L'agenzia dei delitti di Miss Beeton

by Josie Lloyd

Alice Beeton non avrebbe mai pensato di ritrovarsi single e senza figli a cinquant’anni. Come la sua lontana antenata Mrs Beeton (sì, proprio quella di Il libro di Mrs Beeton. Saggi consigli domestici per la perfetta gentildonna) sperava di avere una bella casa e una famiglia tutta sua da deliziare con i propri manicaretti. In realtà, vive in un immacolato ma piccolo seminterrato a Notting Hill con Agatha, la sua amata cagnolina, un incrocio tra un corgi e un jack russell. Alice è titolare della Good Household Management Agency, che fornisce personale altamente qualificato e discreto per i più facoltosi abitanti di Londra. Quando Camille Messent chiama per chiedere urgentemente una nuova governante, Miss Beeton invia la nuova assunta Enya: è piuttosto sfacciata, ma ha referenze impeccabili e parla fluentemente francese. Però, nelle prime ore del giorno di Capodanno, Alice viene bruscamente svegliata dalla notizia che Enya è stata trovata morta. Mentre l’intrigante, seppur un po’ trasandato, detective Rigby lotta per organizzare un’indagine adeguata e la ricca famiglia serra i ranghi, Alice si assume la responsabilità di risolvere il crimine... costi quel che costi.
Come la sua famosa parente, Alice Beeton scopre che la gestione della casa nasconde molto più di quanto sembri, soprattutto dopo la scoperta di un cadavere…

Genres: Mystery, Christmas, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Crime, Fiction, Cozy

380 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 14, 2025

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice Beeton is related to the famous Isabelle Beeton of the famous Victorian Book of Household Management and tries to live up to her exacting standards especially in home baking. She runs The Good Household Management Agency to which Enya Fischer arrives with excellent references seeking a position. She’s placed with the wealthy Messent family although Alice has some misgivings. Shortly after Christmas she’s called by Met Officer Detective Rigby to inform her that Enya has died. Obviously Alice is now on the case, I do hope Detective Rigby doesn’t object. As for the Messents there’s something distinctly fishy, if not whiffy, there.

The start of this I find really slow as it’s too wordy and prevaricates and I just want to get on with the plot, so I guess I don’t get off on the right foot with this one. However, I do like the varied settings and the author creates a good atmosphere. The characters are likeable, there’s a good friendship between several of them which gives a nice feel to the storytelling. Alice has a dog called Agatha (after guess who) and she steals the show on occasions as she’s very cute

If you like cozy mysteries then this one is probably right up your street but I’m more in favour of more grit with my mystery. It’s set in the present day but does have the vibe of a Golden Age mystery. Obviously, it’s vital to suspend your disbelief as the plot unfurls but then you have to in the company of Hercule or Miss Marple. The plot is quite busy but parts are fun.

I think the author overplays the inclusion of recipes linking the protagonist back to her ancestor. There are way too many and some are very unnecessary- even I can rustle up a crumble without looking up the recipe. They become an irritating distraction from the storyline. The formatting makes it hard to read them anyway so it’s a good excuse to skim.

Overall, a mixed bag read for me, parts are entertaining and others less so. It seems as if it’s the first in a new series but I don’t feel inclined to continue. Please check other reviews especially if you are a fan of this genre as I may be on outlier island with this one.

The cover is very attractive though Christmas only plays a small part.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/4

I admit to struggling a bit with the rating because whilst this book is very readable and no doubt, destined for the Christmas market, there are some parts of it that are beyond the fantastical and it is a very cosy murder.

I added the extra half star because of the recipes included, which I know people will love. Sadly, because I was reading the ARC they lost a lot in translation so I couldn't even tell you whether they sounded exciting. Plus I'm the world's worst baker. I think Mrs Beeton would have despaired of me.

