Julia Stuart returns in her follow-up to the bestselling The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise with this clever murder mystery set in Victorian England, brimming with her signature charm and fabulous characters. When Indian Princess Alexandrina is left penniless by the sudden death of her father, the Maharaja of Brindor, Queen Victoria grants her a grace-and-favor home in Hampton Court Palace. Though rumored to be haunted, Alexandrina and her lady's maid, Pooki, have no choice but to take the Queen up on her offer. Aside from the ghost sightings, Hampton Court doesn't seem so bad. The princess is soon befriended by three eccentric widows who invite her to a picnic with all the palace's inhabitants, for which Pooki bakes a pigeon pie. But when General-Major Bagshot dies after eating said pie, and the coroner finds traces of arsenic in his body, Pooki becomes the #1 suspect in a murder investigation. Princess Alexandrina isn't about to let her faithful servant hang. She begins an investigation of her own, and discovers that Hampton Court isn't such a safe place to live after all. With her trademark wit and charm, Julia Stuart introduces us to an outstanding cast of lovable oddballs, from the palace maze-keeper to the unconventional Lady Beatrice (who likes to dress up as a toucan—don't ask), as she guides us through the many delightful twists and turns in this fun and quirky murder mystery. Everyone is hiding a secret of the heart, and even Alexandrina may not realize when she's caught in a maze of love.
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"Love this author!! Can't wait for the next one. Laughed all the way through. I love the way she makes everything humorous but at the same time brings out the tender serious moments between characters. Can't recommend this and all her books enough!" — Conchita (5 out of 5 stars)
"Love this author!! Can't wait for the next one. Laughed all the way through. I love the way she makes everything humorous but at the same time brings out the tender serious moments between characters. Can't recommend this and all her books enough!"
“Cracking a Julia Stuart novel is like opening the door of an old-fashioned English tearoom. A bell tinkles merrily, and you enter a cozy world all the more inviting for being slightly claustrophobic.”
“Stuart has blessed readers with a novel that’s endlessly entertaining and ultimately tender. Even Mink’s rescuer, dour old Queen Victoria, might have been amused.”
“Quirky characters, a feisty protagonist, a clever mystery and the requisite historical tidbits combine for an amusing read.”
" Julia Stuart is delightful, as always. "
" Maybe I wasn't in the right mood but I thought the attempt at humour a little over the top. I found myself skimming just to get to the end. I found it a very slow read, but it would probably make a funny movie. "
" Well, the reviews were mostly positive...maybe I am not a whimsy person...might finish... "
" Absolutely charming !!! Just what I needed in the midst of all of the election mess. I had previously read The Tower, The Zoo, and the Tortoise by Stuart and loved it. This was every bit as much fun. "
" An enjoyable, fairly light hearted read "
" Charming. Set in Victorian England wit;h delightful and wacky characters. "
" Flawed, but totally enjoyable. A fun, light read, particularly for the anglophile I am. I wasn't that into the love story, but the rest was entertaining. "
" I think Julia's novels just keep getting better. I loved this book. "
" really enjoyed this. Sweet and whimsical, plus some interesting history. "
" I didn't like the characters. The ending disappointed. The story dragged a bit. I would give it one star except I laughed out loud twice and that deserves a star. "
" This one was a lot of fun -- full of eccentric characters. The historical details were fascinating about Hampton Palace and its grace and favour residents. Quick read "
" I like Stuarts characters and writing but this book took the theme from the The Tower.... and repeated it with a new cast of characters and a new setting- would have liked it more had the characters from the last book continued rather than the plot line. Still a fun read. "
" a wonderful farce--a giggle on every page. "
" So oddly eccentric and clever. Loved it. "
Julia Stuart is a British author and journalist. Her first novel, published in 2007, was The Matchmaker of Périgord. Her second was published in 2010 as Balthazar Jones and the Tower of London Zoo in the UK, and The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise in America. The latter is a New York Times and national bestseller.
Hannah Curtis is an actress known for her appearances in The Shadow, Hollyoaks, and The Heavy. She graduated from Elmhurst School of Performing Arts and is involved with organizations such as the Actors Center in London and the Howard Fine Acting Studio in Los Angeles.
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