The Queens of Crime

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of gender discrimination, rape, sexual violence, and pregnancy loss and termination.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Were you familiar with the works of the authors featured in The Queens of Crime? Did the book pique your interest in classic mystery novels?

2. How does this book compare to others written by Marie Benedict, such as Lady Clementine or The Personal Librarian? What thematic or narrative connections can you see between these books?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. The novel features graphic descriptions of violence against women, sexual assault, and child loss. How does the author navigate these touchy issues? What emotions did these discussions bring up?

2. Do you believe that justice was served for May Daniels? If so, how were the women able to do what the police could not? If not, do you think justice is possible?

3. Have you ever felt excluded from an important group? What lengths would you go to prove you belong? Did you find Dorothy’s response to exclusion relatable?

4. Dorothy and the others face gender discrimination from male mystery writers and from the police they encounter. Have you experienced similar discrimination in a workplace or the justice system?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. How does the novel relate to modern conversations about true crime media and amateur online attempts to solve crimes?

2. How does the novel’s setting in Britain influence its discussion of class? How might the story differ if it were set in the US or another country?

3. How does the novel’s setting in the early 20th century influence its depiction of the challenges facing women? If the novel were set in the modern day, how might the story differ?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Each chapter is subtitled with the date and location of the events taking place. How did this affect your reading experience? Why might the author have chosen to include this information?

2. Besides Dorothy, which of the other Queens of Crime demonstrated the most growth throughout the novel? Which character did you most relate to and why?

3. How does the revelation that Dorothy had a child out of wedlock influence the central mystery? How do Dorothy’s complex feelings about John influence her investigation? How does this contribute to the novel’s thematic content?

4. Parenthood is a recurring motif throughout the novel. How do characters like Dorothy, Jimmy Williams, and May Daniels protect their children? How does this motif inform the novel’s themes?

5. How does the novel depict the fictional detectives created by the Queens of Crime? How do they influence their creators?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine a sequel to Queens of Crime that similarly gathers the top authors in your favorite genre (romance, horror, fantasy, literary fiction, etc.). Who would you feature in this novel? What type of journey would they go on? What challenges would they face?

2. If you were to cast a movie or series based on this novel, who would you cast in the roles of the five central detectives? What characteristics would make these actors ideal?

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