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A Lady & Lady's Maid Mystery #2
A Pinch of Poison
In post–World War I England, Lady Phoebe Renshaw and her lady’s maid, Eva Huntford, encounter an uncharitable killer at a charity luncheon sponsored by a posh school for girls . . .
Good deeds build good character, and good character is what the Haverleigh School for Young Ladies is all about. Lady Phoebe—with the tireless assistance of Eva—has organized a luncheon at the school to benefit wounded veterans of the Great War, encouraging the students to participate in the cooking and the baking. But too many cooks do more than spoil the broth—they add up to a recipe for disaster when the school’s headmistress, Miss Finch, is poisoned.
The girls at Haverleigh all come from highly respected families, none of whom will countenance their darling daughters being harassed like common criminals by the local police. So Lady Phoebe steps in to handle the wealthy young debutantes with tact and discretion, while Eva cozies up to the staff. Did one of the girls resent the headmistress enough to do her in? Did a teacher bear a grudge? What about the school nurse, clearly shell shocked from her service in the war? No one is above suspicion, not even members of the school’s governing body, some of whom objected to Miss Finch’s “modern” methods.
But Lady Phoebe and Eva will have to sleuth with great stealth—or the cornered killer may try to teach someone else a lethal lesson.
Good deeds build good character, and good character is what the Haverleigh School for Young Ladies is all about. Lady Phoebe—with the tireless assistance of Eva—has organized a luncheon at the school to benefit wounded veterans of the Great War, encouraging the students to participate in the cooking and the baking. But too many cooks do more than spoil the broth—they add up to a recipe for disaster when the school’s headmistress, Miss Finch, is poisoned.
The girls at Haverleigh all come from highly respected families, none of whom will countenance their darling daughters being harassed like common criminals by the local police. So Lady Phoebe steps in to handle the wealthy young debutantes with tact and discretion, while Eva cozies up to the staff. Did one of the girls resent the headmistress enough to do her in? Did a teacher bear a grudge? What about the school nurse, clearly shell shocked from her service in the war? No one is above suspicion, not even members of the school’s governing body, some of whom objected to Miss Finch’s “modern” methods.
But Lady Phoebe and Eva will have to sleuth with great stealth—or the cornered killer may try to teach someone else a lethal lesson.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published December 27, 2016
211 people are currently reading
969 people want to read
About the author
Alyssa Maxwell
29 books1,079 followersAlyssa Maxwell is the author of The Gilded Newport Mysteries, inspired by her husband’s family whose Newport origins date back numerous generations. The series features the glamour of the Gilded Age and a sleuth who is a Newporter born and raised, and also a less "well-heeled" cousin of the Vanderbilt family. Alyssa also writes A Lady & Lady’s Maid Mysteries, an English-set series that begins as WWI is ending. She and her husband live in South Florida, where she is a member of the Florida chapter of the Mystery Writers of America and the South Florida Fiction Writers. You can visit her at http://alyssamaxwell.com, and find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
December 8, 2020
In post World War 1, Lady Phoebe Renshaw and her lady’s maid Eva Huntford, are at a charity luncheon sponsored by The Haverleigh School for Young Ladies. Both Lady Phoebe and Eva had attended this school, Eva on a scholarship. The aim of the charity luncheon is to help wounded veterans of the Great War. It also encourages the girls to participate by cooking and baking. When the school’s headmistress is poisoned, first thoughts are it was accidental poisoning, But that is soon revealed to not be the case. It is murder. Did one pf the girls so dislike and resent the headmistress enough to take her life? Or could it be one of the kitchen staff, another teacher or the school nurse? Lady Phoebe and Eva are determined to find out.
This historical mystery makes for easy reading. I liked the two main characters and the relationship between Lady Phoebe and Eva is portrayed well. Though I had not read earlier books in the series I quickly settled in with these characters. The story was well written and well plotted with a range of suspects to, perhaps, keep readers guessing till the final reveal. There is also a hint of romance and an interesting side story about a young man who works at the school as a handyman.
This book kept my interest throughout. It’s on the cosy mystery side, so not filled with blood and gore and bad language. Just an entertaining read with good characters, setting and a mystery to solve, what’s not to like? It also deals with a lot of the changes that were happening in English society and attitudes because of and after the war. An enjoyable read that I happily recommend.
This historical mystery makes for easy reading. I liked the two main characters and the relationship between Lady Phoebe and Eva is portrayed well. Though I had not read earlier books in the series I quickly settled in with these characters. The story was well written and well plotted with a range of suspects to, perhaps, keep readers guessing till the final reveal. There is also a hint of romance and an interesting side story about a young man who works at the school as a handyman.
This book kept my interest throughout. It’s on the cosy mystery side, so not filled with blood and gore and bad language. Just an entertaining read with good characters, setting and a mystery to solve, what’s not to like? It also deals with a lot of the changes that were happening in English society and attitudes because of and after the war. An enjoyable read that I happily recommend.
