The Queens of Crime

USA Today Bestseller

Indie Bestseller

"A delightful blend of historical fiction and suspense." -People magazine

"Catnip to fans of golden-age mysteries ... Benedict lets her characters' distinct personalities bloom as their literary skills translate into a genuine investigation." -Air Mail

"In this excellent novel, Benedict vividly brings to life real Golden Age mystery novelists ... Fans of Benedict's previous novels and those who enjoy historical whodunits will find this hard to put down." -Library Journal, starred review

"Mystery fans may know the classic novels by the real queens of crime; now, thanks to historical-fiction star Benedict's cleverly realized portraits of women committed to friendship and feminism, readers will know the wise, empathetic, and resourceful people who wrote them." -Booklist, starred review

"An ingenious idea goes a long way in "The Queens of Crime" ... Benedict has something special with her quintet." -The Minnesota Star-Tribune

"Spellbinding, a surefire hit ... Equal parts historical fiction and compelling whodunit, THE QUEENS OF CRIME is Marie Benedict at her best, a lively takedown of the patriarchy backed by real-world examples and true grit." -Bookreporter.com

"A shrewd speculative whodunit ... Benedict easily brings each of her five distinct writer/sleuths to life, and honors their literary legacies by providing plenty of ingenious, fair-play clues to help careful readers follow along and solve the central mystery. This is a treat for fans of golden age whodunits." -Publishers Weekly

"Benedict brings both the twisty mystery and the legendary ladies to life with impeccable style, taking us full circle from the Golden Age and back again." -CrimeReads

"In this marvelous locked-room puzzle, we're treated to a masterclass in solving mysteries from the grand dames of the form ... A delight from beginning to end." -firstCLUE

"I was riveted by this quintet of mystery writers... Smart, biting, and a tribute to female friendship and loyalty. An absolute delight!" -Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Spectacular

"Faithful to history and at the same time wonderfully inventive, The Queens of Crime is a brilliant, irresistible, and page-turning delight, as well as a rallying cry for what women can accomplish when we stick together. If I always had a new book by Marie Benedict, I would do nothing but read sixteen hours a day." -Nina de Gramont, New York Times bestselling author of The Christie Affair

"I loved Marie Benedict's stellar The Queens of Crime...[it] will move you with its themes of female friendship and equal justice, which resonate so powerfully even today." -Lisa Scottoline, New York Times bestselling author of The Truth About the Devlins

"Marie Benedict takes her formidable talents to a new level in The Queens of Crime... Breathtaking suspense and female friendship make for a heady combination in this wonder of a book, which will have fans of both historical fiction and thrillers torn between racing through the pages and wanting to savor every word." -Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of Code Name Sapphire

"Full of Benedict's richly textured language, complex moral questions and delicious historic detail, The Queens of Crime reads with the urgency of a mystery and the charm of a captivating, character-driven narrative -this is one to savor. " -Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of Finding Margaret Fuller

Praise for Marie Benedict:

"A powerful and unforgettable story of female strength and the triumph of the human spirit." - Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman with the Blue Star on The First Ladies

"Fast-paced and eye-opening." -Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Magnolia Place on The Mitford Affair

"Fans of historical fiction will devour this complex portrait of a brilliant and trailblazing genius." -Beatriz Williams, New York Times bestselling author of Our Woman in Moscow on Her Hidden Genius

"A stunning story... The ending is ingenius, and it's possible that Benedict has brought to life the most plausible explanation for why Christie disappeared for 11 days in 1926." -The Washington Post on The Mystery of Mrs. Christie

"[A] fascinating fictionalized account of the consummate political wife." -People magazine on Lady Clementine

"A ready-made thriller as well as a feminist parable." -The New York Times on The Only Woman in the Room

From the publisher