Rhys Bowen never disappoints with the Royal Spyness series, which stays fun, well-plotted and maintains its high quality even as our characters settle down to a life of domesticity. The well established historical and fictional characters are front and center as are the social, cultural and political sensibilities of 1936 Great Britain. Georgie, her newborn James and husband Darcy continue their occupancy of Eynsleigh, home to her godfather and her vagabond mother's ex husband Sir Hubert. Hitler is in power and her mother is off in Germany with her fiancé Max, a Nazi proponent. Sir Hubert, as usual, is traveling, this time in the U.S. Georgie is managing baby James with the help of her lady's maid as part time nursemaid. Her philosophy of parenting is rather modern for a member of the British aristocracy. Darcy is working for a salary and travels a lot but when he comes home in the wee hours, even for him, he must confess to Georgie that her "cousin David" a/k/a/King Edward has asked them to host the reviled Wallis Simpson while the King tries in vain to get permission to marry her and keep the crown. Georgie's half brother Binky, his horrible wife, Fig and their sweet but ignored children, Podge and Addie, usually live in a bleak castle in Scotland. However, Fig annoounces they are looking for a boarding school for Podge who is turning 7 and they plan to find one near Einsleigh so he can spend shorter holidays with Georgie and her family. To make things fun, Georgie's mother shows up.

So, Georgie must balance hosting two difficult and domineering women while taking care of her baby, often with her husband away. Don't feel too sorry for her as she has servants and, gasp, chooses to be involved with her child, but it is still a bit much. Then comes news from Sir Hubert that he is coming home and to prepare for an invasion, which turns out to be a movie cast and crew coming to film outside/external scenes on the Einsleigh property. Of course. the Hollywood cast and crew find November/December in England far to cold and the places they are staying are uncomfortable, they worm their way into the house for eating and filming and cause trouble that will make national news involving a child actor and a star who came from England but left long ago. All this while Wallis Simpson is supposed to be in hiding and Fig spends her days dispensing parenting advice to Georgie. As usual, the duo of Georgie and Darcy, together with others, collaborate and deliberate to find the answers. These novels are amateur sleuth, intelligence expert, police procedural and smart people with common sense amalgamations and I have thoroughly enjoyed each one. Bowen exposes us to the entitled aristocracy of England and Hollywood, the more down to earth aristocracy, people with devastating impoverished pasts, rural life, popular opinion pro and con about Hitler in 1936 and more. Even the food people eat is central to this novel from a class and cultural point of view. A lot of the book is amusing and kind of "I know! Let's solve a murder!" but it avoids being trite and the writing remains top notch.

Note: Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and author Rhys Bowen for the advanced reader copy of this book. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.

I am usually reluctant to join a series that has more than a few books in it. Quite often there are details in previous books that have an impact in the newly-released book, and I find myself lost or wondering what I missed. We Three Queens is the 18th book in Rhys Bowen’s Her Royal Spyness series. I am happy to report that despite that, I didn’t really feel lost while reading it. Bowen does a terrific job of including information leading up to the current setting without it feeling like an information dump.

Set in 1936, Lady Georgiana Rannoch is a granddaughter of Queen Victoria and a new mother. Her husband, Darcy, works with British Intelligence as the world moves towards war. They live at the estate of her godfather, Sir Hubert. When her cousin, the King, summons Darcy and asks him for a favor, how can he refuse? King Edward has fallen in love with an American divorcee and is contemplating abdicating the throne. He asks if Darcy and Georgie will allow her to stay with them for a while to try and protect her from the British Press.

At the same time, Sir Hubert returns from abroad, having given permission to a filming crew to film a movie at the estate. The money is much needed, and it’s not Georgie’s estate yet, so there’s nothing she can do about it. As the stars arrive, Georgie finds herself dealing with some rather eccentric characters who threaten to upset not only their day-to-day lives but also the King’s secret. Georgie and Darcy soon find themselves immersed in a disappearance, a kidnapping, and a murder.

