Miss Tonks Turns to Crime

The Poor Relation, Book 2

By: M. C. Beaton

Narrated by: Davina Porter

Length: 4 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

The poor relations, those genteel paupers of society who live on little more than their dignity, have banded together and started The Poor Relation hotel, hoping to be bought out by their embarrassed relations - but as the hotel prospered, they began to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Now once more they are in need of funds. To stoop to crime in their days of poverty was one thing, but to turn to it again when they have enjoyed a certain amount of success is quite another. But they all agree: the hotel must go on.

And so poor, faded Miss Tonks has been persuaded to steal something valuable enough from her rich sister to set the poor relations on their feet. They all have their doubts about Miss Tonks’ chances for success, but the shy spinster has more than a few surprises in store. Flirtations and feelings abound amid the conspiring group.

©1993 Marion Chesney (P)2012 AudioGO

Loved it

It was a fun and sweet story. I love the narrator her voice is easy to listen to and she brings life to the characters.

Engaging, sweet regency cozy!

This little series is just lovely fun! A peek into high society brought to... trade!
Yes, the once 'high class' people turn to the hotel business to survive, and it's
all fun... this one is about poor Miss Tonks turned into highwayman to steal her
sister's diamonds... and... but you gotta read this to see how it ends.
All's well that ends well.. and it does.. sheer delight.

Another Great Tale From M.C. Beaton!

After listening to more than a few of Mrs. Beaton’s Edwardian love stories, it was nice to come back to the antics of the Poor Relations! The characters are well written and really do behave as a family. While there is still a love story, it isn’t sappy because it is wound within many other funny, clever, and interesting plots. Well written and well narrated!

Love and Larceny in Regency England

Miss Tonques, one of the motley band of poor relations who run the grand hotel “The Poor Relation” in London, much to the chagrin of their well to do families, has been charged with a task. She is to visit her dreadful sister, the same woman who bilked her out of her season as a debutant and who’d stolen Miss Tonques inheritance, and she was to steal something of great enough value to enable the hotel to continue operating.
Miss Tonques, who up until now had been timorous and often overlooked, had acquired a new veneer of confidence and panache, having been rather successful in her new life as a woman in the business of running a hotel and living among her new family of poor relations.
She surprised everyone in her sister’s household and influenced her young niece, Cassandra, such that she left her family and went to London to work in the hotel along with her aunt.
Was Miss Tonques a successful thief? What happened when the dashing Lord kissed her niece in the middle of the robbery? Who were these mysterious Hungarian royals and who put a dead cat in the pudding?
All these questions and more are answered in the second installment of MC Beatons charming Poor Relations series.

More Regency Fun! Miss Tonks Saves the Day!

This is the second in a series (would recommend finding "Lady Fortescue Steps Out", which is Book 1) about the fiscally challenged aristocrats who have started a genteel hotel.

Once again finding themselves insolvent, they encourage the very timid Miss Tonks sets out to steal from her scheming, grasping sister.

A thoroughly enjoyable innocuous novel, with some moments of high humour. Definitely will appeal to fans of Regency romances. This is as well researched as Georgette Heyer (although a lighter on substance), with details such as the quandary one experiences with a full chamber pot early in the evening.

It is a cozy, comfort read. Readers might recognise the author under her other pen-name "Marion Chesney".

love it!

love all her Poor Relations Hotel books. The characters are the best and so funny!

Laugh out loud

These are my kind of stories. Fun, funny, and clean. There is so much witty writing in this series. Thank you M.C. Beaton for another entertaining story. Narration was absolutely wonderful as well.

M. C. Beaton - Amazing

This is the second Poor Relations novel I’ve listened to and have to say…I’m hooked! Absolutely love the story. Davina Porter is one of my favorite narrators, which adds to the excellent review. 👍🏻

Like the best caramels

Richly delicious and gone too quickly!
Anything narrated by Davina Porter is a safe bet, especially for Anglophiles. These lovely little mysteries, about four hours long, are clever and fun.
A group of impoverished aristocrats start a hotel with ill-gotten gains and are occasionally forced to commit crimes to keep it going.

A surprise at every turn, love this story!

After reading the first book, I had to know what would happen next. The characters are wonderful and unique. It's better to read the story in order, but not absolutely necessary. If you want humor and surprise, this is for you. Audible 20 review sweepstakes entry.