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Her Royal Spyness  By  cover art

Her Royal Spyness

By: Rhys Bowen
Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren
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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.

Our favorite moments from Her Royal Spyness

From dreadful heights to lakeside drear...
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Those horrid common Americanisms.
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An eyebrow-raising lesson in Royal etiquette.
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I am here to take tea with Her Majesty. I am expected.
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Meet Georgie's quirky and lovable granddad.
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  • Her Royal Spyness
  • From dreadful heights to lakeside drear...
  • Her Royal Spyness
  • Those horrid common Americanisms.
  • Her Royal Spyness
  • An eyebrow-raising lesson in Royal etiquette.
  • Her Royal Spyness
  • I am here to take tea with Her Majesty. I am expected.
  • Her Royal Spyness
  • Meet Georgie's quirky and lovable granddad.

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.
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About the Performer

One of Audible’s most beloved narrators, Katherine Kellgren fell in love with book narration at a very young age. As a child, she recorded her first stories on a cassette player for her ailing father. Her passion for storytelling turned into a life-long career, and earned her superstar status among a legion of fans. A master at impersonations and different accents, Kellgren won multiple awards–including four Best Female Narrator Audie Awards–and in 2017 she was inducted to the inaugural Audible Narrator Hall of Fame. She passed away in early 2018 following a battle with a rare form of cancer, but her legacy lives on.

Featured Article: The Audible Essentials Top 100


The spirited (but friendly) debate over these titles could have gone on indefinitely. With years of listening, countless customer reviews, and a catalog of seemingly infinite great listens, 100 suddenly felt like a very small number. What we know for sure—each title that made it to this collection is elevated and made special in some way by audio, whether by a layered performance from a single narrator, a brilliantly cohesive full cast, original music, or immersive sound effects. Discover an audio experience for the ages.

About the Author

Rhys Bowen's awe-inspiring career began in audio. When she was just 22 years old, Bowen marched into the office of the head of BBC drama and handed him a script she’d written. After he told her they were going to produce it, she never looked back. Originally from Bath, England, Bowen now lives in San Francisco. While she has built her reputation on numerous best-selling children’s books and young adult novels, her writing is now devoted to several award-winning mystery series and a growing number of stand alone historical fiction novels set during World War II. Her books have won Agatha and Anthony Awards.

What listeners say about Her Royal Spyness

Average customer ratings
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  • 4 out of 5 stars
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    6,686
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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

Cute and funny

Any additional comments?

Cute and funny. A penniless royal relative in the 1930's who tries to find some independance, and finds herself in disaster after disaster. She's a compelling character - smart, funny and determined, but totally ignorant of any skills outside her narrow upbringing. For instance, she arrives in London without a servant, and has no idea how to light a fire or cook anything other than toast. The characters are fun and I liked the mystery.

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

I discovered a new series!

This book is a great mixture of mystery, humor and history. Great narrator kept me glued to my headset. I will get them all.

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

jolly good listen

a little predictable but nevertheless a jolly good listen. I enjoyed the characters and the author uses her words to create vivid environments.

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

A Charming Little Mystery

Would you listen to Her Royal Spyness again? Why?

Unfortunately, like most mystery novels, I will have to put this book on the shelf for a few years before I can pick it up again, but I am very much looking forward to continuing the series.

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

These are very much like the Coffee House and Cat Who series. They're simple, themed and fun. There's really not much deep thinking involved and the clues are so varied and vague that it's really not much of a plot twist. The murderer is revealed quite a bit before the heroine catches on. Regardless, that's part of the fun. It's a fantastic book that makes me want to pour some tea, settle in the big chair by the window and relax.

What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?

Katherine's voices and tempo are phenomenal. I laughed over some of her accents, but it was very sporting. I really can't critique her with the exception that toward the end she has a little trouble slipping from character voices back into the narrative. It didn't spoil anything, just added a slight distraction.

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

I did listen to it all in one sitting. It's comfy and familiar, as classic mystery lovers will understand. It's the sort of story that you slip into and drift away on.

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

Try it!! You'll love it!!

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

Katherine Kellgren has a wonderful way of bringing these characters to life & Rys Bowen has done a fantastic job of writing it. The characters are rich and vibrant and have great backstories and the whole thing is very well written. The mystery was not super obvious, but was still easy to follow and the motives were well founded. A++!! I've loved the whole series thus far. Well worth the listen!!

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

Fun, Fun, Fun!!

Would you listen to Her Royal Spyness again? Why?

Yes. It was just a fun, lighthearted book. It made me smile a lot.

What did you like best about this story?

It's just charming. It kept me smiling.

What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?

She's amazing. She rocks. One of my favorite performers.

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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

Great Series

Would you listen to Her Royal Spyness again? Why?

The plot, the excellent narration and the humor make these definite re-listens for me. Katherine Kellgren handles the many accents so well. Highly recommended!

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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

Great!

I liked both the narrator and the story.
Highly recommended.
A story by a woman, mostly for women, but I enjoyed it nonetheless!

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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

light fun that delivers

This book was light and full of fun atmosphere. Enjoyed it completely. Looking forward to listening to the series. The protagonist was a nice mix of innocent and forward.

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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

So well done! A great purchase

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

Unique professional funny

Who was your favorite character and why?

I loved Darby, Katherine did an amazing job with all the voices.

Any additional comments?

This is the best narrorator I've heard on Audible. She delivers the lines beautifully. Each character is robust and you get he sense that she is enjoying the story as much as the listener.

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