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historical romance
Series · historical romance
Agents of the Crown
The Agents of the Crown series by Julia Quinn has 2 known books (2 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with To Catch an Heiress (1996).
- Books
- 2 known books (2 novels)
- Published
- 2
- First published
- 1996
- Status
- completed
- Shelved under
- Romance, Historical Fiction
- Last checked
Start here: To Catch an Heiress (1996) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
To Catch an Heiress
Julia Quinn's 1996 novel To Catch an Heiress opens her Agents of the Crown duology at 377 pages, throwing Caroline Trent -- fleeing a string of unwanted arranged marriages -- together with crown agent Blake Ravenscroft, who mistakenly believes her a dangerous criminal.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of To Catch an Heiress - Book 2:
How to Marry a Marquis
How to Marry a Marquis followed three years later, in 1999, at 384 pages, turning to governess Elizabeth Hotchkiss as she sets her sights on marrying her employer, never suspecting he's a crown agent living under an assumed identity.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of How to Marry a Marquis
About the Agents of the Crown series
Agents of the Crown is an early Julia Quinn duology built around undercover work for the British crown rather than the ballroom-centered courtships of her later books. To Catch an Heiress follows Caroline Trent, who's been kidnapped by Blake Ravenscroft, an agent of the crown convinced she's a dangerous criminal — a mistaken premise that throws them together on the run and, against both their better judgment, into love, while Caroline (who has in fact been fleeing a string of unwanted marriage proposals arranged by her guardian) tries to convince him of the truth. How to Marry a Marquis turns to Elizabeth Hotchkiss, who stumbles across a very on-the-nose etiquette book of the title while working as a governess and, needing to marry well to support her three younger siblings, sets her sights on her employer — never suspecting he's a crown agent living under an assumed identity.
Both books lean into adventure-romance territory more than Quinn's later, dialogue-driven Regency comedies, with kidnappings, disguises, and undercover missions providing the plot engine alongside the central courtships.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the Agents of the Crown series?
Two: To Catch an Heiress and How to Marry a Marquis.
What order should I read Agents of the Crown in?
Publication order: To Catch an Heiress, then How to Marry a Marquis, though each book stands alone and can be read in either order.
What are the 'agents of the crown' in the series?
Undercover operatives working for the British government — Blake Ravenscroft in To Catch an Heiress and a hero living under an assumed identity in How to Marry a Marquis.
Is Agents of the Crown connected to Bridgerton?
No, it's an earlier, standalone Julia Quinn duology unconnected to the Bridgerton universe.
Is Agents of the Crown more adventure-focused than Julia Quinn's later books?
Yes — both books involve kidnappings, disguises, and undercover crown missions, giving them more of an adventure-romance plot engine than her later social-comedy-driven Regency series.
If you like the Agents of the Crown series
Reading order last verified .