Her Royal Spyness

By: Rhys Bowen

Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren

Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Agatha Award-winning author Rhys Bowen’s charming combination of intrigue and romance blended with a touch of humor shines when performed by Audible Hall of Fame narrator Katherine Kellgren, whose deft range and impeccable accent work make it hard to believe this isn’t a multicast performance.

In this irresistible cozy set in 1930s London, Rhys Bowen introduces the lively Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie—or "Georgie" for short. Despite standing 34th in line for the throne and occasionally having tea with (…and spying for!) Her Majesty the Queen, Georgie is penniless and down-on-her-luck. And just when it seems things might be looking up, she finds a body in her bathtub.

Listeners are sure to be hooked on this royally enjoyable series—and luckily for them, the collaboration between author and narrator only gets richer over the course of 12 books.

©2007 Janet Quin-Harkin (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Entertaining

Would you listen to Her Royal Spyness again? Why?

Yes I would listen to it again, I thought it was funny and enjoyable.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot was engaging and kept you wanting more.

What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?

She did a good job chaptering the characters.

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

When she was left to fend for herself in London.

Spyness Schmyness

What made the experience of listening to Her Royal Spyness the most enjoyable?

I like that she is her own hero! She saved herself when being attacked...good thing too... because the lead male was not much help.
Also she is not afraid to roll up her sleeves and do what is required - unlike her sniveling brother.

What other book might you compare Her Royal Spyness to and why?

Agatha Raisin - the character is not perfect....but is loyal, smart, and ready for anything.

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

I like the accents. The male character with the lisp was hysterical!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A Royal Spyness - upstairs gone downstairs

Any additional comments?

A good listen overall....but really slow going. Chapter 14 or 20 before the crime was committed. This may have been due to it being the first one....I am not sure. I will have to check it out.
I hope the character ages and develops.....

Wide range of voices

The narrator voiced an excellent portrayal of all the characters in this upper class mystery. I found it fascinating to listen to her switch from male to female and change her accents easily. I have already read the first 8 books in this series but will be getting the audio solely because of Katherine’s interpretation of the characters. I also looked up all her other Audio books cause I enjoyed this one so much.

Very funny and entertaining

This book was so different. It was funny and witty and altogether entertaining. I will definitely read the rest of the series.

Fun witty and cute

What made the experience of listening to Her Royal Spyness the most enjoyable?

I am able to listen to the book and play a game on my computer at the same time.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Gorgie because she seems more real.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Georgi falls off the runway during the fashion show.

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

not really

Murder and the Royals

While I enjoyed the story, it isn’t great. The premise is interesting but after a while the narrative becomes tedious. The accent attempts were a bit annoying. It was approximately 8 hours but could have been condensed. I listened to the story as I was driving from Florida heading north and it did help make the miles fly by. So, all in all, I do recommend this book just don’t expect it to be a Pulitzer.

Good listen but a bit two dimensional

This is a pleasant mystery with two dimensional characters. Just about every stereotype you could imagine for a peer of the realm is packed into this book. Typical romance, what passed as shocking behavior for the dilettantes of the 1930s, the ne'er do well Irishman, etc. It's worth a listen but it isn't deep stuff. Hopefully book two will get to the mystery faster than this one - but the first in a series always needs to set up the characters.

Overall the narration is outstanding, but once or twice I thought that the voices slipped between characters but I could be wrong.

Delightful Mystery with Lovable Characters

If you could sum up Her Royal Spyness in three words, what would they be?

Delightful - Witty - Entertaining

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

There's sufficient intrigue to keep you interested -- not only the mystery but also what I call "social horrors" :) The characters get under your skin (in a good way) and just won't let you go. It's perfect for the time period, and there are no dull moments!

What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?

I'm picky about narrators, but Katherine Kellgren did a great job of bringing this story to life and giving each character his or her own voice (and like the best narrators, those voices carry over to the subsequent books in series).

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

I definitely didn't want to turn it off, but in the same way, I didn't want it to end. Luckily for me, I knew I had other books in the series to look forward to when I was finished.

Any additional comments?

This series kept popping up in my recommendations, and I kept ignoring it. I only listened to it because I got it on sale. Eventually, I will start paying better attention to those recommendations because they're usually amazingly correct. In this case, I'm sad that I went so long without having read it. What a delightful start to a delightful series!

Enjoyable Mystery!

Georgie is a spy for her Royal Highness Grandmother. Among the Royals are secrets she uncovers but not before she realizes her life is in danger & someone is trying to kill her. But why?
It all starts when she finds a man dead in her brothers home where she is staying... and her brother & his belongings are no longer present.
Left alone to face the music & stay a step ahead of a killer.
Very entertaining.

a fun series i think

a good beach read as they say fun entertaining and fast paced. look forward to book 2 in series