James has been a prince all of his life, and since he was born, he's been thrust into the spotlight as the first Black heir to the throne. But when his father unexpectedly dies, James is crowned king at seventeen. Now, the secrets he could keep as a prince with no real responsibility - namely, his sexuality and hidden relationship - are rocked as his life irrevocably changes.
When his boyfriend suddenly goes missing, the royal secrets and scandals that only he knows start to leak online. And when it becomes clear that whoever is behind the messages isn't going to stop anytime soon, James begins to question everyone around him .
Tapping into the current taste for murder mysteries, this book...is one of those.
No, that's really unfair of me. It's a good read. It's just...fluffy. Which is strange, for a book highlighting how badly people of colour can be treated when they are considered to be stepping into 'white only' spaces. James is, to be fair, only seventeen, but there's a lot of focus on his love life and none on any actual kinging - the only remotely royal things he does are the Grief Parade, the funeral and order people around (in moderation, and always at very satisfying times.) Perhaps that's par for the course in a royal's first few weeks on the throne, I don't know.
Spoilers below:
Why is everything in James' life being run by his mother's private secretary? Where's his equerry or manservant? There are maids, but the only other servant we see is his bodyguard. This does seem to be a fictional version of the current royal family, so surely they should have manservants/ladies in waiting as the current royals do? Surely the king should have a head of household who doesn't work for another member of the family?
There is a span in the middle when things drag a bit, but it picks up again near the end (plus or minus a few ridiculous exposes.) Although it reads like a one-and-done, I'd love to revisit it, perhaps a few years down the line? It felt like all the trouble was very easily calmed down and I'd really enjoy seeing how it went on over time.
A great, if slightly fluffy, read.
The King is Dead publishes on the 7th of July, 2022. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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