Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding (A Royal Spyness Mystery Book 12)

Rhys Bowen once again demonstrates why she is an award winning author. Fans of Georgie are going to love the newest adventure as she plans for her marriage to Darcy. In her typical fashion, Lady Georgiana innocently goes about life as an impoverished heir to the throne – albeit 36th in line.

The search for a home for the soon-to-be newlyweds meets a giant bump in the road when her benefactor makes the offer of his home, a large country estate. Seems a great gift until her arrival at the estate. The house and gardens are a mess; the house, sparse; the servants hopeless! In her usual fashion Georgie stumbles on a mystery which nearly proves fatal!

With the aid of her usual companions – her Grandfather, mother, Queenie, Belinda and Darcy – Georgie carries on, providing an entertaining romp of a mystery which unravels satisfyingly.

The biggest mystery of all was whether Georgie and Darcy would make it down the aisle and into wedded bliss. Certainly seems the fates are against it!

Another wonderful Georgie tale. Thank you, Ms. Bowen!

In the twelfth book in the Royal Spyness series, Georgie has gotten permission from the King and Queen to renounce her right of succession (she's only 35th in line to the throne, after all) so she can marry Darcy in the Catholic Church. While planning her wedding and trying to avoid inviting every minor royal in Europe, Georgie and Darcy are having no luck finding a decent London flat they can afford. They are rescued when Georgie's former stepfather writes from Chile and offers her the use of the grand estate she'll one day inherit. This device sends her to the country and into the central mystery of the book. When she arrives at Eynsleigh, Georgie finds the formerly well-run estate in a mess, with a completely different staff than she remembers and she sets out to take charge and get to the bottom of the strange goings-on.

I love this series, even though it's completely implausible. The characters are fun, and all my favorites are back for this installment: Georgie's mother, her grandfather, and of course, Queenie. If you're a major Darcy fan, I'm sorry to say he's not around too much. However, it was great to see both Georgie and Queenie being more competent and less accident-prone than usual and even Georgie's mother makes herself somewhat useful for a change. It's nice to see a little character growth and some new directions opening up at the end of the book, so I'm hopeful there will be another installment.

Recommended for fans of the series. New readers will enjoy it, but would benefit from reading the books in order.

I received a free ebook ARC from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding is a light, historical fiction, cozy mystery. The book is set in England, during the 1930s. Lady Georgianna Rannoch is thirty-fifth, in line for the throne. She decides, however, to throw away her royal heritage, and the stuffy prince that came with it, to marry Darcy O’Mara; a handsome Irishman. And, even though, Darcy’s hush-hush, questionable, occupation keeps him from Lady Georgie, for extended periods of time, she still wants to marry him.

Lady Georgie is delighted when she receives a letter from one of her ex-step-fathers, Sir Herbert. In his correspondence, Sir Herbert has offered Lady Georgie his estate in Eynslegh, to use. Since he’s often away for years at a time; he wants Lady Georgie to make it her home. Sir Herbert warns her, however, that something is not right at Eyslegh, but he doesn’t know what.

Lady Georgie was shocked at the condition of Sir Herbert’s estate. His once beautiful home was in shambles. And, the staff, heavens! Where did he ever hire them from? They were inept, rude and lazy. And, when she threatened to throw them all out, she was informed that only Sir Herbert could fire them. The problem was, though, Sir Herbert was somewhere in South America, climbing a mountain, and unreachable.

There was definitely something shady, going on at Eynslegh. The servants were lying to Lady Georgie, and stealing from the estate. But when someone tried to snuff Lady Georgie’s life out, well, that was the last straw. Lady Georgie wasn’t about to let a bunch of no-good, servants intimidate her. She was the mistress of Eynslegh, after all; and she would get to the bottom of whatever was going on.

Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding is a well-written, over-the-top, humorous tale. If you don’t mind a bit of silliness, then this cozy mystery might be just the book for you.

Thank you, Berkley and Edelweiss, for my advanced review copy.

