Saturday 15th November - Woman

 Many years ago I saw a pin badge which proclaimed 

'THIS IS NO ORDINARY WOMAN YOU ARE TALKING TO!!

It made me laugh then, perhaps I should have bought it and posted it to our late Queen Elizabeth.

I am hugely enjoying listening to Samantha Bond reading her latest 'whodunnit' on audible. It's a bit tricky, as I tend to listen to audible at night, and I'm finding it too exciting, too interesting, and tend to add another 10 minutes to the timer, and then another...

This is the latest, although, in terms of the period it must be 1961, because the infamous Royal Tour to India and Nepal, involving a tiger hunt is touched upon in an unfortunate dinner conversation. 

I would recommend that they are read in order, but it's not strictly necessary. The first three are set in 2016, when Prince Phillip was still alive, and the Queen was 90. It's rather poignant reading them now.

The Windsor Knot - a body is discovered in Windsor Castle 

 

A Three Dog Problem - the body is in Buckingham Palace this time

Murder Most Royal - set at Christmas time in and around Sandringham

A Death in Diamonds - this is set in the 1950s, at the beginning of her reign

The premise is that the Queen has always solved various mysteries, with the help of her Personal Secretary, but also stayed resolutely in the background, contriving to make it possible for the police, or other senior members of her staff to stumble across the solution. 

I enjoy reading about the inner workings of the Palace, and the backstories behind the scenes both 'above' and 'below' stairs.

And I also enjoy listening because Samantha Bond seems to get the Queen's voice spot-on!

There are other Queen books but in my view these are the best!

I've signed up to the newsletter on her website as it looks as though I might get a free short story called 'Mrs Simpson's Secrets'

Meanwhile