ARC Review: The Four Queens of Crime by Rosanne Limoncelli

The Four Queens of Crime
Author: Rosanne Limoncelli
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (March 11, 2025)

Description: In this debut mystery, DCI Lilian Wyles, the first woman detective chief inspector in the CID, is determined to find a killer with the help of the four queens of crime, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham, perfect for fans of Elly Griffiths and Claudia Gray.

1938, London. The four queens of British crime fiction, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham, are hosting a gala to raise money for the Women’s Voluntary Service to help Britain prepare for war. Baronet Sir Henry Heathcote has loaned Hursley House for the event, and all the elites of London society are attending. The gala is a brilliant success, despite a few hiccups, but the next morning, Sir Henry is found dead in the library.

Detective Chief Inspectors Lilian Wyles and Richard Davidson from Scotland Yard are quickly summoned and discover a cluster of potential suspects among the guests, including an upset fiancée, a politically ambitious son, a reserved but protective brother, an irate son-in-law, a rebellious teenage daughter, and the deputy home secretary.

Quietly recruiting the four queens of crime, DCI Wyles must sort through the messy aftermath of Sir Henry’s death to solve the mystery and identify the killer.

My Thoughts: It is 1938 and the four queens of crime - Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham - have been invited to be co-hosts of a fundraiser for the Women's Voluntary Service. The event is set at the home of Sir Henry Heathcote who is a Baronet and industrialist and is attended by society's and industry's movers and shakers.

The four women arrive the afternoon before the event and note that there is some tension among the family members. Tensions escalate during the ball when Sir Henry manages to have acrimonious encounters with most of his family. 

However, all are surprised when Sir Henry's body is discovered in his always-locked library the morning after the event. It is apparent to all that he was killed while smoking a poisoned cigar. Because one of the guests is the Home Secretary, Scotland Yard is called in and DCI Richard Davidson and DCI Lilian Wyles are called in to discretely investigate.

The queens of crime are also investigating by being sympathetic ears for the family and staff. Wyles is willing and eager to use what the writers learn. Her partner is less enthusiastic. The investigation is full and landmines and most of the family have motives to do the family patriarch in. 

This was an entertaining mystery. I liked the insights of the authors and the mentions of their work. I liked the setting and the combination of real and fictional characters who make up the cast of this story. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.