The story follows Alice Beeton, a distant relative of the original Mrs Beeton. She runs a household management agency but is rushed, one morning, into placing an unknown quantity (Enya) into a household of a French family (the Messents). Enya seems perfect but after a very short time it seems there's more going on than Alice originally thought. Then, at a New Year's Eve party, tragedy strikes.

Alice and her dog Agatha are drawn into the investigation as she takes over Enya's role. She also gets help from longtime friend, Jinx and Detective Rigby of the Met. But can she divert disaster in both her home life and the criminal world.

As I say, it is a cosy murder perfect for fans of Agatha Christie or Richard Osman. There's no blood and guts, little (if any) bad language and the cast of characters are all pleasant - except the baddies of course.

Cosy murders aren't really a favourite of mine but this book will find a good audience base, especially with the recipes included. It seems set for a series so I suspect this is not the last we have seen of Alice Beeton and Agatha.

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the advance review copy.

[meuhggle · Rating 5 out of 5]

perfect from beginning to end. THIS is what i'm looking for when i want a cosy crime mystery taking place during christmas in london (which is too specific but i knew it had to exist), i'm sooo glad i picked this up by total chance in waterstones.

i loved all the characters and ESPECIALLY agatha the dog, the story read soo easily, the setting and the details were exquisitely written, there were recipes punctuating the story which i now want to try out, there were multiple backstories which all made sense : i really felt like i lived inside alice's life, with all its big or small moments

i must admit i guessed the killer, but it was only approaching the very end and i liked that : the clues weren't misleading, and the twist didn't come out of nowhere from a totally different side of the investigation. it just made sense with all the clues we had!!!

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice Beeton never meant to wind up single and childless on the wrong side of fifty. Like her distant relative Mrs Beeton – yes, that Mrs Beeton – she had hoped to have her own spic-and-span household by now. In reality, she lives in an immaculate but dingy basement flat in a rather shabby block in Kensington with Agatha, her fiercely intelligent, if rather over-territorial, corgi-Jack Russell cross. Now Alice runs the Good Household Management Agency, providing discreet domestic staff to extravagant townhouses and sprawling country piles. So when Camille Messant calls in urgent need of a new housekeeper, Miss Beeton sends out new hire Enya. But in the early hours of New Year’s Day, Alice is rudely awakened with the news that Enya has been found dead.
A new author to me & a new series. I thoroughly enjoyed it & look forward to more in the series. I really liked Alice & the adorable Agatha. A well written cosy mystery, which I read in two sittings, the pace is good, the characters have depth & I was kept guessing as to who the villain was. There was the added bonus of recipes. There were of course twists, turns & red herrings as would be expected in a cosy mystery.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

[Anissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good seasonal read which I feel was a 3.5 star read. Murder in the Christmas-New Year's interval is a problem for Alice, the household staffing agency owner and she winds up going undercover to suss out Whodunnit. This had a well-drawn MC and supporting characters, which was nice.

My main complaint was that often Alice did not seem like the Gen-Xer the reader is told she is. Even allowing for quirky outliers and that her mid-fifties age puts her around 1969, she often read older than she's supposed to be. Jinx also felt sometimes like she too was a generation ahead (a Princess Diana devotee who read like she'd been a contemporary, not a roughly ten year old child watching that royal wedding). The other characters didn't seem to suffer from this which made it more noticeable. Considering the Messents could easily have been around Alice's age, with their 16 year old daughter and French style to spare, they read a lot younger than she. I do allow that first books do have some edges that smooth out in later books so this wasn't a major diminishing factor overall.

The pupper, Agatha was very cute. The detective was well done but needs more to do. Brother Jasper and his wife were best forgotten and if they do not reappear in additional books, I won't miss them. I just need a line that says Jasper ran Alice her money! Alice's nephews were lovely. The mystery itself was pretty well done and while this felt longer than it needed to be (lots of time between first murder & investigation really taking off), once things got moving in the final third, it was a great ride. The descent of Interpol was a bit much but by then I was having so much fun, I was like "Sure, why not?!" It tied up well and I was glad to have read this. Off to my next seasonal read!

