What do you think?
Rate this book
Her Royal Spyness #0.5
Masked Ball at Broxley Manor
A delectable prequel to the national bestselling Royal Spyness mysteries featuring Lady Georgiana Rannoch—thirty forth in line to the throne, and England’s poorest heiress.
At the end of her first unsuccessful season out in society, Lady Georgiana has all but given up on attracting a suitable man—until she receives an invitation to a masked Halloween ball at Broxley Manor. Georgie is uncertain why she was invited, until she learns that the royal family intends to marry her off to a foreign prince, one reputed to be mad.
When the prince, dressed as the devil, rescues her from an embarrassing situation at the ball, Georgie is surprised to find her unwanted suitor to be a dashing, charming man—especially when he pulls her aside and gives her the kiss of a lifetime. But as the time comes for the unmasking, Georgie’s rescuer vanishes and the party is thrown into chaos, making it clear that everything at Broxley Manor is not as it appears.…
At the end of her first unsuccessful season out in society, Lady Georgiana has all but given up on attracting a suitable man—until she receives an invitation to a masked Halloween ball at Broxley Manor. Georgie is uncertain why she was invited, until she learns that the royal family intends to marry her off to a foreign prince, one reputed to be mad.
When the prince, dressed as the devil, rescues her from an embarrassing situation at the ball, Georgie is surprised to find her unwanted suitor to be a dashing, charming man—especially when he pulls her aside and gives her the kiss of a lifetime. But as the time comes for the unmasking, Georgie’s rescuer vanishes and the party is thrown into chaos, making it clear that everything at Broxley Manor is not as it appears.…
Audible Audio
First published October 1, 2012
About the author
Rhys Bowen
106 books9,059 followersI'm a New York Times bestselling mystery author, winner of both Agatha and Anthony awards for my Molly Murphy mysteries, set in 1902 New York City.
I have recently published four internationally bestselling WWII novels, one of them a #1 Kindle bestseller, and the Tuscan Child selling almost a million copies to date. In Farleigh Field won three major awards and was nominated for an Edgar. My other stand-alone novels are The Victory Garden, about land girls in WWI and Above the Bay of Angels, featuring a young woman who becomes chef for Queen Victoria.
April 2021 will mark the publication of THE VENICE SKETCHBOOK--another sweeping historical novel of love, loss and intrigue.
My books are currently translated into 29 languages and I have fans worldwide.
I also write the Agatha-winning Royal Spyness series, about the British royal family in the 1930s. It's lighter, sexier, funnier, wicked satire. It was voted by readers as best mystery series one year.
I am also known for my Constable Evans books, set in North Wales, and for my award-winning short stories.
I was born and raised in England but currently divide my time between California and Arizona where I go to escape from the harsh California winters
When I am not writing I love to travel, sing, hike, play my Celtic harp.
Series:
* Constable Evan Mystery
* Molly Murphy Mysteries
* Her Royal Spyness Mysteries
Awards:
Agatha Award
◊ Best Novel (2001): Murphy's Law
Reviewer's Choice Award
◊ Historical Mystery (2001): Murphy's Law
I have recently published four internationally bestselling WWII novels, one of them a #1 Kindle bestseller, and the Tuscan Child selling almost a million copies to date. In Farleigh Field won three major awards and was nominated for an Edgar. My other stand-alone novels are The Victory Garden, about land girls in WWI and Above the Bay of Angels, featuring a young woman who becomes chef for Queen Victoria.
April 2021 will mark the publication of THE VENICE SKETCHBOOK--another sweeping historical novel of love, loss and intrigue.
My books are currently translated into 29 languages and I have fans worldwide.
I also write the Agatha-winning Royal Spyness series, about the British royal family in the 1930s. It's lighter, sexier, funnier, wicked satire. It was voted by readers as best mystery series one year.
I am also known for my Constable Evans books, set in North Wales, and for my award-winning short stories.
I was born and raised in England but currently divide my time between California and Arizona where I go to escape from the harsh California winters
When I am not writing I love to travel, sing, hike, play my Celtic harp.
