

This is a great crime read with a twist.  When someone is found dead atWindsor Castle the Queen takes an interest in the case so with the help of Rozie  Oshodi her assistant private secretary she tries to solve the murder before an international incident breaks.  Rozie is a great contrast to the Queen she can fight, ride and go where the Queen can’t .  A really enjoyable read, I hope there will be more to come.

I absolutely loved this book and in some ways it reminded me of Richard Osman's novel which I also read recently and adored.
The Queen as a amateur sleuth is a wonderful idea. It was funny and comforting which may sound very strange given that it involves a murder. I would definitely recommend it for a bit of light relief.

A trope that I am currently fond of is the fictionalization of real life people solving mysteries; I find these books entertaining to read. Such is the case for The Windsor Knot, in which we have Queen Elizabeth II conducting a murder investigation with the help of Rozie, the assistant of her private secretary. An unusual death occurred in the premises of the Windsor Castle, where a young man who was invited as performer, was found in a compromising position. In order to protect the Queen’s reputation, the investigation was conducted with the minimum information disseminated to the public. However, when the Queen thought that investigation wasn’t going in the right direction, she decided to make some enquiries of her own.

This was such a delightful read. It mashes in history and fiction, giving a voice to one of society’s most guarded personalities. I like how the character’s insightfulness comes across, and how she arms people’s perspective of her to her advantage. SJ Bennett wrote a fleshed out characters in the Queen and Rozie; I enjoyed their interactions in the book. Both characters were absolute fun to read. The mystery aspect was intriguing; the events weren’t surprising or thrilling but it does keep the story moving without spoiling the ending. Overall, a fine novel with well-written characters.

What a gripping and highly entertaining story. I read it in one afternoon unable to put it down.
It's a clever, well crated and well written story. It made me smile and I try to guess who was doing what but I had to wait for the final revelation.
Well rounded and likeable characters, a solid mystery full of twists and turns, an interesting background that mixes fictional and historical characters.
I had a lot of fun and hope to read other stories featuring HRM investigating.
It's strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

You will know from the premise if you’re going to enjoy this book. It’s the Queen, in 2016 dealing with a murder at Windsor Castle that the police and security services just aren’t going to solve.

With her plucky assistant private secretary she pulls the strings of an investigation to gather clues and interview experts. 

The mystery is complex enough to hold interest, with red herrings and the potential for international intrigue. Philip is as blunt and amusing as you would hope, although, absent for most of the proceedings to allow the Queen character time to ruminate. 

The Queens inner voice is the star, imagining how she would go about solving mysteries, but never revealing her involvement. 

My favourite part was the hint at a bigger mythology, with all the previous Assistant Private Secretaries being in on the Queens activities and having their own little club - which will allow the author to set mysteries at any point in the Queen’s reign. 

A little delight in difficult times.

Well, this was fun! 

A cosy murder mystery (I get why people say "Imagine The Crown meets Miss Marple"), but I completely get why some readers won't like this as, at times, a tad too cosy.

We all think we know the Queen, right? We've seen her in her pastel outfits, on her long loved horses, with the family that she adores. But what about the other side of the Queen? When a guest at Windsor Castle turns up dead, it's up to good old Lizzy to nudge the police in the right direction, and get to the truth of what happened.

I loved the idea for this book, and was thrilled to be able to read an extract on Readers First. Those first few chapters were amazing - I loved the description of the setting, and the behind the scenes of Windsor Castle, I loved this imagination of the Queen, how she's sharp and funny, loyal and interested, and I was really looking forward to reading the rest of the novel.

There were some aspects of this book I really enjoyed all the way through, and that was mainly the characters. Most notable was the Queen herself, and I really think S.J. Bennett did a wonderful job of respecting the persona of the queen, while also giving her a joyous, mischieveous, quick witted and trustable (is that a word?) character. 

Other characters I enjoyed reading were Rozie, formidable and fun, and Prince Philip, who I'm sure does have a cheeky side to him when he's around the Queen.

However, there were parts of this story that lacked for me. I felt the writing was either too heavily focused on the mystery element and not on the Queen, which for me was the selling point of this book, OR it was too focused on the Queen, and we lost any plot development or hook with the mystery. Unfortunately, the balance between these two wasn't great throughout the whole book, which was disappointing.

The mystery as a whole was lacking for me. I lost interest in it many times, because lost with connections and theories, and generally just wasn't feeling it.

So while I didn't love this book, it was a fun read and a really unique idea, and I just wish the outcome were more up my street. I have heard this will be a series with more stories about the Queen solving mysteries, but I don't think I'll be picking them up, sadly.

I absolutely love this story.  The idea of a 90 year old queen being a bit of a private detective (with the help of a secretary)is fantastic.  There is suspense, mystery and a lot of humour.  I particularly enjoyed the input from Prince Philip, I could actually hear his voice as I was reading the book.  I was thrilled that this is going to be the start of a substantial series and will be collecting all of them

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.