Queen of Hearts (Her Royal Spyness Mystery # 8) by Rhys Bowen

Historical Mystery

What Goodreads says:

Lady Georgiana Rannoch, thirty-fifth in line for the British throne, knows how to play the part of an almost royal—but now she’s off to Hollywood, where she must reprise her role as sleuth or risk starring in an all-too-convincing death scene …

My mother, the glamorous and much-married actress, is hearing wedding bells once again—which is why she must hop across the pond for a quickie divorce in Reno. To offer my moral support, and since all expenses are paid by her new hubby-to-be, Max, I agree to make the voyage with her.

Crossing the Atlantic, with adventure in the air and wealthy men aboard, Mother all but forgets about Max and matrimony—especially when movie mogul Cy Goldman insists on casting her in his next picture.

Meanwhile, I find myself caught up in the secret investigation of a suspected jewel thief. Lucky for me, the lead investigator happens to be my dashing beau, Darcy!

Mother’s movie and Darcy’s larceny lead everyone to Cy’s Hollywood home, where the likes of Charlie Chaplin are hanging about and there’s enough romantic intrigue to fill a double feature. But we hardly get a chance to work out the sleeping arrangements before Cy turns up dead—as if there wasn’t enough drama already…

Georgiana Rannoch cannot go anywhere without a mystery and a murder occurring.  This time she is in Hollywood on a trip she does not have to pay for.  The mystery starts out with a jewel thief and ends with a murder but do the two have anything in common?  Read to find out.

I loved seeing more of Darcy.  I wish the two would deicide to live on love and not wait for wealth.  I also enjoyed seeing more of Georgiana’s Mother.  She is very self-centered but at least this time Georgiana gets a trip and expenses out of her.  The usual characters are there and some very new Hollywood types also.  Look for some who are real and some who are thinly disguised.  See if you recognize who they are modeled on?

This is another great addition to the series.  As always the writing, characters and plot are very well done.  Lady Georgiana just keeps getting into difficult situations.  I wonder what Bowen will have her doing or going next.

Berkley Prime Crime published Queenof Hearts by Rhys Bowen in 2014.