Mrs. Jeffries Wins the Prize

Mrs. Jeffries #34

by Emily Brightwell

Mrs. Jeffries is back in the New York Times bestselling Victorian series, perfect for fans of Downton Abbey.

NIPPED IN THE BUD

The ladies of the Mayfair Orchid and Exotic Plant Society are known for a bit of friendly rivalry, but the backstabbing has never been literal—until now. When Hiram Filmore, an orchid hunter and supplier, is found dead in Mrs. Helena Rayburn’s conservatory, Inspector Witherspoon is called in to weed out a murderer.

When it comes out that Mrs. Rayburn and her flowery friends knew each other from long ago, Mrs. Jeffries begins to suspect that there’s more to unearth about this case than meets the eye. Now she, along with the rest of Inspector Witherspoon’s household and friends, will have to dig up the past to figure out which gardening gentlewoman had a grudge worth killing for...

A Mrs. Jeffries Mystery

She keeps house for Inspector Witherspoon . . . and keeps him on his toes. Everyone’s awed by his Scotland Yard successes—but they don’t know about his secret weapon. No matter how messy the murder or how dirty the deed, Mrs. Jeffries’ polished detection skills are up to the task . . . proving that behind every great man there’s a woman—and that a crimesolver’s work is never done.

NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED!

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

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 2016

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

[JoAn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one highlighted the elitist and selfish attitude of many of the upper class at the time. But Mrs. Jeffries and the team did what they always do best and ferreted out the clues for Inspector Witherspoon.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murky goings on in the closed, snobbish world of the Mayfair Orchid and Exotic Plant Society. A lady who keeps a conservatory and gardeners to win prizes, and wants to get on committees, and pays exotic plant hunters for specimens, is told of a catastrophe. A man lies dead in the conservatory, a pair of gardening shears the weapon that killed him. Oh, the social embarrassment.

I liked the plants, the constant allusions to India (also class-ridden) and the governess and ayahs for children, which make the book different to many Victorian crime tales. I found however that the difficulties of constructing a mystery at this point in time, mean the author gives us many conversations in place of action. Too many for me. Good mark for having some conversations with servants and shopkeepers.

Mrs Jeffries is a lady who enjoys meddling and detecting, like a Miss Marple of her day, and she and a Scotland Yard detective Witherspoon work on the murder case. I have not read any earlier books about these crime solvers, which may be to my disadvantage as they are well set in their ways, and a fan might get more out of the book than I did.

I read an e-ARC through Fresh Fiction. This is an unbiased review.

[Shirley Schwartz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book a bit confusing. There were far too many suspects for the murder of a local rare plant seller. The book seemed to descend into all-out cat fights among four very unlikeable women many times during the course of the story. Mrs. Jeffries and her crew manage to uncover all the old secrets and dirty dealings, but I have to admit that all the women involved were so unlikeable that I didn't care in the end who actually did the deed. I usually love these cozy Victorian mysteries and I like the returning characters. I still like the characters, but this stories certainly not my favourite from this series.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspector Witherspoon, Mrs Jefferies and his house are back solving mysteries. This one is a diff one to solve as the motive dates back to India. Three ladies went out to India to find husbands are back in England as widows. They are friendly rivals in an Orchid And Exotic Plant Society. They all want to win the BIS at the flower exhibit. The murder occurs behind a Conservatory of one of the ladies. The murder victim supped rare orchids to the women. Tension is supplied by an another lady who was in India at the same time but not really accepted as a member of the group. Mrs Jefferies must find an answer before the Inspector arrests the wrong person. I was dismayed to find all the editing errors and trusted they will be corrected. I am pleased to see a new book in the series

Disclosure: I received a free copy from Berkeley Publishing Group through NetGalley for an honest review of the book. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions are my own.

[Eileen Lynx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good story

[Leia Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Number 34 is here and it is another gem in the series!

Mrs. Jeffries and the gang return in another adventure to help the Inspector solve a murder.