In the 4th book of Her Royal Spyness series, Lady Georgiana Rannoch is in London to plan her wedding. With all the problems with her plans, she is sorry they didn't manage to elope. She is still waiting for her degree allowing her to marry Darcy than Queen Mary invites herself to the wedding and suggested that the princess be bridesmaids, the church Darcy wants to be married and Georgiana must be approved by the Catholic church. Her Mother has joined her as her German boyfriend's Father has passed away and her future is not clear. Where she and Darcy will live is not clear. Georgiana received a letter from her Godfather informing her to move into
Endsleigh and make it her home. She makes the move and all is not right there. The twists and turns the book takes on have you turning the pages. More deaths occur before Georgiana and her Mother understand what was issuing at Endsleigh. Does the wedding take place? I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the book and series.

Disclosure: Many thanks to Berkley for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own

Finally it looks like Lady Georgiana Rannoch and Darcy O'Mara are going to tie the knot. Of course it is not going to go smoothly. Georgiana finds herself in a very bad situation and the problems just keep coming. Then first her Mother and then he Grandfather find that their wedding have been called off. That was their bad news but the good news was that they both arrived to help Georgiana. This is another fun book in Her Royal Spyness Mystery series. Hope that there will be more after this one.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

The Her Royal Spyness series is delightful, delicious, altogether a particular pleasure, and Four Funerals is no exception.

Georgie has the usual adventures. The King and Queen figure in the story, as does mummy and Zou Zou (a book or three about her would be appreciated!), Belinda and Georgie's grandfather (who figures more in this story, a pleasant surprise.

Georgie find a crime being committed! Darcy pops in and out and in. And there are the wedding preparations.

All in all, the author delivers with panache. More, please!!

First, the upside:
1. I listen to this series, and the new narrator is just as good as the predecessor, who sadly died. Dedicating the book to the predecessor and letting us know what happened was helpful and classy.
2. The writing itself, style, pace, dialogue, all remain solid.
3. Queenie's character development is welcome.
Now the downside:
1. It takes forever to get the plot moving. We spend a very big chunk of the the first part of the book talking endlessly about her upcoming nuptials.
2. Repetition abounds. Something happens. Then she explains to someone what happened. Then she explains AGAIN what happened.
3. The biggest problem, however, is the plot. Understanding that our protagonist is not a rocket scientist, no one in her right mind would have behaved as she did. She would have called the police right away. The excuses why she did not make no sense. (One problems with listening to a book is that you can't throw it across the room.) To say more would share spoilers; suffice it to say, that however delightful the characters, they need to behave like sentient beings.
I wonder whether these problems are a product of too much success, and, therefore, too timid an editor.
I'll give the series another chance if there's a next volume, and I'm hoping the series hasn't jumped the shark.

This new entry in the A Royal Spyness Mystery series is as fun filled as ever. Lady Georgiana Rannoch must plan for her wedding after stepping aside in the line of succession to the British crown in order to marry Darcy O'Mara. With no money and a traveling fiance, she accepts the offer of her one time step-father to live in the home that she so loved as a child. However, with an absentee owner, the estate has all new staff that don't quite come up to snuff. A lively cast of characters and unexplained events make for an entertaining escape.

Unlike previous Spyness mysteries this one was a bit of a slog and when G and D took those two birds out to the woods attempting to slow down the crooks and then let one go into the trees I lost interest in the story because I could not help being worried that the birds were left to starve to death. They were never mentioned again. And the tension that existed between the two main characters in previous books was just not there! All in all not a favorite. Malice in the Palace was very good.

When the story starts, Lady Georgie is facing the weddings of her mother and grandfather before her own, which faces so many obstacles she's not at all certain it will happen. And she has no idea where she and Darcy will live if the marriage does actually occur. Then one of her mother's former husbands offers Georgie his house, which comes complete with a surly staff, nefarious happenings, and plenty of mysteries to solve to take her mind off other problems. And at the end, everyone's in a much better place. I loved it!

