Betraying the Crown (A Guy Harford Mystery, #3)

by T.P. Fielden

Intrigue and scandal threaten to rock the monarchy in wartime Britain…

Windsor, 1943. Britain is in the grip of war and treachery is afoot. The body of controversial former courtier Lord Blackwater is found in the abandoned Fort Belvedere, once the country bolthole of the King’s wayward brother. And all signs point to murder.

Royal confidant Guy Harford is called in to solve the mystery quickly and quietly, before any hint of scandal reaches the public. Investigating with the help of Rodie, his roguish burglar girlfriend, his enquiries lead him into the world of the Royal Ballet, where on-stage glamour hides an undercurrent of off-stage deceit. And when the ballet company’s newest recruit turns up dead, it’s clear there’s more to this murder than meets the eye.

Meanwhile, news reaches the Palace that the King’s brother—already under strict orders to stay out of trouble—is threatening to undermine both Crown and country by taking US citizenship.

Harford must do his royal duty. It’s up to him to catch the killer and save the monarchy from crisis in wartime. Before any more heads roll…

• ISBN10: 1542017424
• ISBN13: 9781542017428
• Publish Date: 31 May 2022
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Thomas & Mercer
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 302
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Betraying the Crown is the third Guy Harford historical cozy by T.P. Fielden. Released 31st May 2022, it's 302 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book (indeed, the whole series) is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

I really enjoy historical mysteries, especially with a royal slant. This is a capably written, engaging, and exciting mystery set during WW2. There's a lot of wit and light humor along with some skullduggery and wartime intrigue. I found that I was drawn in by the likeable protagonist straightaway. He's a man of many talents, practical, trustworthy, and discreet and he brings with him an ensemble pair of eccentric sidekicks: Rodie (a lady burglar) and Rupert (MI6). 

The author has a rare talent for sweeping the reader along.I was engaged in the story and the ensemble cast from the first chapter. The plot, denouement and resolution are self contained in this volume and so it works perfectly well as a standalone read; but all three books in the series are quite good and worth a look.

The story itself is written around a framework of real historical events and people and so well entwined that it's not always apparent where reality shades over into fiction. I was fascinated by the author's note on the story at the end of the book (huge spoilers - don't read the author's note before you read the book). Even if read out of order, readers will have no trouble following the plot or keeping the characters straight. Additionally, the author has included a list of dramatis personae at the beginning of the book, so it's easy to flip back to check if there's any confusion. (One reason I really like ebooks lately is the search feature). 

The language is PG: hell, bloody, damned and so forth, nothing worse. Vernacular and spelling are British English (chips, flat, torch, etc) but shouldn't present any problems in context for readers outside the UK. 

Four stars. This is an enjoyable read and would make a good choice for fans of light spy cozies. It would also make a nice candidate for a buddy or binge read. Fans of Nicola Upson, Kate Kingsbury, and Rhys Bowen will find a lot to enjoy here.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.