A Three Dog Problem

This second story in S. J. Bennett’s ‘Her Majesty The Queen Investigates’ series reveals yet more shady goings-on in the Royal Household and more mysteries and crimes for HRH and Rozie Oshodi, her trusted Assistant Private Secretary to investigate. To discover the complexities of what led up to the death of the woman discovered by the swimming pool at the start of the story the reader is taken back three months when, over breakfast, the Queen shares a disturbing discovery with Prince Philip. The previous day, on an official visit to an exhibition of maritime art in Portsmouth she saw a painting of the ex-royal yacht, Britannia, a painting which held huge sentimental value for her. It had once hung on a wall outside her bedroom but show more had disappeared sometime in the nineties, following decorating works. Determined to have it restored to her, she sets Rozie the task of discovering how it had ended up there and to arrange for its swift return. However, the organiser of the exhibition insists that the artist must have painted more than one copy because this one belonged to the Ministry of Defence and had been lent to the exhibition by the Second Sea Lord. Nevertheless, the Queen knows without any shadow of doubt that she is not mistaken and is determined to that it will be returned to her – but what neither she nor Rozie could possibly have anticipated is what their investigations will uncover, or the lengths some people will go to to prevent the truth from emerging.
Attempting to unravel what, if any, the connections are between a spate of poison-pen letters, sudden resignations, the disappearance of valuable paintings, art forgery, dishonest employees, a well-established conspiracy to defraud, suspicious deaths turns out to be a complex business but, as anyone who has read The Windsor Knot will know, nothing will stop this intrepid duo from getting to the truth!
Interspersed with all the private investigation work, are HRH’s reflections on contemporary issues (the 2016 referendum, Brexit, Theresa May, the Trump/Clinton election campaign etc) and some insights into the wide range of her official duties, demonstrating not only the ceremonial formality of some aspects of her life, but the meticulous planning which underpins such occasions. Alongside this the reader is treated to imagined (but believable!) conversations with Prince Philip, asides about various members of the family, how she relaxes (with her horses and dogs and spending time with the young grandchildren) and glimpses into the daily routines at Buckingham Palace. The author’s respect, admiration and affection for the Queen permeate her writing but from the many small details which make the story feel so convincing, it’s apparent throughout that she must have done considerable research to enable her to convey such a convincing portrayal of life in the Royal Household. One historical fact she included, to demonstrate that ‘below-stairs’ skulduggery is nothing new, was a reference to how William Fortnum, a footman to Queen Anne, began to demonstrate the entrepreneurial skill which would, in time, lead him to set up in business with a certain Hugh Mason and make his fortune. I had no idea … and if you want to know you’ll have to read the book to find out!
In my review of the first book in this series (which I read last autumn) I described the story as ‘a fun read – the perfect antidote to any Covid-blues.’ Although, inevitably I think, this second novel lacks the ‘novelty’ value of the first, I still found it easy to suspend disbelief and to enjoy losing myself in a different world for a few hours. It’s a well-plotted, gently humorous story with a cast of well-developed, eminently believable characters and although there are some dark deeds at the heart of it, an absolute belief that all will turn out well in the end makes the whole process feel rather genteel! The eventual explanation about why the Queen was able to be so adamant that the painting of Britannia was hers was delightfully convincing and, in the light of Prince Philip’s recent death, rather poignant. I also loved the author’s thinking behind her choice of title – partly inspired by Sherlock Holmes who, whenever he had a difficult case to solve had to smoke three pipes, describing it as a ‘three pipe problem’. Faced with a similar problem the Queen needed to take her three dogs for a walk!
One thread in the story involves four paintings by the Italian Baroque artist Artemisia Gentileschi, a woman who achieved success in a man’s world in the seventeenth century. As the Queen and Rozie are the indefatigable sleuths in this story, I loved the fact that the author prefaced the final section of the novel with this famous quote from the artist: ‘You will find the spirit of Caesar in the soul of a woman.’ As the next book in the series (Murder Most Royal) is due to be published in November 2022, it’s clear that our two protagonists still have more cases to solve … so fans of the series will, once more, be allowed to peek behind royal doors!
With thanks to Readers First and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review. show less

Quite a Three Dog Problem
Review of the William Morrow (North America) paperback edition (March 1, 2022) retitled from the original Zaffre (UK) hardcover "A Three Dog Problem: The Queen Investigates a Murder at Buckingham Palace" (November 11, 2021)

I was disappointed to see that the North American editions of the 2nd book in S.J. Bennett's Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series retitled it from its quirky original*. Admittedly, the corgis and the dorgis are not actually helping to solve the crime, but it is just charming to picture the Queen taking a walk with her dogs in order to ponder about the solution to the current mystery.

