Lady Osbaldestone’s Christmas Intrigue

The Lady Osbaldestone’s Christmas Chronicles, Book 4

By: Stephanie Laurens

Narrated by: Helen Lloyd

Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

Number one New York Times best-selling author Stephanie Laurens immerses you in the simple joys of a long-ago country-village Christmas, featuring a grandmother, her grandchildren, her unwed son, a determined not-so-young lady, foreign diplomats, undercover guards, and agents of Napoleon.

At Hartington Manor in the village of Little Moseley, Therese, Lady Osbaldestone, and her household are once again enjoying the company of her intrepid grandchildren, Jamie, George, and Lottie, when they are unexpectedly joined by her ladyship’s youngest and still-unwed son, also the children’s favorite uncle, Christopher.

As the Foreign Office’s master intelligencer, Christopher has been ordered into hiding until the department can appropriately deal with the French agent spotted following him in London. Christopher chose to seek refuge in Little Moseley because it’s such a tiny village that anyone without a reason to be there stands out. Neither he nor his office-appointed bodyguard expect to encounter any dramas.

Then Christopher spots a lady from London he believes has been hunting him with matrimonial intent. He can’t understand how she tracked him to the village, but determined to avoid her, he enlists the children’s help. The children discover their information-gathering skills are in high demand, and while engaging with the villagers as they usually do and taking part in the village’s traditional events, they do their best to learn what Miss Marion Sewell is up to.

But upon reflection, Christopher realizes it’s unlikely the Marion he was so attracted to years before has changed all that much, and he starts to wonder if what she wants to tell him is actually something he might want to hear. Unfortunately, he has set wheels in motion that are not easy to redirect. Although Marion tries to approach him several times, he and she fail to make contact.

Then just when it seems they will finally connect, a dangerous stranger lures Marion away. Fearing the worst, Christopher gives chase - trailed by his bodyguard, the children, and a small troop of helpful younger gentlemen.

What they discover at nearby Parteger Hall is not at all what anyone expected, and as the action unfolds, the assembled company band together to protect a secret vital to the resolution of the war against Napoleon.

©2020 Savdek Management Pty., Ltd. (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing

Another heartwarming Christmas story hits the mark!

These are all such wonderful Christmas Classics so much so that I'm going to make them a traditional read every year!!!

Another fine installment.

Note that the epilogue is rather more PG13, than the earlier chapters and books.

Enjoyed the earlier ones more

This was pleasant, but not as heartwarming as the other Lady Osbaldestone stories. Totally appreciate the narrator.

Started slowly, but came around well at the end.

I have now listened to all four books in this series and have thoroughly enjoyed them all. This one began okay, but then left me very frustrated at the apparent slow wittedness of our hero and his alleged professional co-workers as well as the overall lack of communication between them all. However, it finally became apparent that the story had to follow the path that frustrated me in order to achieve the final, and satisfactory, results on all fronts. I came away somewhat sated, but still wanting more. Overall a good read and a good narration. I am hopeful for another installment this year. I rather like the lack of gratuitous sex.😉

Perfect 4th Installment

This book fits perfect in with the rest. There is one section that as a mother I was thinking, No Way! But, other than that I loved this book and have enjoyed the entire series.

Loved it

While each of the books in this series has a certain charm, this was by far my favorite. The threat of one of Napoleon's spies following Lady Osbaldestone's son Christopher to her country manor made this a thrilling tale. And of course, it was fun to see how James, Lottie, and George remain right in the thick of things. A nice blend of intrigue and Christmas traditions.

Subtle Send-Off

I enjoyed all four books of this series. The story is slightly less lighthearted than previous tales as the children become involved in protecting their uncle from spies. The romance sub-plot is contained to a few sentences until the epilogue. The more mature nature of this story is why I consider it a bridge to Melissa and Dagenum’s full-length novel. As usual for this series, on-page physical attraction is limited to kissing. It’s part of the charm.

Tedious plot

Having read the other books in the series it was a nice revisit to all of the old characters. The plot in this one however was really frustrating. Seems like she would dangle success in front and then pull it back over and over again until I just wanted it to be over. The narrator does men’s voices better than most, and a not bad Russian accent. I hope there will be follow up with not only the children as they have grown, but also the love interest with Melissa and Dagenham.

Fun at Greatgrand mother's st Christmas.

Great story I can not wait to read the entire series. Every part has adventure fun n suspense.

Love this series

This 4th book focuses a bit less on the town and more on the war effort and her family. It was nice to check back in with the grandchildren even though this year’s adventure was a bit far fetched. Excellent narrator!!