I would read a follow-up to this. Recommended.

[Aulikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

No niin, ihan ok.

[Stephen the Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miss Beeton's Murder Agency is a joy from start to finish .

Alice Beeton- distant relative of the legendary Mrs Beeton runs a Household Management company (supported by her friends Jinx and Helly) providing housekeepers, caterers and function staff to the wealthy of London .

A request for staff by a wealthy art dealer and his wife- the Messents- leads to murder and Alice goes undercover to discover what happened.

Accompanied by Agatha - her dog- and a close circle of friends she endeavours to find who is guilty but as the situation worsens Alice finds herself caught up in an international crime and murder gets even closer

Comedic in parts, full of warmth and with a nod to Miss Marple ( well Agatha is named so for a reason) Alice Beeton is character that is full of heart as she fumbles her way through some dangerous situations- whilst dealing with her wayward brother and the family manor house and encounters with a Detective Rigby (who she feels an attraction towards) There are even recipes to enjoy and create !!

Being someone who reads many crime/police procedurals, I really enjoyed the story and escaped into Alice's world

Josie Lloyd has written a brilliant wintery crime caper- a sequel is needed as the team are so good and it would be great to see how Alice deals with another murderous situation... bring on the TV version😊

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a a refreshing read. It was funny at times and I loved the character Miss Beeton very much. I hope there will more to come in this series as I really enjoyed trying to find the clues to the murder. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

[Frida Lundgren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this audiobook! Predictable but so cute and wholesome and read by a great narrator. The perfect cozy crime book!

[Gem Rides · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agatha Christie Christmas vibes ✨️

[Cristian Milia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avevo “L’agenzia dei delitti di Miss Beeton” di Josie Lloyd in cima alla mia lista di letture, la temuta “pila della vergogna”. Per una serie di motivi, però, ho continuato a rimandarne la lettura.

La storia si svolge a Londra, durante le festività natalizie. La protagonista, Alice Beeton, discende dalla celebre Isabella Mary Beeton (giornalista e scrittrice britannica nota per il suo primo libro del 1861, “Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management”). Alice dirige l’Agenzia dei perfetti collaboratori domestici di Miss Beeton insieme alle sue amiche d’infanzia, Jinx e Helly. L’agenzia fornisce personale domestico alle famiglie più facoltose di Londra e tutto procede senza intoppi, finché uno dei clienti più influenti richiede con urgenza una governante sostitutiva.

Determinata a rispondere tempestivamente, Alice invia la nuova assunta, Enya, senza completare tutte le verifiche necessarie. Una decisione insolita per lei, sempre scrupolosa nella selezione del personale. Tuttavia, Enya appare perfetta per l’incarico: affascinante, fluente in francese – requisito essenziale per il cliente – e immediatamente disponibile. Tutto sembra filare liscio, finché, nelle prime ore di Capodanno, una notizia sconvolge Alice: qualcuno ha trovato Enya morta nella casa dei clienti, durante la festa di fine anno.

Ho perso il conto dei cozy crime che ho letto: questo genere è la mia comfort zone e non riesco a resistere. Qui, però, ho trovato qualcosa di diverso: una trama ben costruita, senza elementi lasciati al caso. Le descrizioni, la caratterizzazione dei personaggi e gli intrecci narrativi emergono come i punti di forza del romanzo, anche se in alcuni passaggi la narrazione risulta un po’ troppo prolissa. Nonostante lo stile dell’autrice è fluido e scorrevole, ho trovato fuori luogo l’inserimento di ricette di cucina nel bel mezzo dei capitoli, che spezzano il ritmo proprio nei momenti più intensi della storia.

