by Rhys Bowen
Part of Her Royal Spyness, book 11
First published 2017
Georgie Rannoch receives a letter from her pregnant friend Belinda, who waits at an Italian villa for her illegitimate child's birth. Georgie wants to help but lacks the means to travel. Then the queen assigns her a mission. She must attend a house party in Italy's Lake Country to prevent a secret wedding between the Prince of Wales and Mrs. Simpson. The assignment gives Georgie the perfect excuse to reach Belinda. At the villa, problems multiply quickly. The hostess is a former schoolmate who despises Georgie. Belinda's pregnancy must stay hidden from the other guests. Darcy works on his own dangerous undercover operation. Georgie's actress mother arrives with her own agenda and tasks. The web of deceptions grows more tangled by the day. Georgie realizes that with so many secrets and schemes colliding in one place, disaster seems inevitable. When everything falls apart, she will be the one left to solve the mess and protect the people she cares about.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, mystery
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Italy, Lake Country, Italian Villa
Period: 20th Century
320 pages · Hardcover · Berkley