Series:
* Constable Evan Mystery
* Molly Murphy Mysteries
* Her Royal Spyness Mysteries
Awards:
Agatha Award
◊ Best Novel (2001): Murphy's Law
Reviewer's Choice Award
◊ Historical Mystery (2001): Murphy's Law
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 407 reviews
May 16, 2021
Fun listen, more tomorrow
So this was an audiobook "lunchtime listen" with my wife. It is a brief 90 minute novella featuring Lady Georgina, aka in later books as Her Royal Spyness. Now I have to say the only reason we have this as an audiobook, was that it was very cheap and some the other beeoks in the series were in the sale. So the thinking went, if this short intro to Lady Georgiana is ok, then its worth investing in some of the following audiobook novels.
And I have to say it was worth it. Good narration of an interesting intro novella. We discover that she is from a relatively poor but high class family, in fact she is 34th in line to the throne. In this short story we find her in her "deb" year aged 19, attending all the required balls and events that a "deb" is expected to in the year she come out. That said Lady Georgiana does not attract any suitors and certainly no marriage proposals, when out of the blue, she is invited to a reception at the Palace and then even more of a surprise, a masked ball at Broxley Manor.
The question is, is she being set up, will she work out who is doing the setting and who is wearing the Devil costume, surely its not Prince Otto ?
A wonderful but brief lunchtime listen that cemented the view that its worth listening to more in the "Spyness" series.
So this was an audiobook "lunchtime listen" with my wife. It is a brief 90 minute novella featuring Lady Georgina, aka in later books as Her Royal Spyness. Now I have to say the only reason we have this as an audiobook, was that it was very cheap and some the other beeoks in the series were in the sale. So the thinking went, if this short intro to Lady Georgiana is ok, then its worth investing in some of the following audiobook novels.
And I have to say it was worth it. Good narration of an interesting intro novella. We discover that she is from a relatively poor but high class family, in fact she is 34th in line to the throne. In this short story we find her in her "deb" year aged 19, attending all the required balls and events that a "deb" is expected to in the year she come out. That said Lady Georgiana does not attract any suitors and certainly no marriage proposals, when out of the blue, she is invited to a reception at the Palace and then even more of a surprise, a masked ball at Broxley Manor.
The question is, is she being set up, will she work out who is doing the setting and who is wearing the Devil costume, surely its not Prince Otto ?
A wonderful but brief lunchtime listen that cemented the view that its worth listening to more in the "Spyness" series.
October 22, 2015
This was a decent little story that I picked up as an audible freebie some time ago. There really wasn't much of a mystery until the end of the story but the descriptions of the ball were interesting enough. The voices that were used for a couple of the characters did get on my nerves but those characters were not featured enough for it to be a huge deal.
I did like the main character and plan to continue with the series.
I did like the main character and plan to continue with the series.
May 26, 2018
When Lady Georgiana Rannoch is invited to a Halloween ball at Broxley Manor, her family cannot understand why. It’s not long before she finds out that the royal family plans to see her marry a foreign prince.
At the masked ball Georgie dances with the prince, who is dressed as the devil, and finds herself attracted to him. As soon as the unmasking begins, Georgie’s devil vanishes. Then, bedlam breaks out at the ball. Georgie can’t help but wonder what is really going on at Broxley Manor.
I haven’t been wanting to read this series for a long time, but I don’t usually read historical fiction. I’ve heard so many great things about this series by Rhys Bowen. When I saw my library had the prequel to download, I had to get it. I figured a short prequel would be the perfect way to see if I’d like this series. I was right. Not only was it a great intro to the series, but I loved it.
It was a different take on mysteries for me becasue of the setting. Going out of my comfort zone genre didn’t hurt me at all. In fact, just the opposite. It drew me right in and made me want to read more.
It’s a quick read that just takes a couple of hours, but is a wonderful derversion and a nice book to read between longer reads. It may be a short book, but the characters are well-developed and the mystery keeps you hooked. Another series to add to my list.
At the masked ball Georgie dances with the prince, who is dressed as the devil, and finds herself attracted to him. As soon as the unmasking begins, Georgie’s devil vanishes. Then, bedlam breaks out at the ball. Georgie can’t help but wonder what is really going on at Broxley Manor.
