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Heirs and Graces  By  cover art

Heirs and Graces

By: Rhys Bowen
Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren
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Editorial reviews

Editors Select, August 2013 - I am absolutely not joking when I say I had to beat out no less than 7 other hard-core in-house Royal Spyness fans for the privilege to choose Rhys Bowen’s newest installment as my top pick for August. If you have already started listening to this series I don’t really need to talk to you because you’ll already be as excited as I am about Heirs and Graces. If you have not picked up Her Royal Spyness then listen up: Please, I beg of you, do not hesitate. I have yet to recommend this series without effusively positive results. I’m not generally a cozy mystery fan, but Rhys Bowen’s delightful saga is my top favorite series to date, and Katherine Kellgren is at her most talented and charming in her spot-on performance of the myriad voices at play.

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Finalist, Mystery, 2014

As 35th in line for the throne, Lady Georgiana Rannoch may not be the most sophisticated young woman, but she knows her table manners. It's forks on the left, knives on the right - not in His Majesty's back….

"Here I am thinking the education I received at my posh Swiss finishing school would never come in handy. And while it hasn't landed me a job, or a husband, it has convinced Her Majesty the Queen and the Dowager Duchess to enlist my help. I have been entrusted with grooming Jack Altringham - the Duke's newly discovered heir fresh from the Outback of Australia - for high society. The upside is I am to live in luxury at one of England's most gorgeous stately homes. But upon arrival at Kingsdowne Place, my dearest Darcy has been sent to fetch Jack, leaving me stuck in a manor full of miscreants…none of whom are too pleased with the discovery of my new ward. And no sooner has the lad been retrieved than the Duke announces he wants to choose his own heir. With the house in a hubbub over the news, Jack's hunting knife somehow finds its way into the Duke's back. Eyes fall, backs turn, and fingers point to the young heir. As if the rascal wasn't enough of a handful, now he's suspected of murder. Jack may be wild, but I'd bet the crown jewels it wasn't he who killed the Duke…."

©2013 Janet Quin-Harkin (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

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What listeners say about Heirs and Graces

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Best Royal Spyness yet!

Suspenseful & fun, a great novel. Katherine Kellgren is brilliant! Loved her performance. Looking forward to the next book.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Couldn't get past the hysterical narration

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

A different narrator.

What could Rhys Bowen have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Can't say. Because of the loud, shouting, hysterical voiced characters I couldn't get past chapter three. Grating and extremely annoying vocalizations.

Would you be willing to try another one of Katherine Kellgren’s performances?

No way.

Any additional comments?

I have enjoyed previous books in this series very much but simply could not tolerate this narration.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Escapist Fun

Georgiana Rannoch is the main character in this series. She is a penniless member of the Royal Family, Even though she has never been educated to do anything useful, she is smart and resourceful. I like her alot.

The story takes place in an elegant Stately Home. The characters are unique and interesting. The mystery is good. I was surprised at the solution when it was finally revealed.

The overall tone of the story is light. There are scenes that are laugh out loud funny.

The only thing I didn't like was the voice of the Dowager Duchess. She is a haughty, upper class woman. She is annoying. For me, the voice the narrator used is too annoying (even though it might be accurate).

Katherine Kellgren does a superb job with the rest of narration.

Overall this is an entertaining, enjoyable story.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

I love the series but this book did not measure up

I love the series and I have read every book in the series. The narration is great too. Unfortunately this book was boring, as the author spent nearly half the book retelling the facts we already know from the previous books. There was no mystery or suspense until halfway through. If this would have been the first book I had read in the series, I may have skipped the others. The narration was still impeccable. Save your credits.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

All caught up!

I’m sad to come to the end of the available instalments; I have at least a 6 month wait to go for Book 8!

I wanted to spread the episodes out a little more, but I was in the mood for a fast easy and enjoyable to read before going on vacation so picking up Book 7 right after Book 6 seemed like a no-brainer.

Like I said in my review of Book 6: When you’re in the mood for a fun little break from longer heavier books, it’s so nice to have such an enjoyable series at hand.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

murder at the old family manor.......

Another great addition to the series with an old-fashioned who dunnit at the estate home of a confirmed bachelor Duke with his Dowager Duchess mother, assorted family members with secrets, household staff with quirks, and small-town police constables. Then toss in the previously-unknown nephew from a sheep ranch in Australia for some fun and confusion......and Georgie (with the help of Darcy and an appearance from Belinda) has her plate full trying to help solve this one.

Still worth the price of admission! This is a fun series, and this one continues to uphold the quality -- maybe even surpass the others.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Love it

I had to take a break from Audible because of money and this is the first book I bought when I came back. If you are familiar with the series, this story stays true to the pattern that sees Lady Georgie doing a favor of the queen and eventually finding a dead body. If you are unfamiliar, the main character is a very minor member of the royal family of England in between the world wars. She's penniless, unmarried, without prospects but very resourceful so the queen calls on her often for help. The characters are quirky without being too exaggerated. The scene is well set without it sounding like a history lesson. The tone is light without being too glib in the face of murder. Lady Georgie is a delightful person to spend time with and the reader can't be beat. This story has characters with many different accents, young and old. Each one is voiced distinctly. I took one point off because the basic outline of this book is very similar to the others.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A little disappointed

Heirs and Graces really was an enjoyable listen. As usual the mystery was cute, Georgie was Georgie, and Darcy was delectable. Georgie's grandfather only made a brief appearance, which fit with the story but made me a little sad since he is one of my favorite side characters. No Fig or Binky in this one, which was good. But the storyline with Georgie and Darcy didn't move forward. After his proposal at the end of the last book I expected to see more going on there and was disappointed when that didn't happen. I'm also dying to know who it is that Darcy works for. His "spy" nature has been alluded to and danced around for several books and I'm ready to know the truth. All that aside, Heirs and Graces was a great addition to the Royal Spyness Mystery series; it just wasn't my favorite.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Inheritance drama with murder mystery

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

Yes - it not only provides entertainment and a real murder who-done-it, but enlightens the reader about the mechanics of British inheritance, which is also a mystery.

What did you like best about this story?

Characters are interesting, not predictable - a real twisty resolution to the case! Its a fun, entertaining and historically interesting book, illustrating British social hierarchy, politics between the wars and the role of women. I like that justice is handled with a deft hand..

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

Her performance! She is very talented as a reader, and conveys the spirit of each character so well !!

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

I laughed at the comic relief - although Georgie's maid Queenie better get her act together and stop annoying her Lady.

Any additional comments?

After this PLEASE let Darcy and Georgie work it out...after seven books they deserve it!! Bring them to the Americas for an adventure that tests their mettle..let Georgie discover a bit of his secret activities..Let Sir Hugo advance her some of her inheritance before he kicks the bucket..

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Disappointing addition to the series

Her Royal Spyness has been a favorite of mine, but this is a weak addition to the series. It feels like the author is cashing in on our affection for Georgie and Darcy. Take my advice and stop listening after book 5: "The Twelve Clues of Christmas" and "Heirs and Graces" aren't worth your time.

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