Heirs and Graces

By: Rhys Bowen

Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren

Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins

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.

review

I really enjoyeded this book,I couldn't wait to get back in my car to confront listening..the narrator is marvelous

Such a fun series.

I’m about half way through the series. It’s a light mystery series about The Royals. Not sure how historically accurate it is, and it doesn’t matter to me. It keeps my mind occupied.

This is my favorite so far

So I admit I have listened to all of these without stopping in about 4 days. I must be addicted. But this one is the most fun. Great characters and not predictable at all. Loved it.

Love!

My favorite series! Looking forward to hearing more! Love the narrator and the characters! Every story had a wonderful twist!

Such a hoot!

This book was hilarious it made me laugh out loud while driving down the road other drivers must have thought I was crazy!

Georgiana is staying at Kingsdowne Place to help out the family when they find a new heir for the Dukedom unfortunately for this upper crust family the heir apparent is an Aussie who has been raised as a rancher not as a Duke, plus the current Duke Cedric is a jerk who would rather have everyone gone and adopt one of his male playthings than put up with an interloper or anyone else in the family. Unfortunately for the Duke things don’t go well for him at all.

The mystery was a good one I didn’t guess who had done it. And the cast of characters and I do mean characters are all fabulous; you have Princess Charlotte who constantly wants to have a séance, her sister Vivienne who is a highly sexual being and turns everything into innuendo, The Dowager Duchess who is as upper crust as they come, her daughter Irenee who just whines a lot and her two incorrigible children. Plus we have, as Georgiana called them, the Starlings who are Cedric’s companions and possibly his lovers. And of course we have Georgiana’s boyfriend Darcy and her best friend Belinda shows up hoping to catch the new duke in her snares.

Katherine Kellgren’s narration was as always Amazing. I kind of feel sorry for anyone else in an Audie category that is up against Katherine Kellgren because she is so amazing. There are so many characters in this book with very different accents and each and every person sounds different and is distinct. Some of the accents in this book were; high brow English, Australian, cockney, Irish, male and female, kids and grown-ups all done absolutely flawlessly. No other book in the mystery category had this many accents and characters done so well.

This was a fun book and a cute story; I’ve only read the first book in this series and wasn’t confused at all so this one could easily be read as a standalone. This is a very fun historical cozy I highly recommend this series.

4 ½ Stars

Another winner for Rhys!

Would you listen to Heirs and Graces again? Why?

Yes. The series is light and fun.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Heirs and Graces?

The ending when Darcy says he's staying at the manor. Usually he's running off somewhere.

Which character – as performed by Katherine Kellgren – was your favorite?

I liked the twins. (Two characters, I know, but they were done so well.)

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

Yes - and I did!

The series is growing on me

I think this is my favourite so far, although I did like being in the South of France with Coco Chanel. A close second is probably the Christmas one, which I read just prior to this one. There was lots of humour and some intrigue and of course, the narrator couldn't be better. I've only found the series somewhat fun thus far, but this one I was eager to get back to. I didn't guess who had 'done it', despite trying and it didn't drag for me at all.

Another wonderful book!!

Another wonderful mystery and romance of the adventures of Lady Georgiana. I have enjoyed each of this series so far. Rhys Bowen is an excellent author and Katherine Kellgren an absolutely fabulous and gifted narrator who makes the story so real. All the characters have such distinct voices and personalities that come to life.

Really enjoy everything about this audio book

First, the performance (narrator) is great. I love English accents but she does them all, Scottish, Irish, French, and now Australian. Very talented and enjoyable. (I’ve listened through many books with pained ears) however, these series are enjoyable.
Second, the plot(s) - I love the series thus far and it being based on historical fiction. Lots of real life plots and stories mixed up into all the books. It’s fun. I wish they’d do a tv series….a little Downton Abbey and The Crown meets Sherlock Holmes. It’s fun, light, not too serious and it isn’t always the butler.

Such a FUN Series

This is the 7th book in a series of 14. I have loved each of the first 7 books, First, the narrator is amazing. There are so many characters in this series and she is fabulous at each and every one of them. The characters are lovable, funny and interestiing. In this time of uncertainty, these books are fun and enjoyable and will take you away in history and Britist royality. I highly suggest all of them if you like light-hearted mysteries. You can't listen to just one.