by Rhys Bowen
Part of Her Royal Spyness, book 13
First published 2019
Georgie and Darcy arrive in Kenya's Happy Valley for their extended honeymoon, but Georgie suspects her husband has been assigned another secret mission. Darcy confirms her suspicions when he reveals they're hunting an aristocratic thief who has fled London after a string of robberies. The Happy Valley community provides perfect cover for their investigation, filled as it is with upper-class English expatriates living decadent lives of wild parties and affairs. When the notorious Lord Cheriton makes unwelcome advances toward Georgie, she firmly rebuffs him. Days later, his bloodied corpse appears on a remote road, apparently killed by a lion. The local community rushes to close the case, but Georgie and Darcy sense something amiss. Their investigation reveals that nearly every resident had reason to want Cheriton dead, and someone is willing to kill again to keep secrets buried. As the newlyweds dig deeper into the corruption beneath Happy Valley's glamorous surface, Georgie wonders if she'll survive her honeymoon long enough to unmask a murderer.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, adventure, mystery, crime
Vibes: atmospheric, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Happy Valley, Kenya, London
Period: Honeymoon
304 pages · Kindle Edition · Berkley Prime Crime/Berkley/Penguin Random House LLC