Best of the Early Spyness Novels

If you could sum up Royal Flush in three words, what would they be?

Fabulous engrossing story.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters were brilliantly done, the humor was superb and the narrator suited the story perfectly. The plot was superior to the plots in the two earlier books; the villain was far less obvious and there were more twists to the plot. There is one minor error in the book but it is not annoying or major [a character is said to be Brazilian but has a Spanish name and speaks in Spanish].

Which scene was your favorite?

The scenes with the Americans at Castle Rannoch often made me laugh out loud. The action scenes were excellent, too. The author writes details very convincingly, making it easy to create a mental picture of what she describes.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The book made me laugh many times.

Any additional comments?

This is an extremely funny book that definitely takes the reader away from the world and into the author's world. The narrator is brilliant with the ability to give each character the absolutely perfect voice. If you want a cheap vacation, listen to this book!

18 people found this helpful

The joy continues!

The Royal Spyness series is, in my opinion, Rhys Bowen's best effort so far and Royal Flush is definitely a worthy addition to the series. Katherine Kellgren is marvelous and becomes the characters. I enjoyed this series to the max . If you haven't heard them, definitely start with the first one in the series and continue on through them all - you won't regret it!

17 people found this helpful

Cute series

The description of this book is just so misleading. Her Royal Spyness is a fun series of light mystery stories that take place in late 1930's England. The royal storyline mentioned in the description is tangential to the main plot. Accidents are happening, people are getting killed and it's Her Royal Spyness Lady Georgiana, 34th in line to the throne, who figures it all out and helps to capture the bad guy.

If you want a lighthearted, easy listen, try this series.

16 people found this helpful

Worth a credit

Would you listen to Royal Flush again? Why?

Yes, I would. I just a real FUN listen and the characters are well developed. I have to say, sometimes all the books in the series are a bit predictable, but as I said, it's not a "deep listen", rather than a fun listen.

What other book might you compare Royal Flush to and why?

I have only read this genre from Rhys Bowen, so cannot really compare.

What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?

Great skill, variety of true sounding accents, sometimes she does get a bit to carry away and gets very loud.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Royalty and Mischief

Any additional comments?

Just get the series. If you are looking for superb English, and deep and meaty books, than this is not the one. But this is a lighthearted, fresh read. Highly recommend it.

11 people found this helpful

A Royally Good Time

I have purchased and listened to all Rhys Bowen's Royal Spyness books. The narrator is marvelous, with a command of a wide range of accents. The setting is well-illustrated, the writing hilarious and thrilling by turns. I strongly recommend this series.

10 people found this helpful

not as good as the first ones

I still love the character and the narration, but the aviation parts (and character) were reaching, I thought. I hope the next in the series is better, or I'll probably stop - which would be a shame.

8 people found this helpful

Great light entertainment

What made the experience of listening to Royal Flush the most enjoyable?

It moves along at a good pace, was interesting but didn't require that I hear every word. There are some humorous moments as well.

What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?

She is easy to listen to...

Any additional comments?

This is a great book for a car trip where you need to pay attention to the road first and the book second. It isn't so complex that you get lost in the plot but it is fun and moves along. I have listened to several in this series and they are just "fun"!

8 people found this helpful

Continues the "Royal Spyness" storyline

This is fun, entertaining listening. The humorous portrayal of the English aristocracy, with a nod to real historical figures, was enjoyable, and the performance is flawless. But I don't know how long I'll be be able to sustain interest in the ever-thwarted romance between Georgie and Darcy.

5 people found this helpful

Light but still entertaining

If you could sum up Royal Flush in three words, what would they be?

Fluffy, fun, frivolous

If you’ve listened to books by Rhys Bowen before, how does this one compare?

I have enjoyed the whole series except the Queenie character (maid). Really, the woman is as stupid as a ton of bricks and so Georgiana must be too, to keep her.

Which character – as performed by Katherine Kellgren – was your favorite?

Georgiana herself, star of her own life, and also Belinda - love that breathy little voice.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extremes...good listening for when you don't want to be challenged or intrigued too deeply.

Any additional comments?

I listen to this kind of book in between longer, darker or deeper historical and crime novels. It's a great balance! I have to admit that I have fallen asleep to most of these books, but because I intended to, not because they were boring!

4 people found this helpful

Second Time Around

Love this series enough to listen to it a 2nd time. You will love it too.

3 people found this helpful