June 3, 2021
Picked this up as it was one of the few audio books in our local library.
One of my pet hates is when the author refers back to the last book and there is plenty of this.
Add in Ladies who want to solve murders and "help the hopeless local police", despite nearly fainting in shock and twisting their ankles running.
The only interest in this read are the refences to people returning from WW1 mentally scarred.
There are far better books out there!
One of my pet hates is when the author refers back to the last book and there is plenty of this.
Add in Ladies who want to solve murders and "help the hopeless local police", despite nearly fainting in shock and twisting their ankles running.
The only interest in this read are the refences to people returning from WW1 mentally scarred.
There are far better books out there!
August 6, 2018
Let's see: Lady's maid is the main detective? Lovely.
Period novel? I love those.
Servant and Served working together as a team? Sign me up!
Sadly, this author HATES people from the 1930s.
(The book is set around 1930.)
You know the drill: the author likes the cars, and the clothes, but thinks that all people of that time must have small minds and smaller hearts, hate others, and be trapped in an inwardly-shallow/outwardly-cruel swamp of being.
And so the author solves this problem by planting two women who are (painfully obviously) from the current year into her story.
Everybody preaches at you.
Nobody sounds like they actually come from the period.
All the nice people have 2010s opinions and mindsets. They're changelings from another time, because obviously we would hate on sight any people actually from the 1920s. (The lady's maid even magically had an upper class public school education, because the author apparently couldn't expect intelligence from anyone without a modern-equivalent education.) All the nasty people... don't seem like actual humans.
Example:
Nasty, clearly villainous young woman is in an upper class girls' school. The recently deceased headmistress had included rigorous math and science in the school syllabus. This girl had openly hated it.
Why?
A 1930's author would have given any number of reasons: she wanted to focus on art and literature, and hated science. Her cruel, distant father had been a scientist, and so the girl didn't want anything to do with it. She could be a spoiled brat who just wanted to party and blow off her inheritance, not be forced to learn things.
But a 2017 with a desire to moralize has a totally different idea. This 16 year old girl actually says (and my one regret is that I turned this book in to the library and can't quote word for word):
"You know in our class we're expected to marry well and be decorations to high society. To do anything else would be to betray societal expectations. What society expects of us is all important and must be obeyed. And doing other things is a waste of time and resources we could spend becoming more acceptable to upper class society. You want to uphold what society expects of you just like I do, don't you?"
Only she takes three paragraphs, uses more clinical language, and is more flabbergastingly out of place. Sounds just like every 16-year-old you know, doesn't it?
Our current society has every bit as expectations of the young. Imagine a 16 year old girl today, when told that she should, say, spend more family time or learn to cook responding by saying:
"You know in our culture we're expected to get into good colleges and make a high wage in prestigious careers. To do anything else would be to betray societal expectations. What society expects of us is all important and must be obeyed. And doing other things is a waste of time and resources we could spend becoming more acceptable to public opinion. You want to uphold what society expects of you just like I do, don't you?"
Would you think that girl was crazy? I would.
Even more so in the late 1920s-early 1930s, when experience was prized, social media was not a thing, and a lounging, individualistic attitude was considered cool.
I read the first few chapters, gritting my teeth and hoping it would all get better.
It lost me irrevocably when the heroine found out that the attractive guy owned a factory.
"Oh!" she said. "And do you make sure that your workers have safe conditions and decent wages?"
As I reel from the unspeakable rudeness of this, she puts in, "But of course you will -- you're you!"
I wait with bated breath for the attractive guy to recoil in horror or at least show he's hurt. Instead he chuckles, and tells her -- in a pleased sort of way -- that she is clearly herself.
Let's put this in modern terms:
"You have a child? And do you not feed him spoiled food and do you try to make sure he has a chance to learn to read?"
"You have an office job? And do you not design products that will kill people or commit massive tax evasion?"
"You teach college? And do you not accept bribes for grades and try to ensure your students learn something occasionally, instead of taking advantage of tenure?"
Do these things sometimes happen? Yes, they do. Do a few dregs of humanity respect people who can pull them off and not get caught? Yes. Does any of this change how arrogantly presumptive and self-righteous the person who asks this question is?
In contrast:
From the book Diary of a Provincial Lady, by E.M. Delafield, published 1930. The protagonist has been scrambling to find a new house-parlormaid. (The last one gave notice when she was asked to serve hot chocolate after 7 P.M.) A new maid is hard to find, since the protagonist lives out in the country. This is being discussed with the obnoxious Lady Boxe, who always says the wrong thing and has no tact of any kind. Our protagonist has wondered several times if she could get a verdict of justifiable homicide for murdering Lady B. after some of her unintentional insults:
"(I) Meet Lady B., who says the servant difficulty, in reality, is non-existent. She has NO trouble. It is a question of knowing how to treat them. Firmness, she says, but at the same time one must be human. Am I human? she asks. Do I understand that they want occasional diversion, just as I do myself?