The current case is set in November 2016 with a few references to the then current American election being show more made. What starts out with the Queen identifying a favourite sentimental painting which has been missing for 50 years from her personal collection leads into murders and the uncovering of a long-running fraud and theft ring at Buckingham Palace. Her current Assistant Private Secretary Rozie Oshodi is again her eyes and ears around the palace and elsewhere to help her seek out the culprits.

All the Queen's Men doesn't have the revelations of the origin story in "The Windsor Knot" (2020) which had the extra charm of revealing the REAL Her Majesty's Secret Service, but I can't begrudge that. If anything, S.J. Bennett crafted an even more elaborate story here and again manages to fashion an ending where the Queen maneuvers her somewhat slower witted Palace staff chiefs, managers and police into thinking that they solved the crime on her behalf, when it was actually her hints and prodding that got them there.

Trivia and Link
* The original title is a nod to Sherlock Holmes in "The Red-Headed League - a Sherlock Holmes Short Story" (1891) where Holmes remarks to Watson that:

“It is quite a three pipe problem, and I beg that you won't speak to me for fifty minutes.”

The reference was also later borrowed by Julian Symons for the title of his book "A Three-Pipe Problem" (1975). show less

Challenging to read now that the Queen and Prince Phillip have both passed away. I would have preferred to have read while they were both alive. The glimpses that the book allows us to see into the character of both are as I imagined. Queen Elizabeth loves to talk but holds all secrets tight to her chest. Phillip has an interesting sense of humor and loves to paint.

Not good of course to learn that Buckingham Palace needs safety improvements but where will the money come from? The Queen noticed that one of her favorite paintings in her bedroom was missing. A much-hated housekeeper was found dead, and the police thought it was an accident. But there is a connection between the missing painting and the death. Poison pen letters were show more mentioned. The Queen directs Assistant Private Secretary Rozie Oshodi, to trace the whereabouts of the painting. Her discoveries make her think that death was not accidental.

Plenty of humor, great characters, and a villain you will despise make this adventure very enjoyable although a little too long. show less

This is the second book in the series where Queen Elizabeth investigates and solves the mystery with the help of her APS. My only complaint was that it was a little too drawn out, particularly the denouement. Otherwise it was a fun tale because it took place at Buckingham Palace and offered some interesting details, although there is no way of telling if they are fictional or not. Bennett writes the Queen believably, Prince Philip too, I’d like to think this is how Her Majesty would go about investigating art theft and murders in her home.

Thanks to Book Club Girl Early Read program & NetGalley for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

I’ve had this in my digital TBR stack since last December, and sadly it took the queen’s recent passing to push it to the top. It’s the second in the series (I’ve also read “The Windsor Knot”), and each can be read as a stand-alone.

The premise of this series is that Queen Elizabeth likes to solve mysteries, and apparently has been doing so inconspicuously even as far back as when her father was on the throne. Since becoming queen she recruits her Assistant Private Secretary – who is currently Rozie Oshodie – to provide the actual investigating. But Her Majesty cleverly works out the details, show more much like one would do the New York Times crossword puzzle. Who knew there were so many mysteries to be solved related to the royal family’s residences – Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Sandringham, and Balmoral?

“All The Queen’s Men” contains several elements: a missing painting, the shocking death of a staff member, poison pen letters targeted at multiple people, underground tunnels, Palace items being misappropriated. And Rozie, who is at the heart of the investigation, is an especially likeable character. She is intelligent, clever, and enthusiastically dependable as the queen’s eyes and ears while she investigates on the queen’s behalf. I found the plot to move along briskly with several red herrings, palace conspiracies, and crimes both past and present.

The story begins in the summer of 2016, and author S.J. Bennett notes that she wrote the novel before the death of Prince Philip on April 9, 2021 at age of 99. She dedicates the book to him. I found it bittersweet to read of both Philip and Elizabeth, knowing they are no longer living.

What I especially liked in this novel was the sophisticated perspective - the queen is portrayed respectfully and the book is written as a contemporary mystery, not light-hearted or silly. Most of the characters are fictional, but the author skillfully weaves in real life political issues such as Brexit and references to the then-upcoming 2016 US election with a disruptive presidential candidate. The corgis are included as is the queen’s interest in horseback riding, as well as references to Kate and William.

