Deception

Lady Grace Mysteries #4

by Grace Cavendish, Patricia Finney

Queen Elizabeth is furious at production delays of her new coin. To escape her bad temper, Lady Grace and her fellow Maids of Honour skate frozen River Thames to the eagerly anticipated Frost Fair until a dead man with coins on his eyes interrupts. As the Queen’s Lady Pursuivant, Grace unravels corruption and counterfeits.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Historical, Childrens, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Adventure

224 pages, Hardcover

First published September 13, 2005

Reviews

[Ella Daveson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very lucky to find this book at my school library. The front cover was so inviting, especially since it was small and hard, really like the "daybooke" Grace uses.
I would suggest this book from the age 12+ because I attempted at reading this story in grade 4 but the old fashioned language (because it is set in the time of 1569) was too tricky to understand and I had to look at the glossary lots of times.

My favourite word I learnt from this book is "mayhap" which means the exact same as "perhap". I am looking forward to reading the rest of the adventures of the Queen's secret lady pursuivant Lady Grace Cavendish.

[Judgemental Toast · Rating 1 out of 5]

So... I DNF'd on page 11 right here,
"'I've never been more frightened in my whole life!' declared Lady Sarah. Of course that was nonsense, but two young gentlemen had just stopped to find out what was amiss - or rather to admire Sarah's bosom, which was heaving dramatically for them."
ERM. This is a kids book?? No thanks.
Plus it really bothers me that the cover shows a 1940's/30's dressed young lady and the book is set in the 1500s lol.

[Eva-Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fact that Grace is only thirteen strains my suspension of disbelief juuuust a little.

(Okay, a lot. XD)

[Richard Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fourth book in the series is a pleasure to read, as much as the first three, and I ran out of reasons for giving fewer than the full five stars. It has a good protagonist. It has a good mystery. Exciting action. Conflict. Stakes. And most impressive, it has a realistic setting, demonstrating an excellent command of historical details. (The mystery here is based on the problems Queen Elizabeth had with her coinage, and I'll admit I learned some stuff.)

These books are fun and entertaining and satisfying, regardless of the audience they were originally intended for, and I'm here for it.

Recommended.

[Ronah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this series as a child and it was how I found out that when a person dies their eyes stay open so that was cool. I was able to learn old-fashioned words which made the book seem more authentic. The main character, Grace reminds me of an Elizabethan Nancy Drew which is probably why I liked it so much. Anyway, the coins led to the man's murderer and it was interesting to see the process of Grace solving who killed the man but also uncovering counterfeiting.

[Mason Gemoules · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this book wasn’t a historical fiction genre, I would believe it to be true. The problem is very interesting and very well could have happened in real life. The book would make a lot more sense if the villain was know the whole time, but not knowing who the bad guy is is the point of the mystery book. This was personally my second favorite of the whole series.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light, fluffy mysteries set in the Elizabethan Age.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Christina Harwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cute and I found the little tidbits of history to be really interesting but the villain seemed pretty predictable. I liked it, but didn't love it.

[Jenna Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fab book. This is a great series

[Lavanya Jain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome. It got adventure , ancient tales, fiction, great way of writing, nice characters. What else do you need in a book

[aem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable series with 13-14 year old girl in Elizabethan era solving crimes!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth 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's late November of 1569, and thirteen-year-old Lady Grace Cavendish, a Maid of Honour to Queen Elizabeth I, can't wait to visit the Frost Fair on the frozen river Thames. But while visiting the fair, she and her fellow Maids discover a dead body in a boat frozen into the ice. When Grace discovers that the dead man's body has two coins on his eyes, and that those coins are counterfeit copies of a new coin that has not yet been released, she knows she has another mystery to solve. With the help of her best friends, Ellie the laundry maid, and Masou the tumbler, Grace is determined to find the villain responsible for the counterfeiting and murder. But every suspect seems to lead to a dead end. Will Grace find the true criminal in time?

This is another great Elizabethan mystery adventure with the very likable Lady Grace Cavendish. Told in the form of Grace's diary, this book not only has a great story, but brings to life the world of England in 1569. Readers who enjoyed the first three Lady Grace Mysteries won't want to miss this book, and new readers who love historical mysteries should definitely give this series a try. I can't wait to read the fifth book in this series!

