“…Sweeping and intimate, warm and gripping. I loved it!” —Louise Penny, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Chief Inspector Gamache novels
A single twist of fate puts a servant girl to work in Queen Victoria’s royal kitchen, setting off a suspenseful, historical mystery by the New York Times bestselling author of The Tuscan Child and The Victory Garden.
Isabella Waverly only means to … Victory Garden.
Isabella Waverly only means to comfort the woman felled on a London street. In her final dying moments, she thrusts a letter into Bella’s hand. It’s an offer of employment in the kitchens of Buckingham Palace, and everything the budding young chef desperately wants: an escape from the constrictions of her life as a lowly servant. In the stranger’s stead, Bella can spread her wings.
Arriving as Helen Barton from Yorkshire, she pursues her passion for creating culinary delights, served to the delighted Queen Victoria herself. Best of all, she’s been chosen to accompany the queen to Nice. What fortune! Until the threat of blackmail shadows Bella to the Riviera, and a member of the queen’s retinue falls ill and dies.
Having prepared the royal guest’s last meal, Bella is suspected of the poisonous crime. An investigation is sure to follow. Her charade will be over. And her new life will come crashing down—if it doesn’t send her to the gallows.
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Rhys Bowen introduces us to Isabella Waverly, who is the second daughter of a second son of a British earl. While he is not wealthy, Bella’s father can afford to send his two daughters to a private school where Bella thrives. When he loses his job due to demon drink, he forces Bella to go into service as a lowly housemaid for a crass nouveau riche couple with ambitions. A stroke of luck or fate itself gives Bella a second chance when she uses the letter offering someone else a job as a cook in Queen Victoria’s kitchen. Her euphoria doesn’t last long, though.
This is a well-written historical with interesting characters, and a little bit of everything else, including a death that someone is trying to pin on Bella. Bowen takes her time in introducing Bella and her descriptions are detailed enough to keep the reader in the story, but not a research-dump. She even introduces a love-to-hate blackmailer to complicate Bella’s life even more.
If you love historical books with a strong, resourceful woman main character, this is the book for you. It deserves be at, or near, the top of your to-be-read list. Don’t let this one slip by you.
My thanks to Lake Union and NetGalley for an eARC.
Nice departure from the Royal Spyness series. Less tongue in cheek and with a bit more weight to it.
This is an entertaining historical novel set in 1898 with some mystery mixed in. I always enjoy this writer’s books and I highly recommend her novels especially the Royal Spyness series and the Constable Evans series.
I couldn’t put it down until finished. That happens very seldom these days!
Rhys Bowen weaves a captivating mystery replete with wonderful characters, suspense, court intrigue and murder. Through the eyes of Isabella Waverly, who was born into an aristocratic family but was forced to go into service, we get an intimate portrait of Queen Victoria’s court both at the palace and on an annual visit to Nice. As I flipped the pages, I felt I was once again roaming through the crooked streets of Vieux Nice and along the Promenade des Anglais as the Mediterranean beckoned to me.
This book is a bit of an odd duck, clearly historical and promises to be murder mystery, but doesn’t fully deliver on that premise, at least not to my expectations even though I enjoyed the book as a whole: 3.5 stars overall.
There are several strengths. First, the author has clearly done her research and delivers authentic period detail and setting, both in London and Nice. Second, the life inside the royal kitchen during Victoria’s reign is fascinating: the methods, the foods, the mechanics of food preparation on an elite scale are vividly described in a way the average reader with a modicum of interest in food preparation can follow and appreciate. Third, the character of Bella is engaging, a young woman tempered to strength by her life experiences and yet sympathetic to the reader. As to weaknesses, while there is a mystery, and potential clues are dropped along the way, it seems a bit of an afterthought within the main story and is resolved rather too easily. Still, the ending satisfied and I enjoyed being immersed in a servant’s eye view of Queen Victoria’s court. Those who enjoy Downtown Abbey, especially the downstairs aspects, will enjoy this book even though the time frame is not the same.
I learned a lot about queen Victoria in this book. Enjoyed it very much. I kept looking things up on my iPad. Especially what she ate!
Historical Drama of Queen Victoria’s Pastry Chef
This is wonderful historical fiction that is akin to the novel ‘Sarah Crewe’. A self-made woman in Victorian England was virtually unheard of. The plot of this story is well done and quite believable. The depiction of the class struggle is given fair treatment. There is some romance with an arching storyline of drama. This book is one that I’ll read again. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
historical-fiction, women-s-fiction, England, France, coming-of-age
It certainly wasn’t what I expected. It does have extortion and murder, but it’s mostly a recounting of life among the servants in the Victorian era. If that’s your thing you’ll absolutely adore this one. It takes you from forced labor in London to Victoria’s palace to a hotel built just for the royals in Nice. The characters are clearly established and very interesting as are their interactions.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley.
Above the Bay of Angels by Rhys Bowen is a fantastic historical fiction novel that is part history part romance part coming of age. Ms Bowen expertly interweaves fiction into fact, and the result is stunning.
Isabella ( Bella) Waverly has had a rough go of it in life, of which all of it beyond her control, up to the present where the story begins. A twist of fate allows Bella to escape her current situation and allows her an escape, to flourish, and allows her to find herself and her destiny in the process. Assuming the identity of another woman after she was accidentally hit by a carriage, Bella gets to learn her passion and trade as a fantastic cook in the employment of her Majesty Queen Victoria. This creates a few unintended complications, however I truly enjoyed the end.
I like Bella, her passion, her drive, her loyalty, and the fact that she is imperfect in her decisions (however she has everyone’s best interests at heart). I enjoyed the mystery element, and the antagonism that was added in as well. The ending was appropriate, entertaining, and satisfying.
I truly love anything about Queen Victoria, so of course I love that element added to the plot of the book. It was more then I could have hoped for.
Excellent read.
5/5 stars
Above the Bay of Angels by Rhys Bowen is a standalone mystery/love story revolving around the kitchens of Queen Victoria. Bella happens to witness the tragic accident, which caused Helen’s death. As Bella leaned over her, trying to offer comfort, Helen murmured, “palace.” She had an envelope in her hand, which Bella, unknowingly took with her. In it was an invitation to interview for a position in the kitchen of the Palace. Helen was a cook in a dead end job that she hated so she decided to grab the bull by the horns and become Helen and attend this interview. As luck would have it, the references and such had already been sent. She impresses the interviewer enough that she is given the position. Thus start the best years of her life. She is one of only three women in the kitchen. The rest of the positions are help by men. Things happen there, but she impresses the chef with her work ethic so she become successful and is able to accept more responsibility.
Bella/Helen was raised as a gentlewoman. He father was one step away from being an earl but he ruined his life and hers by drinking too much. When Bella is one of the staff members chosen to accompany the queen to Nice, her luck begins to change. She is able to get away sometimes and meets people and sees things. Life is freer at the hotel for Bella and for the royal family. She is put in a position to speak with several of them, and sadly to become embroiled in their lives, nearly losing her own to a charge of murder. She is a terrific character. Bowen writes good characters but she is also great at plotting. There are twists and turns aplenty in the lovely novel. As always, I was enthralled. I love Bowen’s work. If this is your first time, you have a wonderful journey ahead of you. I solidly recommend Above the Bay of Angels.
I received a free ARC of Above the Bay of Angels from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and inferences contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #abovethebayofangels