This was a good read! I loved the women in this book and their cleverness. It will always take a woman to unravel secrets and solve mysteries!!

It was a slow burn, but I liked the way the author connected all the characters and how everything came together at the end.

Lady Petra was a badass!!! I absolutely loved everything about this character. She had charisma, intelligence, and beauty. Not to mention, she was witty and knew self-defense. She kicked butt!!!

This is a 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I can't get enough of Regency era mysteries, or Regency era in general! This was my first Petra book, so while it's the third and I should have read them in order, I did enjoy this anyway! :)
Petra is invited to help judge/taste test cakes with Queen Charlotte and the ton, but things go awry when a maid finds a body of a guest. The person found over the body claims innocence, and it's up to Petra to discover the truth!

This book is part of a series and although it can be read as a stand-alone, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the other books as well

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found the historical descriptions interesting but the mystery was a little underwhelming. It could be because I read book 3 and didn’t start with book 1.

It took me a while to get into this book. It’s another entry into the “enlightened noblewoman ahead of her times” category. This book was the third in the series and there were relationships between characters that would have been clearer and more understandable if I had read the first two books in the series.

The mystery was interesting, set in Windsor Castle during a regency version of the Great British Baking Show which was a novel and enjoyable idea. Made for a fun backdrop for the mystery as it played out. Was the portrayal of the relationships between the nobility and their servants realistic? Probably not at all, but if looking for realism, this is not the book to read.

All in all, a pleasant enough read. I don’t think it’s the best of the enlightened noblewoman trope, but not the worst.

Celeste Connally’s Revenge, Served Royal is a delight, as are her previous Lady Petra novels. This one has the mystery baked into it as members of England's aristocracy gather at Windsor Castle for a week of royal celebrations, including the centerpiece - Queen Charlotte’s inaugural patisserie contest, assembling the best bakers from England’s upper class houses. It's a recipe for murder, and Connally whips up a fine narrative while giving us a glimpse of the royal household through her meticulous but easily digestible research. Fans of historical mysteries and The Great British Bake-Off will eat this up! Recommended, and thanks to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an arc of this book. as usual, the adventures of Lady Petra did not disappoint the setting of a several contests, including a cookoff, jousting, and other events provide the backdrop for a murder most foul. The murder of Sir Rufus kept me up several nights trying to figure out who was a perpetrator. Lady Petra had a lot of expert help and was nearly accosted herself. I love the ending and don’t wish to give it away. Save to say that it was a great book.

The third book in the Lady Petra Inquires series (but can be read as a standalone) is set in the 1800s Regency Era. This was a fun mystery that had me guessing all the way until the end. I loved our FMC Petra - a strong, intelligent young woman way ahead of her time.

The story was fun and an enjoyable read the whole way through. I will definitely be going back to read Books 1 and 2.

Thank you to St Martins Press, Minotaur Books, and Netgalley for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

Smart, suspenseful, and refreshingly bold. Revenge, Served Royal delivers a sharp and engaging mystery story in the glittering world of historical London. Lady Petra is a standout heroine. The writing is vivid and immersive, with just the right balance of intrigue, wit, and heart. It was a little slow to get started, but picked up fairly quickly. Perfect for fans of historical mysteries with a feminist edge.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I requested an ARC of this book from the publisher as the premise sounded interesting to me. As always, I will provide an honest review and save any spoilers so, if you want to read the book, you will have many surprises, like I did!

So, then, why three stars? The mystery was good. I didn't figure out whodunit until Petra did. I would place this mystery in the cozy Regency category, which it fit quite well.

Honestly, I had trouble getting into the book from the start. The premise of the baking contest was fun, but it took a long time, in my opinion, for the book to take off. Perhaps if I had read the other, previous books that had introduced the characters and had received that development? The most interesting parts of the book where the ones where the protagonist was in danger, and it took awhile to get there.

I'm so torn on this book and having some difficulty putting my finger on exactly what made it slow at some points.

In Revenge, Served Royal, the third book in Celeste Connally's Regency-era Lady Petra Enquires series, Petra and a bevy of fellow aristocrats come together at Windsor Castle, where the royals have planned a week of upscale events. Petra's main interest is in the patisserie competition, for which she is one of the judges and in which her own cook is one of the contestants. Other events include physical contests such as "tilting," demonstrations of a wide variety of skills, and some scholarly presentations, not to mention a royal ball. But it's not long before Sir Rufus, a fellow patisserie judge--Petra's family's private chef when she was a child and later the royal chef--is found strangled. Petra soon learns that Sir Rufus might not have been the wonderful fellow she thought she knew, as more than a few of the guests have nothing good to say about him and are now possible suspects in his murder.

