A Monstrous Regiment of Women is the second book in the Mary Russell series of mystery novels by Laurie R. King. The title is taken from a work by John Knox, published in 1558, The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regimen of Women. Knox used the word regimen in an archaic sense to mean government or régime, and his tract was written against the female sovereigns of his day, particularly Mary I of England and Mary, Queen of Scots. Source: Wikipedia (en)