The Butler

by Clare Mackintosh

From the New York Times -bestselling A glamorous French villa. A carefully curated guest list. A body in the pool.

The South of France is stunning, though not without its imperfections, from pickpockets to burglars to the occasional cold-blooded killer. But in his twenty-five years of service, Baxter—with a spotless reputation as a polished, well-mannered butler—has never run into any issues catering to the ultrawealthy. Until now.

Baxter's latest assignment is at Villa Sérénité, where Alec Prescott is hosting a colorful cast of characters, including his ex-wife, his much younger lady friend, and some Hollywood hotshots, after the Cannes Film Festival. But it doesn't take long for a week of sun, wine, and a family birthday celebration to devolve into bickering and backstabbing. And soon, secrets aren't the only thing floating to the surface . . .

When one of the guests is found dead in the villa's glittering pool, the unflappable Baxter must assist the gendarmes in determining who's responsible. With some standing to gain and others motivated to take it away, fingers are pointed in all directions. A good butler is expected to see everything and say nothing—but what if he too becomes a target?

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

201 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 16, 2026

About the author

Welcome to my Goodreads profile! Whether you're new to my work, or a hard-core fan, it's lovely to see you here. My latest book is OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES, the third book in my DC Ffion Morgan series. Like THE LAST PARTY and A GAME OF LIES, this is designed to be read as a standalone, but if you've followed Ffion and Leo from the beginning, I think you'll love seeing where OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES takes them.

If this is the first time we're meeting, welcome! In addition to the books above, I'm the author of I LET YOU GO, I SEE YOU, LET ME LIE and HOSTAGE - page-turning thrillers that have sold more than three million copies across 40 countries, and hit bestseller lists including The Sunday Times and The New York Times. I also wrote the emotional rollercoaster, AFTER THE END: a family drama about an impossible choice that threatens to tear a couple apart. It's the most personal novel I've written, and I've loved hearing from readers who have connected with it. In 2024 I released a memoir, I PROMISE IT WON'T ALWAYS HURT LIKE THIS, based on my experiences of navigating grief following the loss of my son eighteen years ago. It's a book to offer hope when you feel as though there's none to be had; a book to give to a friend when you don't know what to say.

Coming in 2026 is what I'm boldly going to tell you is my best book yet... a standalone thriller with a twist that'll knock your socks off! It's called IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK, and I would love you to add it to your shelf right now!

I love connecting with my readers, and there are plenty of ways you can get a sneak peek at what's going on behind the scenes. My Facebook group offers reading recommendations and exclusive extras to members (just search online for 'The Clare Mackintosh Book Club'), or if it's general chit chat you're after, please do follow me on Instagram, where I go to avoid writing, and to share snippets of my life in rural Wales, complete with three spaniels and Pete the goat. I'm also on TikTok, much to the dismay of my three teenagers...

* * *

With over three million copies of her books sold worldwide, number one bestseller Clare Mackintosh is the multi-award-winning author of I Let You Go, which was a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller and the fastest-selling title by a new crime writer in 2015. It also won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year in 2016. She has since written seven more bestselling novels. Together, her books have been translated into 40 languages and spent more than sixty-five weeks in The Sunday Times bestseller lists.

Clare is patron of the Silver Star Society, a charity based at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford, which supports parents experiencing high-risk or difficult pregnancies.

* * *

For more information find Clare on Facebook, Instagram, Threads or TikTok at @ClareMackWrites

#ILetYouGo #ISeeYou #LetMeLie #AftertheEnd #HostageBook #TheLastParty #AGameOfLies #IPromise #OtherPeoplesHouses #ItsNotWhatYouThink

Reviews

[GCR | Book Realm]

I received a physical ARC from Podium Entertainment.

The Butler was a fun, quick murder mystery and a really easy read. It had enough intrigue to keep me interested without becoming overly complicated or heavy.

Baxter backstory made him more interesting, and I definitely want to know what else is going on with him. That alone makes me want to continue with the series.

The mystery moved fast and kept things entertaining. This was more of a light, straightforward murder mystery than a dark thriller, which made it a nice change of pace.

There wasn’t anything that seriously didn’t work for me. It simply landed as a solid read rather than one that completely blew me away, and that was fine for the kind of story it was telling.

Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable mystery with an intriguing main character. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy shorter murder mysteries, lighter suspense, interesting investigators, easy pacing, and stories that leave enough unanswered about the main character to make you want the next book.

