Title:

The Twelve Clues of Christmas

Author:

Rhys Bowen

Series:

Her Royal Spyness

Release Date:

November 6, 2012

Format:

Hardcover

Genre:

Mystery

Sub-Genre:

Christmas, Cozy

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read-A-Likes:

Summary: She may be thirty-fifth in line for the throne, but Lady Georgiana Rannoch cannot wait to ring in the New Year—before a Christmas killer wrings another neck…

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me—well, actually, my true love, Darcy O’Mara, is spending a feliz navidad tramping around South America. Meanwhile Mummy is holed up in a tiny village called Tiddleton-under-Lovey with that droll Noel Coward! And I’m snowed in at Castle Rannoch with my bumbling brother, Binky, and sourpuss sister-in-law, Fig.So it’s a miracle when I contrive to land a position as hostess to a posh holiday party in Tiddleton. The village is like something out of A Christmas Carol! But no sooner have I arrived than a neighborhood nuisance, a fellow named Freddie, falls out of a tree dead.  On my second day, another so-called accident results in a death – and there’s yet another on my third.  Perhaps a recent prison break could have something to do with it…that, or a long-standing witch’s curse. But after Darcy shows up beneath the mistletoe, anything could be possible in this wicked wonderland.-From Goodreads

What I Liked: This was my first time reading a book in the Her Royal Spyness series, and I thought I would be lost, as this is the 6th book in the series.  But Bowen did a great job of recapping past plots and characters into this story so that I understood who was who and their relationship to each other. I really enjoyed Georgie as a character and found her spunk and resolve delightful. Her mother (and her writing partner Noel Coward!) added just the right amount of humor to a story about murder.  It can be hit or miss when an author writes a real person into their stories but Coward fit into the story well.  The mystery here was clever and even though I figured out what was happening fairly early on in regard to the twelve days, I didn’t guess the murderer.  There were enough clues to keep the story intriguing and the end wasn’t rushed, a problem some mysteries seem to have.

What I Didn’t Like:  The only issue I had with this book is that I had a hard time keeping track of all the characters, even after they had been in a few chapters. Bowen did a good job providing background for them but after a while they all sort of blended together.

Who Should Read It: Anyone looking for a clever and whimsical Christmas mystery.  And if you are already a fan of this series, this one shouldn’t be missed.

Review Wrap-Up:  I really liked this book and it made me want to read the rest of the Her Royal Spyness series. Small town, clever murders, and Christmas traditions-what more could you ask for in a holiday mystery? I highly recommend this one!