A fact-based romantic speculative novel about Teddy Roosevelt’s first love, by Mary Calvi, author of Dear George, Dear Mary.
Studded with the real love letters between a young Theodore Roosevelt and Boston beauty Alice Lee—many of them never before published—If a Poem Could Live and Breathe makes vivid what many historians believe to be the pivotal years that made the future president into the man of action that defined his political life, and cemented his legacy.
Cambridge, 1878. The era of the Gilded Age. Alice Lee sets out to break from the norms of her mother’s generation. Women are fighting for educational opportunities and exploring a new sense of intellectual and personal freedom. Native New Yorker, Harvard student Teddy Roosevelt, is on his own journey of discovery, and when they meet, unrelenting currents of love change the trajectory of his life forever.
If a Poem Could Live and Breathe is an indelible portrait of the authenticity of first love, the heartache of loss, and how overcoming the worst of life’s obstacles can push one to greatness never imagined.
IF A POEM COULD LIVE AND BREATHE: A Novel of Teddy Roosevelt’s First Love by Mary Calvi is a speculative historical fiction based on Theodore Roosevelt’s first love and marriage to Alice Lee. This is a beautiful young love story based on actual letters. Set in the Gilded Age, two young people are discovering themselves, their possibilities, and their love.
In 1878, Alice Lee is fighting the strictures of her mother’s generation. It is a time when women are fighting for educational opportunities and intellectual freedom. Alice wants to be able to receive advanced education in the newly opened women’s annex at Harvard, but her mother has other plans for her as she is a beauty many eligible and wealthy young men are interested in.
Harvard student, Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt is finding a world of opportunities with his new friends. He has survived a childhood plagued by asthma and has grown into a young man who wills himself to fight through his asthma attacks and enjoy everything life has to offer. When he attends a weekend away with one of his Harvard classmates, he finds himself in the presence of the most beautiful young girl he has ever seen and instantly falls in love for the first time in his life. He is determined to make her fall for him too.
This is such a beautiful story of young, first love. Due to this time in history, societal expectations play a large role in their friendship and then courtship. The book is written in “The Present” with Teddy on his ranch in the Badlands after the death of his wife and “The Past” with their meeting through first year of marriage until Alice’s death. The letters between Alice and Teddy give the readers a look into their relationship with Ms. Calvi giving the readers a well-researched and realistic look at the culture and mores of 1878-1885 New England society. Alice had my heart from the start with her love of education and freedom of choice and that Teddy accepted that in her and stood up for her ideas and beliefs in public made me appreciate him even more. Although Alice and Teddy’s love story was just a short period in his overall lifetime and he refused to discuss it after his return from the Badlands, he honored that relationship in action with the freedom from societal norms he allowed their daughter, Alice.
I highly recommend this bittersweet and yet beautiful young love historical fiction romance.
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About the Author
MARY CALVI is an author of historical fiction. Her upcoming book, IF A POEM COULD LIVE AND BREATHE: A NOVEL OF TEDDY ROOSEVELT’S FIRST LOVE, is based on never-before-published love letters to and from Roosevelt, which Calvi researched and transcribed from the originals. The publication is set for Valentine’s Day 2023 (St. Martin’s Press). Her in-depth research for her debut book, DEAR GEORGE, DEAR MARY: A NOVEL OF GEORGE WASHINGTON’S FIRST LOVE is the basis of a Smithsonian Channel documentary, airing now. Calvi is a 14-time New York Emmy® award-winning journalist, the morning news anchor for WCBS-TV, and national anchor for Inside Edition Weekend.
“Sacrifices must be made; battles will be lost. It is always this way in a quest for change.”
In the near future, Earth’s oil reserves are depleted. Nations grapple to find an alternative energy source. Terrorists race for control over world resources. And the Syndicate―a conglomerate of allied intelligence agencies―struggles to maintain peace.
Syndicate operative Juliet Arroway and her best friend, Mariam, a progressive Saudi princess, are tasked with hunting down terrorists and putting an end to the global energy war, the same mission that cost Juliet’s father his life. But when multiple terrorist attacks result in devastating losses, including the death of Juliet’s longtime boyfriend, and the Syndicate begins to suspect that Mariam’s family is somehow involved, Juliet must rise above her heartbreak to discover the truth.