Hiriam Filmore, an orchid hunter and supplier is found dead in Helena Rayburn's conservatory. Did she kill him? Who would want him dead? Is it one of the other ladies that have a shared past in India?

As always the characters are well written and vividly described. All the favourites are back. With the staff helping the Inspector (without his knowldge ofcourse) sift through the clues, and sometimes, point him in the right direction, the crime is solved.

This mystery keeps you guessing until all is revealed. Many viable suspects and an intriguing plot will keep you entertained.

I cannot wait for the next in the series!

[Veronica Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love, love, love these books. I look forward to the next one from the moment I finish the last and this one, as always, did not disappoint. Don't know what else to say. I love the way the period is depicted. I love the development of all the characters and how they interact with each other. This series is a gem from first book to last.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 34th book in the Mrs Jeffries series and I still can't get enough of this little old lady solving murders. One thing I appreciate about these books is that every book hits the ground running. No waiting around and getting stiff joints here! The characters are wonderful and I have loved growing with them. I can't wait for #35!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent mystery. It kept me guessing until very near the end.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable - leaves me wanting to read another title by her!

[Zara · Rating 5 out of 5]

#34

I continue with this series as I really enjoy spending time with Mrs Jeffries and the household. They are a found family and it is truly heartwarming to see them grow and have life experiences throughout the series. I love the descriptions of Victorian decor and I love how Brightwell shows times were changing (suffragette movement, Mrs Goodge changing her opinions on class, and ofcourse most of the murders seem to be amongst the upper class by nasty upper class people). The only downside that is present in almost all the books is the concept of beauty - it fits more to the 21stC mould than the 19thC and there is some 'fat-shaming' where negative descriptions are given for those who plump or overweight.

This was a good mystery, a man who sells plants was found stabbed in the conservatory after lunch between 4 ladies of the orchid club, but he was not expected to be at the house. What was he doing there and who stabbed him? The suspects in this book were each unique: the snobby Helena who only worried about her chances of getting into some horticultural society and the scandal this would cause, the 'friend' Thea who kept making Helena look like she was covering things up (because she was), Mrs Attwater who didn't give 2 hoots about a scandal and wanted Helena to be ruined.

There was a second mystery that took place in India and was connected to the current day mystery. This little insight and a comment by Mrs Goodge showed how colonialism/ empire wasn't necessary a good thing for the locals, although Mrs Goodge says the Brits did give schools, hospitals, etc. Not sure I agree with this in the middle stance by Brightwell but she is a writer who champions popular ideas (women having the vote, having control of money, having independence) and gives a little bit of history, but doesn't delve into the nuances of the class system, the women's movement, the politics. I am more appreciative that the police system and their methods have a history and started somewhere, and that the police had a hard time overcoming their own snobbery/ classist ways as well as getting the public to trust them.

I do enjoy sleuthing along with the team, making guesses, and seeing if I had it right.

Very enjoyable for cosy mystery lovers.

[Marty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Apparently there are around 30 of these “Mrs. Jeffries” mysteries. Set in England around the turn of the 20th century, the stories revolve around a manor house in London. It is not a typical household because the servants have much more free time and basic freedoms than would normally be in such a household. Mrs. Jeffries, the housekeeper to Inspector Witherspoon of the police department, often has a sherry with the Inspector and listens while he tells her of the case he is working on. She and the rest of the staff then, unbeknown to the inspector, get involved if it is an interesting case. Mrs. Jeffries is able to feed information to the unsuspecting Inspector to help him solve the cases. In this case, the story opens in the house of Helena Rayburn, an upper class widow who is very involved with exotic plants especially orchids. She is hosting a luncheon of several friends, all of whom had been in India years ago to seek husbands among the British officers stationed there. All 4 of the ladies had married and now, years later, were widows. They had started their own small exclusive orchid society as well as belonging to the Royal Horticultural Society. They were getting ready for the yearly HRS competition for honor of having the most perfect plant specimen. Towards the end of the luncheon a maid came in and told Mrs. Rayburn that she must come immediately into the conservatory. When she entered the conservatory she found the body of the gentleman who supplied the ladies with their plants … but he had been stabbed to death with gardening shears. Could Mrs. Jefferies and her staff find out what who killed him --- and why??? ---- It was an involved story with many characters the reader had to keep up with. ….. I’m not sure I’d like to read another of this series

