A Royal Pain

By: Rhys Bowen

Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren

Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

The Queen of England has concocted a plan in which penniless aristocrat Lady Georgie is to entertain a Bavarian princess and conveniently place her in the playboy prince's path, in the hopes that he might finally marry.

But queens never take money into account. Georgie has very little, which is why she moonlights as a maid-in-disguise. She must draw up plans: clean house to make it look like a palace; have Granddad and her neighbor pretend to be the domestic staff; un-teach Princess Hanni the English she's culled from American gangster movies; cure said princess of her embarrassing shoplifting habit; and keep an eye on her at parties.

Then there's the worrying matter of the body in the bookshop and Hannis' unwitting involvement with the Communist Party. It's enough to drive a girl crazy.

Listen to more Royal Spyness mysteries.

©2008 Janet Quin-Harkin (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Macavity Award, Historical Mystery, 2009

"All the characters from the first book in this rollicking series are present here - Georgie's much-married actress mother, her kind-hearted and resourceful Cockney grandfather, her sophisticated friend Belinda and the enigmatic Darcy O'Mara, a penniless Irish peer to whom Georgie finds herself attracted. There are also fleeting references to the war clouds that are gathering in Europe and the rise of fascism at home and abroad, both of which are neatly tied in with the murders and their solution. It works - both as a grand period piece and a lighthearted and completely diverting mystery." (The Denver Post)

Really fun!

Would you listen to A Royal Pain again? Why?

I love these books, as much for the reading as the books themselves. I would listen again.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Royal Pain?

When Queenie saves Georgie from Johnny's advances.

What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?

Her voices are amazing. You can easily recognize the different characters based on the voices she gives them.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but I won't let myself!

Any additional comments?

Can't wait for the next one!

Another charming British spy drama.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Would certainly recommend to any friends who enjoy British mysteries.

What other book might you compare A Royal Pain to and why?

Brought to mind books by Jacequeline Winspear and Laurie R. King.

Love this series - too fun...!!!!!

Another delicious visit with Lady Georgiana. She is such a delightful character who is trying to walk a fine line between the role of royalty and commoner, worldly and sheltered, sleuth and scared witless, aggressive and shy..................... It all works to create a character who is 3-dimensional and still maintains her grace and aristocratic upbringing at all times.

Laughed out loud.

Would you listen to A Royal Pain again? Why?

Yes, I think I will listen to it again because I enjoyed the story so much.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Georgie is my favorite character, spunky little aristocrat that she is.

Which character – as performed by Katherine Kellgren – was your favorite?

Belinda, Georgie's best friend. She has kind of a Tallulah Bankhead slinkiness about her.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

My favorite moment in the book was when George and her friend Gussie went for an after-dinner walk in a garden. I laughed out loud and it crosses my mind from time to time, making me smile throughout the day.

Any additional comments?

Rhys Bowen's writing and Katherine Kellgren's reading compliment each other perfectly to produce a fun escapist story.

Can't Stop Listening

What did you love best about A Royal Pain?

The story is light, fun, but contain a sense of mystery, which it should since all the books in this series are murder mysteries.

What did you like best about this story?

I like that Georgiana thinks of herself as an average person despite her royal blood. The characters are fun and enjoyable. I also like that the relationship between Georgie and Darcy is progressing.

What does Katherine Kellgren bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She brings the characters to life! Also, pronouncing some of the names and British slang, especially the cockney slang, is helpful.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There is always something in the Royal Spyness books that makes me laugh out loud.

Any additional comments?

These stories encompass a part of British history where my knowledge is lacking. It's inspired in me a need to research the royal family and learn more about this time period.

Fun escape ....

I enjoy this series and it is what it is fluff. And I look forward to it as I gable with the GPS.

I think the narrator does a good job ... love to hate Wallis even if she only shows up for 3 or four lines.She shines as the queen (small q ),of the nasty remark. Sadly for me the narrator really missed the the mark with Princess "Honey" rather than a charming sweet German princess ,she sounded more like a cartoon characterization of an Indian princess ... but, of course it was hard to deliver her gangster English with any clear direction .. toward the end it became very distracting.

Cute British humor

If you could sum up A Royal Pain in three words, what would they be?

Stumbled on one of Rhys' books. I usually get only long books, but decided to take a break. They are light and the characters are enjoyable.

perfect

i just love these stories the royal angle, the womens rights angle and the class system of the time all makes for a jolly good yarn.

Fun listen.

Fun story, light-hearted entertainment. Good narration, and easy to understand her British accent. Enjoyed it.

A fun read

If you could sum up A Royal Pain in three words, what would they be?

Another enjoyable read from Bowen. While the story was not quite up to the first, the characters and performance are terrific. A delightful fun experience.