Stealing the Crown

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read a copy of this book!

I should start off by saying that I am American and most of my knowledge of Britain (besides long-ago history classes) has been acquired through popular culture and fiction. So the name "Wallis Simpson" in the genealogical chart of the WWII-era monarchy alerted me to the fact that we were talking about the time of Colin Firth in the King's Speech (I'm terrible with titles, the name King George VI wouldn't have meant anything to me). And when they talked about the Regent, I knew what that was because of Regency romances. Really, I'm not trying to pretend I know anything.

But I had a blast reading this book! It is my favorite kind of mystery, with lots of twists and turns and intrigue, and the "detective" in the middle of it is clearly way in over his head but he is kind of an errand boy for the Palace and people tell him to take care of it so he's doing his best. And, yes, the chart at the opening of the book lets you know that this is set in a real place and time, with a mix of historical figures and fictional characters.

Since it's a mystery, I don't want to give too much away, but I will say: as strikingly eye-catching as that cover is (and yes, it was a factor in my stopping to take a look at this book!) it is slightly misleading as the hunt for the crown is slightly more metaphorical than it suggests. I know I had my hopes up for a royal jewel heist, but what did actually happen kept me enthralled regardless. There are so many things going on with the royal palace and the wartime politics and the bombings of London and the colorful cast of characters and the wry humor (well, humour!).

Finally, make sure to take a look at the author's note at the end as well as the author bio! Apparently he is a royal biographer and was a journalist as well, which explains why the behind-the-scenes look at palace life was so deliciously detailed and immersive.

This book absolutely sucked me in with its immersive sense of place, reluctantly beleaguered protagonist, and the intriguing mystery. I'm only disappointed that more books in the series aren't out yet!

This book was a full bodied, satirical, royal, masterpiece. Twists and turns everywhere you look, the political drama of the royal family and the surrounding class was very compelling.

Set in the distraught years of World War Two, readers are able to ride a fictional rollercoaster based on a strong foundation of true fact.

All the characters were either likeable, or true to self, Rodie is an exceptional side character - I’d read a book based all around her in a second.

Thank you to the author for such a book where I was sucked under and hard pressed to come back out again.

The only nag I had was trying to remember who everyone is, but it’s an appropriate reflection of a world where everybody is trying to be somebody.

This was a fun mystery/spy story with an interesting setting in Buckingham Palace and various sites in London during World War 2. The lead character is an artist who somehow ends up in the Palace as a courtier and finds himself determined to solve the murder—or is it suicide?—of a fellow courtier. The book is witty, well-written and satisfying.

Guy Harford is a painter living in Tangier at the beginning of World War II. After finding himself in the midst of a diplomatic scandal he is forced back to London, to service as a courtier in Buckingham Palace. When his colleague Major Ed Brampton is found shot dead in their office Guy is tasked with finding out whether it was suicide or murder.

This was such an enjoyable read. It's the perfect mix of mystery, conspiracy and treason, and especially intriguing is the insight the author provides into what goes on behind the Palace walls.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Set in Buckingham Palace during WWII, we get a glimpse at what it is like being a royal courtier and a peek at who really runs things at the palace.

What I liked:
I liked this inside glimpse at what it is like to be a courtier and work at the palace.
I had fun guessing whether the powers that be gave Guy the job of solving the murder because they thought he would bungle it or if they thought he would solve it!
I really liked the way the mystery unfolded, I was kept guessing until the very end.
I think the author has more room to explore the characters of Guy and Rhodie in future books.

What could have been better:
Even with the Cast of Characters in the front of the book, there are a lot of names (and nicknames) that are hard to keep straight.

Overall this was an enjoyable mystery with an interesting main character with much more room to grow into a series. I recommend this book to historical mystery fans as well as people who enjoy books about the royal family. 4/5

Guy Harford never expected to find himself working in Buckingham Palace much less solving a murder there! He's a painter who was happily living in North Africa until he wasn't. Now it's WWII and things are amping up. Did Major Edgar Brampton shoot himself? No, he didn't, but who would do such a thing inside the Palace? This is, oddly enough, a romp. It's got interesting insight into what its like to work as a courtier as well as some fun satirical commentary on the institution. It's also got a good protagonist in Guy, who is intrepid and determined- and able to rope a fun cast into his effort. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC, For fans of historical mysteries.

