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.

My cup of tea!

Every time I finish one I cannot wait to get to the next!

Georgie is her usual brilliant self and Darcy manages to show up again with his wicked brogue.

Suspense, murder, new creative characters and all brought to life by the amazing Katherine Kellgren.

What more could you ask for? Oh yes, the next in the series!

Outstanding Performance

The charming writing and story by Rhys Bowen were wonderfully performed by Katherine Kellgren. Her ability to mimic the various English /Irish /Aussie accents (both high and low brow) with such apparent ease, is nothing short of amazing and greatly enhances the enjoyment of the story.

Fun Narration

I really enjoy this series. This narrator is very talented with her range of accents. The stories are becoming a bit formulaic, with Georgie uncovering the truth via grand confession and nearly being offed herself. But quite fun.

typical entry in the series

I am listening to these out of my love for the late, great Katherine Kellgren. She is wonderful with all the voices. The story isn't very complex. As usual Georgie and Darcy turn up in a dangerous place. At least she gets to eat well in this one!

Fun and light

This series is a lot of fun, very much enhanced by the wonderful reader, Katherine Kellgren. The adventures of Georgie and her friends and relatives are engaging, well written, and quite well-plotted. Easy listening and great to knit by!

I am always happy to see a new Royal Spyness Book!

I am a huge Rhys Bowen fan - and this is my favorite of her series. If you liked Elizabeth Peters - I believe you will enjoy this series. Light hearted fun!

One of Series Best!!

I have read all but two in this hilarious series. This well plotted, engaging mystery delivers a satisfying resolution. Watch out for a wickedly funny fox hunt.

Another Great, Fun Book by Rhys Bowen

Would you listen to Heirs and Graces again? Why?

The characters are interesting and fun and continue the story of Georgie from the earlier novels in the series. The plots and the characters are simple and straightforward, but very compelling. You get wrapped up in the story without even realizing it. Heirs and Graces has a plot that is decidedly different from the other books. It's amazing to me how the author can mange to provide a whole new set of characters in a completely new setting with each book, without repeating anything and and without changing the main characters from the earlier books. Each book is really fresh. Wonderful old fashioned story telling. Love it.

Long Set Up

Takes up pretty much where the last book left off. No murder (or mystery) occurs till about half way in. Still, it was nicely done and Georgie really did help solve this one. Nice to see more of Georgie and Darcy together. I was somewhat disappointed that her attempted murder wasn’t addressed in the aftermath. Katherine Kellgren was wonderful as always, with great, distinctive voices and accents for all the many characters. I do particularly like her voice for Georgie. 4 stars/5 narrator.

Another great listen

Where does Heirs and Graces rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Like each book in the series, this is a pleasant listen. It's easy to care about these characters. They're like-able people, wrapped up in interesting plots and challenges.

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

These aren't exactly edge-of-your-seat books. They're more like grinning-with-anticipation books. The sometimes awkwardly humorous circumstances and interesting plot twists are certainly enough to keep you interested, but you probably won't be biting any nails off while listening to it.

What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?

Katherine Kellgren is simply outstanding. Her characterizations are spot on, and her interpretation of the text adds a very unique depth to the story. My only problem is the sometimes strident (and certainly over-used) "she said" or "he said." It's almost as though she's adding an odd exclamation point every time she does it.

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

Again, there's very little that I would describe as moving. Granted, the romance between Georgianna and Darcy is cute, perhaps even touching, but I wouldn't say particularly moving.

Any additional comments?

A good entertaining listen. Go ahead and get it. You won't regret it.