Malice at the Palace (Her Royal Spyness #9) by Rhys Bowen

Malice at the Palace (Her Royal Spyness #9) by Rhys Bowen, was a fun trip back in time. So far I have loved every single part in this series. I love the blend of history and fiction and this, ninth part, was just as exciting as the first.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Queen of Hearts comes another mystery for "fans of P.G. Wodehouse looking for laughs mingled with some amateur sleuthing." (Publishers Weekly)

Lady Georgiana Rannoch won’t deny that being thirty-fifth in line for the British throne has its advantages. Unfortunately, money isn’t one of them. And sometimes making ends meet requires her to investigate a little royal wrongdoing.

While my beau Darcy is off on a mysterious mission, I am once again caught between my high birth and empty purse. I am therefore relieved to receive a new assignment from the Queen—especially one that includes lodging. The King’s youngest son, George, is to wed Princess Marina of Greece, and I shall be her companion at the supposedly haunted Kensington Palace.

My duties are simple: help Marina acclimate to English life, show her the best of London and, above all, dispel any rumors about George’s libertine history. Perhaps that last bit isn’t so simple.

George is known for his many affairs with women as well as men—including the great songwriter Noel Coward. But things truly get complicated when I search the Palace for a supposed ghost only to encounter an actual dead person: a society beauty said to have been one of Prince George’s mistresses.

Nothing spoils a royal wedding more than murder, and the Queen wants the whole matter hushed. But as the investigation unfolds—and Darcy, as always, turns up in the most unlikely of places—the investigation brings us precariously close to the prince himself.

My thoughts:

It was so much to see my favorite characters and even to meet some of the new ones. This series, for me at least, is all about the characters. I absolutely love the romances and interactions they have with one another and love watching things deepen and change between them.

I really liked the ghost parts too, but I am a sucker for anything even remotely supernatural. The end was fabulous, and hints at some really exiting things in the future. I continue to enjoy the wit that is woven into the story and into many of the exchanges. I will be excited to see where things lead next time.

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