The latest episode of the dramatic life of Lady Georgiana Rannoch sees her in a calmer situation. Her Royal Spyness is enjoying motherhood at her country residence when she is disturbed by rumours of untimely deaths. FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE takes up after the abdication of King Edward and his wife-to-be, Wallis Simpson. 

No longer a dashing young beauty, our heroine spends much of this book dealing with staffing issues. A strict nanny is foisted upon Georgie for her little son, Jamie. Eynsleigh, her home, is near enough to London that her husband, Darcy O’Mara, can motor up to work in Whitehall. Georgie has little money and no occupation, but it’s not the done practice for a lady of her station to raise her child, as everyone keeps telling her. Georgie’s sister-in-law, Fig, sends a nanny. Georgie can’t work up the courage to tell Fig and Nanny Harbottle where to go. Meanwhile, her maid, Queenie gets too uppity and insults guests. Heavens above. 

A few mysterious deaths of young men of means have occurred, and with the European Princess ZouZou and arty friend Belinda Warburton-Stoke, who has just returned from designing with Chanel, Georgie asks questions. One man died mountaineering, another while driving, and another while trying to break a water speed record.  Were these tragic accidents, or is a malicious hand at work? The female trio drives and takes trains around a lot of the countryside to investigate. 

Readers may not care greatly about young aristocrats we haven’t met. I did wonder if someone was removing potential officers ahead of a looming war. The nineteenth book is now foreshadowing the drastic events of WW2, and people refer to matters getting worse in Germany, or to Georgie’s mother’s infatuation with a German Count. The investigation, however, brings us to the hardworking folks in Wales, the Home Counties and the Lake District, whose peaceful lives would soon be threatened. This may be the point Rhys Bowen makes, because otherwise one case would have done to get Georgie out of the house. 

FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE makes strong statements about class, women, and domestic staff. Previously, as an unmarried young lady, Georgie didn’t concern herself greatly, but the chickens are coming home to roost. Rhys Bowen shows that Georgie has a lot to protect, and potentially a lot to lose, as the well-researched historical crime series continues. I’ll be following with interest.