Queen B’s Decree: To Kill a Queen features Jack, our non-binary amateur detective. Jack is AFAB but lives his life as a man, which is the best way for him to maneuver society back during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. There’s been an attempt on the Queen’s life, and Jack wants to be the one to find the culprit.
There was a wild cast of characters, from Jack’s criminal overlord father (who may be a bad guy in his own right, but he sure supports his child’s gender choices), the busty barmaid Jack is enamored with, Jack’s adorable little pickpocket sister, and that’s just some of the people Jack meets. The author Amie McNee narrates her story, and she does a great job on accents and differentiating all the characters.
I enjoyed the twists and turns and never knowing what to expect next, but I do feel the pacing was a bit off. The ending flew by so quickly, and I’m not sure how I feel about the resolution. The lack of repercussions was weirdly realistic, but still unsatisfying in fiction.
Overall, I enjoyed this one but I had hopes for more.
Book: To Kill a Queen by Amie McNee
Series: standalone
Genre: Historical
Plot Devices/Tropes: LGBTQ, murder mystery