[Annarino K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I randomly chose this from some discounted book supplier, having never read the series before. I am a bit picky as most readers are, and it's just a question of whether the style and tone match your preferences.

Overall, this did, and I enjoyed getting to know Mrs. Jeffries and those working in the house with her, the setting in time and the gentle lessons in historic class distinctions. Poignant for me was the realization that, even in lousy, poorly paid jobs, household staff were typically provided room and board, a/k/a the basic needs for survival. Losing a position was a grave prospect and the motivation to succeed in such employment was high. I think I enjoyed settling down with this understanding more than solving the mystery, which was entertaining enough as well.

Sometimes people talk jokingly about being "out on the streets" if something goes wrong for them professionally, but it's more of a metaphor nowadays as most people can manage something until they get settled elsewhere, having perhaps already paid at least the current month's rent, having family or friends who will tolerate a limited couch-surfing visit, or finding at least a roof and lockable doors in their automobile.

In Mrs. Jeffries' day, all too many people had absolutely nowhere to go should they be turned out of their quarters without notice, and truly no assurance they would even find secure employment (and lodging) ever again, though of course many did. This little foray into their world fascinated me, and so I will be seeking out more titles in the series.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Victorian England, Inspector Witherspoon has another murder to solve. Hiram Filmore, orchid purveyor, is found murdered with a pair of garden shears in the conservatory of one of his clients. Helena Rayburn is one of several women who were in the house that day for a garden club meeting, and Inspector Witherspoon soon finds clues and evidence dropping into his lap that indicate Helena must be the killer. But isn't it just at little...too obvious? Meanwhile, the Inspector's household, led by the canny Mrs. Jeffries, is hot on the trail of the killer, as always. The Inspector has no idea that his household and their many friends, motivated by a passion for justice, the thrill of the hunt, and loyalty to their kind employer, actually does most of the work investigating and solving his murders. But this one seems especially thorny...

This delightful series rarely disappoints. The found family of Upper Edmonton Gardens keeps increasing and changing, as the cook Mrs. Goodge and Luty Belle feel frustration with their aging and being kept out of the more exciting parts of the hunt, which doubtless will come up again in other books. The background and world building is well done as always, though I'll admit there were so many characters in this one I was on the verge of getting confused, especially with the actions that happened in the past in India (more names!). But it got sorted out in the end, as always. A great series of found-family cozy mysteries.

[Alison C · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a notorious orchid-hunter is found dead in one of his client’s conservatories, shears in his chest, Inspector Witherspoon has several suspects right off the bat: three women, including the owner of the house, who all were present at the time and who all share a past with the dead man. (There had been a fourth woman there too, but she left prior to the discovery and may or may not have been involved.) Surprisingly, the Inspector is told to take his time in solving the case, but that doesn’t stop his household staff from gleaning as much information as possible from their “sources” and discreetly letting the Inspector’s colleague, Constable Barnes, pass that information on. But they will have to dig deep into the past to solve this case…. I think this is the first time in this series, set in Victorian London, that the British Empire (specifically, the Raj) takes center stage; we get several interesting perspectives on that aspect of English history. In addition, we learn a bit more about the pasts of some of the staff, particularly Phyllis and Mrs. Goodge, that lend insight into the lives they led before coming to Edmonton Gardens. Still enjoying this series, and pleased that I still have half a dozen or so books to go; recommended.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

#34 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).