[suspenseisthrillingme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bravo, Ms. Mackintosh, on quite the fun, little read! Coming in at just under 200 pages, The Butler was an Agatha Christie-esque escapade into murder, scandal, drama, and intrigue. With an endearing butler reminiscent of Niles from The Nanny, a house full of side-eye-worthy suspects with a whole host of motives, and a motley crew of root-for-able amateur sleuths digging for the truth, it was a grin-inducing read that I finished in just one single sitting. I mean, how could I not love this series starter? Filled with suspicious characters and a fast-moving plot, it was the perfect modern twist on a classic murder mystery. Granted, it was one that had a somewhat more lighthearted tone than most crime fiction stories. If, however, you love cozy-ish mysteries with a Hercule Poirot-meets-The White Lotus feel, be sure to check out this first in a series. Perfectly set up for the continuing exploits of this compelling narrator, I’m going to be on pins and needles until I can get my hands on a copy of book two as soon as it’s available. Rating of 4.75 stars.

Read if you love:
- Rich people behaving badly
- Quick, easy reads
- An exotic setting
- Dark humor
- Plenty of drama and scandal
- Amateur sleuths
- An Agatha Christie-esque feel
- Murder mysteries
- Novellas that feel complete
- A cozy-ish vibe
- Golden Age-style dénouements
- Short chapters
- Suspicious characters

SYNOPSIS:

The South of France is stunning, though not without its imperfections, from pickpockets to burglars to the occasional cold-blooded killer. But in his twenty-five years of service, Baxter―with a spotless reputation as a polished, well-mannered butler―has never run into any issues catering to the ultrawealthy. Until now.

Baxter’s latest assignment is at Villa Sérénité, where Alec Prescott is hosting a colorful cast of characters, including his ex-wife, his much younger lady friend, and some Hollywood hotshots, after the Cannes Film Festival. But it doesn’t take long for a week of sun, wine, and a family birthday celebration to devolve into bickering and backstabbing. And soon, secrets aren’t the only thing floating to the surface…

When one of the guests is found dead in the villa’s glittering pool, the gendarmes turn to the unflappable Baxter to help determine who’s responsible. A good butler is expected to see everything and say nothing―but what if he too becomes a target?

Thank you Clare Mackintosh and Podium Entertainment for my complimentary physical copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: June 16, 2026

Content warning: theft, sexual assault, sexual content, blackmail, infidelity, sexism, mention of: miscarriage, murder

[Cristiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Jeanie ~ Fables.and.fur · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written mystery with some darkly funny moments. I’ve enjoyed every novel from Clare Mackintosh.

The Butler would make for a great movie. Giancarlo Esposito is who I pictured as Baxter. The core of the story is a who-dunnit with the rich behaving badly, but the author puts her own spin on it and I loved it! I’m looking forward to listening to the audiobook when it’s released. The ending does leave it open for a sequel or series and I sure hope so! Highly recommend.

[Christina C · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Butler by Clare Mackintosh is a smart, fast-paced murder mystery that makes for a perfect quick read. Set in France, the story has an elegant, slightly eerie atmosphere that adds to the intrigue and keeps the pages turning. Mackintosh wastes no time pulling the reader into the mystery, and the tight pacing makes it ideal for reading in one or two sittings.

[☮Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Enjoyed the story overall but had a heck of a time keeping all the characters straight.

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

Read my full review, with Jen's Quick Take to help you decide if the book is for you Jen Ryland Reviews

Fun and light cozy mystery featuring Baxter, a butler who has to solve a murder mystery when one of the guests at the Cannes villa he is working in ends up dead.

This is not a fast-paced book (the murder doesn't happen until around halfway through the story) but I think it will be perfect for fans of cozies, classic Agatha Christie-style mysteries, and series like The Maid by Nita Prose.

Baxter is an intriguing character with a backstory I wanted more of, so it's great to see that he will be assigned by his agency to a new house and have a new murder to solve!

Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of this author so I was really looking forward to reading this, and I really enjoyed it!
This whole story is packed FULL of rich people drama, which is one of my favourite tropes, and this book absolutely nailed it.
I liked the setting of a villa in the south of France (Villa Serenite, a funny play on words) and it played such a huge role in the story.
The characters whilst at times did feel slightly stereotypical, were all likeable/enjoyable to read about. I especially liked our MC Baxter. Which is just as well, as the whole story is told through his POV.
This was such an easy, fun, light hearted, read in one sitting type of book and I absolutely did fly through it in one sitting. The writing is great, as per usual with this author, and the plot is fast paced and this is a definite page turner.
Although this is only just over 200 pages, so I guess it is more of a novella than a full book, the plot felt well rounded and the fact that this was shorter than the authors usual work, didn't spoil my enjoyment at all.
This was such an enjoyable read, I really hope this becomes a series, as I would love to read more.

