Agents of the Crown

by Julia Quinn 2 books in this series

Agents of the Crown combines Regency romance with intelligence work. To Catch an Heiress begins with a mistaken arrest during an investigation into espionage, while How to Marry a Marquis places an aristocratic agent undercover in a country household threatened by blackmail.

Both books contrast concealed identities with women whose financial circumstances limit their choices. The investigations create comic misunderstandings, but they also expose the unequal legal and social power surrounding inheritance, employment and marriage. Recurring figures, including Lady Danbury, connect the pair to Quinn’s wider fictional society.

Reading order

Books in this series (2 books)

1. To Catch an Heiress

Julia Quinn

First published 1998

2.5(5)

Caroline Trent is days away from controlling her inheritance when she flees a guardian who intends to force her into marriage. British agent Blake Ravenscroft captures her after mistaking her for the suspected spy Carlotta De Leon, and Caroline initially finds the misunderstanding useful enough not…

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2. How to Marry a Marquis

Julia Quinn

First published 1999

2.5(5)

Elizabeth Hotchkiss supports her younger siblings by working as companion to Lady Danbury. After finding a guide entitled How to Marry a Marquis, she secretly practises its advice on the estate’s new manager, unaware that he is James Sidwell, Marquis of Riverdale, working undercover to identify…

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