Devyani Rana fled Nepal and is reported to be in Europe. Her uncle, the Maharajah of Kashmir and an Indian politician, Dr Karen Singh, says she is also a victim: With the Christmas break coming to an end, the Queen and her trusted assistant Rozie must race to discover how the pieces of the puzzle fit together... Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: The Ultimate Guide to Celebrating Christmas with the Best Drinks Books On The Shelves Do you see that flat-topped middle finger? He cut off the tip doing some carpentry when he was a teenager. But it's the signet ring, of course….Bloodstone. Quite distinctive. And that carving is of a swan from the family crest. This is the hand of Edward St Cyr.

The Queen soon figures out not only who must have cut off Ned’s hands, but why, and where the rest of his body will be found—but not before running into danger herself. Crown Prince Dipendra's brother-in-law, Gorahk Rana, who was married to Dipendra's sister, Princess Shruti, remembers the crown prince's surprise: He looked exactly like the Terminator, absolutely expressionless and very focused, and that look still haunts me. Close by, on a Norfolk beach, a severed hand in a plastic bag washes up on the beach. The police are seeking to identify the victim, but it is the Queen who identifies the 70 year old victim from the signet ring as a well known member of the aristocracy, Edward St Cyr, who as a boy was a frequent visitor to Sandringham. As the police investigate, hunting for the rest of his body, and looking into his life, movements and family, they struggle to make any headway. When another man is discovered dead and a local woman is almost killed in a hit and run, the Queen feels obliged to become involved in what turns out to be her most twisted and challenging inquiry yet and which brings danger far too close to home. Family history, secrets, deceptions and lies are slowly uncovered with a Queen determined to get to the truth, irrespective of the obstacles in her path. Just like in the other books I loved the banter between the Queen and other family members. There’s a particularly amusing conversation between Princess Anne and Prince Charles, that made me smile!As with SJ Bennett's first two books in the series in which Queen Elizabeth II has now been established as a more than capable, below the radar, sleuth, solving intricate mysteries with the aid of her trusted assistant private secretary, Rozie Oshodi, I listened to this one on audio, nine and half hours long, and narrated by the wonderful actor, Samantha Bond. Bond does a warm and stellar job in immersing the listener into the royal household and family at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk during the festive season. The Queen and Philip arrive not in the best of health, looking forward to spending Christmas with the family, including the grandchildren and great grandchildren, although William and Kate are not there, choosing to spend it instead with Kate's family. There is banter and fun as the intimate side of a royal family at Christmas, that endeavours to keep these aspects of their lives private, is detailed. Obviously events of the last few months have made the story more poignant but it was still an enjoyable read which was amusing in places.

With the local police investigating the Queen and her trusted assistant Rozie do their own "off the radar" detective work and as they try to unravel the complicated history and relationships of the St Cyr family there's another murder and a possibly linked hit and run accident lending a sense of urgency. December 2016 sees the Royal Family decamping to Sandringham for the Christmas festivities ,while a severed hand is washed up and found by a young girl on a nearby beach. As we've become used to in this series Queen Elizabeth takes more than a passing interest and identifies the hand as that of local minor aristocrat Edward St Cyr, an elderly man with a chequered history from a dysfunctional family. With the winter break coming to an end, the Queen and her trusted assistant Rozie must race to discover how the pieces of the puzzle fit together. Or the next victim may be found even closer to home. Murder Most Royal is the third book in SJ Bennett's "Her Majesty The Queen Investigates" series. Before reviewing the book 2 things. Yes it features the late Queen Elizabeth the Second in a fictional role and no it's no way disrespectful and I'm sure with her known wry sense of humour our late Monarch would enjoy these books and find the whole thing quite amusing.Oh how I adore this wonderfully unique series with the Queen acting as an incredibly efficient solver of crimes with the help of Rozie, her assistant private secretary. The third in the series, Murder Most Royal makes a perfect Christmas gift, as it’s set during the festive season while the Queen and her family celebrate at Sandringham Estate. This latest book is published after the Queen’s death, and it feels like a tribute to her, all three books honour her particular qualities and abilities and there is a comforting warmth throughout. Containing the most beautiful balance between fact and fiction S.J. Bennett ensures that you think these incredible antics could in fact be real. While the plot includes murder and dark moments, there is also compassion and a lightness of touch which is beautifully considered. The characteristics of the cast, whether known members of Royalty or fictional, feel authentic. Rozie is an absolute delight, and I adore the fact that she and her predecessors are part of such an exclusive club, there is a touch of the 007 about Rozie, which works perfectly. The descriptions of the christmas celebrations pop with vibrant colour, and a smile often escaped as I read. All three books now sit in our Star Book category. Murder Most Royal ensures this series is one to put to the very top of your reading lists. Agatha Christie meets The Crown in MURDER MOST ROYAL, the much-anticipated third book in the 'Her Majesty The Queen Investigates' mystery series by SJ Bennett - for fans of The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, Agatha Christie and M.C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin. The tragedy was fuelled by the king's refusal to let the crown prince marry his lover, Devyani Rana, who he met in 1989. St Cyr led an unconventional, often controversial life, making many enemies along the way in the quiet, rural world of North Norfolk, where everyone knows each other's business.