In her quest, Juliet is paired with Graham―a dashing yet arrogant FBI agent―and embarks on a dangerous journey toward love and survival as they race to obtain the formula that could solve the energy crisis. But when peace demands a stunning betrayal, Juliet must decide how much she is willing to pay for the success of her mission. Brilliantly weaving fact and fiction, Butler tells a story seldom told―how female heroics can change the course of war.
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Elise’s Thoughts
The Syndicate Spy by Brittany Butler is an intriguing story that allows readers a glimpse into the espionage world. A former CIA operative, Brittany uses her personal experience to take readers on a thrilling ride.
Brittany Butler spent nine years as a targeting officer within CIA’s Directorate of Operations, Counterterrorism Center. Both at Langley and on temporary assignments in the Middle East, Brittany spearheaded operational efforts to achieve some of the most sensitive foreign intelligence objectives abroad. She uses her first-hand knowledge of targeting methodologies to recruit spies along with extensive field experience to discover and apprehend terrorists abroad.
As a staunch advocate for women’s rights in the Middle East, Brittany has worked for human rights campaigns in Afghanistan to protect and promote the rights of disenfranchised Afghan women and girls.
She tries to incorporate her feelings into the novel. The story takes place in the future where the Earth’s oil reserves are depleted. Nations grapple to find an alternative energy source. Terrorists race for control over world resources. And the Syndicate, a conglomerate of allied intelligence agencies, struggles to maintain peace.
Both heroines, Juliet Arroway, and her asset, Saudi Princess Mariam, are trying to hunt down the Islamic terrorists responsible for many murderous attacks. A member of Mariam’s family is suspected as the main instigator of the war and terrorist attacks. Juliet is paired with FBI agent Graham in the task to obtain the formula that could solve the energy crisis.
This is a story of deception, double-cross, heroism, and female empowerment. Both Juliet and Mariam are independent, self-assured, and self-sufficient women trying to change the culture of how women are treated.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: Did your professional experience influence the story?
Brittany Butler: I really feel passionate about women’s rights in Afghanistan. My last assignment was in the Pakistan-Afghanistan division where I worked for about three years. I saw all the abuses of the Taliban. I now volunteer for an organization called, Women for Afghan Women. They provided funds for shelters there. One of the Afghan women I became friends with has worked for the US military and intelligence community quite a bit, becoming a translator. I wrote the novel as fictional to go into the moral dilemma of espionage with internal struggles.
EC: It seems to be you have the same uphill struggle J. A. Jance went through, writing in a man’s world?
BB: I looked at a statistic. Out of 127 spy authors only two were female. I thought about changing my name or just putting my initials, to hide the fact I was a woman. But I want to showcase the female perspective, so I do not want to hide behind a different identity. I also wanted to point out in the book that doing this type of job many women feel they cannot espouse femininity.
EC: You have in your book strong women?
BB: The Afghan woman who is my friend showed strength, even after so much hardship. They did not want to be victimized, but wanted to educate themselves, to have a better future for their children, and to be given opportunities to work. I decided to write a story that showcased a powerful Arab woman, Mariam. I also wanted to change the narrative about female intelligence officers. We do not use our bodies and sex to obtain information. We use our brains, tradecraft, with the same training and skills as our male counterparts. Twenty years in this war and the country is back to where it was, regarding the women there.
EC: How would you describe Juliet, the intelligence officer?
BB: Strong, feisty, has her own mind, reckless, independent, and a former Army Ranger turned spy. She grieves the loss of her father and is determined to end the energy war that cost her boyfriend and father’s life. She is also passionate and becomes frustrated as I did with ending these wars, while trying to achieve something.
EC: How would you describe FBI Agent Graham?
BB: He deals with a lot of the same pitfalls as Juliet. He is loyal, protective, brash, brave, bold, powerful, and strong.
EC: The relationship between Juliet and the hero, FBI Agent Graham?
BB: They can push each other’s buttons. Juliet is guarded and likes to avoid attachment. I drew this from my own relationship with my husband. The dynamic is that he is supportive and empowering. His love for me allowed for me to be who I am, which is the same case with Juliet. This made me feel more secure which is how I wrote their relationship, to do the difficult work. Juliet and I are accepted for who we are.
EC: What about the Arab asset, Mariam?
BB: Strong, a feminist, defiant, reckless, and courageous. She uses the same tactics as her male counterparts, just like me, but is judged in a more severe way.
EC: How would you describe the Islamic terrorists?
BB: They are vindictive, Chauvinists, evil, violent, not empathetic, and egotistical.
EC: A scene in the book reminded me of the Khost bombing where many CIA people were killed?
