Death knells or wedding bells
Crowned and Dangerous
A Royal Spyness Mystery
by Rhys Bowen
Berkley Publishing Group
Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 02 Aug 2016
Review
As historical mysteries go, Rhys Bowen’s Royal Spyness novels are always a pleasure to read. They combine the comfortable feel of a cozy with enough suspense to prevent the books from becoming trite. In Crowned and Dangerous, Georgie is on the cusp of eloping. The happy event is foiled by a combination of weather and misfortune. Darcy’s estranged father is accused of murdering his employer. His arrest separates the couple and threatens to put an end to their engagement. Thankfully, Georgie is made of sterner stuff, not only readily disobeying Darcy’s mandate but proceeding to insist on challenging his father’s assumed guilt. What looks to be a straightforward murder committed in a fit of range ends up being a far more complicated affair involving American gangsters, gambling, and stolen money.
Crowned and Dangerous is easily as entertaining as its predecessors. Georgie’s intelligence, pluck and determination make her an admirable lead. Crowned and Dangerous is a delightful cozy certain to please historical fans with its fast paced story, well drawn characters and touch of romance.
5/5
I received a copy of Crowned and Dangerous from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
—Crittermom
Description
Nothing is simple when you're thirty-fifth in line for the British crown, least of all marriage. But with love on their side, and plans to elope, Lady Georgiana Rannoch and her beau Darcy O'Mara hope to bypass a few royal rules...
With Darcy driving me out of London in a borrowed motor car, I soon discover that he isn't planning to introduce me to the pleasures of sinning in secret—as I had hoped—but to make me his wife!
Of course, there are some quibbles to be dealt with, such as my needing special permission from the King to marry a Roman Catholic and the question of where we might live after the honeymoon. Though he will inherit a title, Darcy is as broke as I am. Even his family's Irish castle has been sold to a rich American who now employs Darcy's father as a hired hand.
Throwing these cares to the wind, nothing could deter us from our mission—except perhaps the news that my future father-in-law has just been arrested. It seems the rich American was murdered and Darcy's father had more than enough motive to do the deed. With the elopement postponed, we head for Ireland where he insists he's innocent, and it's up to us to prove it—for better or worse.
