Quick answer: there are 20 Royal Spyness mysteries. Nineteen are out now, and book 20, To Crown It All, goes on sale on 17 November 2026. Start with Her Royal Spyness (2007) and read in order if you can.
If you like your sleuth with a tiara, a title and not a penny to her name, Rhys Bowen’s series is a treat. It is breezy, very funny in places, and full of 1930s house parties, grand hotels and relatives you would rather not sit next to at dinner.
The premise
Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, daughter of the Duke of Atholt and Rannoch, is thirty-fourth in line for the throne. She is also flat broke. When her brother cuts off her allowance, Georgie leaves Scotland for London to make her own way, which is not a thing a young lady of her rank is supposed to do.
Then the Queen summons her with a small favor: keep an eye on her playboy son. It is the first of many royal errands, and somehow every one of them comes with a body.
The series is set in the 1930s and moves forward in time as it goes. Book 5 takes place in 1933, book 18 in late 1936, and the new book 20 puts Georgie at the coronation of King George VI.
Royal Spyness books in order
| # | Title | Published |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Her Royal Spyness | 2007 |
| 2 | A Royal Pain | 2008 |
| 3 | Royal Flush | 2009 |
| 4 | Royal Blood | 2010 |
| 5 | Naughty in Nice | 2011 |
| 6 | The Twelve Clues of Christmas | 2012 |
| 7 | Heirs and Graces | 2013 |
| 8 | Queen of Hearts | 2014 |
| 9 | Malice at the Palace | 2015 |
| 10 | Crowned and Dangerous | 2016 |
| 11 | On Her Majesty’s Frightfully Secret Service | 2017 |
| 12 | Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding | 2018 |
| 13 | Love and Death Among the Cheetahs | 2019 |
| 14 | The Last Mrs. Summers | 2020 |
| 15 | God Rest Ye, Royal Gentlemen | 2021 |
| 16 | Peril in Paris | 2022 |
| 17 | The Proof of the Pudding | 2023 |
| 18 | We Three Queens | 2024 |
| 19 | From Cradle to Grave | 2025 |
| 20 | To Crown It All | 17 November 2026 |
A few stops along the way
We will not walk through all twenty, but here are some of the places Georgie’s errands take her, so you know what you are in for.
1. Her Royal Spyness. London, no money and a royal request she cannot refuse. The setup is half the fun, and Georgie’s attempts to look after herself are a comedy all of their own.
5. Naughty in Nice. The French Riviera in 1933, and a necklace belonging to the Queen goes missing at a Chanel show. Sunshine, fashion and a great deal of trouble.
6. The Twelve Clues of Christmas. A holiday in the country that turns into a run of deaths. If you are making a December reading pile, this is the one to add.
7. Heirs and Graces. A stately home and a duke who does not survive the visit. Classic country-house mystery, done with a wink.
8. Queen of Hearts. Georgie sails for America, with stops in Reno and Hollywood. A change of scene that shows how well she travels.
18. We Three Queens. Late 1936, a film crew on a country estate and a murder in the middle of the shoot.
20. To Crown It All. Georgie expects to watch the coronation of King George VI as a guest and finds herself part of the ceremony instead, with a threat to the day and trouble among the guests at home. It goes on sale on 17 November 2026 in hardcover and ebook.
Do you need to read the Royal Spyness books in order?
It helps. Each book has its own mystery that wraps up by the end, so you can pick up any one and follow the case. But Georgie’s life moves on from book to book: her money troubles, her romance, her family and where she lives all change, and the history of the 1930s moves along behind her. Read out of order and you will meet the later Georgie before you have seen how she got there.
Where should I start?
At book 1, Her Royal Spyness. It sets up the joke that runs through the whole series, a royal relative with no money, and it is the lightest of the lot. If you would rather start with something seasonal, The Twelve Clues of Christmas (book 6) works well as a standalone holiday read.
FAQ
How many Royal Spyness books are there?
Twenty, counting To Crown It All, which goes on sale on 17 November 2026. Nineteen are already out.
What is the newest Royal Spyness book?
To Crown It All (book 20), published by Berkley. Before that, the most recent was From Cradle to Grave (book 19, 2025).
When is the Royal Spyness series set?
In the 1930s. The books move forward in time, from London society in the early 1930s to the coronation of King George VI in book 20.
Have you been with Georgie since 2007, or are you just starting? Tell us your favorite in the comments.
Keep reading
- British cozy mysteries: 7 series worth starting
- Thursday Murder Club books in order
- Phryne Fisher books in order
Sources
Order and publication years were checked on 3 November 2026 against the author’s own site, and books 6 to 20 against the US publisher:
- Rhys Bowen — The Royal Spyness Series (all 20 titles with years)
- Penguin Random House — A Royal Spyness Mystery series page (20 titles)
- Penguin Random House — To Crown It All (book 20 of 20, on sale 17 November 2026)
Spotted a mistake, or news of book 21? Tell us in the comments and we will fix it.