During a state visit to France in 1957 things don’t go quite
to plan making the Queen think that someone close to her is trying to sabotage
the trip. Upon returning to England a shocking double murder takes place not
far from Buckingham Palace, a murder that has links to the aristocracy, the
clergy and members of parliament. The Queen soon discovers that there are links
even closer to home.
A Death In Diamonds by S. J. Bennett is the
fourth book in the cozy crime series “Her Majesty The Queen Investigates”. Given
the events of 2022, I did wonder if this series would continue. I am so
pleased that the author has chosen to continue with the series, however, there
is a slight change of tack with the latest outing. We go back in time to 1957
and meet a much younger Elizabeth, a Queen who has been head of state for five
years.
Overall, I found the tone of this story a little darker than
in previous books. This is most definitely down to the themes involved connected
to the murder: escorts, espionage and Nazi Germany. This slightly darker tone
certainly didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book, if anything it added a
sense of menace and a greater air of mystery. We also have a country still struggling
with the aftereffects of war, including the role of women.
We learned more about the Queen in her early days as monarch,
along with the fact that she has been solving mysteries since she was a child. Our
glimpse of the Queen shows a young woman trying to balance her role as Queen
with that of a mother, she comes across as being very normal and down to earth
where her family is concerned. It was easy to picture the antics of a young
Princess Anne who, at seven years old, is described as indestructible.
In recent years we have witnessed a royal family trying to
modernise itself, to make itself more relevant to society today. Our glimpse of
the Queen in 1957 is no different. Realising that someone is out to sabotage
the monarchy she realises that this is a time to rejuvenate the royal family,
including speaking to the nation via the medium of television. This, along with
a few other incidents in the book, gives us the opportunity to see a vulnerable
side to the Queen. I really enjoyed the references to fashion. What the royal
family wore was just as closely scrutinised in 1957 as it is today.
The one thing I did miss in this book is Roz, the Assistant Private
Secretary who does most of the investigating on the Queen’s behalf. However, we
are introduced to a fitting replacement, someone just as capable and formidable
in the form of Joan McGraw. Joan is elevated from the role of secretary in the
typing pool to Secretary (that capital S makes a vast difference in the royal
household) and this doesn’t go down well with the other Secretaries, all male,
who think that Joan is too “common” for the role. Joan runs rings around the
other Secretaries, occasionally putting her own life at risk, as she
investigates on behalf of the Queen.
I did wonder how the two storylines were connected and this
kept me gripped, desperate to know more. The conclusions were an eye-opener,
proving how easy it is to make assumptions. A Death In Diamonds is a
history lesson, wrapped up in a mystery, encased in a wonderful series.
A Death In Diamonds by S. J. Bennett will be
published on 1st February 2024 in hardback, ebook and audio format.
My thanks to NetGalley and Zaffre Books for a review copy.
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