Mrs Queen Takes the Train

By: William Kuhn

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

An absolute delight of a debut novel by William Kuhn - author of Reading Jackie: Her Autobiography in Books - Mrs Queen Takes the Train wittily imagines the kerfuffle that transpires when a bored Queen Elizabeth strolls out of the palace in search of a little fun, leaving behind a desperate team of courtiers who must find the missing Windsor before a national scandal erupts. Reminiscent of Alan Bennett's The Uncommon Reader, this lively, wonderfully inventive romp takes readers into the mind of the grand matriarch of Britain's Royal Family, bringing us an endearing runaway Queen Elizabeth on the town - and leading us behind the Buckingham Palace walls and into the upstairs/downstairs spaces of England's monarchy.

©2012 William Kuhn (P)2012 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Critic reviews

"Royal watchers and students of class alike will enjoy this smart, if familiar, tale." ( Publishers Weekly)

"Kuhn does a convincing job of inhabiting the heads of his characters, crowned or not. ... An affectionate, sympathetic but also unstinting look at the woman inside the sovereign." ( Kirkus Reviews)

Female characters fairly daft

The author writes women as if they were children. Kate get repeatedly sexually harassed by men including Cheddar and you're supposed to think it's sweet.

Like reading People Magazine

Or watching Entertainment Tonight. Quite predictable with some interesting characters but overall a lightweight listen.

Best performance by THE very best reader!

So touching. Every character quickly becomes real. I cried and laughed and reflected with The Queen. After listening 3 times, I still find more moments to love.

A peek inside the life...

This was such fun... it was very quiet, not too complicated and simply entertaining. I think the narrators voice was just right. No accent was overdone, but was just enough to give individuals their own character. How charming to think that a monarch would take such an opportunity for escape and then accept the difficulties that followed with perfect grace. I am very sure that if I ran into her during such a time it would have been wonderful. This was a totally enjoyable listen !

Amusing and very enjoyable

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

A funny story to imagine the queen getting to go out into the real world and learn what a difficult task this was for her.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The young couple who helped the queen above and beyond what one would expectin the situation.

What about Simon Prebble’s performance did you like?

I think Simon Prebble is the ultimate narrator. He really makes the characters believable with his marvelous talent and ability to make different character voices.I hope he will continue to narrate many more books as I have listened to most of the books he has performed in the past.

Who was the most memorable character of Mrs Queen Takes the Train and why?

The queen as I felt that she was probably very much like that portrayal in real life.

Light and engaging

A charming story with many intriguing twists. Learned a bit more about relationships in a royal setting and gathered in other treasured bits including a return to the Bard's Henry V

Mrs. Queen

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I don't regret the time I spent listening to this book. It was a quick listen. Lighthearted, which was just what I was looking for at the time.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

It might be a bit fanciful for The Queen to go on walkabout, but the possibility that it might happen made for a great little story.

Could you see Mrs Queen Takes the Train being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Yes, I suppose it could be a Hallmark movie. I wouldn't begin to know how to cast it though.

Delightful!

The story, the characters, the reading all were top notch! Well done William Kuhn and Simon Prebble!

Hard to follow

This story had several storylines which were interesting, but it was difficult to tell what was happening as it switched from one to another with no transition.

Must Read!!!

In full disclosure, I must confess, I adore our Queen Elizabeth. That out of the way, I absolutely LOVED THIS STORY!
It was a perfect blend of using a real life person, a peek into the life of Her Royal Highness, and a fictional adventure. The characters in the story were all so life-like and, I believe, represented their stations in life perfectly.
Simon Prebble, the narrator, was perfect. His "queen's voice" was both whimsical and reverent.
Thank you William Kuhn, for such a beautiful book. I can't wait to see what you give us next. More Queen please.
To anyone considering reading this book; if you love, like, or even have neutral feelings about the Queen; read it!