Title:	The Queen's Accomplice: A Maggie Hope Mystery
	Author:	Susan Elia MacNeal
	Published:	October 4, 2016, Bantam
	No. of Pages:	368
	Cover Price:	$13.73 Paperback, $11.99 Kindle

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Readers of the Maggie Hope mystery series will appreciate the sixth installment, The Queen’s Accomplice, which is a story full of suspense and intrigue. Set in London, during World War II, someone is murdering women who are independent and working in the war effort. The murderer is reenacting the infamous Jack the Ripper murders, and Maggie is called in to assist in the investigation. Given Maggie’s history, she knows some of the right people in high positions, including the Queen, and is invited to meet and dine with her and some other influential people. Maggie’s biggest beef is that the women who are involved in the same dangerous missions as the men, aren’t being paid as much, and are risking their lives, but don’t have the same backing or benefits. Her complaints to her office and superiors fall on deaf ears, and obvious warning signs of danger are ignored.

Historical fiction aficionados will appreciate the research that has gone into making this work of fiction very plausible, due to the fact that the background is close to historical accounts. The characters are believable, and MacNeal has a way of presenting them so that they seem like they are as real as friends and neighbors (and enemies) that we know in real life.

MacNeal is an excellent writer; her story flows and has enough ups and downs, danger to favorite characters, and suspense to keep everyone on the edges of their seats. The historical aspects are fascinating, due to the fact that this is the English point of view of the war effort, rather than the US point of view. Maggie is a great character, especially for women who have followed the slow progress of women’s rights throughout history. She is human and beautiful, however, and will most likely appeal to men as well.

The story represents a dark time in history, and MacNeal’s excellent writing brings that out; readers will feel like they are reliving the time. MacNeal is definitely a writer to watch, and the Maggie Hope series is a good one. While there is no graphic violence, sex or language, there is enough information to illustrate the horrors of Jack the Ripper and the subsequent copycat murders in this novel. With the palpable suspense, it is perfect for both mystery and thriller readers who want something a little different.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

This book may be purchased at Amazon:
The Queen's Accomplice: A Maggie Hope Mystery