I can’t say the mysteries were that compelling. I figured them out early on. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the historical setting for this mystery. Georgie’s mother is also an actress and drops in on them once she realizes the film crew is there. It’s a good social commentary as she’s engaged to a German who is a higher-up in the Third Reich. Georgie questions her about her choices but has to tread carefully. There’s also the conflict about the King wanting to marry an American divorcee and what that means to the monarchy. All this is the background to a variety of mysteries that may or may not be connected.

I enjoyed this “cozy mystery” quite a bit. It was an easy read and I never felt lost. The characters are interesting and well-defined. I liked how Hollywood ended up being tied into the English countryside in more ways than just the setting. The recurring characters had enough detail that I didn’t feel lost reading about them, and the historical figures who popped in also had a genuine feel to them.

I judge books this late in the series by whether I would go back and read the earlier books in the series after reading this one. This is a series I’d gladly go back and read the earlier books in now. The characters are interesting and fun. I’d also like to keep following their adventures as the tension in the world builds with a crisis in the monarchy and war on the horizon.

Rhys Bowen continues her Royal Spyness series with We Three Queens. 1936 and King Edward is trying to get Mrs. Simpson accepted by the English. For the moment she is hiding out at the home of Lady Georgiana Rannoch, distant relative of the royals after the King asked Darcy, Georgiana's husband for this favour. Then Georgiana's brother the Duke of Rannoch and his family dropped in. And her godfather allowed an American film company to shoot a Henry the VIII movie on site. The child star gets kidnapped. A movie star is murdered. What could go wrong? Georgiana gets her hands into solving the crimes and confusion reigns.

I love this series so much! The latest one in the series has Georgie with her young baby and husband tucked away against the cold in her large manor home, but nothing is quiet and simple! The incorrigible Mrs. Simpson comes to stay, Georgie's brother and his family arrive, and a movie producer and team descend on the estate to make a film. It's all a little much and when people start disappearing, and dying, Georgie must figure out what is happening in order to bring her peace and quiet back.

Highly recommended as a fun, cozy series that you don't have to read in order - but even more fun if you do!
Thank you for my copy - via Net Galley!

I love Georgie and her story! This book was a wonderful addition to the series. These books are great cozy mysteries, perfect for a day spent by the fire with a hot chocolate

Another rollicking adventure for Her Royal Sypness! This time Georgie is enjoying the quiet country life with her new baby when a variety of characters descend on the estate causing all
Sorts of trouble! Family- Binky and the odious Fig, an entire American film crew and to make matters worse - even her mother makes an appearance!! Toss in a kidnapping, a murder and a mishap or two from Queenie and you’ve got another enjoyable read!

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery/historical fiction series, and this is the 18th book in the Royal Spyness series! It stars Lady Georgiana Rannoch, cousin to the former King George and to the current King Edward. She has solved crimes in the past, and now she’s married to the love of her life, Darcy, who works for the government for an undisclosed agency. The setting is 1936, just prior to the start of WWII.

Georgie is at home at Christmas time after the birth of her son, and the house is full of guests. Her mother and her brother the Duke and his insufferable wife Fig are there, and Wallis Simpson, mistress to the current King and star of the tabloid pages, unexpectedly shows up to stay. The King has been told he can’t marry Wallis, and she’s supposedly in hiding. O

Unfortunately, a film crew has been given permission to shoot on the grounds and in the house. When one of the film crew is found dead, Georgie helps solve the crime to clear her guests and keep publicity off of King.

I thoroughly enjoyed this holiday cozy mystery, 4.5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Another fun installment of the peace and perils of Lady Georgina. In today's story, new mother Georgie's peaceful country life is met with upheaval when multiple house guests are thrust upon her. Adding to the chaos is a film crew, holiday starlets, kidnapping, and of course murder. As usual, it's up to Georgie to flow the clues and solve the case, all while acting as gracious hostess. A delight for cozy readers and Anglophiles!

I came very late to this series, as far as my records show having read only the most recent three (this is No. 18) - but better late than never, as the old saying goes. I've found the books fascinating, which says a lot because I'm a fan of neither historical novels nor, for the most part, cozy mysteries. This one, I'm happy to say, is delightful as well.