I lose my head and reply No, that it is my custom to keep my servants chained up in the cellar when their work is done. This flight of satire rather spoilt by Lady B. laughing heartily, and saying that I am always so amusing."
A perfect example of how an actual upperclass English person of the time period would take such a hideously, outrageously, rude question.
Sadly, the question was mild for our time-travelling and prudish (to all the 2017 virtues) heroine.
Period novel? I love those.
Servant and Served working together as a team? Sign me up!
Sadly, this author HATES people from the 1930s.
(The book is set around 1930.)
You know the drill: the author likes the cars, and the clothes, but thinks that all people of that time must have small minds and smaller hearts, hate others, and be trapped in an inwardly-shallow/outwardly-cruel swamp of being.
And so the author solves this problem by planting two women who are (painfully obviously) from the current year into her story.
Everybody preaches at you.
Nobody sounds like they actually come from the period.
All the nice people have 2010s opinions and mindsets. They're changelings from another time, because obviously we would hate on sight any people actually from the 1920s. (The lady's maid even magically had an upper class public school education, because the author apparently couldn't expect intelligence from anyone without a modern-equivalent education.) All the nasty people... don't seem like actual humans.
Example:
Nasty, clearly villainous young woman is in an upper class girls' school. The recently deceased headmistress had included rigorous math and science in the school syllabus. This girl had openly hated it.
Why?
A 1930's author would have given any number of reasons: she wanted to focus on art and literature, and hated science. Her cruel, distant father had been a scientist, and so the girl didn't want anything to do with it. She could be a spoiled brat who just wanted to party and blow off her inheritance, not be forced to learn things.
But a 2017 with a desire to moralize has a totally different idea. This 16 year old girl actually says (and my one regret is that I turned this book in to the library and can't quote word for word):
"You know in our class we're expected to marry well and be decorations to high society. To do anything else would be to betray societal expectations. What society expects of us is all important and must be obeyed. And doing other things is a waste of time and resources we could spend becoming more acceptable to upper class society. You want to uphold what society expects of you just like I do, don't you?"
Only she takes three paragraphs, uses more clinical language, and is more flabbergastingly out of place. Sounds just like every 16-year-old you know, doesn't it?
Our current society has every bit as expectations of the young. Imagine a 16 year old girl today, when told that she should, say, spend more family time or learn to cook responding by saying:
"You know in our culture we're expected to get into good colleges and make a high wage in prestigious careers. To do anything else would be to betray societal expectations. What society expects of us is all important and must be obeyed. And doing other things is a waste of time and resources we could spend becoming more acceptable to public opinion. You want to uphold what society expects of you just like I do, don't you?"
Would you think that girl was crazy? I would.
Even more so in the late 1920s-early 1930s, when experience was prized, social media was not a thing, and a lounging, individualistic attitude was considered cool.
I read the first few chapters, gritting my teeth and hoping it would all get better.
It lost me irrevocably when the heroine found out that the attractive guy owned a factory.
"Oh!" she said. "And do you make sure that your workers have safe conditions and decent wages?"
As I reel from the unspeakable rudeness of this, she puts in, "But of course you will -- you're you!"
I wait with bated breath for the attractive guy to recoil in horror or at least show he's hurt. Instead he chuckles, and tells her -- in a pleased sort of way -- that she is clearly herself.
Let's put this in modern terms:
"You have a child? And do you not feed him spoiled food and do you try to make sure he has a chance to learn to read?"
"You have an office job? And do you not design products that will kill people or commit massive tax evasion?"
"You teach college? And do you not accept bribes for grades and try to ensure your students learn something occasionally, instead of taking advantage of tenure?"
Do these things sometimes happen? Yes, they do. Do a few dregs of humanity respect people who can pull them off and not get caught? Yes. Does any of this change how arrogantly presumptive and self-righteous the person who asks this question is?
In contrast:
From the book Diary of a Provincial Lady, by E.M. Delafield, published 1930. The protagonist has been scrambling to find a new house-parlormaid. (The last one gave notice when she was asked to serve hot chocolate after 7 P.M.) A new maid is hard to find, since the protagonist lives out in the country. This is being discussed with the obnoxious Lady Boxe, who always says the wrong thing and has no tact of any kind. Our protagonist has wondered several times if she could get a verdict of justifiable homicide for murdering Lady B. after some of her unintentional insults:
"(I) Meet Lady B., who says the servant difficulty, in reality, is non-existent. She has NO trouble. It is a question of knowing how to treat them. Firmness, she says, but at the same time one must be human. Am I human? she asks. Do I understand that they want occasional diversion, just as I do myself?
I lose my head and reply No, that it is my custom to keep my servants chained up in the cellar when their work is done. This flight of satire rather spoilt by Lady B. laughing heartily, and saying that I am always so amusing."
A perfect example of how an actual upperclass English person of the time period would take such a hideously, outrageously, rude question.
