Vida Anstruther’s father has gone missing on his latest secret mission, ostensibly to Hungary and her sixth sense tells her that he has actually gone undercover to Russia and is in desperate danger, perhaps at the ruthless hands of the Czar’s Secret Police.
Having informed the Marquis of Salisbury, the British Foreign Secretary, of her intentions, she sets off under a false name, accompanied only by her faithful Nanny, Margit, and a Courier.
Vida journeys into Russia, where she meets the supremely handsome notorious womaniser and ‘pet’ of the Czar, the playboy Prince Ivan Pavolivski, and instantly falls under his spell.
Vida stays with the Prince at his stunningly beautiful castle and she is tempted to trust him, but is horrified when she overhears him talking with a Russian Secret Agent and it seems that the Prince is one of the enemy!
But at least now she has learnt that her father is hiding in a nearby Monastery and flees the Prince’s castle to go to his rescue.
Even as her heart swells with hope for Sir Harvey Anstruther, it breaks in the knowledge that the Prince she now loves is bent on betraying him. #78 ( )

Dame Barbara veers off of her typical path and adds some spy intrigue to her game. You go, girl!

Now, since it's my old friend Barbara you still get the heroine with the stilted, ridiculous speech and fluttering eyelids. The woman can't write any other way. And the love interest is bossy and overbearing, but makes our heroine's virgin heart go pitter-pat regardless. We get the exotic settings of castles and trains in Hungary and Russia, and some undercover spy work that will never be confused with James Bond, but is still fun.

Barbara cranked them out and I keep reading them. I have no one to blame but myself. 2 1/2 stars. ( )