What I really enjoyed, in addition to the mystery, was the realistic depiction of how the royal household operates, i.e. all the people managing, supervising, coordinating, as well as the hands-on staff who actually make it happen. And the archtectural descriptions, rooms and hallways, furniture, etc. seemed to be written with the familiarity of one who had been there. Bennett provided all those details that let the reader feel like a fly on the wall.

There was one thing that took away a star, though. A certain character reveals a key bit of information to Rozie, which made no sense since that incriminates them. There must have been a way to have Rozie learn of this fact more gracefully. Why didn’t any editor or early reader catch this? So disappointing.

Nonetheless, I highly recommend this book for mystery lovers and royal watchers alike. show less

I admit it - I am a Royal Watcher! I loved last year's first entry (The Windsor Knot) in SJ Bennett's delightful series - Her Majesty the Queen Investigates. The second book is the newly released All the Queen's Men - and it's a cracking listen!

Buckingham Palace 2016. It all starts with one of the Queen's favorite paintings gone missing, a series of 'poison pen' notes aimed at certain staff members - and a body by the indoor pool. Now, the Queen is not the one physically investigating. But she is conducting a secret inquiry of her own alongside the formal investigation. She again employs her Assistant Private Secretary Rozie Oshodi, to be her eyes, ears and legs reporting back only to her.

When I listened to first book, I had concerns show more over how the Queen would be portrayed. Well, I didn't need to worry. She is kind, gracious, wise, highly intelligent, well-spoken, observant, but imposing as well. Her inner dialogue is a treat to read and her sense of humor is dry, as are her observations about her Royal family. Current events in 2016 are woven into the book such as elections at home and abroad, Brexit and more. We get to know Rozie a bit more personally in this latest. She's likable, smart and strong both physically and mentally.

The mystery is well plotted and I really enjoyed following along. And it's not so easy as the butler did it. There are some red herrings on the path the final chapters. It's fun to be on 'the inside', aware of what is going on with the supporting players and their case, even as Rozie and the Queen pursue their own leads.

I liked the setting as well - who doesn't want to know what the inside and daily life of the castle is like? I got curious and learned that Bennett's description and details of the Queen's art collection of art are true. The Royal Art Collection is the largest privately owned art collection in the world.

This was another fun, clever and thoroughly enjoyable listen for me. I was happy for the continuity in using Jane Copland for the narrator again. Her voice is perfect - with a rich, cultured tone that's quite pleasant to listen to and an accent that immediately brought the Queen to mind. The pace of the reading is just right as well - never rushed. Keep calm and carry on! The subtle changes in intonation and emphasis are perfect for the Queen's manner. Different voices are provided for other characters and suit as well. Her speaking flows very naturally and is clear and easy to understand.

This series could be considered a cozy mystery - but note there are no cats. Just corgis. ;0) This happy listener will be watching for the third entry in this series. show less

After recently reading The Windsor Knot, book one in the "Her Majesty the Queen Investigates" series, I was really keen to read book two, A Three Dog Problem. I enjoyed this second instalment just as much as the first, if not even more.

This time there seems to be more going on with what at first appears to be three separate crimes to keep the Queen and Rozie, her Assistant Personal Secretary and partner in crime-fighting, busy. But as the book progressed it because clear there may be more to each crime than initially met the eye. The story begins with a body being found next to the swimming pool at Buckingham Palace and the Queen realising that one of her paintings that should be in her possession is most definitely not. Add in a spate show more of poison pen letters and there's a lot going on.

I loved following the Queen and Rozie once again as they investigated in their usual understated, behind the scenes, fashion. S.J. Bennett writes these tales so engagingly, portraying the Queen's sharp mind, wit and absolute diplomacy at all times. I must admit to getting a little confused as to who did what and why but there's no doubt this is a really cleverly plotted story and it's clear I would not make much of an investigator!

I found the settings absolutely fascinating to read about, with most of the action taking place this time at Buckingham Palace. I learned new information about things that I didn't even know were there and I really enjoyed the combination of fact and fiction. The author keeps it authentic at all times and the attention to detail makes these books really special.

I enjoyed A Three Dog Problem very much indeed. It's another charming and original read with a unique investigating protagonist. I'm looking forward to book three now. show less