Sadly, the question was mild for our time-travelling and prudish (to all the 2017 virtues) heroine.
May 10, 2024
Historical mystery with good characters.
December 16, 2016
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Kensington Books.
After reading the first book in this series I was hoping my overall reaction would be more enthusiastic with any other one in the series I decided to read. Luckily for me I was offered the chance to read the second book and I am glad I decided to accept it. In this book the characters are more rounded out, there seems to be much more to the two primary characters than just the above stairs Lady Phoebe and her below stairs lady's maid Eva. The author transformed them into real women who, granted, live in a world of privilege (even Eva is allowed to escape her bonds of work seemingly at will) yet still have the compassion needed to throw themselves into solving crimes and helping others who don't quite fit into this small village setting. The book takes place in 1919 so the aftermath of World War I is still being widely felt; deprivations are felt by those returning from the fighting and the survivors of those who didn't, shell shock is a problem people are having to learn to recognize and deal with, and actions taken by those on the battlefield come back to haunt them.
Phoebe Renshaw and her lady's maid Eva Huntford both attended the Haverleigh School for Young Ladies - Eva by virtue of a scholarship. When the headmistress of the school dies under mysterious circumstances these two young women can not possibly allow a police investigation to begin without trying to help find clues which will solve the ultimate question: accident or murder. The position each woman occupies in society plays an important role in their investigations with Eva being given much latitude in performing her ordinary lady's maid duties in order to lend a hand (and act as chaperone) to Lady Phoebe. Eva is definitely my favorite character of the two and she seems to have eclipsed Lady Phoebe quite often in gathering clues or making inroads in the investigation. I wonder if other readers will feel, as I do, that Eva stole the show in this one?
This was an interesting, well written, well plotted novel with a genuinely good mystery. I'm very pleased to be able to say that and also pleased to know that I will be waiting for the third book in the series.
After reading the first book in this series I was hoping my overall reaction would be more enthusiastic with any other one in the series I decided to read. Luckily for me I was offered the chance to read the second book and I am glad I decided to accept it. In this book the characters are more rounded out, there seems to be much more to the two primary characters than just the above stairs Lady Phoebe and her below stairs lady's maid Eva. The author transformed them into real women who, granted, live in a world of privilege (even Eva is allowed to escape her bonds of work seemingly at will) yet still have the compassion needed to throw themselves into solving crimes and helping others who don't quite fit into this small village setting. The book takes place in 1919 so the aftermath of World War I is still being widely felt; deprivations are felt by those returning from the fighting and the survivors of those who didn't, shell shock is a problem people are having to learn to recognize and deal with, and actions taken by those on the battlefield come back to haunt them.
Phoebe Renshaw and her lady's maid Eva Huntford both attended the Haverleigh School for Young Ladies - Eva by virtue of a scholarship. When the headmistress of the school dies under mysterious circumstances these two young women can not possibly allow a police investigation to begin without trying to help find clues which will solve the ultimate question: accident or murder. The position each woman occupies in society plays an important role in their investigations with Eva being given much latitude in performing her ordinary lady's maid duties in order to lend a hand (and act as chaperone) to Lady Phoebe. Eva is definitely my favorite character of the two and she seems to have eclipsed Lady Phoebe quite often in gathering clues or making inroads in the investigation. I wonder if other readers will feel, as I do, that Eva stole the show in this one?
This was an interesting, well written, well plotted novel with a genuinely good mystery. I'm very pleased to be able to say that and also pleased to know that I will be waiting for the third book in the series.
January 2, 2017
Sophisticated cozy set in 1919 starting Lady Phoebe and Eva, her maid. They have witnessed a death at her sister's school, and decide to help investigate as it seems poison might be the cause for the untimely demise. IMO, Eva is the "star" of this book. She and Phoebe alternate narrating the chapters, but I felt she had the "meatier" role. The mystery has a few twists to keep you thinking and guessing. This is book 2 of the series, and is well-written with more depth and personality added to the characters. I am definitely looking forward to the next book and what investigations are in store for Phoebe and Eva!
**Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishers for the opportunity to read a digital ARC for review purposes**
**Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishers for the opportunity to read a digital ARC for review purposes**
November 13, 2016
I am a big fan of this author and was very excited to receive a copy of this novel for an honest review. The book and storyline was very entertaining and fun. I felt like I was reading an episode of Downton Abbey with a little mystery and murder thrown in. I like the two main characters, Lady Phoebe and Eva, and loved how the author switched back and forth between the two. These two women are very likable and feisty. This book was very well written and had me guessing until the very end. I definitely recommend this book and can't wait for the next one in the series
December 9, 2016
Captivating and charming! Alyssa Maxwell's latest historical mystery featuring 'Lady Phoebe' and her lady's maid 'Eva Huntford' will delight devotees of the series, and most assuredly garner new followers. With its appealing characters, cozy setting, and one tantalizing mystery, readers will be hard-pressed to put the book down! I am already craving a third installment!
