Mrs. Jeffries and the One Who Got Away

Mrs. Jeffries #33

by Emily Brightwell

OLD SINS CAST LONG SHADOWS
 
Normally dead bodies in a graveyard are buried—but not this one. When a woman is found strangled in a North London cemetery with an old newspaper clipping clutched in her hand, Inspector Witherspoon is surprised to find that he and the victim have crossed paths before.   
 
Alice Robinson was a respectable widow who ran a quiet Islington lodging house. None of her lodgers have any apparent motive to murder their landlady. But nagging suspicions are lodging in the Inspector’s mind—only he knows that “Alice Robinson” is not her real name. Now he’ll need the help of Mrs. Jeffries to revisit an old case that has haunted him for years and to get the real story.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction

294 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 3, 2015

About the author

Cheryl Lanham was born on 11 October 1948 in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia, USA. Her family moved to Southern California in 1959 and she grew up in Pasadena. After graduating from California State University, she decided to work her way around the world and took off for England. She didn’t get much further because she met Richard James Arguile, the Englishman who became her husband, got married on May 1976, and had two children, Matthew and Amanda. While working in international shipping, she decided to pursue her dream and become a writer – which, of course, is the best job ever. She has written romance novels as Sarah Temple, and Young Adult novels as Cheryl Lanham. As Emily Brightwell, she is the author of the “Mrs. Jeffries” mysteries.

Cheryl Lanham Arguile returned to California, where she lives with her husband and a cranky old cat named Kiwi.

Reviews

[Linda Fifield · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series never disappoints !

[JoAn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a complicated case for Mrs. Jeffries and the household. There were few suspects and most were questionable characters plus the fact that this one had a strong past influence on both Inspector Witherspoon and many of the household members.

[TJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the thirty-third book in Brightwell’s Mrs. Jeffries series. Inspector Witherspoon, along with Constable Barnes, is called to investigate the murder of Alice Robinson inside Highgate Cemetery. She was found to be strangled with a heavy red cord and in her possession is a newspaper clipping about the murderess, Edith Durant, who escaped trial. Baffled by clues that keep on popping out of nowhere and don’t seem to connect, the Witherspoon household staff jumps in to assist the inspector and the constable in their investigation. But the crew begins to hesitate when they discover that Alice Robinson is actually the fugitive, Edith Durant.
In Inspector Witherspoon's many years of crime-solving, Edith Durant was the only one that truly got away. Despite Inspector Witherspoon’s many successes, Edith Durant’s escape from justice keeps on needling his conscience. And that despite putting away several murderers, the one who escaped justice will be what people would remember him for.
One thing that really stood out for me in this installment is how almost all characters are multidimensional. They have feelings. They have doubts. They bear ill will towards people who deserve it.
This was an easy murder mystery to solve and I was miffed that they didn’t even think about checking Carl Christopher’s family. If I were the investigator, the Christopher family would be my first person or people of interest.
The writing is pretty simple, but I feel like this series is crowded with so many characters that I couldn’t keep up who’s who and who’s doing what.
As a cozy mystery, this would appeal to readers who would like to take a break from peripheral noise. I found this better written than Mrs. Jeffries Forges Ahead. The best lines came within the first 100 pages of the book:

It would be easy to think this was God’s way of exacting vengeance because she got away from human justice...Justice is justice and the murderer of a murderer must be held as accountable as the murderer of an innocent. Otherwise, justice isn’t blind, she picks and chooses who gets her help.

Murder is murder regardless of who the victim might be. If we start deciding who is deserving of justice and who isn’t, then where does it end? Perhaps someone will decide that because they don’t like my politics or my religion, I’m not entitled to legal protection. (71)

[Kimberly Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspector Witherspoon is called upon to handle the murder of a woman outside of his jurisdiction... She was strangled w/ a heavy red cord and left in a cemetery, in her hand was an old news clipping about Inspector Witherspoon....

As it turns out, the victim, Alice Robinson, in reality was Edith Durant, the one murderess that got away before she could be apprehended & brought to justice by Inspector Witherspoon.