I haven’t been wanting to read this series for a long time, but I don’t usually read historical fiction. I’ve heard so many great things about this series by Rhys Bowen. When I saw my library had the prequel to download, I had to get it. I figured a short prequel would be the perfect way to see if I’d like this series. I was right. Not only was it a great intro to the series, but I loved it.
It was a different take on mysteries for me becasue of the setting. Going out of my comfort zone genre didn’t hurt me at all. In fact, just the opposite. It drew me right in and made me want to read more.
It’s a quick read that just takes a couple of hours, but is a wonderful derversion and a nice book to read between longer reads. It may be a short book, but the characters are well-developed and the mystery keeps you hooked. Another series to add to my list.
January 27, 2015
Lady Georgiana is always such fun! And Katie Kellgren does such a great job narrating this small audiobook.
Loved the addition of historical characters - Wallis Simpson, Prince Edward (Davy), Queen Mary...
Reminds me I need to get caught up in the rest of this wonderful series!
Loved the addition of historical characters - Wallis Simpson, Prince Edward (Davy), Queen Mary...
Reminds me I need to get caught up in the rest of this wonderful series!
November 21, 2021
This is the prequel to the 15 book series, The Royal Spyness Mysteries. I am so ready to get started. And if nothing else i love the art work on the book covers..😊
December 2, 2020
This series has become my comfort read!!
Lady Georgina is such a quirky character and Katherine Kellgren breathes life into her. Her voice suits Lady Georgina perfectly.
Lady Georgina is such a quirky character and Katherine Kellgren breathes life into her. Her voice suits Lady Georgina perfectly.
November 4, 2014
A fantastic novella for Halloween. I always love the spunky story's of Lady Georgiana's (34th to the crown) adventures. She is a wonderfully down to earth young woman, who at the most inappropriate times becomes quite clumsy. In this Halloween romp she is summoned to attend a costume ball where a secret plot to fix her up is at hand. A mysterious masked stranger, a murder attempt, a great explosion, a very inappropriate advance and a bit of history make this another great addition to "The Royal Spyness" series.
July 15, 2018
Actual rating: 3.50
October 3, 2023
The shortest novel I have ever read, in any case I liked it because I have known the character of Lady Georgiana Rannoch for years, even if I have always read the books in no particular order ( it depends on my mood and the time of year ).
This story is a story that precedes book n.1 and even if we had already had the first meeting with the one who will become Geogiana's love interest in the series , here we find a very first meeting to a masquerade ball during the Halloween party (I already said that I choose based on the time of year :-) )
There isn't much to say, because the story is really short, but certainly speaking of the series in general I can recommend it to those who love cozy mysteries set in the 1930s.
Giorgeana is the cousin of the heir to the throne, however after the First World War she finds herself in almost complete poverty like many nobles, she is a girl with ideals and does not compromise as others stoop to do in order to have a comfortable life .
In addition to looking for various jobs to support herself, which will involve her from time to time in murders and dangerous events, she will also be involved in espionage operations on behalf of the English crown. Suspense and a pinch of romance (and from this point of view the best book in my opinion is Christmas book n.6), well thought out mysteries and surprise endings make the series truly brilliant!
Highly recommended!
(Sorry for any errors in the text, English is not my native language )
This story is a story that precedes book n.1 and even if we had already had the first meeting with the one who will become Geogiana's love interest in the series , here we find a very first meeting to a masquerade ball during the Halloween party (I already said that I choose based on the time of year :-) )
There isn't much to say, because the story is really short, but certainly speaking of the series in general I can recommend it to those who love cozy mysteries set in the 1930s.
Giorgeana is the cousin of the heir to the throne, however after the First World War she finds herself in almost complete poverty like many nobles, she is a girl with ideals and does not compromise as others stoop to do in order to have a comfortable life .
In addition to looking for various jobs to support herself, which will involve her from time to time in murders and dangerous events, she will also be involved in espionage operations on behalf of the English crown. Suspense and a pinch of romance (and from this point of view the best book in my opinion is Christmas book n.6), well thought out mysteries and surprise endings make the series truly brilliant!