The star of the show, Lady Georiana Rannoch, is a cousin of the King of England - who happens to be that guy who abandoned the throne to marry the [older] woman of his dreams. Perhaps that's partly the attraction for me; I was born roughly four years after he abdicated and remember hearing the story later from my parents, who of course lived through it all (probably listening to the news on the upright radio on which my dad and I also listened to the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday nights). Anyway, I remember what a scandal it caused here in the States, so it was extra fun to learn that the woman in question - Wallace Simpson - plays a role here when King Edward asks Georgie and her hunky husband, agent Darcy O'Mara, to keep her hidden at Eynsleigh, the huge estate that will one day belong to Georgie.

What Georgie and Darcy learn after the fact, though, is that Sir Hubert, the current owner of the estate, has offered up the grounds as a setting for some scenes of a Hollywood movie. Needless to say, Wallis is frantic because she doesn't want to be found (and also because all the servants will not be at her beck and call), the servants are frantic because they're being commandeered into unbargained-for service and Georgie is frantic because all the house routines are being turned upside down just as she's trying to deal with a still-nursing infant son. On top of that, she's worried about her mother, who's in Germany making google eyes at one of Hitler's top officers and refuses to believe that either of them are anything other than nice guys.

Just as it seems they may achieve some semblance of order, things take a turn for the worse; Georgie's sister, her husband and two kids come for a long visit and the child-star actress in the film suddenly goes missing. The search for the young girl takes up a good bit of the book until yet another tragedy strikes - one of the cast of characters is murdered. This time, Darcy turns to his government employer for professional assistance, while Georgie puts some of her own investigative talents to work.

All told, it's another fun look at life in mid-1930s England. Since it's closing in on the start of World War II - and Georgie's mother has just gone back to Germany - I'm wondering how the next installment can avoid taking a darker turn. Well, guess I'll have to wait and see. Meantime, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a copy of this one.

I've been a fan of the Royal Spyness series for years and always look forward to a new book in the series. Georgie and Darcy are new parents and looking forward to some quiet time at the manor, which is interrupted by visits from Mrs. Simpson, George's brother and his family, and a film crew who plans to film scenes from a Tudor-era drama at the manor. I particularly enjoyed the details about filming.

The bulk of the mystery plot focuses solving on a couple of disappearances, and the murder does not happen until near the end of the book, so there is not much time given to solving the murder. Instead, the charm of this book series lies the details of the 1930s setting, the history of the British royal family, and the characters. As a long-time reader of this series, I also really enjoyed how the author used Georgie's experience being a new mother to explore more of her feelings about her relationship with her mother.

I would recommend to fans of the series or readers looking for historical fiction about the British royal family.

We Three Queens is the latest novel (the 18th) in the Royal Spyness Mystery series about Georgie, a cousin of the King of the England, who despite being part of the royal family has had to struggle financially over the years. Things seem to be going mostly well now with a new sweet baby and a loving husband and use of her godfather's house which she is due to inherit. However, first she is asked to house the King's fiance, an American divorcee hiding from the media. Then a movie crew decides the house would be the perfect location to film at. Add to that a kidnapping and a murder.

I liked how they balanced Georgie wanting to mother in a more modern way with the antiquated view of upper class of her time period that believed children were to be kept separate from their parents. This one was a real page turner with mystery after mystery to be solved. As usual the cast of characters surrounding Georgie including her cockney former police officer granddad, actress mum, comical maid and know-it-all sister-in-law provide humor to the tale. Even if you have not read the others in the series this novel should be an enjoyable medley.

Lady Georgiana is enjoying her new life as a mother, but she is about to be besieged by guests. First comes Wallis Simpson at the request of King Edward while he tries to figure out how he can marry her. Then comes Georgie’s brother and sister-in-law as they look for a school for their son. Finally, Sir Hubert returns home with a film crew in tow. They want to feature the estate in a film about Henry the VIII. Unfortunately, not long after the film crew arrives someone vanishes. Can Georgie figure out what is happening?

