Book Review: ‘The Royal Correspondent: A Novel’ By Alexandra Joel

It’s the late 50’s in Australia and 18 year-old Blaise Hill has decided she wants to be a journalist. She applies at the Clarion newspaper and is given a job as a ‘copyboy’ to start out. One night she sees her friend Joe dealing drugs and getting into an arguement with a drug kingpin and they struggle and Joe kills him with a knife. She helps cover it up and takes the knife and tries to figure out what to do with it. The next day a family friend named Adam Rule shows up, takes the knife and assures her not to worry about anything. Soon Blaise is working for the women’s page and making a name for herself and sees Adam again. Then she’s offered the temporary job of going to London as the Royal Correspondent, to cover the Royal wedding of Princess Margaret. Soon after she’s offered the job on a permanent basis. She once again sees Adam and they fall for each other but something is off with him and she’s also pursed by another man. As things seem to be going good, her secret may come back to haunt her and she must figure out what exactly is going on.

This is a really good novel that has a strong female character making a name for herself in a man’s world. The setting of London and the Royal family is also a treat and readers will stay engaged with the love story and the work story. A good start to the fall reading season.

You can pick up The Royal Correspondent in stores on Tuesday, September 7th from Harper.