Royal Blood (A Royal Spyness Mystery) - Hardcover

Bowen, Rhys

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0425234460 ISBN 13: 9780425234464

Publisher: Berkley Hardcover, 2010

Synopsis

The Royal Spyness series continues with an all-new mystery of "the British monarchy...a wedding in Transylvania...[and] wonderful characters." (#1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris).

Penniless and thirty-fourth in line to the throne, Lady Georgiana Rannoch finds herself in a truly draining state of affairs. To escape her hateful brother, Georgie accepts an invitation from the Queen to represent the royals at a wedding in Transylvania. But at the macabre- looking castle, Georgie finds the bride with blood running down her chin, and a wedding guest is poisoned. Now it's up to Georgie to save the nuptial festivities before the couple's vows become: to love and to cherish, till undeath do them part...

About this title

About the Author

Rhys Bowen has been nominated for every major award in mystery writing, including the Edgar®, and has won seven, including both Agatha and Anthony awards. She is also the author of the Molly Murphy Mysteries set in turn-of-the-century New York, and the Constable Evans Mysteries set in Wales. She was born in England and lives in Northern California.

Reviews

Agatha-winner Bowen successfully mixes Wodehousian farce with a whodunit plot in her fourth 1930s mystery starring Lady Georgiana Rannoch (after 2009's Royal Flush). When the queen asks Georgiana, a distant relative of George V, to attend the wedding of a royal cousin and old schoolmate, Princess Maria Theresa, in Romania, the impoverished 22-year-old must scramble to come up with a maid to maintain appearances. She ends up with Queenie Hepplewhite, a clumsy if well-meaning servant who lost a previous job after setting fire to her mistress's clothing. Once in Romania, the pair find themselves in the midst of a sensitive murder case at the remote castle where the nuptials are to take place. Field Marshal Pirin, head of the Bulgarian army and a close adviser to his country's king, collapses during a festive meal and is later found to have been poisoned. Bowen once again demonstrates her mastery of the light, romantic mystery.
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In this fourth Royal Spyness mystery, penniless Lady Georgiana Rannoch desperately seeks escape from both London and her dreadful relatives. Rescue comes from the queen, who asks Georgie to attend a royal wedding in Transylvania. Georgie is the thirty-fourth person in line for the English throne, but she’s also an old schoolmate of the bride, Princess Maria Theresa of Romania. Georgie hires a young, inexperienced Cockney woman to be her maid; meets her overbearing traveling companion, Lady Middlesex, along with Miss Deer-Harte; and they all hie off to Transylvania. Once they’re at the old castle, a mystery man vexes Georgie (Could he be a vampire?); then the vulgar Bulgarian field marshal Pirin drops dead at dinner. Georgie, her erstwhile beau Darcy O’Mara, and bridegroom Prince Nicholas must solve the mystery or risk an international incident. Georgie also has to deal with Maria Theresa’s brother, Prince Siegfried, who has decided Georgie would be an ideal wife. Bowen keeps the mystery light and humorous, but the discerning reader will note the social problems underlying Georgie’s breezy narrative. --Kat Kan

Edition details

• Publisher: Berkley Hardcover
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0425234460
• ISBN 13: 9780425234464
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320