Georgie has her work cut out for her running Eynsleigh Hall and keeping her mother happy. The servants are terrible, so she's actually happy to have Queenie come help cook. With Sir Hubert off in South America, she has little authority to fire the staff and both she and her mother wonder why so many of the nice things have gone missing. Where is Darcy? How many royal relatives will show for the wedding? So many mysteries to solve!

Lady Georgiana Rannoch is getting ready for her
upcoming wedding to Darcy O'Mara. She is staying
at Princess Zou Zou house in London as she is flat
broke. Georgianna is a cousin to the Royal family as
she is the granddaughter of Queen Victoria.
Darcy and Georgianna are looking for a place to live
after they are married. They cannot find what they
want.
Queen Mary invite the Royals to the wedding. The
Queen offers them a place for their honeymoon.
The Queen also asks Georgianna to have two younger
princesses in her wedding.
Then Georgie receives a letter from one of her mother’s
ex-husband. He has made her his sole heir and wants
her to move into his country estate at Ensleigh to make
it her home before the wedding then live there with her
husband there after they are wed.
Arriving at the estate Georgie is shock at how the house
is in disarray with a rude, inexperienced and incompetent
staff. The rooms are sparsely furnished. Everything is
covered and dusty.
Something is not right and Georgie needs to get to the
bottom of the situation.
Soon after, Georgianna’s mother, grandfather and her
maid/cook arrive on the scene. Now she must keep
herself plus them safe from whatever is happening at
the estate.
The energy is palpable plus the danger is real. It is an
intriguing, interesting read, complexly plotted historical
fiction
The setting is amazing with the huge estate with
a fountain, a gazebo, a small chapel with a crypt housing
some of the Georgie’s ex-stepfather’s ancestors.
The cast were all creatively, well defined, colorful, vivid
and artfully crafted characters. This hold for both the
good and the sinister.
Death, cancelled wedding plans, murder, robbery, danger,
intrigue, drama, politics, beautiful dresses and humorous
shenanigans, all add to the fast paced adventure.
I volunteered to read Four Funerals and Maybe A Wedding.
Thanks to Penguin’s First-to-Read Program for the
opportunity. My opinion is my own.

An enjoyable read, though the rather thin plot is mainly fun because of the romantic elements. The mystery section of it was too easy to guess, but the settings, royal connections and sense of humor were still there. It did feel a little as though the author was trying to tailor the story to the title...

I loved this one! I really enjoyed all the details about running a big English estate (gardens, food, tea time!) It's always fun when all the characters are together at a big country home. Plus - a wedding! It is one of the best in the series so far.

The story finally advances to the preparation for the wedding. Of course, it doesn't happen without the typical mystery and comical interludes. But, it is a delightful story that focuses on the bride as she prepared for her big day.

Another great read by Ms. Bowen. Well-written, with an honest-to-goodness SMART heroine, and a twisty-turney plot, this was good fun. I am looking forward to more in the continuing saga! Thank you, Ms. B.

“Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding”, by Rhys Bowen is a witty and entertaining mystery. This is the twelve book in “A Royal Spyness Mystery” series. This is the only book that I have read and can be read as a stand-alone. The Genres for this Novel are Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Mystery with a tad of Wit, Satire, and Romance. Poking fun at British Royalty, Rhys Bowen has provided an intriguing story.

The characters in this story are complex, complicated, and quirky. Lady Georgiana Rannock (Georgie) and Darcy O’Mara have scheduled their wedding for the summer. Georgie received a letter from one of her mother’s former husbands, and states that he is gifting her his estate to live in when she marries, and leaving a small space for him to reside in when he is home. He also mentions he would like Georgie to check on his house and make sure that everything seems fine. Darcy is away at his work.

Georgie heads to the estate only to find a Butler with rude manners, a cook that cannot cook and a maid that looks down on her work. Although Georgie starts to realize something is off, when someone leaves the gas on in her room. Other strange things start to happen that she realizes that she is in danger. Georgie has her Mother, and maid come to visit. Strange things, disappearances and bodies start showing up. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest reviews. I would recommend this for readers that enjoy a quirky British mystery.

