Death at Windsor Castle: Her Majesty Investigates

Canadian Jane Bee, royal housemaid and amateur sleuth, accompanies the Queen to Windsor Castle for the annual Garter Ceremony. However, the country outing proves more stressful for everyone, especially Jane, after a body is found in the throne room. Naturally, the Queen asks Jane first to clean up the room and then to find the murderer. Soon, Jane is rushing around London, talking to Scotland Yard detectives, members of the Queen's staff, painters, tabloid journalists and others as she works to solve the murder case. Along the way, she uncovers a sex scandal that the Queen would rather have left buried. As in Jane's previous outings (Death at Buckingham Palace), the details of the royal lifestyle are vivid, but the plot is too tangled and wearisome to hold most readers' attention. (Aug.)