Royal Spyness Mysteries

Author: Rhys Bowen

Books in series: 18

Subgenre: Historical

About the Series

Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, 35th in line for the English throne, is flat broke. It is the 1930s, and her family's Scottish castle is crumbling, her brother has given her a London house with no heat or servants, and the queen keeps giving her awkward assignments like keeping an eye on Wallis Simpson.

Despite her pedigree, Georgie is utterly relatable — she is clumsy, self-deprecating, and constantly embarrassed by her inability to perform basic domestic tasks (she was raised with servants). Her attempts to earn money while maintaining appearances lead to hilarious situations, and murders keep following her to country houses, royal events, and Continental holidays.

Rhys Bowen captures the 1930s beautifully — the fashion, the class dynamics, the political tensions of pre-war Europe, and the glittering but fading world of the British aristocracy. The romance between Georgie and the dashing Darcy O'Mara is a slow-burn delight.

Complete Reading Order

1. Her Royal Spyness (2007)
2. A Royal Pain (2008)
3. Royal Flush (2009)
4. Royal Blood (2010)
5. Naughty in Nice (2011)
6. The Twelve Clues of Christmas (2012)
7. Heirs and Graces (2013)
8. Queen of Hearts (2014)
9. Malice at the Palace (2015)
10. Crowned and Dangerous (2016)
11. On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service (2017)
12. Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding (2018)
13. Love and Death Among the Cheetahs (2019)
14. The Last Mrs. Summers (2020)
15. God Rest Ye, Royal Gentlemen (2021)
16. Peril in Paris (2022)
17. The Proof of the Pudding (2023)
18. We Three Queens (2024)
Reading Notes: Must be read in order. The Georgie-Darcy romance is a major throughline, and character developments build across the entire series.

Back to all reading orders. Learn more about Rhys Bowen.