As Alice Robinson, she was running a shabby overly expensive boarding house for traveling businessmen/salesmen, but had recently been having problems with missing rent payments & their tenants personal items.....

Elsewhere in the area are a large number of local homes experiencing burglaries, but the local "fences" & pawnshops are not the ones getting the "goods".

An interesting story, I was able to put it all together well before the end. Again a bit trite, but not overly annoying. The one thing that does bother me is: The way Mrs Jeffries in pictured on the covers of the books, this is Victorian era, and she is always dressed as if in her night clothes made to look like a silly old lady, which in normal circumstances would make me ignore the series completely and choose another....

[Babs · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Alice Robinson is found dead in a cemetery, Inspector Witherspoon is called in to help. What he wasn’t counting on what the woman to really be Edith Durant the woman who escaped.

“Alice” had a boardinghouse could one of the tenets have been the murder? We get to go back and visit the old case.

Mrs Jeffries and the household once again helps in the investigation. Smythe’s friend Blimpey has some surprising news that was fun to read about. Luty has a big part in the story which I enjoyed. The characters are always fun to read about and see what they do.

[Eileen Lynx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting ending to previous story

[Shirley Schwartz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a totally delightful series, and even after so many books (I think this is the 37 in the series), the series remains fresh and enjoyable. That is quite a feat for a long-running cozy mystery series. In this book Inspector Witherspoon has been tasked to find the murderer of an old nemesis of his. The woman was one that had gotten away from the law many years previously, and then she suddenly is found dead right in the middle of Highgate Cemetary. There are a lot of long-buried skeletons in closets and old and new grudges surrounding the dead woman. Witherspoon and Constable Barnes keep on finding more clues and many dark secrets as they turn over stones during their investigation. The case is confusing enough that even Mrs. Jeffries is flummoxed for awhile. It is always wonderful catching up with these old Victorian friends, and I thoroughly enjoy this series. It is one of my favourites in this genre for sure.

[C.A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emily Brightwell's Inspector Witherspoon gained both experience and confidence, but this case brings back many of his insecurities. A body found inside Highgate Cemetery turned out to be Edith Durant, the one suspect that got away from him. A nasty piece of work, Edith killed her twin sister Hilda for her money then took her identity. Her partner in crime, Hilda's husband, Christopher, killed for her, but when the police closed in, she fled without him. Now, not only does Mrs. Jeffries need to assist her Inspector, she needs to do so despite her, and most of the staff's opinion, that the victim got what she deserved. Justice proves a higher calling in the end. A more serious edition to this series, I liked that some bigger questions got asked. Also, we got a hint into maid Phyllis' past, one that will show up again in a later book.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

True to its formula. But, i had a lot of trouble getting through it. Frankly, i just found it tedious and therefore did not even attempt to guess who the murderer could be. I like the series but thi sone was a drag.

[Nolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspector Gerald Witherspoon never forgets Edith Durant, the murderess who slipped through his fingers—and Mrs. Jeffries's sharp deductions. His staff shares the lingering frustration, even if they keep quiet about it.

That changes the night Witherspoon investigates a murder in Highgate Cemetery. The victim clutches a worn newspaper clipping in her dead hand. It references the case he'd rather bury forever. As he braces for the body (a duty he loathes), recognition hits: Everyone calls her Alice Robinson, a genteel widow running a respectable boardinghouse. But Witherspoon knows the truth—one glance at her face confirms Edith Durant lies dead.

Readers benefit from prior books here. Edith escaped justice for murder; her boyfriend took the fall and the noose.

The staff struggles to care. Edith got what she deserved, right? Why chase her killer when she evaded them before? But Phyllis, the newest maid, and Lady Ruth Cannonberry, the inspector's special neighbor friend, deliver fiery pleas: Justice demands effort for everyone.

Police raid the boardinghouse and uncover a nest of shady tenants drawn by Edith's dark side. Soon, Witherspoon and his sneaky crew tackle the murder plus a clever burglary ring. Smythe—the coachman, husband, and dad—plus Wiggins, the footman (Mrs. Goodge the cook's favorite), dodge dangers that barely let them escape. The close calls shake Mrs. Jeffries to her core.