Highly recommended!
(Sorry for any errors in the text, English is not my native language )
May 22, 2019
Masked Ball at Broxley Manor by Rhys Bowen is a short prequel to the Royal Spyness series. Lady Georgiana Rannoch is invited to a Halloween Ball at Broxley Manor in an attempt to have her marry a foreign prince. Not really much of a mystery, apart from an attempted murder and an explosion. Entertaining but very short.
September 20, 2020
Fine
This was fine but short. Nothing much happens in it. It's just a little aperitif for the series, I think.
This was fine but short. Nothing much happens in it. It's just a little aperitif for the series, I think.
August 31, 2024
This was a fun little novella set before the start of Her Royal Spyness. Quick read.
October 17, 2020
There was a small mystery along with a little romance. Short and sweet. I can't get enough of this series.
November 9, 2017
What Ho old beans! Here's the prequel to the Royal Spyness series.
It is October 1929 and Lady Georgiana Rannoch (Georgie to her friends) is 19 years old and has just finished her season without snaring a husband. She and her family are staying at their London residence Rannoch House, when Georgie receives not one, but two invitations. The first is to a masked ball at Broxley Manor where the elite set gather, like her cousin David (Edward VIII), and the second is an invite from the Queen, which has really got up her sister-in-law Figs nose, as she hasn't been invited to either!
The penny drops when on the way home from the Palace, she realises that the royal family intends to marry her off to a foreign prince, one reputed to be mad.
At Broxley Manor the fun begins, with Georgie dressed as a fallen angel, she meets a handsome devil who sweeps her off her feet.
With gate crashers, poisoner and anarchists, this party is going to go off with a Bang!
I just love these books. They are light, fun, well written and plotted mystery, with a great set of characters.
Delightfully narrated by Katherine Kellgren, who brings out the charm and the fun of the story. I can, and have listened to them more than once. And will probably keep going back, as they are so fun to listen to.
If you like the review and would like to read reviews on other books I have read, visit my blog at www.finalchapterreadersgroup.wordpres... like, comment and follow.
It is October 1929 and Lady Georgiana Rannoch (Georgie to her friends) is 19 years old and has just finished her season without snaring a husband. She and her family are staying at their London residence Rannoch House, when Georgie receives not one, but two invitations. The first is to a masked ball at Broxley Manor where the elite set gather, like her cousin David (Edward VIII), and the second is an invite from the Queen, which has really got up her sister-in-law Figs nose, as she hasn't been invited to either!
The penny drops when on the way home from the Palace, she realises that the royal family intends to marry her off to a foreign prince, one reputed to be mad.
At Broxley Manor the fun begins, with Georgie dressed as a fallen angel, she meets a handsome devil who sweeps her off her feet.
With gate crashers, poisoner and anarchists, this party is going to go off with a Bang!
I just love these books. They are light, fun, well written and plotted mystery, with a great set of characters.
Delightfully narrated by Katherine Kellgren, who brings out the charm and the fun of the story. I can, and have listened to them more than once. And will probably keep going back, as they are so fun to listen to.
If you like the review and would like to read reviews on other books I have read, visit my blog at www.finalchapterreadersgroup.wordpres... like, comment and follow.
February 25, 2013
This is a very short trip into the life of Georgie, our beloved royal, at the very beginning of the Depression and before the events of the Her Royal Spyness series. She's living in London with Binky and the venomous Fig, and her unsuccessful debutante season has come to a close. In typical manipulative fashion, HM attempts to set Georgie up with a Prussian prince by sending her off to a Halloween masked ball where she not only confronts a house-full of guests expecting her to do the done thing, but meets the sharp Mrs. Simpson for the first time. Desperate for a way to escape being conned into marriage with a European royal whispered to be mad, Georgie finds herself dancing in the strong arms of a rather dashing man in a devil's costume. A smoldering lip-lock, a bomb, and a tantalizing letter of farewell later, and we have Georgie's first encounter with the Honourable Mr. Darcy O'Mara. It's obvious from the get-go who he is to the reader, but it answers the lingering question of why Georgie never remembered having Darcy as a dancing partner in Book #1. Really, that's all this short story was meant to achieve.