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s winter and the Thames is frozen over. People have set up a Frost Fair where you can shop, play games, and there’s even a tavern and a fire with a roating ox–right on the ice! The Maids-of-Honour have been learning to ice-skate and have fun at the fair with the Queen, but then Lady Jane falls down and discovers a hidden dead body. The corpse’s eyes have been covered with coins, but these are the new coins the Queen just commissioned–coins that are supposed to be under lock and key. When Grace looks closely at them she realizes that they’re counterfeit! How is a boatman connected with a counterfeiting scheme? How far up can this scheme go? The Queen has only given Grace five days to find out before she orders an official investigation. Can Grace find out in time? Every clue seems to be a dead end as she embarks on her most complicated–and dangerous case yet!

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The change of authors was hardly noticable. unfortunately, the story-line didn't quite par with the previous book in the series, but it did manage to keep interest throughout.

The opening was a fun light-hearted start with the young girls ice-skating on the Thames, but I was glad when the mystery developed. This story also gave a lot more background into the everyday life of the time. Explaining how money printing worked and the peasants lifestyle in comparison to Grace's luxury life.

It just didn't hve an overall exciting story and it certaibnly wasn't as fast-paced as the previous one. It was a shame really as the writing style was still decent.

On to number 5...

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is where the Pattern is clearly cemented. And Yet as much as I hate patterns, this series does a good job disguising the pattern and the amount of history makes up for it.
This story is one of the best. The counterfeiting angle is very original and the villain thought through. Though I could mostly remember who it was but I've also read this book before so I knew the villain.
I also liked how clever Grace is.
Another enjoyable rereading On to Exile ( when I can FINALLY get my hands on it)

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

More excitement with Lady Grace, the 13 year old tomboy Lady's Maid, as she discovers and solves a mystery about a man found dead on the frozen Thames during the Ice Fair, also involving the Royal Mint. As these books progess, Grace finds herself in more dangerous but also historically interesting situations.

[Russell Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the help of her friends, Ellie and Masou, Grace embarks on her fourth mission for her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth I. During an ice fair on the frozen river Thames, a man's body is discovered in a boat with two coins on his eyes. The body bound for the river Styx leads Grace deep within the dangerous realm of Counterfeiting. Will Grace find the villain before her five days are up?

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this series up on a whim and I'm definitely glad I did. Grace Cavendish is a wonderful, strong little girl who would be an excellent role model for any young lady. Set in Elizabethan times and rife with political intrigue that a kid can understand, this book livens up history in a way that will appeal to all ages.

[Rosey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder on the ice!
The winter has come and the River Thames has frozen over and a Frost Fair has moved in but things go wrong when a man's body is found on the ice with counterfeit coins tied to his eyes. Murdered.
And who better to investigate than the Queen's very own Lady Pursuivant? Lady Grace has a set amount of time to find the culprit. But this will be her most dangerous mission yet...

[Meegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the first three books to this series a few years ago and I loved how it was written. I also love the historical background to this series allowing for young girls to understand more about this time period. Despite the consistent pattern of murder, sneaking, and more sneaking, the books keep the reader hooked. I would recommend this series to girls between the ages of eleven and sixteen.

[Lady Entropy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoying this series a lot as light reading. I'll definitely keep getting the next volumes, although I do feel sad that they're not published in the original format of the small hardcovers.

I like how it comes up with a new topic every book and explores it, a smooth way to show different aspects of elizabethan society.

[Zoé · Rating 3 out of 5]

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!

[Sarah Richards · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this tale to be incredibly predictable. Within the first two "chapters" I have the whole plot figured out. The writing was predictable and not as inventive, interesting and original as the previous three.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember getting this book in 7th grade and loving every minute of it. I re-read it again in 8th but by 9th I decided I was just to grown up to read it. Big mistake. I wish I still had a copy of this book or could find this author more easily at the store. I really loved this book.

[Charlotte Osborn-bensaada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grace Cavendish can not stay away from the mysteries that swirl around Queen Elizabeth. This one concerns counterfeit coins of the realm with several twists and turns. This is one of the best of the 6 Grace Novels.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is set in the wintertime which gives over to some interesting historical facts as to how people dealt with the cold at that period of time.

It's a fun read. There's some extra danger involved. I just enjoy the series.

[Romi (likes books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The moment I was twittering around about Grace Cavendish ACTUALLY writing this book and then looking in the front page (to prove myself) to see an "as written by" was a real let down.

Yes, I already knew it. But I didn't need the heartbreak, I tell you.

[Hayley Bahnemann · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are fun to read because they are told in the voice of the character, through her diary, and she is just so kindhearted and down to earth, for being royalty, that it is amazing how sweet she is, and I just want to be her.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recieved this from a wonderful neighbor,of whom let's me borrow her books all the time,for Christmas. I liked this fairly and enjoyed solving the mystery along with Grace.