July 1, 2022
I am loving this series set after World War I. Lady Phoebe Rensaw and her ladies maid Eva are back to solve the murder of the school's headmistress who died during a lunch fundraising for the veterans who came back wounded or with PTSD.
The characters are wonderful. I love Phoebe and Eva as characters. They work well together though they are from two different walks of life. I also like their love interests Major Lord Owen Seabright for Phoebe and Constable Miles Brannock for Eva. I also like some of the side characters Gram and Grandpa, and younger sister Amelia. Julia the other sister is a bit of a jerk but does add another little side story.
The story did drag a little at the start but soon it drew me in. It is very well written and the author's knowledge of life in England in the early 1900s is really very good. A delightful read.
The characters are wonderful. I love Phoebe and Eva as characters. They work well together though they are from two different walks of life. I also like their love interests Major Lord Owen Seabright for Phoebe and Constable Miles Brannock for Eva. I also like some of the side characters Gram and Grandpa, and younger sister Amelia. Julia the other sister is a bit of a jerk but does add another little side story.
The story did drag a little at the start but soon it drew me in. It is very well written and the author's knowledge of life in England in the early 1900s is really very good. A delightful read.
March 12, 2022
Ok but a little unrealistic.
February 16, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up
These are a cute Downton Abbeyesqe show.
These are a cute Downton Abbeyesqe show.
October 3, 2023
Ok, now I am gonna have to go find the rest of this series - my sister got me hooked on Downton Abbey while I was in Ohio on vacation last month. That was a "gentler" time and place, but with murder and mayhem thrown in for good measure...Lords and Ladies, and the below stairs characters on the estate working together to save an innocent man and find the guilty party before the young Lady Amelia is no more - yeah, twisty and fun!
December 31, 2017
The Lady Phoebe Renshaw and her lady's maid, Evan Huntford, find themselves investigating a second murder case while they are attending a charity luncheon at a nearby finishing school for young ladies. The fundraiser is to help raise funds for those who have returned from the Great War with physical and emotional wounds. Unfortunately, the luncheon takes a terrible turn when Miss Finch, the school's headmistress, seems to go in severe distress upon eating her dessert. The result is her death, and it quickly seems like poison was the cause.
This is particularly disturbing because the students of the school helped the kitchen staff in preparing all of the food at the event. No one wants to think any of them would have poisoned the headmistress.
Phoebe and Eva volunteer to help with questioning the students and staff with the hopes of setting everyone at ease. Since both of the women are former students at the school, it is thought that such questioning would be less stressful than it would be from police officers.
As they dig in with the questioning, it quickly becomes clear that there is an environment of bullying among the students with some being from some of the wealthiest families while others of from middle or lower class families and are attending on scholarship. The school nurse also seems to be shell-shocked from her time serving in France during the war, and Miss Finch seems to have become the target of complaints because of her "modern" approach to teaching the girls more of what we would call STEM topics in the modern world.
The result is a situation with a lot of people having potential motives, though none having truly serious ones, particularly when weighing in the fact that some of the suspects are simply just not likable ladies.
There is an interesting subplot about a special needs young man who works as the school's handyman that really explores how the people of that time might have treated him. It is really a bit heart-warming to read.
This is definitely another fun read in this series. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
This is particularly disturbing because the students of the school helped the kitchen staff in preparing all of the food at the event. No one wants to think any of them would have poisoned the headmistress.
Phoebe and Eva volunteer to help with questioning the students and staff with the hopes of setting everyone at ease. Since both of the women are former students at the school, it is thought that such questioning would be less stressful than it would be from police officers.
As they dig in with the questioning, it quickly becomes clear that there is an environment of bullying among the students with some being from some of the wealthiest families while others of from middle or lower class families and are attending on scholarship. The school nurse also seems to be shell-shocked from her time serving in France during the war, and Miss Finch seems to have become the target of complaints because of her "modern" approach to teaching the girls more of what we would call STEM topics in the modern world.
The result is a situation with a lot of people having potential motives, though none having truly serious ones, particularly when weighing in the fact that some of the suspects are simply just not likable ladies.
There is an interesting subplot about a special needs young man who works as the school's handyman that really explores how the people of that time might have treated him. It is really a bit heart-warming to read.
This is definitely another fun read in this series. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
May 18, 2018
This is my first mystery of the series and it is so good that I will read #1 and #2. What I like about it is that it is set just after WWI and the main characters, Phoebe and Eva, are very realistically drawn and motivated. The series deals also with the change in British social life, upper vs. servant vs. lower classes, that was one of the results of the war. Phoebe wants to embrace the change; Eva does not. The mystery revolves around death at Phoebe's past girls' finishing school, so we also have the interplay between middle and late adolescence, plus some burgeoning love interests. I would say that this is a "cozy" mystery type, unlike those of Charles Todd, which deal more seriously ? or more extensively with murder. The interplay between Phoebe and her sisters, and between lady and her maid, are more on the "cozy" side. Clues are carefully inserted and hidden by the author. A charming series.