BB: Yes, it mirrored the operation in 2009. This had a tremendous impact for my decision to leave after my good friend, Darren LaBone died there. We worked together as case officers in Jordan. He felt bad he was not there for his wife and three-year-old girl. We were desensitized from the danger, until this happened. Regarding that scene, my dad died while writing the book, so I drew my personal grief from his and Darren’s death.
EC: What is the Syndicate Organization based upon?
BB: I mirrored it on what the CIA does in terms of working with foreign liaisons. We operate as a conglomerate of allied intelligence agencies. We work hand in hand together. We share information from sources.
EC: The scene between the Saudi Royalty, Salmon and Aziz,-what does it represent?
BB: Trying to find ways that unite people versus what divides them. There was a quote in the book, “We all worship the same G-d. Why can’t we unite on that fact.” Salmon wants to continue to achieve economic growth and prosperity for the Saudis through cooperation. Aziz has the alternate viewpoint, to maintain monopolies on all energy sources, to wage the Jihad War.
EC: Next book?
BB: My next book will involve Russia and China. Mariam is waging a war in support of the Feminists, based on what is happening in Iran. She needs the Syndicate’s help, but they are intimidated by her accumulative power. There is no title and release date.
THANK YOU!!
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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for EMPEROR by John Fullerton on this Black Tide Book Tour.
Below you will find a book description, my book review and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Description
Can ex-NSA agent Ava stop the Emperor’s war plans before he kills millions – and her?
There’s a new Cold War…and it’s about to erupt into World War Three.
Emperor Qin – absolute ruler, dictator for life – has one task before he succumbs to brain cancer, and it means war. Can ex-spy Ava stop him in time to save millions – and survive?
Qin will ‘unify’ China by ordering the conquest of Taiwan, a democratic nation of 23 million people just 100 miles off the mainland, a pledge the Chinese Communist Party has made every year since the 1949 Revolution.
But there’s a leak, a flood of state secrets.
They land in the lap of the former NSA analyst in Washington DC. Ava Shute hasn’t sought the material. On the contrary, she’s a most reluctant recipient.
One thing keeps Ava going: the prospect of a nuclear Armageddon. The clock is ticking as Chinese agents hunt Ava down with orders to kill.
EMPEROR by John Fullerton is a twisted espionage thriller that immerses you in a fictional and yet realistic game of politics, propaganda, and spies from the point of view of the Chinese Supreme Leader Qin and American former NSA analyst, Ava Shute. This is a standalone novel.
Qin is the type of totalitarian leader most westerners picture as the leader of China. Qin is isolated, ruthless, and even with a brain tumor able to outwit any opposition. Before his tumor kills him, the legacy he wants to leave is the reunification of China and Taiwan.
There is a leak of Qin’s military plans and Ava Shute is the recipient of the information. The informant wishes to remain secret and have their information released to the press rather than government agencies so that it cannot be buried. With Chinese agents out to shut down the leak permanently, Ava must trust an old acquaintance from her NSA past with her life.
This is such a great thriller. It does not rely on fast action scenes to carry the story, although they are there, it is more of game of political chess. There are in depth descriptions of military equipment and maneuvers beside the examples of types of espionage which show a voluminous amount of research and knowledge. While the plot keeps you on the edge of your seat about whether there will be a world war or not, whether the leaker will be unveiled or not, or if Ava will survive, the author brings the reader to a brilliantly executed, twisted, and yet believable climax. Sorry, no spoilers here. You have to read this book.
I highly recommend this espionage thriller!
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Author Bio
John Fullerton worked briefly during the Cold War as a ‘contract labourer’ for Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, also known as MI6, an episode that fired up his interest in fictional espionage. He failed spectacularly in his efforts as a farmer in Zimbabwe and as a trainee financial manager in Cape Town.
All told, he’s lived or worked in 40 countries as a journalist and covered a dozen wars. For 20 years Fullerton was employed by Reuters as a correspondent and editor with postings in Hong Kong, Delhi, Beirut, Nicosia, Cairo, and London.
His latest thriller, Emperor, was published in 2022. He has an MA with distinction in Buddhist Studies and was appointed a Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund at Roehampton University in 2006/7.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for IGNITING VIC (On Call Book #8)(Police and Fire Operation Alpha) by Freya Barker.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Description
Victoria “Vic” Paige thought she was firmly back in the saddle since returning to her job as a firefighter after a three-year hiatus. These past twelve months with her new crew at Station 3 have rebuilt her confidence. That is until they are called to a motel fire where she stumbles onto the scene of a murder, which has her shaken to the core. But a pair of calm blue eyes and the deep composed voice of the first detective on the scene restores her equilibrium.