Thanks to Podium Entertainment for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review

[Tanja Berg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amusing short mystery novella about a butler and a bunch of unpleasant rich people gathered at a rented house in Cannes. We know from the start that there will be a murder, and there are certainly enough candidates both as suspects and potential victims. Nothing massively unique or extra ordinary here, works well as beach read. I enjoyed it!

[Leah Cherokee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.

It's a sweltering summer morning in Cannes; the South of France is glimmering with locals and tourists alike for the annual Film Festival, and a butler has just arrived to Villa Sérénité to prepare it for his forthcoming guests. From perfectly folded bed linens to ice-chilled seafood atop towers of silver and the finest Champagne a constant flow into spotless crystal glasses, everything must be perfect for Alec Prescott--guest of honor.

And fortunately for Mr. Prescott, Baxter has decades of service under his belt and is most suitably prepared for anything the raucous group of guests may bring.

Well, almost anything.

I was initially intrigued by "The Butler" because I read "I Let You Go" by Clare Mackintosh years ago and remember it as a standout thriller, even now. I knew going into this cozy novella that this would be an entirely different reading experience, but Mackintosh's rich, descriptive writing still carried this well. There's little left untouched in the cozy mystery/butler character sub-genre and therefore hard to write something truly standout, but what Mackintosh has done here is create a sophisticated, nicely-flowing story with a good payoff in the end. Great as a short palette cleanser before your next big read, "The Butler" has a gorgeous setting and a main character to adore.

*Many thanks to Podium Publishing & NetGalley for my advanced review copy of this title!*

[Cin (cinsnextchapter) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED Baxter as a main character and can’t wait to see if he and Red team up again for another mystery. I kept picturing him as a cross between Hercule Poirot and Niles from The Nanny, which made him even more fun to read. This was a quick, suspenseful story that I finished in just a couple of sessions. The Butler is a proper whodunnit, with every character having a motive and no shortage of suspects.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

First. Clare Mackintosh is already publishing another book next month. How? Wow! Talented.

OK. So The Butler is a short and sweet, fast-paced murder mystery that takes place in Southern France during the Cannes film festival.

The Butler (Baxter) is definitely the main character and narrator of this well-written book. The scenes and characters (yes it reads like a script - cue Netflix) are descriptive. There were times when my senses were activated: seeing a dress, hearing an argument, smelling good food being served.

As the "murder" was introduced, I found myself in the usual position - questioning who did it? when? why? And as usual, the answer came at the very end. Which by the way left room for a sequel. Yeah!

The maid in the dining room with poison
The ex in the car with a tire iron
The girlfriend in the bedroom...
Or was it a ghost? Or the Butler?

This book is due out mid June 2026. A not too heavy mystery thriller that's easy to read and follow.

A special thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the very talented, prolific author for the advanced copy of this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

[Helen_t_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baxter the butler has twenty-five years of service with the ultrawealthy, and a spotless reputation. He is polished, well-mannered and a consummate professional.

His latest assignment is at Villa Sérénité in Cannes, where Alec Prescott is hosting a colorful cast of characters, including his ex-wife, his much younger lady friend, and some Hollywood hotshots, after the Cannes Film Festival. But it doesn't take long for a week of sun, wine, and a family birthday celebration to devolve into bickering and backstabbing. And soon, secrets aren't the only thing floating to the surface....


'Beneath the glamorous veneer of Villa Sérénité was a web of lies, grudges and secrets - and someone willing to kill to keep theirs hidden'
Ain't that the truth! The villa's carefully curated, small but perfectly formed guest list hides more motives for murder than you can shake an olive-skewered cocktail stick at!

At around 200 pages The Butler is quite a short novel and though I hadn't seen any promotion for it, I took a chance on it when it appeared in a recent kindle email, because I mean why wouldn't you, it's Clare Mackintosh for goodness sake!

The plot and the pace are all spot on, and the cast of characters is really well drawn, with some you'll love, and some you'll love to hate.

It is written like an homage to a classic whodunit, with red herrings aplenty to keep you guessing, and it is positively Christie-esque, both in the number of potential murderers who all have a motive, and, in the Poirot-style big reveal conducted by Baxter with all the suspects gathered together in the lounge at the end.