August 6, 2017
This is Ms. Maxwell’s second book in a series about a lady and her maid set in England after the Great War. I’m happy to say that I like this as much as the first one. This time period fascinates me. Delightful Lady Phoebe is the middle of the 3 sisters and is 20 years old. She and her lady’s maid, Jane, jump into solving the murder that takes place right in front of them. They are at the school that they both went to (Jane on a scholarship.) The Head Mistress eats some cake at a charity function and drops dead. But who would want to kill Miss Finch? It turns out there are many dark secrets at the school. The characters are well defined and continue to grow. The plot is challenging and makes many devious twists and turns. There is even a little romance involved for Phoebe and Jane. I’m looking forward to the next book!
December 28, 2016
I found this historical mystery novel, based in post World War 1 England, to be a very engaging read. The main protagonists, Lady Phoebe & her maid Eva, are both likeable and intelligent sleuths who are drawn in to investigating a suspicious death at Phoebe's alma mater. While the protocols of the time may seem limited for females, Maxwell, the author, has described them in a believable fashion. She has aptly drawn a world that now only lives in books and imagination but is brought to life in this well written and intriguing story. The characters are well developed & the denouement suspenseful. This is the second book in the Lady & Lady's Maid series. I hope that there are many more books to follow.
July 8, 2022
2.5 stars if possible. I want to like this more - gals being pals and solving mysteries. but I didn't really like most/any of the characters, I didn't find any of the romance subplots compelling, and the writing is bland. I didn't get a strong sense of being in a historical time aside from the characters essentially directly saying "here we are at this moment in history when these are the norms." I love when you can feel the writer's research in little details, but that doesn't happen much here. also, things are extremely convenient: three girls are suspicious or have some important knowledge. hey, now that we're closing the school, these same three girls are the only ones who can't go home for some reason! silly.
February 7, 2017
Lady Phoebe Renshaw is determined not to follow in the footsteps of her grandmother and other socialites. Since the war (WWI), more opportunities for women have opened up and the world is changing. Phoebe wholeheartedly supports the new, modern curriculum of her alma mater, the Haverleigh School. Not everyone thinks girls should learn advanced mathematics and science or even cooking. Do they feel so strongly they could kill? For during a charity luncheon hosted by Phoebe at the school, the headmistress, Miss Finch, suddenly expires! Constable Brannock suspects cyanide poisoning and even though the Inspector believes it was accidental, the Constable, Phoebe and Eva believe it was murder! Something is not quite right at the school and Phoebe is determined to solve the mystery lest the school close for good. Eva is motivated to help Phoebe but the presence of Constable Brannock is seriously distressing, especially since he continues to ask her out on a date! Eva isn't sure she completely trusts him. Should she say yes no matter how disconcerted she feels around him? Phoebe would say so. Even if Eva wanted to, she would have a hard time finding time in her day for a date, having three extra charges when Lady Amelia and her schoolgirl friends come to stay. Phoebe has to find a new detecting partner, Owen Seabright seems willing to take on the job.
The mystery here is quite good. At first it seems completely obvious who did it and why, but the story is more complicated than that. There are some additional factors that led to the murder and some red herrings, at least for the characters. However, the complication made the story confusing. I feel that it raised more questions than answers. I will address those later in a spoiler. I did not guess who or why until the final clue was dropped. Then I knew who but not why and I thought one of the characters in that scene should have figured it out from there. They almost did. The writing style is not as sharp as in the Murder in Newport series. I had a hard time telling who was narrating the story-Phoebe or Eva. They sound exactly alike. This book reads like a young adult novel. There are some slightly darker elements to the story than is typical in a YA mystery of this sort, but I don't think there's anything a teen can't handle. The plot deals with PTSD, intellectual disability, women's rights and poison, of course. There is a scene of violence related by other characters after the fact towards the end but otherwise, the mystery is squeaky clean. The romance plots advance a tiny bit. The ending is very sweet.
The presence of schoolgirls makes this story read like a young adult novel. The girls barely have their own distinct personalities. They come from the stock character book of schoolgirl fiction. There's the mean girl, Zara, who is rich, spoiled and snobby. Then there's Lilyanne, a shy, awkward young lady who sadly reminds me a bit of myself at that age and then practical Jane. Jane is a farmer's daughter and knows that her future will be better thanks to Miss Finch's unorthodox methods. Jane has a secret that is revealed at the end. It wasn't what I expected it to be and I give credit to the author to making it different and addressing the issue head on. Lady Amelia, Phoebe's youngest sister, also has a larger role here. She's sweet and good, and a bit rebellious like Phoebe. Amelia represents Lady Sybil Crawley while her older sisters fight like Mary and Edith.