As a recent transplant from the Denver PD to the smaller Durango force, Detective Bill Evans is enjoying the slower pace. So when he is called to a motel fire, he doesn’t expect it to be the first in a series of gruesome murders, bringing back unwelcome memories. The only high point is finding the familiar, beautiful, blond-haired firefighter on the scene. Despite the heavy workload inevitable with a difficult case like this, he’s determined not to let that stroke of good luck go to waste.
However, when the killer turns the investigation personal, Evans finds himself reconnecting with his former partner, Quint Axton, as he scrambles to keep those he cares about safe.
IGNITING VIC (On Call Book #8)( Police and Fire: Operation Alpha) by Freya Barker is another exciting romantic suspense and wonderful new couple in the On Call series. While some characters crossover between books, they can be easily read as standalones, but this book does follow the sister and family from Watching Trin, book #7 so I would suggest reading that book first. I have read the entire series and always look forward to Ms. Barker’s mature, intelligent, and sexy heroes and heroines.
After one year back on the job, Victoria “Vic” Paige is feeling secure with her new firefighter crew after a three-year hiatus caring for her father. When they are called out to a motel fire, Vic discovers a horrific murder scene.
Durango Detective Bill Evans is called to investigate the murder. The scene is reminiscent of a gruesome serial killer case he solved while on the Denver PD, but that killer is sitting in prison for life. While the crime is terrible, Bill is glad that he will get to interact with Vic, the beautiful, but intense firefighter who discovered the body. When another victim is found, the police know they will have to stop this killer because he won’t stop on his own.
While Vic is dealing with her father’s declining health and the unwanted attention of a co-worker, Bill is working overtime with all hands-on deck, but both are still finding time to get to know each other. When the killer threatens those close to Bill, he scrambles to find the killer and keep them all safe.
Another wonderful romantic suspense in this On Call series! The serial killer suspense plot and investigation is well paced with an ever increasing sense of dread and a climax that had me glued to the page. Vic and Bill are a mature H/h who believe they are good with their lives where they are at, but as they get to know each other, they find they compliment each other and can rely on each other. The sex scenes are explicit, but not gratuitous and have a believable feel as both are older and know what they want. I started reading this romance and fell right into the story and did not stop until the end.
I highly recommend this gripping romantic suspense, the entire series, and any of this author’s books!
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Author Bio
USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
Driven to make her books about ‘real’ people; she creates characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy, but just as deserving of romance, thrills and chills in their lives.
Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya continues to add to her rapidly growing collection of published novels as she spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!
Court Gentry is caught between the Russian mafia and the CIA in this latest electrifying thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling Gray Man series.
When you kick over a rock, you never know what’s going to crawl out.
Alex Velesky is about to discover that the hard way. He’s stolen records from the Swiss bank that employs him, thinking that he’ll uncover a criminal conspiracy. But he soon finds that he’s tapped into the mother lode of corruption. Before he knows it, he’s being hunted by everyone from the Russian mafia to the CIA.
Court Gentry and his erstwhile lover, Zoya Zakharova, find themselves on opposites poles when it comes to Velesky. They both want him but for different reasons.
That’s a problem for tomorrow. Today they need to keep him and themselves alive. Right now, it’s not looking good.
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Elise’s Thoughts
Burner by Mark Greaney torches the thriller competition. Not since Vince Flynn and Nelson DeMille has there been a string of outstanding stories, twelve to be exact. He writes his characters with wit, sarcasm, and allows readers to get into the characters’ heads. This novel focuses on honor, duty, love, forgiveness, and addiction.
The first half of the story sets up the second half and focuses more on Court’s former partner and love interest Zoya Zakharova, code-named “Anthem. The plot goes from geo-political to a cat and mouse chase. Both Court Gentry, the Gray Man, and Zoya, are former rogue CIA operatives who worked in the shadows when plausible deniability was necessary.
Gentry and Zoya are hired independently of each other to retrieve a certain phone. They are after Alex Velesky, who has stolen information, on his burner phone, from the Swiss bank he works for with the goal to uncover a conspiracy where Western traitors are working hand in hand with the Russians. Zoya gets to him first and promises to take him to New York where Alex will expose the traitors. But she is not at her best, feeling adrift, missing her lover Court, and has as her only companion’s vodka and cocaine. Whether Court or Zoya, Greaney has allowed readers to get to know these characters better realizing they have emotional and psychological trauma.