Luty Belle, the colorful aging American neighbor, stands out. Her antics make this installment vivid.

I ached to slap four stars on it, but the story drags about 15 percent too long. Brightwell hammers Mrs. Jeffries's frustrations as ideas tease her mind then vanish undeveloped. It happens so often you'd wager on the count before cracking the cover. This one's less repetitive than recent entries, but the tic still distracts. Three stars feels fair and spot-on.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Victorian London, Inspector Witherspoon has solved more murder cases than anyone else on the force, thanks to the extensive but secret help of his household staff. There was one murderer, though, who got away--Edith Durant. Now, years later, she's found strangled in Highgate Cemetery, with an article on her that ensures the case goes to Witherspoon. Though he dutifully investigates, this time his staff feel torn about getting involved--Durant was a vicious murderess, and the world is a better place without her in it. But they eventually decide that justice must still be served, so they look into an increasingly complicated case, since Durant was living under an assumed name and ran a lodging house in which tenants seemed oddly happy to pay a much higher than normal rate for mediocre accommodations.

I liked the mystery in this one, which was really several mysteries tangled around one another, making it difficult to unravel. In such long-running series, you grow accustomed to some things being always the same--Witherspoon will inevitably sit on some very uncomfortable furniture and his knees will hurt, Mrs. Jeffries will doubt that she'll ever solve this one and resort to polishing silver to clear her mind, and the household always follows a particular way of investigating. So what brings me back is not just the found family warmth of the household, but the mysteries. That might seem obvious for a mystery series, but I have read series in which the mysteries are mediocre but are saved by the setting and characters, so it's nice to have some actual good mysteries. And I loved that Lutie Belle and her peacemaker finally got their 15 minutes of fame!

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 but rounded up to 4.

There are a total of 41 in the Mrs. Jeffries series. Mrs. Jeffries and the One Who Got Away is #33. Unfortunately, this is the last one I own, even though I haven't read all or even come close to reading the 33. I knew this day would come when I would have no more to read and this saddens me. It's been awhile since I've shopped in any second hand book stores where I will occasionally, very occasionally come across one or two at the most.

In this mystery, it's a bit different; it wraps up from another mystery from many books before because it was never closed as the murderer got away! The victim is Alice Robinson, AKA Edith Durant. She was strangled with a heavy red cord and was left in a North London cemetery dead. In her hand was an old newspaper clipping about Inspector Witherspoon, and why he was called in to solve this mystery, even though it was out of his jurisdiction.

It turns out Alice Robinson was running a shabby and overly expensive boarding house for traveling businessmen and salesmen. Why are her boarders overpaying? Who is stealing their rent payments? Why are their personal items also going missing? Why are there a number of homes in the neighbourhood also experiencing burglaries, but the items are not showing up in the local pawnshops? So many questions to be answered.

I was able to figure out most of what was going on well before the ending, except for the murderer. I was soooo close, but I choose the wrong person.

Looking forward to finding more in the series.

[Alison C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Early in his career, Inspector Witherspoon arrested a man for murder and the man was duly convicted and hanged; however, he had an accomplice, a woman who had also murdered, and she got away. Now, a woman is found dead in a cemetery, clearly murdered and with an old news article placed in her hand, one identifying the woman as the one who had gotten away previously. How she came to be back in London, practically under the nose of the police, without being identified, is anyone’s guess; more pertinently, both Inspector Witherspoon and his household staff, who aid in his investigations without his knowledge, are finding it difficult to be as thorough as they should be, considering that the murdered woman was herself a murderer and, basically, got what she deserved. However, the law is the law and should apply to everyone, no matter how reluctantly done…. I enjoyed this, the 33rd book in the series, especially because it harkens back to an early book and brings a forgotten mystery back to the forefront. It was also interesting to note which members of the clandestine “investigative team” remembered the case and who had come on board long after that particular incident; a reminder of how the series has grown and evolved over time. And I enjoyed the moral struggle that each character needs to grapple with in this specific case. Still quite an enjoyable series; recommended.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

mrs jeffries and the one who got away
#33 in the end of the 19th century London based mystery series in which Scotland Yard Inspector Witherspoon's domestic staff headed by Mrs. Jefferies, without his knowledge, work to help him solve his murder cases. The recurring and well developed helpers” are Barnes (Witherspoon’s detective sergeant), Mrs. Goodge (cook), Smythe (coachman), Betsy (maid and later Smythe’s wife), Wiggins (servant), Phyllis (maid and newest addition), Luty (wealthy American widow), Hatchet (Luty’s butler), and Ruth (next door neighbor and romantic interest for Witherspoon).

