What a fun read – the perfect antidote to any Covid-blues! With lots of gentle, tongue-in-cheek humour, a cast of well-developed fictional characters, convincing, well-observed portrayals of the real-life ones and a satisfyingly intriguing murder mystery (complete with numerous red-herrings) needing to be solved, I found myself easily able to suspend disbelief at the absurd notion of H.M. Queen as a regal Miss Marple! In fact, by the end of the story I could almost believe that it was totally in-character for her to be rather good at this private investigating lark! I think this is a measure of how well the author captured the essence of all the qualities which make the Queen so recognisable – her sense of duty, her quiet determination, her powers of observation, her prodigious memory, her diplomacy … demonstrated admirably when she allows the rather patronising main investigating officer to believe that he solved the crime! It was also easy to believe that all the Dick Francis stories she’s read (the only novels she enjoys) had perhaps given her a taste for amateur sleuthing!
The author’s portrayal of Prince Philip was equally convincing, perfectly capturing his quick, rather caustic – and sometimes less than diplomatic – wit. I think most people would easily be able to imagine him asking the Queen, as he departs for a visit to Scotland, whether she’d like him to “bring back Nicola Sturgeon’s head on a platter”! Although the intimate glimpses into their daily interactions were (probably!) imagined, they did convey something believable about the everyday exchanges between a couple who’ve been married for more than seventy years, as well as how supportive he must have been of his wife during the many decades of her reign.
Rosie, the new assistant private secretary who, of course, did all the leg-work for the queen, was a delightful and convincing character so it will be interesting to see how her relationship with the monarch develops in future stories in the series.
Interspersed with all the sleuthing which was going on, were insights into the range of the Queen’s official duties, the formality of some parts of her life, how she relaxes (with her horses and corgis) and glimpses into the daily routines at Windsor Castle and, to a lesser extent, Buckingham Palace. The author’s respect, admiration and affection for the Queen and the Royal family permeate her writing but it’s apparent throughout that she must have done considerable research to enable her to convey such a convincing portrayal of daily routines in the Royal Household. Not being an ardent monarchist (although I have huge respect for the Queen’s devotion to duty) I hadn’t expected to enjoy this story as much as I did, and I certainly wouldn’t have predicted that I’d now be looking forward to future stories in the series!
With thanks to the publisher and Readers First for a copy of this entertaining novel in exchange for an honest review.
The author’s portrayal of Prince Philip was equally convincing, perfectly capturing his quick, rather caustic – and sometimes less than diplomatic – wit. I think most people would easily be able to imagine him asking the Queen, as he departs for a visit to Scotland, whether she’d like him to “bring back Nicola Sturgeon’s head on a platter”! Although the intimate glimpses into their daily interactions were (probably!) imagined, they did convey something believable about the everyday exchanges between a couple who’ve been married for more than seventy years, as well as how supportive he must have been of his wife during the many decades of her reign.
Rosie, the new assistant private secretary who, of course, did all the leg-work for the queen, was a delightful and convincing character so it will be interesting to see how her relationship with the monarch develops in future stories in the series.
Interspersed with all the sleuthing which was going on, were insights into the range of the Queen’s official duties, the formality of some parts of her life, how she relaxes (with her horses and corgis) and glimpses into the daily routines at Windsor Castle and, to a lesser extent, Buckingham Palace. The author’s respect, admiration and affection for the Queen and the Royal family permeate her writing but it’s apparent throughout that she must have done considerable research to enable her to convey such a convincing portrayal of daily routines in the Royal Household. Not being an ardent monarchist (although I have huge respect for the Queen’s devotion to duty) I hadn’t expected to enjoy this story as much as I did, and I certainly wouldn’t have predicted that I’d now be looking forward to future stories in the series!
With thanks to the publisher and Readers First for a copy of this entertaining novel in exchange for an honest review.