Queen of Hearts (Royal Spyness #8)

This book is my least favorite of the series. It takes an inordinate amount of time to get to the actual plot line and the cross country train trip is just boring. The narration is driving me around the bend. Was there no producer to notice that the sheriff sounds like he\’s from a Wild West show? He\’s in Southern California! I realize I\’m in the minority with my criticism of Katherine Kellgren …while I do get a kick out of her voicing of Queenie, her \”posh\” characterizations have always seemed overdone to me. But the sheriff and the Mexicans? I\’m not sure I can finish listening….it\’s that annoying. I know I sound like an old curmudgeon and it\’s hard to tell that I am actually a Rhys Bowen fan and have been since her Evan Evans series (my favorite). This book, and especially the reading, just didn\’t do it for me.

I think this story pushes the envelope a little too far when it ventures to Hollywood…..had most of the story stayed on the ocean liner crossing the Atlantic, I think it would have been much better. I like the central cast of characters (all except for Queenie – she should have stayed with her new boss), but things reached ridiculous with the wild animals and movie plans. It was a fun romp up to and including New York, and I hope the next installment will stick a little closer to home for the 34th in line to the throne and her Irish beau. And I hope Queenie gets a job elsewhere and exits from the series! Katherine Kellgren\’s narration is always great, but even she was stretched a little too far, especially with the Spanish and Mexican accents. She managed a range of American accents fine, though she was a little over the top with the Western twang too. I\’m hoping for a more Euro-centered story next time. Maybe even within the UK. A trip to Darcy\’s old home, maybe?

STORY (mystery) – In this story, Georgie and the gang take a cruise ship to America, and there is a robbery/murder for them to solve. It always surprises me the quality of the mysteries created in this light-hearted series. I can never guess whodunnit, although this time I got it half right! PERFORMANCE – Awesome! I can\’t believe Katherine Kellgren died. Such a loss! In this book she not only tackles male/female voices with multiple accents – Spanish, Irish, English, Cockney, American — but she does a convincing Spanish male with a lisp! As a narrator, she is irreplaceable. OVERALL – I love this series, and I can always count on it to be a fun mood picker-upper. This book delivers, as have all the previous ones. Each book stands alone, but best to listen to them in order so you don\’t miss any character development. No cursing or sex, so it\’s a good \”clean\” listen for the whole family. Recommended especially for females due to the girly humor, but I think men might enjoy it as well.

I\’ve read all the other Royal Spyness mysteries, and have enjoyed every one of them. They are my cotton-candy books; meant just for fun fluff, but very good for that purpose. I\’ve looked forward to this book ever since the last one came out, but I could not have been more disappointed. Katherine Kellgren, who I usually enjoy, went so far overboard with the dramatically effusive performance it was painful to listen to. The plot was so bad, and the character\’s actions so bizarre, that it was insulting to the reader. I\’m sorry to say that while I tried to hang on, and listened to quite a bit of it hoping it would get better, I couldn\’t finish the book. It was just too terrible. I\’m going to look into returning it now that I\’ve written the review. If you get it, I really hope you enjoy it; but I could not.

I\’m giving this a 3 star because I have enjoyed the series but I was disappointed by this one for several reasons. Mainly though it\’s that the personal stories aren\’t progressing. When will find out what Darcy does, and how is it that he gets these crazy dangerous jobs with not enough pay to even buy food? I\’ll continue reading but I do hope that more happens in the personal aspects.

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