Over the course of this series (hard to believe we are on book 18), I’ve enjoyed watching real history unfold, and I liked that again here. Unfortunately, the story started slowly and was uneven. Still, the ending did tie things up logically. Fortunately, the regular characters are their normal charming shelves, and the new characters fit into Georgie’s world. Fans will enjoy catching up with Georgie and the gang. If that’s not you, head back to the beginning to get to know the characters before you pick up this book.

Oh, what a long way Georgie has come since her Royal Spyness days! Of course, the Royal family is still meddling in her life - this time with King Edward (aka Georgie's cousin David) foisting "that woman" on Georgie's household to keep her out of the way of the media. But it isn't only Georgie's royal cousins that are causing chaos. Her godfather, Sir Hubert, has invited a film crew to film a movie on the grounds of the estate. Georgie learns to late the true meaning of "give someone an inch and they'll take a mile". The film crew quickly finds their way inside and what was supposed to be a quick few days and an easy way to add to the estate's coffers turns into tripping over film crews on the way down to breakfast. Add in kidnapping and eventually a murder and Georgie isn't really able to enjoy her quiet life in the country as a new mother.

I love seeing Georgie more comfortable in her role both as lady of the manor and just in her own skin. I normally cringe whenever Fig and Queenie get in any page time but here they added some comic relief and I enjoyed their roles. Fig is still the worst and Queenie still breaks everything she touches but their hold over Georgie isn't quite as strong as it was previously.

While chaos and hijinks started pretty early on in the book it took quite a while for the crimes to show up. The murder doesn't happen until almost three quarters of the way through the book and the kidnapping doesn't happen until almost halfway through. While the pacing is fast and there's a lot going on well before than this didn't bother me at all but if you are new to the series it might impact your enjoyment.

This is a fun series that just seems to be getting better. I can't wait to see what happens as the timeline gets closer to World War II - especially considering that Georgie's mother is living in Germany at this point.

Darcy and Georgie are now parents of baby James and living a lovely, pastoral life in her godfather’s estate. As usual, their uneventful life is interrupted when King Edward “asks” that Wallis Simpson stay at their estate while he tries to maneuver Parliament and the British people to accept her as his wife (not likely). As if that isn’t enough, Georgie’s godfather returns from Hollywood with an American film crew working on a movie about Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. All the Hollywood people invade the estate causing disruption and mayhem. To add to the madness Georgie’s brother, the Duke of Rannoch, and family move in ostensibly to find a boarding school for Podge, the heir. The final straw is the arrival of Georgie’s mother, soon to be married to a German industrialist and seemingly oblivious to the growing power and danger of the Nazis. Add a kidnapping, murder and wild cast of characters and you have another adventure for Lady Georgiana.

I just love this series and how we learn history through Lady Georgia's relations.
She is the daughter of a Duke, so cousin to the King. It is 1936 and Georgie and Darcy and baby James are living in the estate of Sir Hubert, which Georgie will inherit. They have little money, though Darcy is now working for the government. The home farm is being developed so they are growing their food and making some money. They have hired 3 farm hands, which will become crucial to the plot.
Meanwhile King Edward has asked them to hide Wallis Simpson as he tries to get Parliament to approve his marriage.
Next George's brother The Duke and his wife and children turn up.
Then Sir Hubert comes home from his travels, bringing along a Hollywood director who plans to film there.
Last but not least, George's mother shows up, and she is still planning on marrying her German fiancée though Darcy tries to convince her not to return to Germany.
So, there is a huge cast of characters and Georgie must deal with it all while nursing the baby, planning the meals, and putting up with her sister-in-law, Fig.
The books are always told from George's point of view and I find them quite humorous for murder mysteries. The murder comes quite late in the book, and I was wondering who the victim was going to be.
I find the core characters to be comforting including Queenie and Grandad, and I will continue reading as long as the series continues. I am wondering how Bowen will deal with the war. She has already shown how the King and Wallis admire the Nazi's, so I imagine the next book will have the abdication.
I received an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review, which this indeed is. Do start from the beginning.

