Pink Carnation

Regency espionage comedy-romance series by Lauren Willig. Harvard graduate student Eloise Kelly is in England researching her thesis on Regency spies. Specifically, Sir Percy Blakeney, The Scarlet Pimpernel; Lord Richard Selwick, the Purple Gentian; and the Pink Carnation, whose real name has never been discovered. But Eloise is determined to unmask the Carnation, if the handsome and aloof Colin Selwick will allow her access to the family papers.

In 1803, Amy Balcourt accepts her brother's invitation to Paris. She's spent her life dreaming of joining the Purple Gentian's league, and she's determined to restore the French monarchy, despite the distraction of Lord Richard.

The subsequent novels have followed the adventures of various friends, associates and contacts of the Pink Carnation, all set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars. The series also follows the development of Colin and Eloise's relationship as Eloise continues her research into the Pink Carnation's spy ring.

Titles in the series

• The Secret History of the Pink Carnation (2005) - Amy Balcourt and Lord Richard Selwick
• The Masque of the Black Tulip (2005) - Lady Henrietta Selwick and the Hon. Miles Dorrington
• The Deception of the Emerald Ring (2006) - Laetitia Alsworthy and Geoffrey, Lord Pinchingdale
• The Seduction of the Crimson Rose (2008) - Mary Alsworthy and Sebastian, Lord Vaughn
• Ivy and Intrigue: A Very Selwick Christmas - Amy and Richard
• The Temptation of the Night Jasmine (2009) - Lady Charlotte Lansdowne and Robert Lansdowne, Duke of Dovedale
• The Betrayal of the Blood Lily (2010) - Penelope Deveraux and Captain Alex Reid
• The Mischief of the Mistletoe (2010) - Arabella Dempsey and Reginald "Turnip" Fitzhugh
• Away in a Manger - Arabella and Turnip
• The Orchid Affair (2011) - Laura Grey and Andre Jaouen
• The Garden Intrigue (2012) - Emma Morris Delagardie and Augustus Whittlesby
• Untitled Pink X (2013) - Gwendolyn Meadows and Colonel William Reid
• Pink XI and last (2014) - Jane Wooliston

The series provides examples of:

• Alliterative Name: Percy Ponsonby, Duke of Dovedale, and Serena Selwick
• Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: Richard and Henrietta's parents Lord and Lady Uppington.
• Breakout Character: Turnip
• Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Turnip is assumed to be this by the Marquis de Montval near the end of Masque of the Black Tulip. She, however, is wrong about him.
• Dances and Balls: There's usually at least one per book.
• Deadpan Snarker: Every protagonist in the each Pink Carnation book gets to enjoy their fair share of being a Deadpan Snarker. Lord Vaughn seems to be this the best out of all of them, however.
• Expy: While none of the heroes or heroines are Expies of the Blakeneys, Turnip resembles Bertie Wooster.
  • And Mr. and Mrs. Alsworthy are Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.
• Femme Fatale: The Marquise de Montval
• Fiery Redhead: Penelope. Eloise has red hair, but her personality doesn't fit.
• Framing Device
• French Revolution
• Genki Girl: Amy
• Good Parents: Lord and Lady Uppington
• Grande Dame: Dowager Duchess of Dovedale
• Guilty Pleasure
• Happily Married: Lord and Lady Uppington; the Official Couple of each book.
• Heroes Want Redheads: Penelope and Eloise
• Historical Domain Character: Napoleon Bonaparte, his sister Pauline, and Empress Josephine cameo in Pink Carnation.
  • Josephine's daughter Hortense will appear in The Garden Intrigue as a friend of the heroine.
  • King George III and his family appear in Night Jasmine and George's episodes of madness are addressed in the plot.
• Honey Trap: Mary is used as one for the Black Tulip.
• Impossibly Tacky Clothes: Turnip's carnation-embroidered waistcoat and some of Pammy's outfits.
• I Read It for the Articles
• Kissing Cousins: Charlotte and Robert.
• Legacy Character
• Loves My Alter Ego: Richard and Amy
• My Greatest Failure: In the first book, Richard's relationship with Deidre proved disastrous to the point where one of his friends, Tony, died because Deidre's maid was a secret French agent who overheard a conversation about his plans and was in the way. Needless to say, Richard did not want his relationship with Amy to turn out like Deidre's.
• My Sister Is Off-Limits: Richard does not react well to Miles and Henrietta's marriage.
• Napoleon Bonaparte: Appears in the first book.
• Non-Idle Rich: It's hard to be an idle spy.
• Obfuscating Stupidity: Mary and Augustus
• Official Couple: Each book has one, as listed above.
• Parasol of Pain: Frequently employed by Miss Gwen
• Parental Abandonment: Miles's parents spent his childhood touring the continent.
• Preppy Name: Just look at that character list.
• Rich Idiot With No Day Job: Several young men of the ton
• Riddle for the Ages: In-universe, the identity of the Pink Carnation, unless you're Eloise or a Selwick.
• Running Gag: Minor character Percy Ponsonby has a habit of falling out of windows.
• Sexless Marriage: Geoff and Letty's marriage starts off this way.
• Sickeningly Sweethearts
• Spirited Young Lady
• Spy Couple
• Tall, Dark and Snarky: Lord Vaughn
• Team Mom: Lady Uppington for Geoff and Miles
• Upperclass Twit: "Turnip" Fitzhugh, for the first few books at least
• Upper Class Wit: Lord Vaughn
• Wrong Girl First: Geoff flirts with Mary before accidentally eloping with Letty.