I thoroughly enjoyed the South of France vibes with the delicious Mediterranean dishes, the luxury villa, and the views, and Baxter is the butler you'd definitely want if you had a lottery win. He's the real deal.

The Butler is a quick and entertaining read. It is well written, satisfying, enjoyable and entertaining, and would make the perfect poolside read if you're looking for a kindle/ paperback title suggestion for your holiday reading this year.

I have to say I really enjoyed Clare Mackintosh's clever and witty inversion of the more usual trope where it's always the butler who commits the crime, and I hope that it's the first of a series as I'd love to read more about Baxter's adventures, especially given the new sidekick he acquires by the novel's conclusion, offering lots of sparky potential going forward!

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Clare Mackintosh. I just wish I would have gone into this knowing it was more of a cozy mystery than a thriller. I’ll still pick up the next book in the series. This time I’ll be ready!

[LaKnesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was like a clue mystery. it was enjoyable

[Devi (TheBookAccountant) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Butler - 4⭐️
That was just a four hour audiobook very interesting very Agatha Christie!
Rich people acting badly is quite an entertaining trope with a house full of suspects!

[Kimberly McCune · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick murder mystery. French villa, rich people drama, and someone ends up dead in the pool. Agatha Christie style book.

[Stella Thipsak Ballini · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well written mystery thriller book. Very engaging from the beginning, with unhinged characters and a thoughtful storyline. But I feel as if it was missing something, I can't really describe it.

It felt sort of off, and I do believe it is because the book is quite short. And I would've liked the murder part of the book to have more depth and reason.

However, this was still entertaining. And for anyone who enjoys the Agatha Christie world, this book is a good place to go.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cozy, quick little whodunnit in a French villa, with an interesting array of characters. I absolutely loved the diversity of personalities among the guests, as well as learning their dynamics along the way. It was fun trying to solve the murder mystery and find out who did it at the end. Overall, a solid read 👏

[Kelly Van Damme · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-4.5
I had so much fun with this one!

[Gill · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an “ok” read…..a bit like an Agatha Christie novel with many suspects for the murder.

[Joy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25 stars?
I guess there is nothing “wrong” with this novella, but for Clare Mackintosh, I thought it was very dull and uninspired. It seemed like a really generic story, with really generic and uncreative characters.
I’m not sure if this is going to be a series, but I wouldn’t read more, if it is.

[Jardana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this short read! I love those closed door mystery, y’know the classic Agatha Christie vibe? This is it!

I believe this the 2nd or 3rd book I picked up by this author, and I can say wholeheartedly that i absolutely love their writing style. The beginning was so descriptive, it felt like I was in there myself. I was so enamored by the details that I didn’t even bother trying to solve the mystery myself, just let it flow the way it was going and was not disappointed. Lowkey, would love to read more of these types with Baxter and Red!!


Thank you NetGalley, Podium Publishing, and Clare Mackintosh for this ARC 🫶🏽

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you Netgalley for an advance review copy!

with reading it digitally, I either didn't know or forgot it was just over 200 pages. while some books need less, I feel this book needed more! So much build up with getting to know characters for the ultimate mystery/whodunnit reveal to fall very very flat.

it was a very Poirot lite type of book.....and that was disappointing

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may not be the longest book in the world, coming in at just around the 200 page mark, but in the hands of Clare Mackintosh, they are pages packed with mystery and misdeeds. Family feuds, fraught friendships, oh, and the small matter of a murder. The stars of this show, Butler for hire, Baxter, and local pickpocket, Red, who, some might say ill advisedly, he takes under his wing. That is, Baxter comes to find he has a use for Red's particular talents at the Prescott family and friends holiday, arranged by patriarch Alec Prescott, to celebrate the twenty first birthday of sole son, and heir, Carter.

Even though this is a novella, rather than a full length novel, it has all the twists and tension that I have grown to expect, and love, from a Clare Mackintosh novel. She sets the tone of the book from the very beginning, delivering. a perfect sense of place, and of the characters we are likely to meet, starting with Baxter, the man who will guide us through the course of the book. I really liked Baxter as a character. Whilst he comes across as somewhat officious, you quickly learn this is just his years of training and the very thing that makes him not only the perfect Butler, but the perfect narrator. He sees all and acts accordingly, but never in a way that feels intrusive to either the guests, or us as voyeurs of the tensions that are sure to arise.