Quick and cute ... Bravo!
Quick and cute ... Bravo!
August 5, 2019
This is just a short novella intro to the Her Royal Spyness Mysteries series. It's a society masquerade ball full of interesting characters, intertwining real life royals from the 1930s with fictional characters. Once again, Katherine Kellgren does an AMAZING job narrating this story. There is not a lot of substance to the plot here, but it does introduce the wonderful Darcy, so it was worth a listen just for that. I'm not usually a fan of short stories and novellas, but this one manages to tell a complete story arc without feeling rushed or incomplete, and I am excited to keep reading on in this series. Four stars. I really liked it.
December 11, 2019
This is a super short intro to the series and adds nothing to the story if you have already listened to the rest, like I did. I had the curious feeling that I‘d already listened to this one, too. But that is because it is very similar to the other books.
It was lovely hearing the voice of Katherine Kellgren once again...
It was lovely hearing the voice of Katherine Kellgren once again...
January 11, 2022
Easy going and fun to read. If you are in a mood to read something like Downton, those series are the one. Bonus, none of the main characters die, as far as I read.
June 1, 2019
This is a novella that predates the "Her Royal Spyness" mystery series. I listened to the audible.com version and enjoyed Katherine Kellgren's many voices and accents.
July 3, 2019
This was a cute short story which is actually a prequel to the whole series. It's fun and enjoyable!
January 11, 2023
The book that started the “Royal Spyness” series find Georgie invited to a masked Halloween ball with the family’s intent of pairing her up with a foreign prince. However, who she really meets is the man who we will come to know as Darcy O’Malley. This is the book that starts it all.
March 1, 2023
I enjoyed this introduction to the series.
October 17, 2023
Great prequel!
This was a fun, shirt prequel to the royal spyness series. Georgie is a fun character and I enjoyed this fun glimpse of her. You can really see the character she is going to develop into.
This was a fun, shirt prequel to the royal spyness series. Georgie is a fun character and I enjoyed this fun glimpse of her. You can really see the character she is going to develop into.
October 30, 2012
If you’ve enjoyed the misadventures of impoverished royal (thirty fourth in-line to the throne) Lady Georgiana in the Her Royal Spyness series, you’ll probably also enjoy this short story prequel. It provides background information that will be interesting to fans, including how Lady Georgiana met enigmatic love interest Darcy, but it’s light on plot, characterization and suspense so if you haven’t yet read anything else in the Her Royal Spyness series, this isn’t the place to start. It’s current price of almost three dollars is steep for not much more than twenty minutes of reading, but I needed something light and fun to distract me from Frankenstorm Sandy, and this was a perfect, if brief, solution.
As the story opens it’s the end of Lady Georgiana’s “season”. At great expense to her broke though affable brother Binky and his resentful wife Fig, Georgiana has been presented at court (she nearly crashed into Their Majesties because her heel caught in the train of her gown), and she’s attended numerous balls and society events, but so far she hasn’t had any proposals. That may be about to change when two invitations arrive in the mail to set things in motion. As with the rest of the series, actual and fictional characters mingle on the page, and this story includes a fictional first meeting of Wallis Simpson and Georgiana’s cousin David, the future if short reigning King Edward VIII.
As the story opens it’s the end of Lady Georgiana’s “season”. At great expense to her broke though affable brother Binky and his resentful wife Fig, Georgiana has been presented at court (she nearly crashed into Their Majesties because her heel caught in the train of her gown), and she’s attended numerous balls and society events, but so far she hasn’t had any proposals. That may be about to change when two invitations arrive in the mail to set things in motion. As with the rest of the series, actual and fictional characters mingle on the page, and this story includes a fictional first meeting of Wallis Simpson and Georgiana’s cousin David, the future if short reigning King Edward VIII.
March 5, 2015
Masked Ball at Broxley Manor is a fun little short story prequel to Lady Georgiana's adventures in the Royal Spyness series, where fans are finally told the story of Georgie and Darcy's first (fateful?) meeting at a Halloween ball.