I’m quite fond of historical mysteries from pretty much any period, so I was happy to receive an ARC of Stealing the Crown, by TP Fielden.

Stealing the Crown is set during the early days of World War II, and does a nice job of putting some speculative details into and around the factual lives of the British royal family during that time. The main characters – the victim and the sleuths – are fictional, but, as the author’s note at the end mentions, many of the conspiratorial groups and events that form a background for the book are real. I always like historical mysteries when they have a good blend of fact and fiction, and Stealing the Crown delivers on that.

I quite enjoyed the book, and ending up reading it in only a couple of sittings. My only complaint, which is sort of minor, is that I had a bit of trouble keeping track of all of the characters at first, even with the list of characters and the royal family tree provided up front. But after a while, as the story developed, things fell into place, and it became easy to keep track of who was who.

All-in-all, I quite liked this book, and will keep an eye out for some of the titles in Fielden’s other series, the Miss Dimont series. I’m also happy that the webpage for the Stealing the Crown indicates that it’s the first in a series, since I’d like to see more of both Rodie Carr (the real heroine of the book in my opinion) and Guy Harford (the titular hero).

Please note that I try to fight “star-flation” a little bit, so I reserve 5 stars for a very few absolute favorite books that I am going to read and then re-read again. So for me, 4 stars is a solid ranking, and means I do recommend the book. And my thanks again to Thomas and Mercer/Net Galley for the review copy.

A witty, well written, engrossing and highly enjoyable story that kept me hooked and made me smile.
It's a mix of mystery and comedy of manners. I appreciated the vivid historical background, the humour, and the solid mystery full of twists and turns.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

A tense, gripping thriller set in London during World War 2. A man is found dead in Buckingham palace, was it suicide or was he murdered. Either way nobody must find out that a body has been found there.

Great storyline and a thrilling page turner. Lots of twists. As a fan of The Crown, on TV, there were lots of familiar names. Highly recommended

Stealing the Crown
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The world is at war and dead bodies are not only found on the battlefield.
After an allegedly disastrous situation in Tangiers, Guy Harford had no choice but to take up a position as a courtier in Buckingham Palace. From running errands for the Royal Family, Harford has to take on a different role when a fellow courtier is found dead in Buckingham Palace. Refusing to believe that it was suicide, Harford decides to investigate with the help of two unlikely people, his “postman” housemate and a professional cat burglar. As things start to unravel, Harford’s list of suspects expands to include not only those close to the victim and members of the Royal family but also a shadowy group of people keen on stealing the Crown and taking over the throne. Will he manage to uncover the murderer or will the murderer get to him first?
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When I first started this book, I could not help but be reminded of Dorothy L. Sayers’ Lord Wimsey. However, the further in I got, I started to feel that perhaps Guy Harford is a more diluted version of the aristocratic investigator, being somewhat powerless and with more enemies than friends in high places. But what he lacks in charisma and power, he makes up with his earnest and dogged determination to get to the truth. That aside, I actually enjoyed reading this book and found it to be an easy and entertaining read. It did get me wondering and frequently guessing who the murderer was and because of that I found myself constantly reaching for the book whenever I had some free time.
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So if you’re looking for a fast and not too heavy read, grab this one. You’ll also get a glimpse into the lives of high society in Britain, some of whom seemed to be little affected by the war then.

Stealing the Crown
*𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝟴/𝟮𝟱/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬
While I am continuing to post my regular content, the BLM movement is still going on. Please keep referring to my story and linktree to find ways to help out.✊🏻‼️
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What a bummer to have two netgalley reviews in a row that were extremely disappointing. Let’s chat.😊
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Stealing the Crown follows Guy Harford who works in Buckingham Palace in 1941, when his co worker Edgar Brampton is found dead in his office. War is brewing outside the palace, and as the local police rule the death a suicide, it’s up to Guy to prove them wrong.😨
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This was just..bland, boring, dry, and not for me. I feel like this definitely has an audience, but I don’t think that I am that audience. Even though I love cozies, and am obsessed with historical dramas, this ran totally flat. I also really like Agatha Christie, which leads me to think that the writing was my main issue, and that I just couldn’t connect with it. Thinking on the positive, I think that other people might enjoy this novel, and hoping that it’s a ‘me,’ thing.😁
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What’s the last book you read that just wasn’t for you? Let me know!💋
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Dm me to talk about all things book or writing related! I’ll be looking forward to it! —Em😌

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I really enjoyed this book, though the jump to various minor characters' POV got confusing sometimes, particularly the women in Guy's life.

