July 17, 2012 / Leslie

Spotlight & Giveaway: The Pigeon Pie Mystery by Julia Stuart

Thanks to the publisher, I have two copies of The Pigeon Pie Mystery by Julia Stuart to give away to readers with a US address. I have just started reading the book but wanted to get the giveaway posted before it is published in the next few weeks.

I can already tell you that it is a delightfully original story set in in Victorian England and, like The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise, has a cast of lovable, quirky characters that come to life with Julia Stuart’s whimsical style and dry sense of humor.

Following is a summary from the publisher:

The Pigeon Pie Mystery
by Julia Stuart

Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Doubleday
Publish Date: August 7, 2012
Format: Hardcover | 336 pages

About the Book

When Indian Princess Alexandrina is left penniless by the sudden death of her father, the Maharaja of Brindor, Queen Victoria grants her a grace-and-favor home in Hampton Court Palace. Though rumored to be haunted, Alexandrina and her lady’s maid, Pooki, have no choice but to take the Queen up on her offer.

Aside from the ghost sightings, Hampton Court doesn’t seem so bad. The princess is soon befriended by three eccentric widows who invite her to a picnic with all the palace’s inhabitants, for which Pooki bakes a pigeon pie. But when General-Major Bagshot dies after eating said pie, and the coroner finds traces of arsenic in his body, Pooki becomes the #1 suspect in a murder investigation.

Princess Alexandrina isn’t about to let her faithful servant hang. She begins an investigation of her own, and discovers that Hampton Court isn’t such a safe place to live after all.

With her trademark wit and charm, Julia Stuart introduces us to an outstanding cast of lovable oddballs, from the palace maze-keeper to the unconventional Lady Beatrice (who likes to dress up as a toucan—don’t ask), as she guides us through the many delightful twists and turns in this fun and quirky murder mystery. Everyone is hiding a secret of the heart, and even Alexandrina may not realize when she’s caught in a maze of love.

Giveaway Information

Giveaway is open to those with an address in the US only. To enter, fill out the form below on or before July 31st. For an extra entry tweet or blog the giveaway. I will draw a random winner who will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond with a mailing address.