I don't understand why Julia is so nasty to Phoebe. I would hope my sister would say I was never that mean to her though we fought all the time. Julia is rebellious too in her own way and if she confided in Phoebe, she might be happier. Her secret wasn't exactly a surprise but adds a twist to the story. Phoebe is a very modern young lady but she's also very young and naive. Her nosiness knows no bounds and she acts without thinking. It's no wonder Eva has to go with her, even if it wasn't required. Phoebe's blunder had huge consequences that nearly cost several people their lives. I admire her principles but not her practices. She's not so much a rebel as to thwart her family, she just wants some freedom. I like that she's close to her family in her own way. Grams seems tough and not very understanding but a corny heart to heart at the end makes her a little more sympathetic. I love Grampapa and I know what's wrong with him. My grandmother had the same problem. She lived to be almost 101 so it doesn't mean Grampapa will die soon-I hope! He's very kind.
The two non-family recurring characters who appear here are Constable Brannock and Owen Seabright. I'm not sure what to make of the Constable. In the first book it seemed like he was a Socialist on the verge of Communist but he keeps his politics out of it this time. He's enigmatic and like Eva, I don't know what to make of him. I have mixed feelings about Owen. I thought I didn't trust him at first. His principles are admirable and align with Phoebe's. I think, like Eva thinks, once Phoebe matures a bit, they'll make a nice couple.
New characters, besides the schoolgirls, abound. There was Miss Finch, the progressive headmistress who died tragically. I was expecting her to be a more likable character than she was. Though we don't know much about her personally, she seems like she was tough and not very sympathetic. She was willingly blind to what was happening with her girls and even her Assistant Headmistress. Miss Sedgewick, the Assistant Headmistress is NOT a sympathetic character. She is a nasty woman blinded by her sense of self worth. She comes from a good family but lost everything when her father died. Rather than embrace Miss Finch's modern ideas about women, she resisted them. She embraced the traditional role of society wife, which I don't understand because she could never be one unless a gentleman was so overcome by her beauty, he was willing to overlook her lack of fortune. If there IS a gentleman out there for her to marry. Another new character at the school is Nurse Delacy. The jacket flap ruins the surprise of her mysterious behavior. I can't imagine what she's going through. Then there's the handyman, Elliot. He's "simpleminded" or possibly has Autism and/or PTSD. It's unclear whether he was always barely verbal and "simple"/Autistic, or whether his experiences made him that way. I liked him as much as Eva did and felt angry that he lives in a time when no one cares or has compassion for him or is even willing to work with him. Finally, there's Rev. Amstead, a member of the board of governors of the school. He seems kind but misguided about women's roles.
I hope there's another mystery in the series. I'm curious to see where this is going and I enjoy the characters. Fans of early 20th century fashion will love the label name dropping here: Chanel, Poiret, Worth, etc. Wow I wish the book was illustrated!
Questions about the plot
The mystery here is quite good. At first it seems completely obvious who did it and why, but the story is more complicated than that. There are some additional factors that led to the murder and some red herrings, at least for the characters. However, the complication made the story confusing. I feel that it raised more questions than answers. I will address those later in a spoiler. I did not guess who or why until the final clue was dropped. Then I knew who but not why and I thought one of the characters in that scene should have figured it out from there. They almost did. The writing style is not as sharp as in the Murder in Newport series. I had a hard time telling who was narrating the story-Phoebe or Eva. They sound exactly alike. This book reads like a young adult novel. There are some slightly darker elements to the story than is typical in a YA mystery of this sort, but I don't think there's anything a teen can't handle. The plot deals with PTSD, intellectual disability, women's rights and poison, of course. There is a scene of violence related by other characters after the fact towards the end but otherwise, the mystery is squeaky clean. The romance plots advance a tiny bit. The ending is very sweet.
The presence of schoolgirls makes this story read like a young adult novel. The girls barely have their own distinct personalities. They come from the stock character book of schoolgirl fiction. There's the mean girl, Zara, who is rich, spoiled and snobby. Then there's Lilyanne, a shy, awkward young lady who sadly reminds me a bit of myself at that age and then practical Jane. Jane is a farmer's daughter and knows that her future will be better thanks to Miss Finch's unorthodox methods. Jane has a secret that is revealed at the end. It wasn't what I expected it to be and I give credit to the author to making it different and addressing the issue head on. Lady Amelia, Phoebe's youngest sister, also has a larger role here. She's sweet and good, and a bit rebellious like Phoebe. Amelia represents Lady Sybil Crawley while her older sisters fight like Mary and Edith.
