This is the third book in a new cozy mystery series by the author, and it is a winner. This is a charming, funny look at life among the upper crust in 1930s England, as seen through the eyes of Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, known as Georgie to those near and dear. Her grandmother was one of Queen Victoria's daughters, making Georgie thirty-fourth in line to the throne.
Georgie is definitely a thoroughly modern Millie, who is currently living alone in her family's New Hyde Park London townhouse, where she fends for herself as best she can. While there, she meets old acquaintances, makes new friends, and feels romantic stirrings for an irresistible and handsome Irish peer, Unfortunately, she is flat broke, as her brother, Binky, cut off her allowance due to a reversal of fortune.
So, what is a girl to do, especially a royal who is not supposed to work? Well, having already tried a stint as a cleaning lady, Georgie decides to do something else. What Georgie comes up with is sure to set tongues wagging were members of her set to find out, and it would certainly get the Queen in a tizzy were she to discover Georgie's new occupation and means of support. Apparently, Georgie has decided to advertise herself as an escort, and what she thinks the duties of an escort are is at odds with what her clients think they are.
Of course, all this is great fun, and it leads to Georgie being set up on a secret assignment involving the Royal Family by Scotland Yard. So, mystery abounds. There is also a certain amount of hilarity when Georgie is on her family's estate in Scotland, and her brother and sister-in-law are entertaining a group of Americans that includes Ernest and Wallis Simpson. Coincidentally, the Prince of Wales is close by at Balmoral. This leads to a lot of delicious and humorous encounters.
As with all cozy mysteries, it is the lives of the characters that propel the story forward. While the mystery is intriguing, it is merely the framework around which the characters evolve. The combination of some history with mystery, as well as a touch of romance, is irresistible. Set within the social mores of the time, all the characters, both downstairs and upstairs, manage to add to the ambience of the book. Those who enjoy cozy British mysteries will find this one to be an entertaining and humorous romp.