The Twelve Clues of Christmas is the sixth installment in the Royal Spyness mystery series written by Rhys Bowen. Set in 1930s England, the book follows the adventures of Lady Georgiana Rannoch, a young and penniless aristocrat who finds herself entangled in various murder mysteries.

The story begins with Lady Georgiana receiving an invitation to spend Christmas at a country estate called Kingsdowne Place. With no other plans for the holidays and hoping to escape her brother’s meddling, she eagerly accepts the invitation. However, upon arriving at Kingsdowne Place, Georgiana quickly realizes that there is more to this seemingly idyllic Christmas celebration than meets the eye.

As soon as she arrives, Georgiana discovers that one of the guests, a young actress named Una Mossop, has died under mysterious circumstances. The death is initially ruled as accidental, but Georgiana suspects foul play. Determined to uncover the truth, she starts investigating the incident discreetly.

Soon after, more deaths occur, each one mirroring one of the twelve days of Christmas. As the body count rises, Georgiana becomes convinced that a serial killer is targeting the guests at Kingsdowne Place. With no help from the local authorities, she takes it upon herself to solve the murders and ensure everyone’s safety.

Throughout her investigation, Lady Georgiana encounters a colorful cast of characters including a flirtatious French chef, a secretive butler, an eccentric dowager duchess, and a handsome Irishman who captures her heart. As she delves deeper into the case, she uncovers long-held secrets and hidden motives among the guests.

With each clue she uncovers, Georgiana gets closer to identifying the killer. However, her own life is put in danger as she becomes a target for the murderer. In a race against time, she must outwit the killer before they strike again and claim another victim.

The Twelve Clues of Christmas combines elements of mystery, romance, and historical fiction to create an engaging and suspenseful story. Rhys Bowen skillfully weaves together the holiday atmosphere, the intricate plot, and the charming characters to keep readers guessing until the very end.

Overall, this book offers a delightful blend of Christmas cheer and murder mystery, making it a perfect read for fans of cozy mysteries and historical fiction.

• The Twelve Clues of Christmas

• By: Rhys Bowen
• Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren

She may be 35th in line to the throne, but Lady Georgiana Rannoch can’t wait to ring the New Year’s bell—before a Christmas killer strangles another…

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave me—well, actually, my true love, Darcy O’Mara, was on an adventure across South America. Meanwhile, Mother is hiding in a little village called Tiddleton-under-Lovey with that funny Noel Coward! And I went to Castle Rannoch with my clumsy brother, Binky, and sour sister-in-law, Fig. So it was a miracle that I managed to land a spot as a hostess for a luxury holiday party in Tiddleton. The village is like something out of A Christmas Carol! But I had just arrived when a neighborhood nuisance, a friend named Freddie, fell from a tree, dead…. Dickensian, really.

Freddie was merely a stuffer. On my second day in town, another so-called accident resulted in another mince pie—and another on my third day. The village was buzzing that the recent prison break might have something to do with that…that, or an age-old witch’s curse. I’m not sure. But after Darcy appears under the mistletoe, anything is possible in this wicked wonderland.

Once again, Lady Georgie is trapped at Castle Rannock with her stingy sister-in-law Fig, making her life miserable and Christmas just around the corner. So why not take a job on a estate in Devon, make some money and go far, far away from Scotland? All was well until the locals started dying. But are these deaths accidents or murders?
Again, Darcy is willing to lend his bubbly sensuality to the mix and he’s pretty distracting to Georgie as she continues to try to figure out what’s going on.
This is one of my favorites in the series. I just love Lady G’s mischief and how wonderful these books are always in English. And there are always a few big laughs in any book about Royal Spy.
I love this reader’s ability to capture personality so well with her intonation.

I wouldn’t bother reporting on the plot, as you can read about it in the descriptions of others. Instead, I’ll report on entertainment value, as I see it. Rhys Bowen writes fun, lively mystery stories that move quickly and give listeners/readers a glimpse of 1920s England. The descriptions of the conditions, clothing, food and atmosphere are so vivid that listeners can almost feel as if they are in the middle of it all. Ms. Kellgren’s narration is perfect, transitioning from one dialect to another is easy, the male and female characters are clearly expressed emotionally and vividly. I’ve listened to so many Bowen books that I hear the first sentence and feel “ahhh, she’s back”.
So I would recommend it? Yes, because, for me, it’s pure entertainment.
In particular, this book is well paced, with rich characters that would never appear when read as colorfully as they do when read by Miss Kellgren. I want more!

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