With six weeks left until her wedding to her own Darcy,
Lady Georgiana Rannoch doesn't regret having to withdraw
from the line of succession, except that her royal
relatives still want to be included. What Georgiana
thought would be a small, intimate wedding is turning
into a royal event. In spite of it all, things are going
rather well but for one detail: where are she and Darcy
going to live, them being of modest means? But Georgina's
godfather had not forgotten her and she is now the
mistress of her own country estate, Eynsleigh. Alas,
before even stepping in the manor, it's obvious that good
help seems to be really hard to find!
FOUR FUNERALS AND MAYBE A WEDDING is absolutely smashing!
Ms. Bowen cleverly summarizes every thing of import that
has been going on in Georgiana's life, briefly and
concisely, while characters discuss her upcoming
nuptials, that you don't even notice. A newcomer to
the series will feel immediately right at home. I am
amazed at how the author convincingly embroiders her
characters on the fabric of history: Queen Mary, who
adores her cousin several times removed, the Prince of
Wales and "that woman" are discussed as they were
perceived in 1935 -- when the story is set, we sense the
political unrest, and I loved that young princesses
Elizabeth and Margaret, who were to attend Georgiana's
wedding, are portrayed very realistically. Rhys Bowen is
so skillful that it never feels cheesy, but entirely
believable and very sweet.
The suspense angle is stunningly well thought-out, so
well-plotted, that I didn't see it coming at all, so
ingenious. I still marvel at Ms. Bowen's expertise at
weaving clues to the intrigue into the romantic side of
things, all the while dazzling the reader with stunning
descriptions of the estate, and the glorious fashion. I
am a 1930s film buff, and reading about the clothing had
me dreaming of those fabulous gowns. The dialogues are
some of the best I have ever read, the tone is so perfect
that I was hearing the various voices and accents in my
mind; absolutely flawless! Seldom have I read such
remarkably well-defined secondary characters: Georgina's
irrepressible mother; her adorable grandfather; and the
positively marvelous Queenie. Happiness is a Royal
Spyness Mystery! Bob's yer uncle, ducks!
In the days leading up to her wedding to Darcy O'Mara,
Lady Georgiana Rannoch takes on the responsibilities of a
grand estate, but proving she can run a household just may
be the death of her in the new Royal Spyness Mystery from
the New York Times bestselling author of On Her
Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service.
If only Darcy and I had eloped! What I thought would be a
simple wedding has been transformed into a grand affair,
thanks to the attendance of the queen, who has offered up
the princesses as bridesmaids. Silly me! I thought that
withdrawing from the royal line of succession would simplify
my life. But before Darcy and I tie the knot in front of
queen and country, we have to find a place to live as man
and wife...
House hunting turns out to be a pretty grim affair. Just as
we start to lose hope, my globetrotting godfather offers us
his fully staffed country estate. Mistress of Eynsleigh I
shall be! With Darcy off in parts unknown, I head to
Eynsleigh alone, only to have my hopes dashed. The grounds
are in disarray and the small staff is suspiciously
incompetent. Not to mention the gas tap leak in my bedroom,
which I can only imagine was an attempt on my life.
Something rotten is afoot--and bringing the place up to
snuff may put me six feet under before I even get a chance
to walk down the aisle...
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