REVIEW 
(5 out of 5 quills)
HEIRS and GRACES Newest book in the Royal Spyness series
by Rhys Bowen
Impoverished, royal Georgiana Rannoch is set another task by HRM, the Queen. ‘Get thee gone….’to a grand country house and help an uncooperative Heir adjust to his new station in life and a mammoth fortune. Said heir, Jack, has been snatched from a sheep station in Australia, brought to England, and is the most reluctant of future Dukes.
‘Jack jumped to his feet. “How can you talk calmly of eating when your son is dead and everyone thinks I stabbed him?” he shouted.
“Such an outburst, the dowager Duchess said. “Hardly seemly for a duke, John. Really you will have to learn to control your emotions. Of course I’m upset at the loss of my son. I am outraged that somebody chose to murder him. But I am also aware that it is up to us to set a good example, chin up, best foot forward and all that. This household will continue as usual, except for the fact that we be in mourning for the requisite amount of time….’
It is deliciously Great Britain back in the day. Set in the 1930’s, young ladies of the aristocracy had no training other than ‘playing the pianoforte, running a household and servants, and throwing lovely dinner parties. Georgiana has no skills in the work place and if she lands a job she doesn’t last very long. Until she finds her calling…..she is an amateur sleuth and quite good at it.
I never saw the end coming and would never have guessed who the killer was.
Rhys Bowen’s series, (the Royal Spyness Mysteries), is great reading and I highly recommend that you begin with the first book (Her Royal Spyness) as there is a definite story thread through all the books.
I have to say my favorite new character is Georgiana’s maid, Queenie. She is so outrageous and funny and is a terrible lady’s maid! Yes, I know, I said Georgiana is poor and she is. Queenie is such a misfit she works only for her keep.
You’ll never be disappointed by Bowen’s witty, clever writing.
Click here to read my interview with Rhys Bowen
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NEW release “The Twelve Clues of Christmas” Nov. 5th
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DON’T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS featuring INTERVIEWS with best-selling AUTHORS! “The Writer’s Corner”
In addition to my twice weekly blog I will also feature an interview with another author once a month. These authors have already responded and you can read their interviews by clicking on their name: Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Karen Robards, Mark Childress, Rhys Bowen, Dean Koontz, Tasha Alexander, Patrick Taylor, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Cathy Lamb, Elizabeth Gilbert, Amber Winckler, Raymond Benson, Andrew Grant, Heidi Jon Schmidt, Robert McCammon, Sue Grafton, Walter Mosley, and many others.
So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers’ special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create! Jeffrey Deaver was October’s author and Patrick Taylor will join us in November. Slick mystery writer, Andrew Grant will join us this winter. Loretta Chase will be featured later this year. Raymond Benson is my January author.
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