The Court and Zoya plots run parallel until their missions intersect and the two lovers are reunited, facing almost impossible odds. She and Court are on a collision course as they try to combat Russians, powerful politicians, and those administrators in the CIA.
Per usual in each of his books Greaney has the most awesome action scenes. As the story opens readers find Court hired to blow up Russian Oligarchs’ yachts but getting interference as he fights off Russian divers. As good as this scene is it does not compare to the captivating train scene later in the book.
The cast of characters will have readers loving some and hating others. The plot is relentless with an abundance of action. It is also very timely since the events involve the Russian-Ukrainian War.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: Idea for the story?
Mark Greaney: Even before the Russian invasion I wanted to write how Russian foreign intelligence buys influences of people in the West. I already started the book when the invasion of Ukraine began. One of my characters is Alex Veleskey, an American of Ukrainian descent, now working in a Swiss bank. He seeks revenge after the Russians killed his family in the war, the springboard for the plot. I tried to figure out where this war will be, knowing how a small portion of Ukrainians are supporting Russia, which I have in the book as well. An important part of the story is how relationships of convenience are created for the greater good even though many of the characters have been each other’s nemesis for years.
EC: The structure of the book changes about mid-way?
MG: I structured the story where the first part is geo-political, making sure readers understand what is happening, and the last part is a cat and mouse chase. Regarding Zoya and Court, the story has them about 50-50. My earlier book, Mission Critical, was more about Zoya. But, I do agree, the first half of the book feels like it has a lot more Zoya.
EC: Zoya changed in this book?
MG: Yes. She was really in a dark place. I have done this to Court in earlier books. Zoya is depressed and down. She is drinking with a cocaine habit. Because of where she is in her life, she appears fragile with a lot of vulnerabilities, isolated, and withdrawn. The more of these books I write, the more I want to delve into the characters.
EC: You describe the symptoms of someone taking cocaine?
MG: Yes, people have flushed cheeks, eyes bloodshot, twitchy, sweating, fast heart rate, more erratic, and eventually drained with anxiety. I have never done coke, so I did research by talking with two people who did and looked it up as well.
EC: How would you describe the Gray Man, Court Gentry’s resume?
MG: Professional saboteur, a private assassin, and an international fugitive.
EC: Is it true how Russia was buying influential people in the West?
MG: Yes. They have been involved with spying for the Russians or doing counter-terrorism measures on the Russians behalf. I wrote about this true to life issue. Just about two weeks ago, the chief of counterintelligence in the FBI New York Office, Charles McGonigal, was arrested for taking money from a Russian Oligarch, one of Putin’s cronies, Oleg Deripaska. McGonigal was charged with money laundering and violating US Treasury sanctions.
EC: The relationship between Court and Zoya?
MG: I wanted to mess with people’s expectations. They will either have their heart strings pulled, make them scared, or make them happy. Zoya really misses Court. Both did not know how to connect with one another. There is a physical distance between them but also an emotional distance between them including trust issues since Court ran out on her. They are two headstrong characters that are very similar. They both are lonely, missed each other, and saw the other person as the only one who understands them.
EC: How would you describe the new character, Angela Lacy?
MG: Her personality is different from Brewer and Zoya, yet she is strong and confident. In a sense she is Brewer’s foil. Because she is looking to improve her position in the CIA, Court is wary of her while Zoya does not trust her at all. Lacy is more good than bad. Right now, she can be trustful, direct, honorable, and honest. She will be one of Court’s CIA contacts in future books.
EC: You always have the best action scenes.
MG: The beginning of the book where Court is trying to blow up a Russian Oligarch’s yacht was based on my experience with diving. I did some diving in Saint Lucia. Later in the story, the train scene when I originally wrote it was 80 pages long, about 15% of the book. As I was finishing that scene, I was not happy with it. So I went to Europe, traveling on the train from Milan to Geneva, taking pictures and videos, getting the angles figured. I am trying to sell what happens to the characters to the readers.
EC: Can you talk about your feelings regarding the “Gray Man” TV movie on Netflix?
MG: They will be making another one, but they have not started filming yet. It will be based on one of my books. I really liked it but since I read the screenplay before the movie came out, I knew it was not going to be as gritty and edgy as the book. They did make changes with the book plot. I went in with the right attitude since I had no control. I felt it was 60% of the book and 40% different with new stuff. There were places in the movie that I really liked the changes and wished I had written it yet there were places where I thought my little twist was more effective.
EC: What about the actors who portrayed some of the characters?
MG: Ryan Gosling nailed down the character as I wrote him. There are villains in the Gray Man book that were not in the movie so hopefully someone who did not read the book will pick it up to learn more. Ana De Armas, the female lead, was cool, but she rescued Court too much. In the books I do have people pulling the Gray Man out of the fire, but she was a little bit of a ‘too good to be true’ character. I like the women, to be more like Zoya, a little rougher, harder edge, more morally ambiguous, and less of coming in to save the day.
EC: Next book?
MG: I have not started writing it. It will take place in Cuba and Singapore. The plot will have Zach, Hanley, Zoya, and obviously Court. The villain is a private individual. There will be a connection to the CIA but not involved with a mission.
THANK YOU!!
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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
More goes wrong than could be imagined when Iris Sparks and Gwendolyn Bainbridge of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau are unexpectedly engaged to dig into the past of a suitor of a royal princess in Allison Montclair’s delightful second novel, A Royal Affair.
In London 1946, The Right Sort Marriage Bureau is just beginning to take off and the proprietors, Miss Iris Sparks and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, are in need of a bigger office and a secretary to handle the growing demand. Unfortunately, they don’t yet have the necessary means. So when a woman arrives—a cousin of Gwen’s—with an interesting and quite remunerative proposition, they two of them are all ears.
The cousin, one Lady Matheson, works for the Queen in “some capacity” and is in need of some discreet investigation. It seems that the Princess Elizabeth has developed feelings for a dashing Greek prince and a blackmail note has arrived, alluding to some potentially damaging information about said prince. Wanting to keep this out of the palace gossip circles, but also needing to find out what skeletons might lurk in the prince’s closet, the palace has quietly turned to Gwen and Iris. Without causing a stir, the two of them must now find out what secrets lurk in the prince’s past, before his engagement to the future Queen of England is announced. And there’s more at stake than the future of the Empire —there is their potential new office that lies in the balance.
A ROYAL AFFAIR (A Sparks and Bainbridge Mystery Book #2) by Allison Montclair is an exciting historical mystery addition to the Sparks and Bainbridge Mystery series featuring the owners of The Right SortMarriage Bureau in post WWII London. Miss Iris Sparks and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge are two women with very diverse backgrounds who work perfectly together as co-owners of their new marriage match business and as unlikely best friends. These first two books can be read as standalones, but the main characters continue to evolve and I suggest you read them in order.
With The Right Sort Marriage Bureau becoming more successful, Iris and Gwen are looking forward to being able to move to larger offices down the hall in their current office building. When Gwen’s cousin, Lady Matheson, who works for the Queen arrives with a profitable proposition, they are more than happy to take on the job.
Lady Matheson has intercepted a black mail note addressed to the Princess Elizabeth concerning her choice for her prince. Wanting to avoid palace gossip, Lady Matheson hires Iris and Gwen to discreetly investigate if the information in some private family letters is true which could be damaging to the Greek prince and Elizabeth’s choice for husband.
What Iris and Gwen don’t realize is that they are not the only party looking for the letters. A dead body, British intelligence, Russian spies, and Greek government officials are all tangled together in this intriguing investigation. Iris and Gwen ready to assist the Crown and Princess and get their new office, too.
This is a great addition to this series, and I enjoy reuniting with Iris and Gwen. These two characters just jump off the page with their friendship, witty dialogue, and unique to their station and background skills. I quickly fall into the story of both their business and personal lives and feel as if I am a fly on the wall. Iris and Gwen feel like friends. The plot for this mystery is very intriguing and twisted. The use of historic figures with a “what if” scenario which could be very plausible kept me completely invested in the story. The secondary characters are fully drawn and quite believable. This has become a must-read series for me, and I am looking forward to following Iris and Gwen on their next adventure, because you know they just cannot stay out of trouble.
I highly recommend this historical amateur sleuth mystery!
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About the Author
ALLISON MONTCLAIR grew up devouring hand-me-down Agatha Christie paperbacks and James Bond movies. As a result of this deplorable upbringing, Montclair became addicted to tales of crime, intrigue, and espionage. She now spends her spare time poking through the corners, nooks, and crannies of history, searching for the odd mysterious bits and transforming them into novels of her own. The Right Sort of Man is her debut novel.
