Royals and Rogues: The Casebook of Emma Rhodes

These are fun books, what mystery readers call 'cozys.' That means deaths are neat and clean and not gory. The central character, Emma Rhodes, is a savvy, gorgeous globe trotter who never seems to carry luggage but wears at least 8 designer gowns per book. She knows every rich person and Royal around. Cynthia works in a bit of travelogue with each location (Palm Beach, Portugal, Russia, New York, Finland, etc.) She also tucks in a couple of quick gourmet recipes too (I'm gonna try a couple of these). So, I'm recommending her books for a quick, fun read.

Emma Rhodes is a private resolver, a classification that she created to describe her unique profession. Since Emma was not born into wealth, she has learned to earn a sizable income from the rich and famous, who need outside assistance to help them quietly resolve problems. For a $20,000 fee, Emma guarantees results to the client's satisfaction or she does not get paid. Emma has never missed a payment. A wealthy American businessman bought a company in St. Petersburg for philanthropic reasons. His objective is to help the Russians with their economy. However, in spite of modern equipment and training, the company has failed to manufacture anything. Emma is hired to learn what is wrong. Emma quickly learns that the Russian Mafia is her chief nemesis and their means of persuasion is to shoot first. If Emma manages to somehow stay alive, she still has a long road ahead of her before she will be able to collect her fee. Readers might not approve of the lifestyle of the female protagonist, but everyone will agree that she knows what she wants and goes after it with awe inspiring flair. The story line of ROYALS AND ROGUES is fascinating because it is impossible to determine who the real Machiavellan villain truly is until Cynthia Smith finally feels sorry for her audience and reveals his identity. This book and the entire series are extremely satisfying mysteries.Harriet Klausner