by Julia Stuart
Published August 7th 2012
by Doubleday
Summary from Goodreads:
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.
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.
Thoughts:
I've been reading a lot of mediocre YA books lately which made my head spin. So I decided to take a break and read a nice enjoyable murder mystery instead. I've always love cozy mystery and British literature since they never failed to disappoint me.
And yes just as I've predicted this book made me feel all warm inside. This book is indeed utterly charming, full of wit and ridiculously funny. I just can't stop smiling while reading it. I just fell in love with the wonderful and quirky residents of the Hampton Court. Their unbelievable antics and nosy nature may not be everyone's cup of tea but I love them nonetheless.
Princess Alexandria aka Mink is thrown into a loop when she is forced to sell her house after her father died in a highly controversial manner. She was then offered to live under a warrant in the Hampton Court whose residents comprised mainly of military widowers and down on the luck nobles. When the annoying General-Major Bagshot died after consuming a pigeon pie made by Pooki, Mink decided to do some sleuthing to clear her maid's name.
Apparently every residents of Hampton Court have their own secrets to hide and during her investigation, Mink unwittingly found an unwelcome love interest. The interaction between Mink and Pooki her maid is quite amusing and I just love the portrayal of a princess trying to make the best of her unfortunate circumstances. I highly recommend this book to lovers of cozy mysteries.
Recommended for: fans of mystery and British literature
Verdict: 5 stars.
Available on: Amazon
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