Review: Queen of Hearts by Rhys Bowen

Lady Georgiana Rannoch is happy to see her mother the former Duchess of Rannoch as she was bored to tears. Soon her mother sweeps Georgie away on a trip to America. They were booked on a passage that would leave on Thursday and there was much to be done before they could set sail for America by way of the ship of millionaires called Berengaria. The ship would leave from Southhampton, before the cruise ship could take place there was shopping to be done and they were staying at the Brown's Hotel.
Queenie who is Lady Georgiana's maid is not amused to be traveling with Celeste who is the Duchess of Rannoch's personal maid, and she for that matter doesn't much care for Georgie's mother. Georgie is growing tired of Queenie always being unhappy and she complains about everything and everyone.
Georgie's mother (Claire), takes Georgie shopping and they have a lovely time seeing sights they have the most fun.
Then the day arrives and they set sail for America because Claire needs a divorce from her husband. Needless to say this must happen in Rena Nevada and it must happen immediately as her mother's latest rich man Max who lives in Germany wants to marry as soon as possible. Max doesn't know Claire is already married. German Royals do not like entanglements that might end up on the front page.
Everything goes fairly well until jewels turn up missing, then Georgie sees what she thinks is someone who fell overboard but when it is investigated there is nothing to be found.
Georgie soon discovers her own true love is on the ship. He is on a secret mission and Darcy O'Mara does not ever take his assignments lightly.
Darcy and Georgie are madly in love both while both are in love Georgie doesn't have a penny to her name. Just the title and Darcy has to work for a living so he wants to eb wealthy enough to marry Georgie.
Next comes more and more troubles. The one thing that happens is Cy Goldman wants to make a movie and nothing would have it but he wants to make Claire a star. Claire is bored and thinks it might be fun.
They end up at The Beverly Hills Hotel in California and Charlie Chaplin the movie star first sets his sights on Georgie, then Claire. There are many interruptions and it seems everyone from England and other places end up in California.
Upon arriving in America and the many mishaps that happen on the movie set Cy decides that everyone including Darcy and many others should come to his Hollywood home in the hills. Cy takes his mistress and she is the only one allowed to stay in the big house that is really a castle.
When they arrive Cy's wife and her friend show up. Cy has guest cottages with different names and styles. Georgie and her mother get the English cottage and while beautiful they are appalled at the way Cy has wasted money. He is like a child. What he wants he has to own. This includes animals imported from everywhere. His wife doesn't like it one little bit.
A lot people don't like how he treats them. Soon he is murdered and there is a long list of suspects. The thing is there is a very small window of time and most everyone has an alibi.
All of this is just the tip of the bottle. There is much going on and way to many plots and suspects, to add in this review.
QUEEN OF HEARTS (A Royal Spyness Mystery) by Rhys Bowen is the best absolutely the best historical cozy mystery that I have read this year.
Delightfully devious, fun and filled with surprises clear up until the last page.
This is definitely a ten out ten star review.
Pamela James