Anyone who has read the early books in the series knows that Lady Petra is a free spirit (rare for women of that era) who has vowed not to marry and does not hide her romantic relationship with a handsome paramour. She also often carries lock picks and a knife strapped to her legs under her skirt and is ready to risk potentially dangerous situations in her determination to keep her beloved aunt from becoming the prime suspect. In this third book, Lady Petra has evolved to become a multifaceted character who is entertaining, unique, and easy to root for. I also enjoyed the dollops of welcome humor, the spectacle of the celebrations, and the descriptions of the luscious dishes produced by the patisserie contestants. I am hoping there are more books in this captivating series.

This third installment in the Lady Petra series was a lot of fun. It is definitely enjoyable as a standalone, though reading the previous two books may provide an appreciation for Petra’s growth as a sleuth across multiple stories. (There are also, inevitably, spoilers for those earlier books.)

The intrigue unfolds during a week-long celebration at Windsor Castle in 1815, and the author did a fantastic job of bringing the place and era to life (with a slightly modern spin, as is the style of all the Lady Petra books). The murder mystery was fun to unravel, with the many suspects all staying at the castle for the week’s festivities. Most of Petra’s usual entourage is there to help, and she has some great moments that see her challenging members of the royal family and standing up against injustice. And on the lighthearted side, there’s a five-day pastry competition which will have you running to your local bakery for your favorite sweet treats. All in all, a fun and diverting Regency mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for inviting me to read this ARC!

Celeste Connally weaves a tale revenge served cold within the walls of Windsor Castle. The characters are entertaining and come alive off the page. Lady Peta is the sleuth pulling all the clues together and learning secrets she never wanted to learn. Following her on this journey was extremely entertaining.

A very charming little book that makes a great beach read for a long afternoon. It was a bit predictable in so many ways but still enjoyed it. Good luck with the book and thanks for the early read.

Another phenomenal Lady Petra book. I am just loving this series so much. I already struggle to stay away from baked goods but this book made me crave every kind of carb you could imagine. Everything about this book was crafted to perfection. the mystery, the characters, the descriptions, the building suspense, the whodunnit....i was invested and found it hard to put my kindle down. Keep Lady Petra going because i am always looking forward to the next book in this series.

A mystery that includes a feminist heroine/MC, royalty, and GBBO? Yes, please!! This book was so much fun- I didn’t want it to end! It started a bit slow, but it picked right up and didn’t really drag again. I really enjoyed it and look forward to future installments.

It was a little slow to get started, but picked up fairly quickly. There were several passages that seemed to parallel the corruption going on in the U.S. today. One big mistake is calling the baking contest a patisserie contest -- a patisserie is a bake shop. Today we would call it a bakery.

This series gets more charming with every entry!

While it took me a few chapters to situated in this book's particular setting, (warning: there's a lot of Windsor Castle related descriptions) once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Great additions to the emotional lives of the characters, particularly for Caroline and Lottie.

Fyi: after the first chapter, this book takes place in one location, versus the other books switching locales more, which gives it more of a locked room mystery vibe. In case you are into that kinda thing.

Thank you for NetGalley for providing an advance reader's copy of this title!

All of the fun clever if somewhat unrealisticly feminist leaning heroine solves mystery and saves the day stuff, but with the fun setting of a reality cooking (baking) competition that somehow doesn't come off as corny d3spite being in a castle full of Regency era aristocracy. Weird, right? I dig it.

Lady Petra and the entourage are attending a week-long party at Windsor Castle. The event is for Queen Charlotte’s baking contest. Lady Petra’s cook is invited as well as Petra serving as a judge.

Excited by all of the yummy bakes, her excitement is increased seeing her Aunt Ophelia and Rufus Pomeroy. He’s pretty famous and gives Petra an early peek.

Her plans are upset when Annie’s brother is found over a dead guest. Now she has to put on her detective hat and figure out who the real killer is before he strikes again.


Always a fun read.


NetGalley/ St. Martin’s Press November 11, 2025