Se cercate un cozy crime dal sapore classico, questo romanzo vi conquisterà con la sua attenzione ai dettagli e la sua atmosfera intrigante. Pertanto, se preferite una narrazione più ritmata e senza digressioni, potreste trovare alcuni passaggi meno incisivi.

https://www.soffiodicarta.it/

[Mike Finn]

I'd been looking forward to 'Miss Beeton's Murder Agency' as a cosy pre-Christmas read. The cover looks cute. Miss Beeton, a distant relative of the Mrs Beeton of the famous cookery book, is a woman in her fifties, a Christie fan with a dog called Agatha, who turns amateur sleuth when one of her employees at her domestic staf agency turns up dead on New Year's Day. I was expecting it to be quiet, harmless fun. It turned out to be quiet and harmless but not much fun.

At first, I thought everything would fine. The writing was a little mannered and Miss Beeton seemed too much like a Barbara Pym character to be a child of the Seventies but I could see the seeds of a mystery being sown and a cast of eccentric characters with unusual but useful backgrounds being assembled, so I carried on.

And then... nothing much happened. For an hour.

Normally, I applaud a mystery where the detective's character is firmly rooted in reality but Miss Beeton's reality is not interesting enough to take so long to establish.

I was two hours into a ten-hour audiobook, listening to a description of Miss Beeton preparing Christmas lunch for her execrable brother and his family at the country pile she, the eldest, did not inherit but is secretly keeping afloat and I realised I was bored. We are still days away from a dead body being discovered., most of the characters are unpleasant but not unpleasant enough for me to enjoy hating them. I felt as if I was wading through all the small slights and casual abuses that can take the shine off a family Christmas without being engaged by the story or the people.

This is a highly-rated book on GoodReads. The narrator is doing a good job. Probably, it all comes together once poor old Enya dies. But I've run out of patience so I'm setting it aside at 19%

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

L'agenzia dei delitti di Miss Beeton è un'intrigante storia di cosy crime che ci trasporta nel vivace quartiere di Notting Hill a Londra. Alice Beeton, discendente della famosa Mrs Beeton, gestisce la Good Household Management Agency, fornendo personale qualificato per i facoltosi abitanti della città. Tutto sembra tranquillo fino a quando Camille Messent, una ricca cliente, richiede urgentemente una nuova governante.

Miss Beeton invia Enya, una giovane donna con referenze impeccabili e fluente in francese, ma già il primo giorno di lavoro, Enya viene trovata morta. Alice, determinata a risolvere il mistero, si mette subito al lavoro, scoprendo che la gestione domestica nasconde molto più di quanto sembri.

La narrazione di Josie Lloyd è coinvolgente e ricca di dettagli, con un'atmosfera accogliente e un pizzico di ironia. I personaggi sono ben sviluppati e la trama è ben costruita, mantenendo il lettore in tensione fino alla rivelazione finale. La descrizione dei luoghi e delle atmosfere rende la lettura piacevole e avvincente.

In conclusione, L'agenzia dei delitti di Miss Beeton è una nuova aggiunta al genere cosy crime che merita di essere letta. È una storia divertente, eccentrica e mortale che ti lascia con il desiderio di scoprire di più sui futuri casi di Alice Beeton.

[Missnöjd Konfirmand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trevlig, som en Miss Marple fast med känslor (och hund).

[Anna Dawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun and frothy read, with pleasantly surprising tight plotting and character development. Perfect start to the year.

[ghostly_bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

CAWPILE 7.43
4 STARS

This is my surprise hit for Christmas reading 2025, so far.
I went into this knowing that this was a cozy mystery and for some reason I presumed it was historical- whether that was the cover or my own misunderstanding but it wasn't- a contemporary cozy christmas mystery.
This was delightful- I adored that the main character was middle aged, single and a successful businesswoman (and that her dog was called Agatha after Agatha Christie!) I really enjoyed the modern London setting, the upstairs downstairs vibes, the murder!, the ending was not a let down- I LOVED IT. On the whole it was fantastically paced, really fun to read, very compelling and I devoured this in 2 days- absolutely loved it. I haven't read from Josie Lloyd before but I'd be open to reading more from her- this book would be amazing as a series!
Sometimes it's the books that come from nowhere (in this case, languishing on my kindle for over a year) that can really surprise you and introduce you to a new favourite!

[Chiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interessante la trama, scritti molto bene i personaggi e ci si affeziona pure ad Alice Beeton nel corso dei capitoli, mi è piaciuto come hanno sviscerato il delitto ed è stato bello da leggere il finale in cui viene spiegato ogni passaggio del crimine e si uniscono le prove trovate durante le indagini. La protagonista-nonostante l'età, inizialmente pensavo fosse anziana da come viene descritta nei modi di fare e di vestire e invece è un'amabile 50enne che si rifiuta di aggiornarsi- si è rivelata essere estremamente coraggiosa, cosa impensabile ad inizio libro. L'unica pecca di questo romanzo è quanto sia prolisso e la maggior parte delle descrizioni e delle azioni delle vite private della Beeton & Company poteva benissimo essere tagliato. 435 pagine Kindle potevano facilmente essere ridotte della metà e sarebbe stato persino più intrigante la storia.
Lettura consigliata agli appassionati di (finte) anziane che risolvono crimini, stile Miss Marple o la signora in giallo.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

With an eye-catching cover, modern-day Agatha Christie vibes and a bingeable story, everything about Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency screams ‘cosy Christmas read’. And, I’m happy to say, it doesn’t disappoint.

Alice Beeton runs the Good Household Management Agency, providing domestic staff for London townhouses and sprawling country mansions. One morning, she receives an urgent request for a new housekeeper and it seems the stars have aligned, because at that moment she is interviewing Enya, a possible new hire. But just a few days into her new post Enya is murdered. So, determined to solve the crime and get justice for her employee, Alice goes undercover to infiltrate her own clients.

Heartwarming, funny, festive and entertaining, reading this book was like snuggling up in a fuzzy blanket by a warm fire. Evocative imagery conjured cosy, wintery vibes while Josie Lloyd’s masterful storytelling and clever plotting made me lose myself in the story. But one of the highlights for me were the recipes for treats such as lemon biscuits from Alice’s fictional Victorian ancestor, Mrs. Beeton that are sprinkled throughout.

A cast of quirky and colourful characters populate the pages and the eponymous Miss Beeton is my new queen on the amateur sleuth block. Curious, brave and tenacious, Alice is likeable from the first page. She likes things well-ordered and tidy, something that she discovers is not only perfect for running her agency, but for solving crimes too. There’s a great camaraderie that radiates from her whole team and I loved the friendship and witty banter she had with her best friend, Jinx. Then there’s my new favourite crime-solving side-kick of all time, Alice’s cute and intuitive dog, Agatha (named after who else but Miss Christie). Add in a swoon-worthy detective and you’ve got yourself a recipe for the perfect cast of characters for a fun festive crime story.

A marvellous cosy crime with a retro vibe, this is a lighthearted, warm and witty story that is guaranteed to get you in the festive spirit. I’m hoping this isn’t the only time we will see Miss. Beeton’s crime-solving skills and that Alice and her team will return for more adventures.

[Roz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fabulous cozy crime novel that I very much hope will be the start of a series featuring the inspirational Miss Alice Beeton, fictional relative of the well known cook Mrs Beeton. Indeed the book itself shares several of the tried and tested Mrs Beeton recipes.

Alice Beeton runs an excellent agency together with her long term friend Jinx. They supply all manner of household staff and more to distinguished clients. One such client proves to be the start of what may be a new direction for Alice, as one of the staff provided by Alice is found dead and she is forced to step in undercover to unmask the truth.

There are an array of very colourful characters which I am already invested in; Agatha the dog, Jinx the best friend and Brittany the beautician to the elite to name a few. I hope that they will all feature in future books. The team around Alive and her friends and contacts form a group that are working together to solve the clues.

