Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen

This is the fourth book in Rhys Bowen’s “Royal Spyness” series, and Georgiana Rannoch, the fictional 34th in line for the British throne in the 1930s. Aside from some awkward secondhand embarrassment early on (Let’s just say that fiction sometimes expects me to go beyond suspension of disbelief regarding the things sheltered young things will unknowingly do. Like accidentally advertise themselves as being an escort service.) the plot revolves around Georgie returning to her brother’s castle in Scotland and discovering that someone appears to be trying (and failing) to kill members of the royal family.

I prefer Bowen’s Molly Murphy mysteries, set in turn-of-the-century New York. They’re a bit darker, set in a slightly-less popular setting, and focus more on the lower classes, exploring a greater range of social groups and classes, while the Royal Spyness books are more frothy brain candy. Though in this case, “brain candy” means intelligent, witty and charming with endearing characters, few dead women, a tolerable love interest, and a typically-smart heroine who has multiple relationships, both friendly and otherwise, with other women.