THE FOUR QUEENS OF CRIME brings legendary writers Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham to a house party where the host is murdered. The party is a gala to raise money for the Women’s Volunteer Service.
The host is Baronet Sir Henry Heathcote. He died in the early morning after the gala – poisoned in the library.
The suspects: his family, the staff, and a few important guests.
Detective Chief Inspectors Lilian Wyles and Richard Davidson from Scotland Yard arrive on the scene. Due to the victim’s high rank, the powers that be would like this case swiftly handled.
DCI Wyles and her colleague interviewed everyone. They’re having a hard time narrowing down the suspects; too many people have a motive. DCI Wyles believes it’s time to enlist the crime writers to help them solve the murder.
THE FOUR QUEENS OF CRIME is the first book in a series featuring DCI Lilian Wyles, the first woman detective chief inspector. DCI Lilian Wyles is a historic figure. I love how the mystery writers were written into this detective novel; it’s such a clever hook. This book highlights the power of feminism and women working together. I’m eager to read the next book in the series.
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.