A death in diamonds

Bennett's fourth whodunit featuring Queen Elizabeth II (after Murder Most Royal) is the best yet. In 1957, Elizabeth is on a state visit to Paris when two mishaps lead her to question whether someone is attempting to sabotage the trip. First, a draft of an important speech goes missing; then, oysters appear on the menu of an official dinner, despite Elizabeth's insistence there be no seafood. As she attempts to suss out the culprit, she receives word that her husband, Prince Philip, has been linked to a double murder in London. The killings took place at Chelsea's exclusive Artemis Club, where Philip is a member. Elizabeth's fear subsides when she hears Philip has an alibi; it spikes again when she discovers that she's the alibi, because Philip was not with her when he says he was. Convinced of her husband's innocence but unsure why he's lying, Elizabeth teams up with an old friend--a former WWII code breaker--to solve the murders. Bennett establishes real emotional stakes for her fictionalized royals and packs Elizabeth's investigation full of genuine surprises. Long live this series. Agent: Grainne Fox, UTA. (Jan.)

Bennett's series fourth (after Murder Most Royal) cleverly combines the queen's investigations with a police procedural. In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II goes to Paris, where several troubling incidents convince her that one of her advisors is not to be trusted. When a man and a woman are murdered, and the crime scene seems to be staged and involves a stolen tiara, the queen takes an interest. In order to investigate both situations, she needs to recruit someone to be her legs. Recalling that typist Joan McGraw has a photographic memory, Elizabeth enlists her. While the queen applies her knowledge of history and the current political situation to her analysis of the situations, Joan's investigation crosses paths with MI5. The queen's network helps Joan to find answers when the Metropolitan Police seem stymied, but the legwork also puts Joan in danger. The scenes involving Elizabeth's family--Philip, the queen mother, and Princess Margaret--add even more personality. VERDICT This installment is the most polished in Bennett's intriguing series featuring Queen Elizabeth, her network of women assistants, historical figures, and actual events. Anglophiles and fans of historical mysteries will enjoy.--Lesa Holstine

The queen investigates the death of a sex worker. Bennett's Elizabeth II already has quite a record as a crime-buster, having solved three cases in 2016 alone. But in this exploit, set in the 1950s, she has help. Joan McGraw, drawn from the typing pool when the queen's regular assistant private secretary falls ill, turns out to be a find. Smart, intuitive, and sensitive, Joan is just what the young queen needs to help her discover who in her court is trying to sabotage her goodwill trips to France, the United States, and Canada. Joan is tactful in dealing with Elizabeth's three closest advisors, Private Secretary Sir Hugh Masson, Deputy Private Secretary Major Miles Urquhart, and Press Secretary Jeremy Radnor-Milne, whom Prince Philip calls "the men in moustaches." But she proves her true worth when the palace gets embroiled in a grisly double murder in Chelsea. Clement Moreton, Dean of Bath, wakes up one morning in his London pied-à-terre to find two dead bodies in the adjoining bedroom: Dino Perez from Argentina and the escort Perez had hired for the night from the Raffles Agency. The two victims had been cavorting before their demise at the Artemis Club, a venue frequented by the Duke of Edinburgh. When Elizabeth seeks to learn what connection her husband has to the crime, the men in moustaches naturally stay mum. It's up to Joan to help the young queen find out the truth so that she can face her overseas junkets with grace and aplomb. Bennett blends detection with domestic detail and transnational pageantry to create a royal treat. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.