Lady Georgiana is extremely excited that she will be tying the knot with the handsome Honourable Darcy Bryne O’Mara, but without substantial funds and a flurry of dictates and demands from family and friends, she wishes they'd followed through with eloping. Even the search for a post-wedding residence has been a serious disappointment, but her godfather‘s letter reminding her she is his heir and can now move into his family’s home has been the silver lining for which she has been looking. But the Manor is less than ready for her to take up residence with a skeleton crew of servants who are somewhat antagonistic and oddly ill-equipped for their duties. Add curious sounds, sights, and a missing person’s report, you get a suspicious Georgie on the search for answers.

BLOODY BRILLIANT!! I was so engaged in every fictional and non-fictional aspect of Rhys Bowen’s book that I finished in two days, one night well past midnight. The series is more of a cozy “historical” mystery with many google-worthy events and real-life characters. Lady Georgiana’s diary entry intros each chapter offering a fun follow-up, but it's the first-person narrative with excellent descriptions of the setting, fashion, and personalities that kept me turning the page. Bowen didn't rely just on the narrative by using a delightful banter, giggles included, between Georgie and her mother, the Queen, and the servants that show she can channel her great-grandmother Queen Victoria just fine. I love Georgiana, but Bowen has created so many strong, courageous women characters. Queenie, Georgiana’s cook/maid, has started to gain confidence, even though she still has incidents of awkwardness; Belinda, her bohemian BFF, has an admirable independence; Georgiana’s mother, who never really provided the motherly interactions, is herself not constrained by society’s demands. I love this series, but you can start here with book twelve without any difficulty. You'll fit right in! “Bob’s your uncle!”

"Disclosure: I received an ARC, but my review is voluntary. My insights and comments are honest."

I love, love, love Lady Georgie, and Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding was a delightful addition (the 12th installment) to the series! Lady Georgie's wedding to Darcy O'Mara is imminent, and in addition to the normal trials of any bride - the dress, the guests, househunting - Georgie has to deal with not one, not two, not three, but four deaths throughout the story! It's a good thing her godfather has solved one of her problems by notifying her that she and Darcy are able to live at his country estate, Eynsleigh....or is it?!? 5 stars to this laugh out loud mystery from Rhys Bowen!

Georgiana and Darcy make it to the alter at last (I hope no one considers this a spoiler -- after all, faithful readers must know that Ms. Bowen wouldn't get our hopes up and then dash them again).

In between, Georgie has troubles to solve at her godfather's (who's also one of her mother's many husbands) ancestral estate, where mysteries abound. It's a cunning race to the finish for our girl, and she's aided in her endeavors by everyone we've come to know and love; Mum, Granddad, and of course her erstwhile maid/aspiring cook/partner in crime Queenie.

What I especially appreciate is the author's use of the many (true) historical characters from the time frame; their Majesties, mentions of Wallis Simpson, even the two Princesses figure in this one. And also looming is the growing menace of Germany. We'll see how Georgie and Darcy deal with that, I'm sure.

Absolutely looking forward to reading more.

Another fun romp with Lady Georgiana and her beau, Darcy. They are finally getting married and Georgie has given up her place on the line for the throne (I think it was 35th anyway). Now the planning for the wedding and married life begins.

The Queen wants an elaborate wedding at Westminister Cathedral with the heads of all the royal houses in attendance. Georgie is appalled but agrees to have the little princesses, Margaret and Elizabeth, as bridesmaids. All the beloved characters are assembled. Binky will give her away, Belinda will make her dress and her mom will buy her a trousseau.

Then an ex-stepfather offers her the use of his castle to live in as he travels the world. Thank goodness. Georgie makes her way there and find something is not right there. There are the rude servants, the horrible cook, the missing heirlooms and a crazy lady with birds for her to deal with.
As Georgie tries to handle the situation family related deaths occur and she must straighten those out too.

A fun book and I certainly hope it's not the last of the series. I enjoy her too much.