Guy Harford is a great character in the vein of reluctant heroes. All he wants to do is be left alone in his studio in Tangier to paint, but the events of World War II drag him into the conflict. When the book opens, something bad has gone down in Tangier, and Guy's blamed for it. The Foreign Office pull him back to London and install him in a minor role at Buckingham Palace.

From there, a clever plot arises beginning with the curious death of Guy's office mate. And what's his flatmate's role in all this intrigue-- he just works for the post office, doesn't he? American wealth makes a splash and the woman who would be Guy's love interest deserves a whole book of her own. Looking forward to more in this series!

Sorry this book is not my cup of tea. I have a few friends who will love this book and I will recommend it to them. This book is very Agatha Christie like and I enjoy that style sometimes, but unfortunately not on this occasion.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This book is set in World War II at Buckingham Palace. We follow a royal courtier and get to see how he solves a murder and who really is in charge. I enjoyed the twists and turns of this book and it kept me guessing. I also enjoyed the characters and there was plenty of room open for sequels so the reader can get to know Guy and Rhodie better.

Any time a book as a Cast of Characters at the beginning, it's a warning to me. The setting and plot in this book were interesting enough. However, there were too many characters to keep track of, and many had nicknames, in that English upper class way, and I could not keep track. I kept losing interest and then coming back later, which only increased my confusion. I think this was a great premise and well-researched but needed a bit more editing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

This was so much fun! I had so much fun with this. Espionage and mystery shenanigans in Buckingham Palace during WWII, well, that's simply delightful imho. Our main character is endearingly (your mileage may vary) confused about everything and I felt that the wary, transactional relationships he initially had with Rodie and Rupe developed neatly into proper friendships, but surely the star of the show here is the setting. Stealing the Crown brings to life the minutiae and madness of being a low-level courtier in Buckingham Palace with light, bright narration and a string of dry witticisms. I don't want to overreach my authority on this because it is basically none, but the narration felt really solidly historical to me even as it was slangy and casual and witty, and that's a tough thing to pull off!

The story itself feels very episodic even as it all purported to be an investigation of the same suspected murder, with Guy sort of running around and meeting new people for information and then going off armed with this to seek out even newer folks. He's in way over his head and forces around him are constantly disposing of clues and then pointing him in new directions, and the combination means that it would probably be an exercise in futility to try and solve the mystery as you read. I did not mind this because I was in it for the setting and atmosphere; I probably would not recommend a mystery fan to read this for the mystery. This is not a knock on the book! It merely has different priorities and happily these lined up with my own soft delight areas for an enjoyable experience. Many thanks to NetGalley & Amazon Publishing UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review.
This is the start of a new mystery series following a chap called Guy Harford, who is a courtier at Buckingham Palace. The mystery revolves around the body of a fellow courtier found shot in his offices at the aforementioned Buckingham Palace. Was he murdered, was it suicide, how do we stop this controversy from getting into the public knowledge? These are all things Guy undertakes to find out. I found him a bit of an odd mixture of something like Lord Peter Whimsey and Bertie Wooster, as no-one actually expects his polite but ineffectual bumbling investigations to be successful. I often had to suspend my belief during this book, but I did enjoy it and will probably pick up the next in the series when it’s released.

Finally able to get this to download so I could read it. And I was very glad I could. Nice story about England during the war. History interspersed with fiction. I love reading stories about the Royal family especially like this one.

It was a fun read. It has everything, mystery & intrigue. Will keep you hooked. This book helps widen your perspective about the world war 2 from a UK view. A lead character is found dead, and another protagonist faces a situation where he has to determine whether it was a murder or a suicide. Tricky, but very very interesting, I was lucky to receive the arc from NetGalley and the Author. You are in for a treat. Enjoy!