Then there is Red. She is sassy and strong willed, and from the moment Baxter intercepts her as she plies her trade down in the town, you know that there is going to be something magical happening here. Sure, she is rough around the edges, but if you were to think of her as a female version of Aladdin, without the magical lamp and cave of secrets, you get the feeling for the kind of personality in play here. She is stealing to survive, but there is a heart of gold in there really. Red and Baxter make for a perfect duo and I really do hope that this is the start of something more as they work brilliantly together, as does the transient nature of Baxter's role as Butler via agency work rather than of a fixed abode, as it were.

As for the party, and the tensions between the Prescotts and their guests, well, you can feel the animosity seep from the page, particularly between the Alec Prescott and his former wife, Sylvie, and Alec's new partner, Kaitlyn, who, age if not quite personality wise, has more in common with Carter than she does Alec ... You can see where this is all leading. But that is just a snapshot of the tension within the party, and with money and misogyny being a key focus of the weekend, everything is there to guarantee a pretty intense few days between them all.

When the inevitable happens, probably two thirds of the way through the story, a brilliant use of misdirection, and a cast of characters who all have reasons for potentially wanting to do the dirty deed, really does keep the guilty party hidden right until the perfect moment for the reveal. Sure, the clue are all there and you could, as Baxter tries to, puzzle it all out for yourself, but the fun is in the reading and with pitch perfect pacing, there really is no need to race ahead. A fun but brief read that fans of Clare Mackintosh will really enjoy.

[Leonie Hinch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Podium and Clare Mackintosh for my ARC of The Butler in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fantastic, short read that packed a punch despite being almost bite sized!

I love Clare Mackintosh’s books, she writes fantastic crime thrillers and I was worried how this would measure up being somewhat shorter.

But I should not have feared. The Butler was very enjoyable, I loved the main character Baxter and his traditional ways and the contrast he set against characters like Red who was his polar opposite. This was a classic locked door mystery which kept me guessing, there’s lots of other mini mysteries along the way and overall it was just really enjoyable! I look forward to the next one in what promises to be an addictive new series.

[VickydpBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tight, fast-paced locked-villa mystery perfect for a quick read. Baxter, a seasoned butler, arrives at glamorous Villa Sérénité in the South of France to manage a tense house party of wealthy, secret-laden guests. When a body turns up in the pool, he becomes both witness and investigator—bound by his code to “see everything, say nothing”.

Sharp, atmospheric setting; reliable, observant Baxter makes a strong guide; snappy dialogue and slow-burn tension; classic whodunit structure with hidden motives.

The murder arrives late; shorter length means less deep character development than Mackintosh’s longer novels.

Compact, satisfying, and twisty—ideal for fans of Agatha Christie-style closed-circle mysteries.

[Sue Street · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baxter, the Butler assigned to work at a Cannes villa for an ultra wealthy group during the film festival, has his impeccable butler skills put to the test when a guest turms up dead.

This is a fun, quick murder mystery that will have you cheering for the help! Secrets abound in this small family and friends gathering for the 21st birthday of Alec Prescott 's son, Carter. The nasty comments fly from just about everyone in this group and it's good that Baxter has 25 years experience to help him through this week! I love all of Clare's books!

[Lydia Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this intimate crime novella. Written in the format of a 1930’s Christie - even down to the Poirot-esque finale - we follow Baxter the butler to a swanky villa in Cannes. As the sun beats down and the guests start to arrive, we know it won’t be long before one of them meets a sticky end. In true whodunnit style, motives are examined & paranoia & in-fighting ensues before the perpetrator is exposed.

The perfect setting with memorable characters. The ending is left open for a sequel - I hope there is one. Great, fun holiday reading!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hope this is a new series that Mackintosh is planning to write! I loved Baxter and the cast of characters—especially Baxter’s quiet confidence, his ability to remain unruffled by the chaos around him, and, at the same time, his soft spot for Red.

I also thought she did a particularly good job with the dysfunctional, wealthy group staying at the house. The way they interacted, and the fact that they all had believable motives to be the killer, was very well thought out.

My one criticism is the length of the book. I read it in one sitting in under two hours. Her other books are typically much longer. While it was a fun, fast-paced read, the pacing felt a bit off after the murder. I would have loved more investigation and discovery. As well as more interaction between Baxter and Red as they worked to solve the crime.

Overall, I absolutely love Clare Mackintosh and would definitely recommend this book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!