A great read which I highly enjoyed. There was some far fetched detail, which I enjoyed in a James Bind type thriller scenario and this together with the homespun nature of Alice and her love of her relatives recipes made a book that I would happily recommend.

[Judy Odom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Beeton's Murder Agency is a delightful read and the excellent start to a new series featuring a diverse set of characters that are quirky, relatable and endearing.

Alice Beeton runs the the Good Household Management Agency and one of her members Enya that she placed in service is found dead , she can't help but turn into the sleuth that Agatha Christie would be proud of.

Enya it seems wasn't who Alice thought she was.

Alice is determined , she made me laugh and she is a formidable investigator but has so much more on the go with recipes

Her dog Agatha stole my heart.

Miss Beeton's Murder Agency is a cozy mystery lover's delight and I for one cant wait to see what adventure Alice Beeton takes us on next.

Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the privilege of reading and reviewing this wonderful new series.

[Dawn Probert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice Beaton is a distant relative of Mrs Beaton of the bakery cookbooks and housekeeper extraordinaire fame. Alice’s housekeeping agency finds itself mid murder investigation and Alice and her chums set about finding out who the murder we is and what is exactly going on. This book hopefully will be part of a long series and Alice can get more involved with the dishy detective Rigby. Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review..

[Sophia Scarlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josie Lloyd's Miss Beeton's Murder Agency introduces Alice Beeton, a distant relative of the famous Mrs. Beeton, who runs the Good Household Management Agency. Alice's agency provides discreet domestic staff to wealthy clients. When Alice sends Enya to work for the Messant family, Enya is found dead on New Year's Day13. The police investigation stalls, so Miss Beeton takes it upon herself to solve the crime.

[Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency is a fun mystery that kept me entertained from the very beginning.
Alice is a wonderful character. Her detective skills and knowledge of housekeeping, a great use in helping her to work out the mystery of the death of the housekeeper newly assigned to the Messant household.
The support network around Alice was lovely and I really enjoyed her relationship with Jinx - and Agatha, a great detective on her own.
This is a great start to what looks likely to be a fun cosy mystery series, and I look forward to seeing what adventures come next for Alice and Agatha.

[Ellie (bookmadbarlow) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun book that mixes cosy mystery with recipes that will immediately make you want to start cooking.
Alice owns an agency that places staff into rich people's houses, but she is soon embroiled in a murder investigation, which gets quite out of hand.
There was a big cast of quirky side characters that helped out with the elaborate plans and it definitely sets itself up to be the first in a series

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and HQ for a complimentary copy of this novel!
Alice Beeton owns her own business that provides discreet and professional staff to rich and high-end customers. Enya, her most recent hire, is sent to the Messants’ household as an urgent request because their current housekeeper mysteriously quit. Everything seems to be going well, but on New Year’s Day, Enya is found dead in the Messants’ house. As the local police try to work the case, it gets suddenly taken out of their hands and sent to a higher-level police force. So naturally, Alice Beeton realizes something more is going on. Because it was Alice who sent her to the Messants, she feels partially to blame for Enya’s death and takes it upon herself to try and figure out how and why she died. But the more Alice investigates, the more she realizes this is not a cut and dry murder investigation! There is so much more at play!!!
I really enjoyed this cozy mystery and am looking forward to reading more if it is continued on as a series! AVAILABLE October 24, 2024

[Alina Rossi · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a very cozy mystery, as promised

I quite liked our main character, a single, child-free older woman, I found her very relatable

[Eleonora De · Rating 4 out of 5]

Molto ma molto carino

[Ruebni K · Rating 3 out of 5]

the story is like one of the recipes in the book. toasty and filling but very British.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good old fashioned murder mystery. Easy and pleasant read.

[Angela Fabbri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carino ma ad un certo punto abbastanza inverosimile, soprattutto l’escamotage che viene trovato per convincere la protagonista a continuare le indagini. I personaggi tuttavia mi sono piaciuti. Aspetto i seguiti.