It is always exciting to discover where research might lead. Of course, most of my characters are fictitious, but I enjoy bringing real people and events into my stories. So I tried to find out who might have been on the Riviera with Georgie. It turned out that Coco Chanel was there, in a nearby villa given to her by her lover, the Duke of Westminster. Then I discovered that she had held a fashion show, combining the masculine and the feminine—tweed jackets borrowed from the Duke, coupled with fabulous lace and jewels.

And then I hit pay dirt: The jewels had been graciously lent by Queen Mary, who was related to Coco’s business partner, Vera Bate Lombardi. The queen’s jewels, Coco Chanel and a few wicked men around . . . how could I go wrong?

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Berkley Prime Crime titles by Rhys Bowen

Royal Spyness Mysteries

HER ROYAL SPYNESS
A ROYAL PAIN
ROYAL FLUSH
ROYAL BLOOD
NAUGHTY IN NICE

Constable Evans Mysteries

EVANS ABOVE
EVAN HELP US
EVANLY CHOIRS
EVAN AND ELLE
EVAN CAN WAIT
EVANS TO BETSY
EVAN ONLY KNOWS
EVAN’S GATE
EVAN BLESSED