Her Royal Spyness

by: Rhys Bowen

Published by: Berkley Prime Crime

Reviewed by Liz Bright

Rhys Bowen has been nominated for every award in the mystery field and has won seven, including the Agatha and Anthony Awards.

In her new series, Bowen explores 1930’s London and the Royal family. Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, known as Georgie, is the daughter of the Duke of Athold and Rannoch. She’s thirty-fourth in line for the throne and is expected to act as if she were HRM rather than a minor royal.

Due to some unfortunate circumstances, Georgie is flat broke. Her allowance has been cut off by her brother, Binky (well, her sister-in-law had a great deal to do with that). In order to survive, she’s got to get a job or find herself working in the dreary job as a lady-in-waiting to another royal.

Georgie is just not cut out for the working life. She’s fired (after a few hours) from a cosmetics job at Harrods, starts a job has a housekeeper for the wealthy (but must hide her identity), is expected to take care of her brother’s London house and him (without any knowledge of how to light a fire, turn on the hot water, or cook), and then is asked by the Queen to spy on her playboy son.

Things are not going well for Georgie. They become even more difficult when an arrogant Frenchman tries to claim the family home and is found dead, fully-clothed, in the tub in Binky’s London house.

Gorgie’s new job is to clear her family name. Well, she’s not equipped to do anything else, so how hard can solving a murder be?

Her Royal Spyness is delightful. I loved the period setting, the writing, the glimpse at the Royals, the class system and snobbery, everything. But a typical murder mystery it’s not. Oh, there is a murder and it is solved, but the victim doesn’t show up until page 102 and murder doesn’t take place until page 133. In my mind, it’s a wonderful piece of fiction that includes a murder.

Armchair Interviews says: Not a typical mystery, but worth reading if you love good characters and detailed settings. It’s an all around good romp into 1930’s London.

Author’s Web site: http://www.RhysBowen.com