When Hiram Filmore, an orchid hunter and supplier, is murdered in Mrs. Helena Rayburn’s conservatory, Inspector Witherspoon is called in to solve the case. This brings him into contact with the ladies of the Mayfair Orchid and Exotic Plant Society. It comes out that Mrs. Rayburn and fellow members have known each other from long ago, Mrs. Jeffries begins to suspect that there’s more to unearth about this case than meets the eye and the solutiont may be tied to events that happened years earlier in India. There are many cross currents going on making it difficult for both Witherspoon and Mrs. Jeffries to solve the case.

[Mariah (Mariah's Nerdy Notes) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mrs. Jeffries Wins the Prize is number 34 in the Mrs. Jeffries series, but is the first one I have read. A dear friend of mine lent this and another book in the series to me over a year ago and I pushed them off expecting a cozy mystery that I was just not in the mood for. I was pleasantly surprised by this book for a number of reasons.

What I expected was a dolt of an inspector who relied on his house keeper, who was vastly superior in intelligence, to solve his cases. I was entirely wrong. Each of these characters was unique. Inspector Witherspoon was a competent police investigator who doesn't realize his housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries is helping him. Mrs. Jeffries and the rest of the household provide unique insights. Their daily meetings along with several other unique characters use their talents and their various roles to bring information to the table, quite literally.

Was this high literature? No.
Was this the best mystery I have ever read? No.

If you go into this expecting a cozy mystery, you will not be disappointed and I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will recommend it to others as a quick, but satisfying read.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Genreland prompt for this month is Protagonist 50 years or older. Mrs Jeffries is "of late middle age", which surely is at least 60 (says I, who just hit 50). And this is a favorite cozy mystery series.

In this installment we see how the past is always with us, how sometimes pain drives bad behavior, and that women can be just as nasty in their murders as men. The murder of an orchid seller in the conservatory of an upscale house, discovered during a ladies' luncheon, turns out to have its roots in events that occurred in India more than a decade prior. Plenty of confusing clues and fun discoveries for the entire Upper Edmonton Gardens crew in this one. The one thing I did find jarring (and perhaps illuminating about the British class system) is that the woman who raged most bitterly about its impact still considered her closest confidante to be her servant and, despite being immensely wealthy and uncaring of many societal norms, never troubled herself to elevate her friend to a higher social standing than that of a servant.

[JayeL]

An orchid hunter is killed in the conservatory of a window trying to become chair of an important committee in the Royal Horticultural Society. All the evidence points to her as the killer.

Mrs. Jeffries is a housekeeper for a police inspector in 1896. She helps solve his cases by gathering behind the scenes information. He doesn't know she is helping along with his entire staff, neighbor and a few other people whose connection was a little unclear to me. This was number 34 in the series, which I didn't know when I checked it out. I was able to follow along. I thought the premise of the actual murder was clever. I thought the villain was hard to spot, but also evil enough not to be sympathized with.

There were too many of the helpers. I had a hard time keeping track of who was whom. I think they were all interesting characters, but the story would have been fine with fewer of them.

[The Hobbit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four members of the Mayfair Orchid and Exotic Plant Society are having lunch at Helena Rayburn's house when a body is found in the house's plant conservatory. Hiram Filmore, the victim, is a supplier of orchids for two of the women. He was hit over the head and stabbed in the heart with a pair of pruning shears belonging to Helena Rayburn. Inspector Witherspoon can't understand how women could be so competitive over winning a prize for orchids that one of them might have committed murder. His housekeeper Mrs Jeffries and the rest of his household staff and friends have a way of uncovering information and secretly passing it the the Inspector so he can solve his cases. Mrs Jeffries' crew discover this murder may not have its origin in orchid competitions; all the suspects were in India years earlier at the same time. More than one of them had secrets, and at least one wanted revenge!

