Welcome friend! I have been enjoying Lady Petra’s sleuthing skills for some years now and in the latest instalment of Lady Petra Inquires, Celeste Connally made me crave royal desserts. In Revenge, Served Royal, Petra is invited to be a judge for a patisserie contest but the very first day, the famous former royal chef-turned-cookbook author, Sir Rufus, is found dead and Petra finds herself juggling royal celebrations, social expectations, and a murder investigation that grows more tangled with every clue she uncovers.
In her signature style, Celeste Connally blends Regency-era atmosphere with sharp mystery, guided by a headstrong and compelling protagonist. Revenge, Served Royal brings together beloved familiar faces, surprising new suspects, and a swirl of royal gossip that threatens the very foundations of the monarchy. I thoroughly enjoyed this regal mystery. It was full of charm, intrigue, wit, and irresistible baked goods.
Celeste Connally | Goodreads | Lady Petra Inquires #3
Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie in this dazzling third instalment to the captivating Regency-era Lady Petra Inquires mystery series.
September, 1815. Autumn is in the air as Lady Petra Forsyth and some of the most illustrious members of the ton descend upon Windsor Castle for a week of royal celebrations, with the highlight being Queen Charlotte’s inaugural patisserie contest for the best bakers employed by England’s finest houses. Not only is Lady Petra’s own cook one of the contestants, but Her Majesty has requested that Petra herself serve as one of the judges.
Petra’s happiness at tasting delicious cakes and biscuits only increases at finding her beloved Aunt Ophelia in attendance at Windsor, as well as Sir Rufus Pomeroy. As England’s most famous former royal chef-turned-cookbook author, Sir Rufus is slated to present his best recipes to the Queen during the festivities, with Petra being granted an early viewing in the royal library.
Yet upon arrival, Petra instead encounters a frantic housemaid pointing to a body of one of Her Majesty’s guests—and to the valet still tugging at the silk ribbon used to strangle the victim. What’s more, the valet turns out to be Oliver Beecham, the ne’er-do-well brother of Petra’s own lady’s maid, Annie. But as Oliver is hauled away to the dungeons, he protests his innocence, claiming the late guest argued with several aristocrats, including the Prince Regent and Petra’s Aunt Ophelia, and boasted about hiding a potentially scandalous document within the vastness of Windsor Castle.
When some poisoned tea meant for Petra is consumed by one of her fellow judges, it’s clear the real killer is still walking the castle’s halls. Indeed, in order to prove the innocence of Annie’s brother and find the incriminating document, Petra will need to act like a lady, eat like a chef, and think like one of Her Majesty’s best spies before a murderer can turn the celebrations from sweet to royally deadly.
Revenge, Served Royal – Review
The third instalment in the Lady Petra Inquires series swept me straight into Windsor Castle during a week of royal celebrations, decadent patisserie contests, and, of course, murder. From the moment Lady Petra Forsyth arrived as an invited judge for Queen Charlotte’s inaugural baking competition, the air was rich with sweetness, secrets, and the promise of scandal.
A Setting Worth Getting Lost In
One of my favourite parts of Revenge, Served Royal was its richly imagined setting. The author’s note at the end outlined both the real historical figures woven into the story and the creative liberties taken with Windsor Castle’s layout to serve the plot. It’s the kind of detail that makes the reading experience feel both grounded and indulgent. The patisserie contest and the rest of the festivities to celebrate Queen Charlotte and King George’s 45th anniversary were fun to read about and I was easily transported to the majestic castle, the great libraries, the drawing rooms, the picture gallery, the exquisite gardens and much more.
Petra Forsyth: A Mind Sharper Than Any Royal Guard
Petra was in her element here. Her sharp intellect and keen observational skills outmatched even the castle’s security team, led by the stern Colonel Wolston. Their initial friction gave way to begrudging respect, and I enjoyed watching their dynamic shift.
Petra’s reputation preceded her. She is trained in self-defence, known for solving two previous mysteries (one involving a mental asylum for women, the other a threat to the monarchy), and infamous for publicly vowing never to marry. Yet she navigates the ton with charm and confidence, including her very-much-alive romantic relationship that carries a soft, sly humour throughout. She is the modern woman from the 2000s, thriving in the regency era.
A Murder as Deliciously Twisted as the Contest Treats
Revenge, Served Royal stays tightly focused on the mystery, which is exactly where it shines. Sir Rufus was the famed royal chef-turned-cookbook author. He is found strangled with a ribbon, and his valet (who happens to be the brother of Petra’s own maid, Annie) is immediately arrested.
Sir Rufus’s fame doesn’t equate to kindness, and I appreciated how the investigation slowly revealed the less flattering sides of his character. It kept me curious about who might have had both motive and opportunity.
Petra’s internal conflict hits its deepest point when her beloved Aunt Ophelia emerges as a suspect. Her hesitation to confront her aunt felt authentic. Ophelia too avoids Petra for the longest time, making me agree with Petra that she was hiding something.
I was surprised by the number of people being blackmailed into doing things in this story!
Alongside the mystery is a thread of romance sprinkled with euphemisms that made me laugh more than once. The lightness of these moments balanced the darker turns beautifully.
I love returning to Petra’s world with each new book. This instalment delivers everything I enjoy about the series: intelligent plotting, charming character relationships, and a heroine who is as capable as she is memorable. I already can’t wait to see what trouble Petra finds herself in next.
Check out my review of the rest of the series at the links below as well as the interview with Celeste Connally.
Many thanks to Minotaur Books for a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.
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