Title: On Her Majesty’s Frightfully Secret Service (Royal Spyness #11)

Author: Rhys Bowen

Publisher: Berkley

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 298

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

When royal sleuth Georgie Rannoch receives a letter from her dearest friend Belinda, who's in an Italian villa awaiting the birth of her illegitimate baby, she yearns to run to her side. If only she could find a way to get there! But then opportunity presents itself in a most unexpected way—her cousin the queen asks her to attend a house party in the Italian Lake Country. The Prince of Wales and the dreadful Mrs. Simpson have been invited, and Her Majesty is anxious to thwart a possible secret wedding.

What luck! A chance to see Belinda, even if it is under the guise of stopping unwanted nuptials. Only that's as far as Georgie's fortune takes her. She soon discovers that she attended finishing school with the hostess of the party—and the hatred they had for each other then has barely dimmed. Plus, she needs to hide Belinda's delicate condition from the other guests. And her dashing beau, Darcy's (naturally) working undercover on a dangerous mission. Then her actress mother shows up, with a not-so-little task to perform. With all this subterfuge, it seems something is bound to go horribly wrong—and Georgie will no doubt be left to pick up the pieces when it does.

Another fun mystery. This time we get actual Nazis and a new location in Italy. It’s always nice to leave England every couple of books. I really enjoyed re-meeting Paolo and Max while negotiating a tricky murder and diplomatic situation. I wish we had had more Darcy and a little less Wallis and Claire. Here’s hoping the next book has more focus on Georgie and Darcy.

Her Royal Spyness: