King and Joker

I first read this years ago.An entertaining murder mystery set in an alternate timeline where the eldest son of Edward VII and Alexandra survived to become king instead of his younger brother George V. The main difference in the timeline is the royal family. They're an interesting bunch. And the murder mystery is fun to try and solve.

But on rereading it, something King Victor II, Louise's father, does really shocked me. It was written in 1975 but still.

An interesting mystery set in a fun alternate-history with a different British royal family, and teenage Princess Louise as the primary viewpoint character.

This book was originally published in 1976, so the author's "present day" story takes place about then. His genealogical table at the beginning of the book imagines a ruling King Victor II. He and his two children and his wife's secretary live in the palace along with the nanny who has raised many generations of royals and the usual staff. The story is told mostly through the eyes of the daughter, in her early teens, and the bedridden nanny. The practical jokes at the beginning of the book, and before, lead to murder. There are surprising relationships. The story is more interesting than I'm making it sound.

There is a practical joker loose in the palace, Princess Louise suddenly realizes that her mother's secretary is her father's mistress and the beloved nanny of three royal generations is dying. When jokes escalate to murder and Louise realizes that there are deeper secrets in the Palace she begins to doubt her role.

See review.