Review of Naughty in Nice by Rhys Bowen

Rhys Bowen’s latest offering in her Royal Spyness series, Naughty in Nice, is pure fun. The French Riviera in 1933, Coco Chanel, Mrs. Simpson and the Duke of Windsor lurking on the sidelines, handsome scoundrels and clever thieves, gorgeous gowns and too much champagne, not to mention a dark, handsome lover and a clever if somewhat naïve young Lady Georgiana (cousin to Queen Mary) out to solve all the puzzles even if it puts her life in danger.

Rhys Bowen is the master of the historical mystery that is not quite as tame as most cozies but is delightfully entertaining without vivid violence or ugliness. She combines gentle satire of the English upper classes with a genuine affection for many of her characters, and her depiction of the period, setting and people reflects her careful research and knowledge, all to give her readers an engrossing, page-turning, can’t-put-it-down read.

Rhys Bowen builds her plots out of a wide range of vividly developed characters plucked from across the strictly observed social classes of the period. Sometimes she uses the prejudices and assumptions of her characters to hide her villains where it will take Georgie and her friends and family a long time to recognize the good from the bad, and this technique gives some depth to her portrayal of the period. Her unexpected twists arise from her large pallet of interesting people rather than arcane or complicated plots, which makes for pleasurable reading. If you want a light, fun read, Naughty in Nice is perfect—or if you are new to this series, start with Her Royal Spyness, which is the first one in the series.

I couldn’t resist this charming photo that I found on Wikimedia Commons of two of the stars in Naughty in Nice, Coco Chanel and Vera Bate Lombardi, Coco’s great friend and business partner taken in 1925 in Scotland.