People who have read the first book, Her Royal Spyness, would remember that Darcy . At the time the incident was never explained and I wondered whether it would remain a plot hole, so it was with great pleasure that I was treated with this short story that answered all my questions.
That being said, this short prequel serves as a background to Georgie's pre-mystery solving days as well as an introduction to not only Darcy but other series regulars such as the Prince of Wales, Wallis Simpson and Georgie's less-than-loving sister-in-law; there is only the briefest hint of a mystery quickly touched on and even more quickly dismissed towards the end. For those reasons, this is recommended for series fans who are interested in the characters rather than in a mystery - it would also make more sense for people who have at least read the first novel rather than treating this as a true prequel.
People who have read the first book, Her Royal Spyness, would remember that Darcy . At the time the incident was never explained and I wondered whether it would remain a plot hole, so it was with great pleasure that I was treated with this short story that answered all my questions.
That being said, this short prequel serves as a background to Georgie's pre-mystery solving days as well as an introduction to not only Darcy but other series regulars such as the Prince of Wales, Wallis Simpson and Georgie's less-than-loving sister-in-law; there is only the briefest hint of a mystery quickly touched on and even more quickly dismissed towards the end. For those reasons, this is recommended for series fans who are interested in the characters rather than in a mystery - it would also make more sense for people who have at least read the first novel rather than treating this as a true prequel.
October 28, 2012
I am embarking on this series & thought I'd begin with this introductory novella. It was perfect in that it told an intriguing little mystery (who was that masked man that danced with & kissed Georgie?) & gave me enough of a sample of the main character's voice to make me want to know more. I liked the insert of Wallis Simpson & wonder if she makes another appearance in the series. I am already taken with Darcy O'Mara & am pulling for he & Georgie. I find Fig insufferable & wonder what it is that Binky sees in her. I liked the pace & tone of this short & can't wait for the first three books in the series that I've ordered to arrive in the post.
July 24, 2015
This was ok. It didn't really add all that much to Lady Georgiana's story, but was fine as an introduction to the series.
Short stories usually feel very rushed to me, and this was no exception. It almost felt like an abridged version of Royal Blood, the 4th book in the series.
I've already read the first 5 books in this series, and I prefer the longer stories. However, please note that the author tends to be repetitive, so I wouldn't recommend reading this series of books one right after the other.
Short stories usually feel very rushed to me, and this was no exception. It almost felt like an abridged version of Royal Blood, the 4th book in the series.
I've already read the first 5 books in this series, and I prefer the longer stories. However, please note that the author tends to be repetitive, so I wouldn't recommend reading this series of books one right after the other.
November 1, 2014
A fun short story prequel to Rhys Bowen's also fun Lady Georgiana caper/mystery series. Probably most of interest to those who already know the major players.
Audible offered this as a 2014 Halloween free read so I downloaded it. I still did enjoy Rhys Bowen's story, but again really, really hated Katherine Kellgren's narration. Just so over the top. Thank heavens it was free.
Audible offered this as a 2014 Halloween free read so I downloaded it. I still did enjoy Rhys Bowen's story, but again really, really hated Katherine Kellgren's narration. Just so over the top. Thank heavens it was free.
November 20, 2015
3.75 stars
This was a short, enjoyable little story introducing Lady Georgianna Rannoch. I'd recommend reading book one first and then going back to this one, but it could stand alone pretty well, too. I always enjoy Bowen's mysteries, and while this doesn't focus so much on the mystery itself, it's a pleasant quick read.
This was a short, enjoyable little story introducing Lady Georgianna Rannoch. I'd recommend reading book one first and then going back to this one, but it could stand alone pretty well, too. I always enjoy Bowen's mysteries, and while this doesn't focus so much on the mystery itself, it's a pleasant quick read.
July 25, 2015
A very short prequel to the series "Her Royal Spyness", which I have already read. Since this does nothing more than introduce the main characters, with no real story to mention, it was all rather pointless, for me at any rate.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 407 reviews