This book is a great fun murder mystery that had me guessing right up to the end
Guy works in Buckingham Palace and is tasked with investigating the death of his colleague Ed, he does this with the help of his flat mate Rupert and clever London thief Rodie
I really enjoyed this book, it’s set in WW2 and looks at a different perspective than any other books I have read. I will admit that it took time for me to remember all the characters but there was a handy list at the beginning that helped with that! I will admit that I did struggle with Guy at times but with the help of Rodie and Rupert the story came together and balanced Guy out so I ended up quite liking him
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a mystery story that looks at the secret side of war and a twist that you won’t see coming

this book was not what i was expecting it to be. so it was kinda weird and kinda funky and kinda fun. so if that sounds like your gig, then grab it and read it today!

When a Palace courtier is found shot in his office things must be taken care of, a death at the Palace is just not acceptable. At first the story is that Major Brampton took his own life but suspicions begin to eat at his fellow courtier, Guy Harford. With a list of suspects a mile long Guy is determined to uncover the truth as to what happened to Brampton but realizes that his own life may be in danger. In order to get the job done he joins forces with his roommate, Rupert, as well as known burglar, Rodie Carr. The trio must make quick work of their investigation to discover Brampton's real fate and ultimately protect the King. Set during WWII, "Stealing the Crown" is a great historical fiction crime read. Keeping track of the cast of characters might be a challenge as there are a number of real life and fictional names dropped throughout this book. I loved Rodie and could see a spin-off based on her character alone. Anya Taylor-Joy would need to play her in the movie. Author TP Fielden is the penname of Palace biographer Christopher Wilson who has a number of royal stories under his belt. If you are looking for a good who-done-it read without the typical graphic details that usually go hand in hand with this genre then be sure to add "Stealing the Crown" to your TBR list. Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, easy to read mystery.
Set in Buckingham Palace, the story is full of twists and turns. The book is well written, full of wit, and really captures the readers attention throughout.

I didn’t get on with this one it failed to hold my interest from the start which meant I gave up fairly quickly unfortunately

A fun and funny WWII-adjacent spy-ish novel that examines life in Buckingham palace in wartime, and all the intricacies and absurdities that go along with it.

At its heart this is a murder mystery, with a spy plot on the side that ties into the narrative. After causing an international incident in Tangiers, protagonist Guy is assigned an office and a set of duties at the palace that include picking up an exiled king’s laundry, caring for a royal parrot named Charlotte, and investigating a suspicious death.

Alongside Guy are Rodie, a consummate criminal, and Rupe, the most well-connected “post office worker” of all time. The three team up, buddy-comedy style, to solve the mystery with which Guy has been tasked and perhaps a few others along the way.

Though the solve isn’t really anything exceptional, it fits the story and isn’t really what matters in this one. This is a fun and capery book that’s more about the ride than the solve, and Fielden does a lovely job of giving us a realistic portrait of the Palace in wartime while still keeping the tone light and fun.

Eagerly looking forward to the sequel.

This is the first book in a new series featuring Guy Harford. Guy was living a quiet life in Tangiers when he was forced to return to London in the days before World War II. He is an artist, but somehow he ends up working in Buckingham Palace. Guy is a very interesting character. He fumbles through trying to figure out if his office mate has been killed and then who killed his office mate.
In addition to Guy, the characters of Rodie Carr and Rupert Hardacre are brilliant. Rodie is a burglar and helps Guy to no end. Rupert works in the Palace too but somehow it seems he might be a spy.
The details about Buckingham Palace and its inner workings are well described. The author has written royal biographies. His knowledge of the royal family and places shows.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the free Advanced Reader’s Copy. I gave this three and a half stars. I think it is a solid start to a new series.

I found this book really difficult to "get on with" - and hence didn't get further than the third chapter. Sorry!

T P Fielden is the author of the Miss Dimont mysteries, that I’ve written about here before, but the author is also a biographer and royal commentator and this uses his knowledge about the royals during the Second World War as part of a murder mystery that sees a painter who has ended up with a job at Buckingham Palace investigating the death of another staff member. It’s a pacey and enjoyable read and in one of those serendipitous moments you some times find, mentioned Camp Siegfried in it, just a couple of weeks after I’d been to see a play set at the camp – which was for American-German Nazis (or at least nazi sympathisers). There’s a second book in the series which I will keep an eye out for