by Rhys Bowen
Part of Her Royal Spyness, book 14
First published 2020
Lady Georgiana Rannoch returns from her honeymoon to find herself restless. Her cook Queenie torments her daily while husband Darcy travels on secret business. When dear friend Belinda inherits a cottage in Cornwall and asks Georgiana to inspect it with her, she eagerly accepts. The cottage proves uninhabitable, but Rose Summers, someone Belinda knew as a child, offers them rooms at Trewoma Hall. Her husband Tony owns the estate now. Belinda admits she dislikes Rose and once had an affair with Tony, making their stay uncomfortable. The house feels oppressive, with its stern housekeeper Mrs. Mannering and Tony's obvious attempts to seduce Belinda again. When someone in the household dies by murder, evidence points directly at Belinda. Georgiana discovers that buried secrets from the past have surfaced to threaten everyone at Trewoma Hall. She must uncover the truth hidden in their history to save Belinda from losing her freedom.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, mystery, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Cornwall, Trewoma Hall
Period: 20th-century
300 pages · Kindle Edition · Berkley