Episode Summary

Podcast: New Books Network
Host: Carolyn Leslie (C.P. Leslie)
Guest: S.J. Bennett
Book Discussed: The Queen Who Came in from the Cold (Crooked Lane Books, 2025) – Book 5 in the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series
Recording Date: December 12, 2025

Main Theme

This episode features an engaging conversation with S.J. Bennett, crime novelist and creator of the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series, in which Queen Elizabeth II takes on the role of an amateur detective. The discussion covers Bennett’s inspiration for the series, the balancing act between humor and respect for real-life figures, the central female characters who assist the Queen, and how the books explore gender, power, and the personal life of Elizabeth II against the backdrop of postwar British history.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. S.J. Bennett’s Path to Crime Fiction

• Getting Started as a Novelist:

  • Bennett had long dreamt of writing since childhood but only built up confidence after reading about J.K. Rowling’s book deal. This inspired her to leave her job and write children’s fiction before crossing into crime writing.
  • Quote: “I finally got the courage to write just before Harry Potter came out... Reading that gave me the courage to quit my job and try and become a writer.” (Sophie, 03:18)

• Transition to Crime Fiction:

  • Inspired by classic crime, especially Dorothy Sayers and Rex Stout, but initially struggled to find a distinctive detective.
  • The eureka moment: envisioning Queen Elizabeth II as a sleuth—“curious, clever, obviously very, very well connected.”
  • Quote: “As soon as I had the idea of her being my detective, then really the whole thing took off.” (Sophie, 04:28)

2. Series Structure and Setting (Books 1-3)

• Settings as Characters:

  • Mysteries are set in unique royal locations: Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace, Sandringham.
  • Each location shapes the murder’s tone and style, providing a “locked room mystery, but with a thousand rooms.”
  • The chronology mirrors real events in the Queen's calendar.
  • Quote: “I could set a murder at Windsor Castle and another... at Buckingham Palace, another one at Sandringham.” (Sophie, 05:05)

• Plot Examples:

  • The Windsor Knot: A suspicious death during the Queen’s 90th birthday.
  • Buckingham Palace: Involvement with the Queen’s art collection and a murder by the swimming pool.
  • Sandringham: The Queen recognizes a ring on a severed hand washed up on the beach.

3. The Queen’s Sidekicks: Rosie Ashodi and Joan McGraw

• Rosie Ashodi (Books 1-3):

  • A British Nigerian, military background, discreet, brave, and instrumental to the investigative process.
  • Inspired by Rex Stout’s Archie Goodwin as a capable “leg-man” (or woman).
  • Quote: “The Queen, for very different reasons, can't tramp about London... so she needed a sidekick. And I wanted it to be a woman... that woman to have the role that I interviewed for in the 1990s.” (Sophie, 07:52)
  • Rosie’s experience reflects contemporary London’s diversity and immigrant experience.
  • Praised for realistic decision-making and “risk-taking... with military training.” (Sophie, 11:18)

• Joan McGraw (Historical Novels):

  • Introduced in later, historically set novels.
  • Working-class, with a secret war work pedigree, based on Bennett’s own grandmothers.
  • Embodies the postwar shift and class mobility.
  • Quote: “Joan... did fantastic war work, not only at Bletchley park but other places... after the war, she couldn't talk about what she'd done... The Queen finds her as a typist in the Buckingham Palace typing pool.” (Sophie, 25:26)

4. Power, Gender, and the Queen’s Dilemma

• The Constraints of Royal Power:

  • The Queen can solve mysteries but must let others (often men, sometimes antagonists) take the credit due to constitutional and social conventions.
  • Quote: “We watch as readers as Rosie, we watch the Queen solve the crime, but we then have to watch her choose somebody else to take the credit for it because as a constitutional monarch it's not her job.” (Sophie, 12:24)

• Feminist Core:

  • The men surrounding the Queen (private secretaries etc.) often shield her or mansplain solutions, providing both comic relief and commentary on women’s roles in spheres of power.
  • Quote: “These books end up... having quite a strong feminist core because they are about women in a man's world.” (Sophie, 13:35)

5. The Queen’s Family Life and Prince Philip

• Real Marriage, Real Woman:

  • Exploration of the Queen’s close but complex relationship with Prince Philip; he is her confidant, “rock,” and sometimes a source of comic friction.
  • Quote: “She lets him think that it was his idea... they tease each other a bit and they get on each other's nerves a little bit, but whenever she is really vulnerable or sad. He notices and he is the one who will comfort her.” (Sophie, 15:41)

• The Iconic Funeral Photo:

  • The Queen’s lone figure at Prince Philip’s funeral as an emblem of her humility, principle, and identification with her people.
  • Quote: “That photograph really sums her up for me....even after all of the service that she'd given... she still operated that way.” (Sophie, 15:41)

6. Handling Real Figures with Humor and Respect

• A Tradition of Fictionalizing Royals:

  • Bennett acknowledges concern for representing real people who “can’t fight back,” and intentionally avoids cruelty, unlike works such as The Crown.
  • Quote: “Her sense of humor, I don't think was ever fully captured by the crown, her sense of mischief sometimes, and mimicry.” (Sophie, 20:55)

• Writing Aim:

  • To “capture this woman who remained surprisingly humble and who thought of herself as a servant of the people.” (Sophie, 20:55)

7. Moving Back in Time: Cold War Novels

• Shift to Historical Settings (Books 4–6):

  • Later novels are set in the 1950s and 1960s, exploring Britain’s postwar uncertainty, diplomatic missions, and the shift to “cool Britannia.”
  • Quote: “In 1957, the Queen was sent to Paris and Copenhagen and Ottawa and Washington... as our big diplomatic tool.” (Sophie, 23:08)

• On Choosing 1961 for Book 5 (The Queen Who Came in from the Cold):

  • 1961 had Cold War intrigue, the rise of James Bond and Le Carré, and the world on the edge of momentous change.
  • “The year is the third character because it is the time of... the Bay of Pigs. Ian Fleming... John Le Carre... The Russians are winning the space race. Yuri Gagarin is about to go into space. There's a lot going on...” (Sophie, 27:38)

• Plot Snapshot:

  • Begins with a royal train journey, a potential murder, and royal/press entanglements—layering classic detective with spy thriller.

8. Character Relationships and the Queen’s Growth

• Joan & Hector:

  • Joan, now paired with MI5’s Hector Ross, combine intelligence, discretion, and secret romance, further illustrating the challenges of secrecy and gender at that time.

• The Queen's Moral Center:

  • Bennett emphasizes an ethical, caring Queen—one who always weighs the impacts of her actions.
  • Quote: “She’s the one who notices if somebody is going to suffer as a result of political decisions… who wonders whether that is fair or right.” (Sophie, 33:53)
  • Despite public stoicism, she’s shown as a mother and wife juggling personal vulnerabilities with public obligations.

• Animals as Reflection:

  • Corgis and racehorses offer the Queen scenes of relaxation and authenticity—“animals don’t care whether you’re famous or not.”
  • Quote: “She could have been a horse trainer. She could have been a dog breeder and dog trainer. She was... really very good at it.” (Sophie, 37:21)

9. Takeaway for Readers

• S.J. Bennett hopes her books provide a kind of “shelter” in turbulent times, depicting a world “where the person in charge does know what she’s doing and does have the best of intentions.”
• Quote: “If readers can take solace from that or inspiration from that, that would be lovely too.” (Sophie, 38:48)

10. Upcoming in the Series

• Book 6 (set in 1966) is already written: features a royal Caribbean tour, another murder, and the Queen’s personal stakes in clearing Joan’s name.
• Quote: “Joan is the person who is known to have disliked the victim more than anybody else. So this time the Queen really needs to help Jane get out of a hole.” (Sophie, 40:10)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Literary Influence:
  “Rex Stout and the Nero Wolf mysteries, something that I've loved from childhood...” (Sophie, 07:52)

• On Women's Power:
  “We still live in a world very much where women in positions of real power are vastly outnumbered by men. And the Queen from her generation has had to find a way of navigating that.” (Sophie, 13:35)

• On Writing About the Queen:
  "I'm very aware that they can't fight back. And I did think for ages, can I do this? Should I do this?... I'm not going to write cruel things." (Sophie, 20:55)

• On Combining Fiction & History: “My editor said he wanted a mystery set on a train and certainly it starts off that way. So we start with the royals heading north with their staff...” (Sophie, 30:33)

• On Empathy:
  “She sort of motioned to a footman and he bought some dog treats. And during lunch, they didn't really talk so much. They just fed the dogs together because that's what he needed to do. And he found that empathy really extraordinary.” (Sophie, 37:21)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|---------| | 03:13–04:53 | S.J. Bennett explains her writing journey and inspiration for the Queen as sleuth | | 05:05–07:36 | Recap of first three books—settings and plot structure | | 07:52–11:18 | Discussion of Rosie Ashodi’s creation and role | | 12:24–15:03 | The Queen’s limitations, gender roles, and “mansplaining” | | 15:41–18:33 | Writing the Queen’s relationship with Prince Philip and the famous funeral photo | | 20:17–22:34 | Humor & respect in fictionalizing real Royals | | 23:08–27:30 | Moving into historical settings and the inspiration for the 1957 and 1961 novels | | 27:38–33:38 | Setting and themes of The Queen Who Came in from the Cold | | 33:53–36:34 | On the Queen’s moral compass and evolution across the books | | 37:21–38:44 | Corgis, animals, and real-life empathy | | 38:48–41:22 | Series’ message, comfort for readers, and hints about Book 6 |

Conclusion

This episode offers rich insights into S.J. Bennett’s Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series, spotlighting the creative and ethical nuances of turning Queen Elizabeth II into a literary detective. With warmth and intelligence, Bennett discusses her approach to blending history, humor, and a feminist perspective within crime fiction, while offering comfort and escapism for readers in uncertain times.
For more, visit sjbennettbooks.com.