Her Royal Spyness is the first of the Rhys Bowen series set in 1930s England. Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie is the fictional granddaughter of Queen Victoria and thirty-fourth in line to the throne. Despite her claim to the throne, both Georgiana and her half brother are penniless and with lack of skills, she tries to find a way to make a living in their London home while her brother, Binky, ekes out a living on the Scottish family estate. While out on one of her money earning efforts as a maid, Georgiana comes home to find a body in their bath tub and her tenacity is turned to clearing the family name.Note: I was surprised when Georgiana and Binky visited New Scotland Yard as I thought New Scotland Yard was built in the 1960s. But after doing some research found that Scotland Yard (built on the location of a palace where Scottish nobility resided when visiting England) moved to a new location by the Victoria Embankment in 1890 and then to the newer building in 1967 which has since been sold to a middle eastern investor to turn into luxury apartments! New Scotland Yard's move is part of an effort to cut costs.
I've loved each of the Rhys Bowen series (Constable Evans and Molly Murphy) and this series is no exception. Rhys Bowen conjurs up delightful and interesting characters in Her Royal Spyness and gives us a glimpse into upper crust England of the 1930s.
