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Preparations for the wedding of one of Lady Grace's fellow Maids of Honour are interrupted when a shipment of gold, on its way to the Queen, is stolen! The culprit is a single masked horseman, all in black - or is it a gang of ruffians from the forest? The clues seem to point in several different directions and Grace, as Queen Elizabeth's trusty secret Lady Pursuivant, can't make head or tail of them. Could one of the newcomers to court be involved? And will Grace be able to help recover the fortune?

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 5, 2006

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Grace Cavendish

21 books86 followers

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5 stars
186 (39%)
4 stars
179 (38%)
3 stars
82 (17%)
2 stars
17 (3%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
44 reviews2 followers
March 4, 2022
A nice easy read. Good when you can’t find something to read. Great mystery and use of engaging language.
Profile Image for Kristen Kooistra.
Author 1 book99 followers
October 29, 2016
Like all the books in the series, I love the voice of Grace. These are written as diaries and the author cleverly writes them so you BELIEVE they are just that. The MC, Grace, is so distinct in her voice in mannerisms that even if it's been awhile since you read the last one, it's like you start reading and are going YES, this is Grace. I remember her.

It's been years since I read the first 6 books and I can't remember how quickly I solved the mysteries, or if I even did, but this one I had pegged early on. When the crime is being described, I at least knew what'd happened and it was pretty easy to pick out the criminal and what he'd done. But it was cleverly accomplished and I liked that the thief had depth and that even Grace had some conflict with what to do.

I probably wouldn't pick up and read this series now as it isn't what I enjoy anymore and solving the mystery right away isn't a lot of fun for me. But I think for the age range, this would be an enjoyable read and because I'm already familiar with the series, I'll keep reading and it's like seeing an old friend.
Profile Image for Richard Rogers.
Author 5 books11 followers
June 9, 2022
I continue to enjoy this YA (or MG) series, although the beginning of this book is the first time that I thought it talked down to the reader, and it put me off. I almost set it aside. (Lots of choppy sentences and exclamation! marks! And an odd tone that felt strangely light.) I wondered if it was a new author--there are several involved in this series--but Sara Vogler and Jan Burchett wrote two earlier volumes that I liked, so that wasn't it.

It may have just been me.

In any case, the tone evened out (or so it seemed), and the voice once again sounded like that of Lady Grace, and I once again found the plot and characters charming. It's cute how Lady Grace, who has been starting to show an interest in men without quite realizing it, comes a little closer in this story to recognizing that she's a young woman and actually has someone whose attention she enjoys. The authors have been pretty consistent in developing that gentle arc, and I think it's well done.

I'm glad I didn't give up on the story. There are a few more sequels and I'm still planning to read each one.

Recommended (book and series) for adults who enjoy cozy kids' mysteries with not inconsequential stakes and a little bit of action. Highly recommended for young readers. I was gonna say girls, but it'd be good if boys read it, too.

(TBH--I wouldn't have read this as a boy, sorry to say. But here's to a new generation growing up better than the last...)
Profile Image for Zoé.
128 reviews
November 13, 2017
Je me suis remise à cette série que j'avais commencé à l'école primaire (donc il y a très longtemps) après être tombée par hasard sur un exemplaire de ce tome-ci. Du coup, cette lecture était pour moi empreinte de nostalgie. Le roman est écrit sous forme de journal intime, tenu par une jeune demoiselle d'honneur à la cour d'Elizabeth Ière d'Angleterre. Vraiment cool! Seul petit hic: la fin est très, très prévisible!!
Profile Image for Rebecca.
584 reviews148 followers
March 1, 2010
This is the seventh book in the Lady Grace Mysteries series, about Lady Grace Cavendish, a thirteen-year-old Maid of Honour at the court of Queen Elizabeth I.

It is April 1570, and the entire court is busy with preparations for the wedding of Penelope Knollys, one of Grace's fellow Maids of Honour. But the plans are interrupted when part of the Queen's shipment of gold and jewels is stolen. There are multiples witnesses to the crime, but their stories don't match up. Grace is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery and find out how the real thief is, but this will be one of her most confusing investigations ever, as every clue she finds seems to lead in a completely different direction.

This is another good book from the Lady Grace Mysteries series. As always it has many details on various aspects of life in Elizabethan England, and the mystery kept me guessing for quite a while. Readers who enjoyed the other books in the series will definitely want to read this one as well.
Profile Image for Leah.
269 reviews6 followers
March 24, 2015
Again the whole story-line was not so great, and it left me feeling rather mutual towards the series. I didn't mind all of the historical information, but the money missing thing was quite dull and made the story drag out.

I did enjoy the written style and loved that Grace seemed to be growing up within this novel, especially with her finally becomming interested in men, but I just didn't enjoy it that much!

I was annoyed that I had to wait for it's release and then it wasn't as good as I had hoped for, making me consider not getting the next one.

On to number 8...
500 reviews17 followers
November 29, 2011
While these are generally enjoyable stories, as an adult I would not necessarily gravitate towards them. I am reading these to my 9 year old and she really loves them. What is pulling her in are the period details and age appropriate intrigue. Great series for a kid who like a spunky character and interesting historical detail.
Profile Image for Deirdre.
2,030 reviews82 followers
August 20, 2009
This series isn't bad but this one, where part of a shipment of a loan to the queen goes missing, seems almost write by the numbers. I think I need to give any other titles in this series a while before going back to them as this felt very predicatble and un-inspired.
Profile Image for Russell Hall.
452 reviews3 followers
September 20, 2022
Somebody had skulked off with the Queen's own Gold and it is not only her hair that is red. It is Lady Grace, Ellie, and Masou to the rescue. Can the friends outwit the Dashing and clever thieves before it is too late?
Profile Image for Lady Entropy.
1,224 reviews47 followers
June 25, 2015
For once, I managed to beat the mystery to the punch and find out in the start of the book who was it, and how he had done it, but still, it was a great read because of a certain smart, dashing character who I am totes teen!crushing on. Squee!

Ahem, yes.
Profile Image for Sweety.
4 reviews
March 9, 2013
Will we ever see him again? The horseman/graces current crush *sigh*
2,985 reviews
May 22, 2021
A fun series about a young lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth I who solves mysteries with her friends.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

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