Unwrapping a Guest Review by Connie Fischer of ABOVE THE BAY OF ANGELS by Rhys Bowen

Greetings my darling readers, I know I’ve been remiss in providing you reviews of good reads this past year and I apologize. Life has a hold on me which does not allow me much reading time. I have tried to make up for that by publishing my own good reads for you and I hope you’ve given them a try. So to make up for my neglect, I will be offering up guest reviews for you enjoy. I hope to be back reviewing for you soon but in the meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy my dear friend, Connie Fischer’s reviews to guide you to good reads. Enjoy and Happy Reading!

I present to you a guest review of ABOVE THE BAY OF ANGELS by Rhys Bowen, published February 11, 2020.

Blurb for ABOVE THE BAY OF ANGELS:

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 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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Connie’s Review:

London - 1896

Bella's father is a congenial man and worked for years at the Savoy until he took a liking to drink. This well-paying job enabled Bella and her sister, Louisa, to have a good education. Eventually though, her father’s drinking led to him losing his job, leaving him an embittered man. So, at age 15, Bella is forced to take a job as a servant in a large house. While her employers have some wealth, they are crude and ostentatious. As Bella has always loved food, she enjoys helping the cook and serving as assistant cook.

When an opportunity opens up for her to grab a better job, she takes it. She is now a cook in the kitchens of Queen Victoria’s, Buckingham Palace and goes by the name of Helen Barton.

As she strives hard to learn everything she can, including reading and studying cookbooks, she soon excels at her craft. So when Queen Victoria decides to spend the winter in the south of France, Helen becomes part of the kitchen crew that will accompany the Queen.

In France, Helen is fascinated with different French foods and their preparation. Some of her dishes catch the Queen’s eye and she is the only one to prepare them for the woman. However, life is not without intrigue and a thirst for power that Helen fights to stay away from but with great difficulty.

This book was written for me! So many wonderful things here. I am a huge foodie, and love to cook. I lived in France for many years and am familiar with French foods and the preparation thereof. The gorgeous vistas of southern France are beautifully described here which took me back to this exquisite area. Rhys Bowen has long been a favorite of mine and I have read nearly all of her books. I loved this book from the first page to the last. What a treat! Don’t miss it!!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

ABOVE THE BAY OF ANGELS by Rhys Bowen, Lake Union Publishing, available now in ebook, print, audiobook, and available on Kindle Unlimited at Amazon.