Preview
  • The Windsor Knot

  • A Novel
  • By: SJ Bennett
  • Narrated by: Jane Copland
  • Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (1,111 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Windsor Knot

By: SJ Bennett
Narrated by: Jane Copland
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.59

Buy for $21.59

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

The first book in a highly original and delightfully clever crime series in which Queen Elizabeth II secretly solves crimes while carrying out her royal duties.

It is the early spring of 2016 and Queen Elizabeth is at Windsor Castle in advance of her 90th birthday celebrations. But the preparations are interrupted when a guest is found dead in one of the Castle bedrooms. The scene suggests the young Russian pianist strangled himself, but a badly tied knot leads MI5 to suspect foul play was involved. The Queen leaves the investigation to the professionals—until their suspicions point them in the wrong direction.

Unhappy at the mishandling of the case and concerned for her staff's morale, the monarch decides to discreetly take matters into her own hands. With help from her Assistant Private Secretary, Rozie Oshodi, a British Nigerian and recent officer in the Royal Horse Artillery, the Queen secretly begins making inquiries. As she carries out her royal duties with her usual aplomb, no one in the Royal Household, the government, or the public knows that the resolute Elizabeth will use her keen eye, quick mind, and steady nerve to bring a murderer to justice.

SJ Bennett captures Queen Elizabeth's voice with skill, nuance, wit, and genuine charm in this imaginative and engaging mystery that portrays Her Majesty as she's rarely seen: kind yet worldly, decisive, shrewd, and most importantly a great judge of character.

©2021 S J. Bennett (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about The Windsor Knot

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    554
  • 4 Stars
    333
  • 3 Stars
    170
  • 2 Stars
    32
  • 1 Stars
    22
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    696
  • 4 Stars
    213
  • 3 Stars
    51
  • 2 Stars
    14
  • 1 Stars
    9
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    489
  • 4 Stars
    290
  • 3 Stars
    144
  • 2 Stars
    36
  • 1 Stars
    18

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

So many names!

The narration is sooo good. I found the story a bit confusing but good. The queen was a fun character to get to know.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

One of the best mysteries

Enjoyed from the first page to the last so refreshing and original! A sagacious listen and am looking forward to the next. Makes one feel good:)

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Everything is Relative

I think what you just read influences your response to what you read next. You know, that theory of relativity. I had just finished Mystic River (and watched the movie, too, which follows the book closely), and it is--grim--at best. It's well written and a good plot and philosophical . . . but grim. So I knew I needed something "lighter" next. Windsor Knot completely fit the bill. The Queen, the wisdom, the poise and sangfroid, the mystery, the solving, the tea and sandwiches--they all came together to form a soothing respite from the violence of Boston in the early part of this century. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Jane Copland's narration is calm and well-modulated. She doesn't do a lot with "voices," so it's more of a reading than a performance; but it works just fine. I didn't have trouble distinguishing characters. It's possible that I would not have enjoyed it as much as I did were it not just what I needed. But it was and I did. This is a good book and I recommend it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars

Unique protagonist

very well structured and lots of interesting Insider detail. a must for royalty fa s

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Fun book to read

I really enjoyed this book. It was fun to think of the queen in a different way. It felt familiar since the audience knows the characters. Recommend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Wasn't sure what to think

This was a solid if not standout mystery story. I did find the inclusion of the characters of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip to be jarring, especially at first though I knew going in the premise of the book. It made me wonder how it could be legal to use a living person as your main character in a story. This is not a parody and I think the author would be hard pressed to assert that it is.

Don't get me wrong, this book was in no way disrespectful to her Majesty. It highlighted a Queen Elizabeth II with a sharp mind and a keen eye for detail. In some ways it was fun to think of her Majesty solving mysteries and being so good at it.

Possible spoiler below:

It also seemed in character the way she let everyone around her think things had been their idea or their discovery as she nudged them toward the answer without anyone but her trusty assistant private secretary knowing it was her who unraveled the puzzle.

I wasn't impressed with the narration. There was something off about the tone the narrator created.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Superb

I had read a positive review of this book and thought it could be enjoyable. I did not expect to love it! The story, the details, the narration, were all top notch.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

34 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Surely a movie to come!

Definitely The Crown meets Agatha Christie. Flawless! Surely a film must be in the works.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

23 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very enjoyable

This was a very enjoyable well written story and a good presentation. Glad I chose to listen to this story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved this!

Delightful and fun and it was a fresh view of the Queen. I have no idea how accurate this view might be so I just enjoyed it. Would listen to more from this author.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!