June 26, 2017
Agatha Award–winner Bowen’s amusing 11th Royal Spyness mystery (after 2016’s Crowned and Dangerous) takes Lady Georgiana “Georgie” Rannoch, 35th in line to the British throne, to Italy in the spring of 1935. She joins a house party hosted at a lavish estate near Stresa on Lake Maggiore, where her mission, on behalf of Queen Mary, is to keep an eye on that woman (aka Wallis Simpson), the paramour of the Prince of Wales. Meanwhile, a high-level conference among representatives of England, France, and Italy to discuss the Nazi threat is taking place at Stresa. A murder doesn’t occur until late in the action, but series fans know not to expect thrills and chills. The story’s main pleasure lies in the picture of Georgie’s world, where she takes tea with Queen Mary at Buckingham Palace and records Mrs. Simpson’s imperious behavior. Another delight is the large cast, which includes horrible countesses, terrifyingly efficient lady’s maids, grim-faced nuns, and Nazis, both brash and bashful. Fans of light mysteries will be rewarded. Agent: Meg Ruley, Jane Rotrosen Agency.
June 15, 2017
Who knew that being 35th in line for the British crown could be a major impediment to marriage?After years of romantic interludes often interrupted by dangerous spying (Crowned and Dangerous, 2016, etc.), Lady Georgiana Rannoch and Darcy O'Mara are preparing to wed. Because Darcy is Catholic, Georgie must ask permission from Parliament to give up her highly unrealistic claim to the throne. Traveling to London from Ireland, she plans to continue on to Italy to be with her unmarried friend Belinda, who's gone there to give birth to a child she cannot keep. Delighted to learn about her trip, Queen Mary asks Georgie to keep an eye on her son David, the Prince of Wales, who's pursuing the pre-divorced Wallis Simpson. Both are visiting the Count and Contessa di Martini, who was once Camilla Waddell-Walker, Georgie's schoolmate. Forced to travel without her maid, Georgie fights off the advances of Baron Rudolf von Rosskopf before she arrives to find Belinda at a Swiss clinic. Queen Mary has arranged for her to stay at the Villa Fiori, which houses a strange mix of people: David and Mrs. Simpson; von Rosskopf; a German general and his aide; and Georgie's mother, Claire, a former actress engaged to Max, a wealthy German industrialist. Much to Georgie's surprise, Darcy is also in residence, posing as an English gardener. A conference had been called in Stresa to discuss ways to combat the Nazi threat, but at the villa, even the Prince of Wales has nice things to say about the Fuhrer, who will make Germany great again. After Claire begs Georgie to help her retrieve some damaging pictures from the blackmailing von Rosskopf, he's found shot dead. Whatever satisfaction Georgie takes is mitigated when her mother becomes the chief suspect. Bowen's reliably lighthearted tone has the added fillip of the looming shadow of Nazi terror.
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July 1, 2017
Thirty-fourth in line for the British throne, Lady Georgiana doesn't think she has anything to lose by abdicating her place in line in order to marry her Catholic fiance. The queen assures Georgie that she'll set things in motion to grant her requestin exchange for one little favor. The Prince of Wales and that awful Mrs. Simpson will be attending a house party in Italy. Georgie is to attend and make sure the couple doesn't try to elope. Georgie will also check in on her friend Belinda, who is hiding her unmarried confinement in Italy. In addition to His Royal Highness, the house party includes Georgie's aloof mother and her profiteering German boyfriend, a blackmailing count, a priest, and a couple of Nazis. The blackmailer is murdered and, like any good mystery-novel guest list, everyone had reason to want him dead. This eleventh outing is as charming as its predecessors. The road seems clear for Georgie and Darcy to wed, unless the prolific Bowen has something up her sleeve for the couple's pending nuptials. A sure winner for series fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)
Starred review from July 1, 2017
Bowen's 11th series historical mystery (following Crowned and Dangerous) takes a serious turn on the eve of World War II as Lady Georgiana heads to Italy to spy on her cousin the Prince of Wales and Wallis Simpson at a house party also attended by Mussolini's top adviser and high-ranking German military officers. Festivities turn dark when a blackmailer is murdered, yet the courageous Georgie is as candid and refreshing as always.--LH
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