Death at Sandringham House

Housemaid Jane Bee is part of the Buckingham House staff transferred to Sandringham for the Queen's residence through the Christmas season. Since the flu is making its rounds, the healthy staff have to take on unaccustomed duties to cover for sick staff. Jane is sent on an errand to the Village Hall just as the hunting party is expected to arrive for lunch. Before Jane can slip out unobtrusively, a woman's body is discovered backstage. The woman is an actress in the Pantomime currently running at the Hall, and she is still in her costume from the night before – dressed as the Queen, complete with a tiara. The authorities focused their investigation on the animal rights group that had targeted the dead woman, who flaunted her fur coat show more everywhere she went. However, the Queen suspects there may be a connection to the tiara and its history and, as she had months earlier when a footman was murdered in Buckingham Palace, she uses Jane to gather information that might solve the murder. This time Jane gets additional assistance from her father, a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who just happens to be visiting his daughter over the holidays.

I enjoy this series more for the royal connections and behind-the-scene-at-the-palace setting rather than the mystery. The mystery plot isn't bad, but the author doesn't play fair with readers when he allows Jane to discover crucial information “off stage” and withhold it until the final summation when all the suspects have been gathered. Also, I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Jane's father. I have one book left to read in this series. I need to save it for sometime when I have plenty of time since this author's books tend to be a lot longer than a typical cozy. show less

This was another good romp from housemaid Jane Bee and Her Majesty the Queen via their pen pusher C.C. Benison. I am very curious about how s/he knows so much about what goes on in the royal households.

In this story the royal household has made their annual trek to Sandringham for the Christmas and New Year's holidays. Jane joined them on Boxing Day after spending Christmas with her aunt and father. A hunt luncheon is prepared for the royals and their guests. Jane is pressed into service to bring a few items that were forgotten. One of the footmen goes onto the stage in the hall where the luncheon is to be served and screams that the Queen is dead. Her Majesty and Prince Margaret enter the hall at that precise moment so it is obvious show more the footman is wrong. When Jane, HM, PM and the others go on stage they find a woman dressed as the Queen with a tiara on her head. She was one of the performers in a panto that took place the day before in the hall. She is most certainly dead. Who killed her and how she came to be wearing a valuable tiara are the mysteries to be solved by Jane and HM. Many red herrings later all is revealed. Enjoy! show less

Jane Bee is spending Christmas holidays with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II -- not as a guest, but as one of many members of the royal Staff who accompany the Royal Family to their holiday home at Sandringham House, Norfolk. One day just before Christmas, a woman dressed as the Queen is found dead in the village hall. The Queen herself is among the group that finds her, as is Jane Bee. Thus begins the second murder investigation involving this unlikely pair.

Of the three Her Majesty Investigates, this one is my least favourite -- not because it's not good, but because the others are just a bit better. This one does not quite stand alone; it explains the ending of the first book in the series, Death at Buckingham Palace, so if you haven't show more read that one, spoiler alert! But I do love that this book features Jane's dad, an RCMP officer who is overseas visiting his daughter for the holidays and who ends up playing a small role in the investigation as well. As always I enjoy the conversations between the Queen and Jane, and the glimpse into the mid-1990s Royal Family is interesting as well. show less

There are more corgis in Book 2! I am quite pleased. Yes, sometimes they yawn so hard they squeak. And it is particularly satisfying to rub one's stockinged feet on their bellies. Mmm corgi belly.

Maybe it was the atmosphere of England at Christmastime, or the larger variety of venues compared to the first book in the series, but I did enjoy Book 2 a smidge more than Book 1. Lusher landscape, more vibrant character development.

And more corgis.

Read from November 05 to 06, 2013

Compelling contemporary mystery by local Canadian author, CC Benison.

Individual characterization and descriptive settings added to my interest in the action of the story. British euphemisms authenticate the dialogue adding to the humour of the scenarios and personalizing the characters. I also appreciated proper UK English spellings for a story set in Britain.

Great pacing of action and contemplation as our MC sorts through current affairs of murder and mayhem during Her Majesty's annual Christmas stay at Sandringham House in Norfolk. A delite to be carried into the dual world of royalty and staff as they co-exist in this contemporary life.

Discovered at a local charity shop, I was intrigued to find CC show more Benison to be a local author. Adding this to my annual Canadian Reading Challenge participation at bookmineset.com andPinterest Board.

Looking forward to reading further mystery writing by this Winnipeg MB author. show less

I confess I originally bought this series simply because I owned a corgi and there were corgis on the cover of book number one. I enjoyed that book enough to buy book two and was not disappointed, the quality was the same and there were corgis.