We Three Queens is the latest in Bowen’s delightful Royal Spyness series. There is no need to read the books in order but anyone who enjoys one of these will no doubt want to suss out the others.

Lady Georgiana (better known as Georgie) was born to a member of the royal family. As this story begins, she is being asked to open her home to cousin David’s true love, Wallis. A new mom, Georgie is not eager to host a difficult houseguest but acknowledges that she has no choice. Indeed, Wallis is not happy with the accommodations or company.

Wallis’s present is meant to be a secret while David tries to secure their future as royals. However, Wallis may be compromised since Georgie’s godfather has invited a movie crew to the estate. Bit by bit, they encroach on life inside the house, not just the grounds.

There will be much chaos in this traditional mystery story. No spoiler so will be a bit vague. Readers will find some people missing and even a murder. Georgie will have her work cut out for her. Readers will be glad that she does and will enjoy following her investigations.

Here is another solid entry in a good series. I can’t wait to see what Georgie will be up to next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

I enjoy this series. Well written, interesting characters. I like the setting and the general history lessons. The mystery kept me guessing.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Historical Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Mystery
Representation: British and American people—everyone seemed white to me
Content Warning: References to abuse and WWII and the Nazi regime is looming in the background
Readability: Even if you have read previous books, this one is easy to pick up

WE THREE QUEENS is another winner of a mystery. I find the characters interesting, and the backdrop of pre-WWII and British attitudes to Germany are varied and intriguing—it seems hard to believe, but there really were Englishmen who supported the ideals preached by Hitler. BUT all of that is on the periphery, and instead, we get to focus on a mystery.

The who and why someone murdered a character kept me going from beginning to end. Well, and the murder takes a while to hit, and so before that, I thoroughly enjoyed the inconveniences of the film crew, the drama, unwanted relatives, and unexpected guests (Wallis and Hollywood actors). And fans of Darcy and Georgie are going to enjoying seeing them again.

Happy reading!

I recently read We Three Queens by Rhys Bowen. This 1936 historic fiction tells the story of a couple, Georgie and Darcy, tasked with hiding Wallis Simpson in their home. Darcy is friends with King Edward and has been asked to house Wallis while Edward figures out what to do about their scandalous love. The problem is, Georgie and Darcy do not own their home. The owner of their "estate" decided to participate in the making of a movie about Henry the Eighth and Anne Boleyn and a film crew now rambles about the grounds. Keeping Wallis hidden is getting to be quite the trick, especially combined with Georgie and Darcy caring for their newborn. Difficult enough? Nope. One of the film crew is murdered on the grounds, adding a whodunit to the mix. Chaos ensues.

Once again, Georgie, the star of Bowen's Royal Spyness series, weaves her way through a colorful cast of characters. The pacing was good, along with an atmosphere that allowed you to feel the foggy November chill as you flipped the pages. This installment of the series works well as a stand-alone or an additional volume following Georgie. Highly enjoyable.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the early peek.

"New mother Lady Georgiana "Georgie" Rannoch finds herself trying to separate fact from fiction when a murder occurs while a film is being made on the grounds of her estate in a new Royal Spyness Mystery from beloved bestselling author Rhys Bowen.

It's late 1936, and King Edward is in turmoil, having fallen in love with the scandalously divorced and even more scandalously American Wallis Simpson. He wants to marry her but knows that doing so will jeopardize his crown. Edward confides in his dear friend Darcy, Georgie's husband, and the couple agree to hide Wallis in their home while Edward figures out what to do.

But unbeknownst to Georgie and Darcy, Sir Hubert, the owner of the estate, has given a film crew permission to shoot a motion picture about Henry the Eighth and Anne Boleyn on the grounds. Trying to keep Mrs. Simpson hidden while raising a newborn baby seems like it couldn't be any more stressful for the Rannochs, until one of the stars of the film is found murdered on set. Georgie must solve the murder for king and country before scandal threatens to envelop them all."

Oh, the delicious irony of Wallis Simpson AND Anne Boleyn! BTW if you need to know I'm pro Anne anti Wallis.