It is the middle of March when Alice Robinson is found murdered in a cemetery. Inspector Witherspoon is called in because it appears this murder is connected to a previous murder case he recently solved. She was a respectable widow who ran a quiet lodging house. He realizes that this is not her real name and she’s connected to an old case that has haunted him. A woman who they have been looking for for several years. Mixed into this is burglary ring that has been operating for several years.

[The Hobbit · Rating 5 out of 5]

The body of Alice Robinson, owner of a local lodging house, was found strangled in the Highgate Cemetery. Inspector Witherspoon was assigned the case although the murder did not occur in his district. Inspector Rogers of that district was overwhelmed with robbery cases. When Inspector Witherspoon and Constable Barnes reached the body in the cemetery, they were shocked to realize they knew the woman, not a Alice Robinson, but as Edith Durant. The police had been looking for Durant for years, ever since she fled while being arrested for the killing her own sister. She deserted her companion and accomplice, Carl Christopher, and left him to hang for the death of her uncle, Rev. Claypool. Now she was dead! Mrs Jeffries and the Inspector's servants were not eager to solve the murder of a killer like Edith Durant. But in the end justice won out. As thy always did, the Witherspoon household uncovered clues and secretly passed them to the Inspector. In the end, not only was a most unexpected murderer uncovered, but Luty, the elderly and eccentric American woman, proved she did indeed know how to use her "Peacekeeper!" One of the best entries in the series.

[Jeanette C. Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

#33 in the series. I haven't read all of the previous 32 but I've read enough to know Emily Brightwell just keeps cranking out great mysteries. The story opens with a strangled body in a cemetery. Inspector Witherspoon is summoned and discovers the dead woman is a murderer who'd escaped the law several years earlier. The Inspector's housekeeper Mrs. Jeffries and the Inspector's other servants, along with an elderly American woman, her butler and a neighbour begin investigating. Moral dilemmas abound in the story as everyone, Inspector Witherspoon included, wonder if they are investigating fully or if they are slacking off, feeling the woman got what she deserved. The twists and turns of the plot, what the reader has come to expect of this series, are satisfyingly confusing with bits and clues dribbled here and there - if you watch for them. The story's conclusion with the Inspector's surprising rescue (I won't give it away!) end an enjoyable read.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Mrs. Jeffries Sweeps the Chimney (#18), the malevolent Edith Durant fled London before the inspector could arrest her for murder, leaving her lover Carl Christopher to hang for the crimes they planned and committed together. Despite the best efforts of the Metropolitan Police she disappeared without a trace. But years later, Alice Robinson, the owner of a shabby but respectable London rooming house, is found strangled in a local cemetery. A single look at the corpse tells Witherspoon that Mrs. Robinson was not who she claimed to be, and justice has come to Edith Durant at last. But the murder of a murderess is still a crime, and the inspector and his staff must overcome their own emotions as well as a very clever crime conspiracy to see justice done.

[Marie Verde · Rating 3 out of 5]

A woman is found dead in a London graveyard and Inspector Witherspoon is called in on the case because of the paper found clutched in the dead woman's hand.

MRS JEFFRIES AND THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY- A VICTORIAN MYSTERY by Emily Brightwell is a fun cozy mystery. While Inspector Witherspoon is the detective, his housekeeper Mrs. Jeffries and her staff secretly investigate and help their employer solve crimes with their hints and suggestions.

This is the 33rd book in the series and I enjoyed it but I should have started with book 1 to understand the characters and their relationships better. I'd give this book a PG rating for a little bit of violence(not much) and a few mild curse words but overall its a refreshingly clean and clever mystery.

