The new Gregory Crowne mystery from this well-loved author - When the ex-Queen Nicoletta of Hirtenstein, Gregorys redoubtable grandmother, summons him to Rome where she is redecorating the villa of an Italian politician, Greg reluctantly agrees. A Russian icon has disappeared and it seems that the value of the icon lies in the diamond frame that Rini had made for it out of a necklace from her days of glory. Greg is joined in Rome by his long-time companion, Liz Blair, and its not long before they realise theres more going on than it first seemed Even though Gregory Crowne's grandmother Nicoletta is no longer the Queen of Hirtenstein, she still knows how to issue a command. So when Nicoletta insists that Gregory immediately leave his music consulting business in Switzerland and fly to Rome, he begins packing. Once he arrives in the Eternal City, Gregory discovers that his grandmother expects him to use his amateur sleuthing skills to find out who has stolen a fortune in diamonds from retired Russian opera diva Irina Grushenka. Since Irina's husband, Ruggiero Ardicci, has hopes of resurrecting his political career, any hint of scandal must be avoided. With some help from his longtime paramour Liz Blair, Gregory begins searching for a clever thief, only to find that he is on the track of a determined killer. Barclay imbues her latest elegantly executed traditional mystery, the sixth in the Crowne series, with a strong sense of place and a refreshingly refined pace. --Booklist, 1st May 2009 Barclay's sixth Gregory Crowne mystery (after 2008's To Die For) puts a fresh spin on the classic theft, revenge and murder theme. Gregory, the former crown prince of Hirtenstein, can't say no to his grandmother, that country's ex-queen mother (who's presently working as a decorator for a well-known but unpopular Italian politician), when she asks him to leave Geneva for Rome to investigate the loss of some valuable diamonds. Viewing the trip as a chance also for a romantic getaway, Gregory invites his girlfriend, Liz Blair, to join him, in spite of his grandmother's dislike of Liz and her commoner status. When a female cousin living in the politician's villa is found dead, the police conclude death by accidental poisoning, but as Gregory and Liz delve into the lives of family, guests and staff, it becomes clear the cousin was a victim of foul play. Whodunit fans will enjoy trying to figure out the puzzle before the dramatic conclusion. --Publishers Weekly, 27th April 2009 Tessa Barclay is the bestselling author of over forty novels and one of the most popular writers in the UK. Previous titles by this well-loved author include The Champagne Girls, The Precious Gift, The Saturday Girl, Other People's Dreams and, from Severn House, Starting Over and A Lovely Illusion. She has also just published the first two novels of a new series of crime novels, Farewell Performance and A Better Class of Person.