[Nolan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Emily Brightwell finally ditches the tired trope of Mrs. Jeffries chasing a half-formed idea that slips away like smoke. Progress! Yet this entry (#34) drags more than any before it. Am I hitting series burnout? Quite possibly. I’ve slotted other reads between installments to stave it off, but the fatigue creeps in anyway. As I’ve griped in past reviews, these novels run about 20 percent too long—and this one bloats just as badly.

Hiram Filmore, orchid hunter and purveyor of rare plants, takes a police truncheon to the skull inside Helena Rayburn’s conservatory.

I slogged forward. Action stays scarce; endless dialogue dominates among four women bound by a shared past in India. None spark sympathy or charm, so I barely cared who swung the baton—or why.

One star. A rare dud in the lineup.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

I consider this series to be what I refer to as "brain candy." It's fun and engaging, but not usually demanding to read. Understand that I mean no disrespect; I enjoy these books a great deal, and will very likely keep reading them as long as they keep being published.

This is another fun entry in the series; the mystery is intriguing, and even though at least one character is thoroughly unlikable, there are reasons for that person's behavior. If you haven't enjoyed others in the series, you probably won't like this one, as it does adhere to the formula. But if you do enjoy the series, you'll most likely enjoy this one, too.

[Jane K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I think this series is one of my favourites. I like the found family trope and it’s very prominent in the series. The servants all really care about each other and Witherspoon. He treats the staff like equals and not servants which is really nice to read.

The mystery was well done and it kept my interest.I liked the moments between the staff when they get together to talk about what they had discovered

Overall, I would highly recommend this series to anyone who is new to cozy mysteries or is interested in Victorian England. The storylines are well done and you get to really liking the characters and are invested in their lives.

[Barb Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew whodunit early on in this installment of the Mrs. Jeffries Victorian cozy mysteries. Figuring how the why took a little longer.

These books follow a very specific formula, and it works because I enjoy the interactions of the Inspector, his household staff and their friends as they investigate murders among, mostly, rich London residents.

A purveyor of exotic flowers is discovered murdered in a rich woman's conservatory as she and three guests enjoy luncheon. As the evidence mounts against one of the suspects, the inspector and crew must weed out the truth.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is the 34th book in the "Mrs. Jeffries" series but I had never read any books by Emily Brightwell before.

I was pleased to find a prolific new (to me) author of cozy mysteries.

I wasn't disappointed with this book. I was a bit confused by the many different characters in the sleuthing group but, once I read other books ion this series, I'm sure I will become more familiar with them

The mystery was good although the solving of the murder involved a few assumptions that stretched the imagination.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

#34 secrets from decades before in India set four women at each other’s throats as several want revenge for two murders, an affair, blackmail, effects of dead soldiers not received by their families. Loss of prestige, society standing and position on orchid and narcissus garden club/society awards are threatened as revenge takes precedence and Mrs. Jeffries and her household servants track Down clues and detailed to enlighten Inspector Witherspoon and Constable Barnes.

[Carol Fillmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this read, it kept me turning the pages to see who killed Hiram Filmore, an orchid hunter and supplier. It was this character which grabbed my attention: my surname is Fillmore, and I have a great-grandfather named Hiram. I am curious why the author chose this character's name!
Looking forward to reading other titles in this series although it might take some time to find titles. A search of our library database was disappointing, not a single title.

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

Inspector Whitherspoon must unravel the mystery of why an exotic flower seller was stabbed with antique garden shears in the greenhouse of his best customer. Four high society ladies who continually lie and misdirect make his task difficult. Mrs. Jeffries and staff come to the rescue discovering what past indiscretions and two deaths years ago in India have to do with the murder. This series just keeps getting better.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mystery is not quite so compelling as in previous books, but it is the usual fun to watch the team at work. This one has its roots in India some years before the current situation. Orchids are a minor theme, as four of the suspects are competing in an orchid competition, and the murdered man is a supplier of rare orchids. More people are catching on to what the household is doing to help their inspector solve crimes. Is it just a matter of time?