A ROYAL AFFAIR

Former undercover operative Iris Sparks and well-bred war widow Gwendolyn Bainbridge team up for their second high-stakes, highbrow caper in postwar London.

Iris’ spy training and Gwendolyn’s society connections give them the ability to nose out the perfect opportunities for their marriage bureau, The Right Sort. Having chimed wedding bells for nine pairs of clients so far, they have their eyes on upgrading to finer office quarters when Gwen’s cousin Lady Patience Matheson calls with the ultimate suitor to vet. Prince Philip of Greece has won the affections of Princess Elizabeth, heir to the throne. At first glance, he should be entirely suitable, a distant cousin descended from Queen Victoria in service in the British navy. But someone has cast doubt upon the match by sending an anonymous blackmail letter, demanding money for mysterious things Philip’s mother, Princess Alice, left with someone named Talbot on the island of Corfu. Gwen and Iris learn that Talbot was the British attaché who helped the Greek royal family, including Princess Alice and the infant Philip, escape the Greek revolution, stopping at the royal estate on Corfu as they fled to Switzerland. In between flirting with playwrights and gangsters, Iris and Gwen track down the ship’s captain and a lady’s maid to the royal family and realize that the lost item could be love letters between Princess Alice and her brother-in-law that would call into question Prince Philip’s legitimacy and scuttle his chances to marry Elizabeth. When the assignation to trade for the letters turns deadly, it takes all of Iris’ and Gwen’s cleverness and nerve to save their business, the crown, and true love in a daring midnight confrontation.

An irresistible mix of period thrills, international intrigue, unquenchable friendship, and a royal betrothal.