king arthur and the lady of the chicken
Georgina Harrington got a love of archeology from her father. But after his passing, she struggled to be taken seriously. A single woman in the eighteenth century didn’t have a voice. But she loved to read and write up her research, and she even had some land that her father had left her where she digs. But because she isn’t taken seriously, she used her cousin Percy’s name. The two of them acted like he was the historian and archeologist. He was the writer and researcher. And when Georgina uncovered a crown in her dig, it was Percy who took it to London and showed it as if he’d been the one to discover it.
But then, Percy didn’t come back.
A couple of days could be fine. He was known to disappear for a day or two. But as the days pass, Georgina grows increasingly worried about his safety. She has to go to London to look for him, but she can’t just go by herself. Her brother and his wife decide to go to the city, so Georgina has a reason to travel to London, but she needs to figure out how to investigate once she gets there. Percy’s best friend, and generally irritating person, Alexander Lovett, is also concerned about his friend and the one person willing to take Georgina seriously. He is in on the fact that she is the one doing all the work Percy is taking credit for, so he’s listening to her worries with the seriousness it deserves.
But Alexander knows things. For one thing, he knows about a coffeshop that not only allows women into their secret room, he knows that they could help Georgina find a disguise that would help her move through the streets of London safely. And once she is in disguise, as a man, of course, then Alexander can take her to the bars Percy has known to frequent in London. He introduces her to the female boxer who taught him some helpful moves, and when she sees a cockfight about to take place, he helps with the distraction that allows her to set the chickens free, particularly the fluffy white one that surely wouldn’t have survived its fight.
Eventually Georgina and Alexander find enough clues to figure out who was behind Percy’s kidnapping, but trying to rescue him is a whole new level of danger. And when they find out just how powerful the men are who have stolen her crown, and they realize what their next steps are, it will be up to Georgina, Alexander, and their friends from the London coffeeshop who have to work fast to stop a truly diabolical plan that will level many important English families.
Our Dear Miss H. Is on the Case is a smart historical rom com that allows the women of the times to be as adventurous and swashbuckling as the men. The writing is sparkling with witty banter as the two main characters find their way from enemies to friends to almost-lovers. There is even a heroic dog wiling to break into estates for turnips, a trash-talking parrot, and a fluffy chicken who starts a whole new fad among the rich and influential in historic London.
I listened to Our Dear Miss H. Is on the Case on audio, narrated by Marisa Calin, who does an amazing job with this story. She brought these characters to life and drew me into the adventure and the romance of this novel. This book is just fun.
Egalleys for Our Dear Miss H. Is on the Case were provided by Forever, and a copy of the audio book was provided by Hachette Audio, both through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.