[Allan Krummenacker · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a longtime reader of this series, I often found myself thinking back to the one criminal who had gotten away from the Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries. Of course the author was careful to make numerous references to that case over the course of the books, so seeing this volume was a welcome sight.

And what a mystery it is. This may be one of the best to date in the series, in my opinion. Everyone is on hand for this case and it takes both them and the reader down a number of paths, including some more dangerous than usual for the likes of Wiggins and Smythe.

A cracking good read with a satisfying ending. Well worth it!

[MD · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series was recommended to me and this is the only book I’ve read in the series. I found it somewhat implausible, but no more so than many other cozies. It has a larger-than-usual cast of characters and keeping them straight was more effort than I like to put into a cozy, but it didn’t seem to matter all that much. It has a decent plot, and the pacing is good. No humor that I can recall. I probably won’t read another, but I could see myself recommending it to someone who likes old-fashioned cozies.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This previous miscarriage of justice has been lurking in the back of my mind for many books now, so I am glad it has finally been resolved. I found it interesting to see the team balk at finding the murderer in this case and why. Only two of the team had not been involved in the previous murder investigation, and they soon got the others back on track. I didn't figure this one out until nearly the end, although I recognized the behavior of the guilty party as being out of character early on. Just didn't follow through in my head.

[Barb Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edith Durant was the murderess who got away. She escaped before Inspector Witherspoon and Constable Barnes could arrest her. Now, she's dead, and our crew of police, household staff and friends is looking for answers.

This is a fairly typical book in the Mrs. Jeffries series, although we have a mishmash of information that takes a while to wade through.

Lucy's Peacemaker comes in handy at a crucial moment.

[Eliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice Robinson alias for a fugitive Witherspoon was unable to bring to justice. He caught her accomplice Carl and he was hanged.
Alice was running a robbery ring out of her B&B and all the tenants were suspects.
The person who killed her in the cemetery was Carl's sister Carlita (pleese!). She wanted a share of the booty and Carl was the beneficiary of Alice. Carlita was Carl's heir.
Good sleep inducing cozy.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun adventure! A murderer from a past case who slipped away from the police turns up dead in the cemetery. The Inspector, Mrs. Jeffries and the whole crew have a lot of work on their hands to bring this murderer's murder to justice. They not only have to work hard for clues and face danger the closer they get. They all have doubts if they should try because, didn't she get what she deserved?

[Iris Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first Mrs. Jeffries Detective series. This being #33, I hoped that I had found a cozy mystery series for my appetite . However, I probably need to read an older one from the series just to judge fairly.

The audio is a little tedious as the London English accents can be a little grading. Mrs Jeffries and her crew of amateur detectives are gun hoe to help solve this complicated story and I was glad for the ending.

A solid 3* read for the cozy mystery lovers.

[Mythie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mrs. Jeffries and her snooping Scooby gang, as clever as ever at helping their dear Inspector solve his murder cases and boosting his confidence; all without his knowledge. It had been a few months that I read #32 and it was like coming home again. Already sad at soon coming to the last available book in this delightful series.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different view from the armchair for the cozy reader. This book has a complex, but not confusing, story line. Rich in detail, characters and suspects the author manages to nicely tie up all the lose ends, explain all the twists and turns and still manage to keep the reader guessing until the final surprising twist at the end.
I highly recommend this book as well as this series.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find it hard to believe that this is book #33 in the Mrs. Jeffries mystery series. This one is really a sequel to "Mrs. Jeffries Sweeps the Chimney" but you don't have to read the connecting one in order to understand this one.

The clues were a bit too obvious this time and I was able to guess the solution before the halfway mark but it was still a good story.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The one who got away was murdered, and a newspaper clipping she was holding ensure Witherspoon gets the case. As it is quite out of his jurisdiction, his household staff is having a harder time than usual trying to help him solve the case. Some parts of this mystery were predictable, while the whole of it was quite convoluted. I still enjoyed the mystery, and Emily Brightwell always entertains me with her books.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mrs. Jeffries and her staff once again help the inspector to solve the murder of a woman who had been sought by the police for a number of years. The staff members struggle to get over the fact that they know the woman to have committed murder and are not certain that she deserves justice.As always there are endearing characters and a good plot.