The most unique sleuth you're likely to encounter - right royal fun

BENJAMIN STEVENSON

An all-star cast, a thrilling plot and writing sharper than diamonds on a crown. A wonderful read!

IAN MOORE, bestselling author of Death and Croissants

Bennett strikes gold. It's fast and funny entertainment

Publishers Weekly

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S.J. Bennett's latest royally entertaining mystery gives fresh fizz to the phrase On Her Majesty's Secret Service

MARTIN EDWARDS

Witty, clever and a treasure house of detail about the Royal household. S J Bennett has produced another absorbing mystery with a wonderful heroine, a cache of insider information and a satisfyingly twisty plot

JANE THYNNE

THE UTTERLY BRILLIANT FIFTH BOOK IN THE HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN INVESTIGATES MYSTERY SERIES - NOW AVAILABLE IN HARDBACK, EBOOK AND AUDIOBOOK!

It's 1961 and the Queen is planning her state visit to Italy aboard Britannia. But before she goes, an unreliable witness claims to have seen a brutal murder from the royal train. Did it really happen, and could the victim be a missing friend of Princess Margaret's new husband, Tony Armstrong Jones?

The Queen and her assistant private secretary, Joan McGraw, get to work on their second joint investigation, little imagining that this time it will take them all the way to Venice in a tale of spies, lies and Cold War skulduggery.

PRAISE FOR S.J. BENNETT'S HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN INVESTIGATES MYSTERY SERIES:

'A witty whodunit starring our very own HM The Queen as an amateur sleuth' - Good Housekeeping
'A flawless gem. A perfect score on the '3 Cs': charm, character and comedy' - CJ Wray
'The most unique sleuth you're ever likely to encounter' - Benjamin Stevenson
'
James Bond in pearls and a twinset. Cracking story, joyfully researched' - Angela Clarke
'A cache of insider information and a satisfyingly twisty plot' - Jane Thynne
'A pitch-perfect murder mystery' - Ruth Ware
'A masterclass from start to finish' - Ian Moore
'Written with wit and brio' - Daily Express
'Miss Marple with a crown' - Daily Mirror
'Bennett strikes gold' - Publishers Weekly
'Delightfully charming' - Adele Parks
'Pure confection' - New York Times
'Warm & witty' - Woman&Home
'A delightful read' - BBC Radio 2
'I loved it' - Joanne Harris
'A total joy' - Nina Stibbe
'Charming' - Guardian
'What a hoot!' - Saga

Read more
The utterly charming 2025 cosy mystery in the bestselling Her Majesty The Queen series.
The utterly charming 2025 cosy mystery in the bestselling Her Majesty The Queen series.
OUR BESTSELLING COSY BRAND: We have sold over 350,000 copies of the series - and over half a million worldwide.

Product details

ISBN
9781838777708
Published
2025-11-06
Publisher
Zaffre
Weight
516 gr
Height
228 mm
Width
147 mm
Thickness
37 mm
Age
G, 01
Language
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Number of pages
416

Author

Biographical note

SJ Bennett was born in Yorkshire and travelled the world as an army child. She had a varied career before her first novel was published when she was 42. Since then, her books have won awards, been optioned for TV, and have been translated into over 20 languages.

She was once asked to interview for the role of Assistant Private Secretary to the Queen and still considers it the job that got away. A curious royal watcher for many years, she lives in London, where she can often be found haunting its palaces, museums, galleries and libraries. She currently writes the 'Her Majesty the Queen Investigates' series.

You can find her on Instagram @sophiabennett_writer and on Twitter @sophiabennett.