Queen Elizabeth II is looking forward to a traditional Christmas gathering with her family in Sandringham when a shocking discovery interrupts holiday plans. A severed hand has been found—but even more unsettling, she recognizes the signet ring still attached to a finger. It belongs to a scion of the St Cyr family, her old friends from nearby Ladybridge Hall. Despite the personal connection, the Queen wants to leave the investigation to the police—that is, until newspapers drag her name into the matter.
As reporters speculate about the proximity of the crime to the Crown and the police fail to investigate a suspicious accident on her doorstep, Elizabeth quietly begins to mull over the mystery herself. With help from her Assistant Private Secretary, Rozie Oshodi, she delves into the interlocking layers of fact and fiction surrounding the high-profile case. Someone in the quiet county of Norfolk seems to have a secret worth killing for, and the Queen is determined to find out who and what that is—even if that means discovering that someone in her close circle is a murderer.
Release Date: Sep 26, 2023
Series: Her Majesty the Queen Investigates
Book: 3
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: William Morrow
Price: $14.99
A young woman finds a severed hand that has washed up on a beach next to Queen Elizabeth II’s estate at Sandringham in North Norfolk. Elizabeth is able to identify the victim from the very distinct ring on his finger. Elizabeth notices some other strange occurrences, such as a woman almost being killed in a hit-and-run accident and thinks there could be a connection. The Queen enlists the help of her Assistant Private Secretary, Rozie Oshod, to help her investigate to prevent the killer from striking again.
This book is the third Her Majesty the Queen Investigates, but the first I’ve read. Although I was familiar with the members of the royal family, such as Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Beatrice, Eugenie, and others, there were a lot of fictional characters. I often found it hard to keep track of who everyone was and who they were related to. I enjoyed the character of Rozie, formally in the British Army, who enjoys the excitement of the investigation. Her friendship with Elizabeth, two women who would seem to have little in common, was one of the highlights of the book.
The book is set at Christmastime and reading about the royal family’s Christmas celebration was really fun. In fact, the book is at its best when it shows the lively banter and discussions between Elizabeth and other members of her family. The complex plot and political discussions, even though they’re brief, greatly slow the pace of the story and didn’t always hold my attention. I love the charming premise of Queen Elizabeth as an amateur detective as well as the other royal characters in this book. As a whole, the book would have been better if things moved along a little faster.
~ Christine
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