I don't understand why Julia is so nasty to Phoebe. I would hope my sister would say I was never that mean to her though we fought all the time. Julia is rebellious too in her own way and if she confided in Phoebe, she might be happier. Her secret wasn't exactly a surprise but adds a twist to the story. Phoebe is a very modern young lady but she's also very young and naive. Her nosiness knows no bounds and she acts without thinking. It's no wonder Eva has to go with her, even if it wasn't required. Phoebe's blunder had huge consequences that nearly cost several people their lives. I admire her principles but not her practices. She's not so much a rebel as to thwart her family, she just wants some freedom. I like that she's close to her family in her own way. Grams seems tough and not very understanding but a corny heart to heart at the end makes her a little more sympathetic. I love Grampapa and I know what's wrong with him. My grandmother had the same problem. She lived to be almost 101 so it doesn't mean Grampapa will die soon-I hope! He's very kind.
The two non-family recurring characters who appear here are Constable Brannock and Owen Seabright. I'm not sure what to make of the Constable. In the first book it seemed like he was a Socialist on the verge of Communist but he keeps his politics out of it this time. He's enigmatic and like Eva, I don't know what to make of him. I have mixed feelings about Owen. I thought I didn't trust him at first. His principles are admirable and align with Phoebe's. I think, like Eva thinks, once Phoebe matures a bit, they'll make a nice couple.
New characters, besides the schoolgirls, abound. There was Miss Finch, the progressive headmistress who died tragically. I was expecting her to be a more likable character than she was. Though we don't know much about her personally, she seems like she was tough and not very sympathetic. She was willingly blind to what was happening with her girls and even her Assistant Headmistress. Miss Sedgewick, the Assistant Headmistress is NOT a sympathetic character. She is a nasty woman blinded by her sense of self worth. She comes from a good family but lost everything when her father died. Rather than embrace Miss Finch's modern ideas about women, she resisted them. She embraced the traditional role of society wife, which I don't understand because she could never be one unless a gentleman was so overcome by her beauty, he was willing to overlook her lack of fortune. If there IS a gentleman out there for her to marry. Another new character at the school is Nurse Delacy. The jacket flap ruins the surprise of her mysterious behavior. I can't imagine what she's going through. Then there's the handyman, Elliot. He's "simpleminded" or possibly has Autism and/or PTSD. It's unclear whether he was always barely verbal and "simple"/Autistic, or whether his experiences made him that way. I liked him as much as Eva did and felt angry that he lives in a time when no one cares or has compassion for him or is even willing to work with him. Finally, there's Rev. Amstead, a member of the board of governors of the school. He seems kind but misguided about women's roles.
I hope there's another mystery in the series. I'm curious to see where this is going and I enjoy the characters. Fans of early 20th century fashion will love the label name dropping here: Chanel, Poiret, Worth, etc. Wow I wish the book was illustrated!
Questions about the plot
January 4, 2017
Eh... I've read better. Many, many better ones, actually. I didn't find any of the characters interesting or engaging, and many of them were just plain annoying. I found the interactions between characters somewhat stilted and unrealistic drawn. The omniscient third person narration was especially distracting, as viewpoints would frequently jump back and forth between characters. It frequently happened that I would be reading a scene narrated from Phoebe's point of view, then all of a sudden, I was getting insight into Eva's thoughts, which made me wonder for a second how on earth Phoebe knew, until I remembered that it was continued use of poor storytelling tactics. I read this book on and off over the course of a couple weeks and had to force myself to pick it up each time. I might not have rated this book quite so low (if it hadn't been for the fact that I *just* completed another historical mystery involving a lady and her maid (A Quiet Life by TE Kinsey), which was superb. This one fell woefully short by comparion.
I received an ARC from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received an ARC from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
April 15, 2024
While I could tell that the author researched the time period after The Great War, I disliked how she transposed her modern perspective into the historical setting. Furthermore, the novel was liberally sprinkled with moments where the conversations became very unnatural as the author used her characters as mouthpieces to teach her readers about historical terms. One example of this is the tragically stilted conversation between Nurse Delacy and Lady Phoebe, where over the course of a few paragraphs the nurse stated the term "surplus women" and then defined it. It's especially awkward, because most of the terms, as well as highlighted concerns, are things that we, as modern individuals, have deemed to be of eminent importance, rather than things important to this novel's plotline. Given the fact that Nurse Delacy was a I somehow doubt her unwed status would have been uppermost on her mind during her confrontation with Lady Phoebe.
July 16, 2025
3.5 stars. I can always tell when a non-British person tries to write a book set in pre-modern Britain, particularly in the period between the two world wars. The influence of Downtown Abbey is evident in the characters and the dialogue but there are subtle differences in the phraseology and vocabulary and everything’s just a bit too exact. This book is no different: the three daughters needing to be married off to rich men, the Irish - in this case, a cop - working class person who attracts the socially higher woman, the useless Inspector so our amateur sleuths can crack on with their investigation unhindered by legality. It was a reasonably well constructed mystery - I didn’t see the truth coming - but the characters well all a bit, well, characters not people. I’m not sure I’d seek out another one book by this author.
December 29, 2016
I have enjoyed this series (A Lady and Lady's Maid Mystery) and was happy to see the next book come out. Lady Phoebe seems to find herself in the middle of things and in this book it is no exception. She has organized a luncheon and unfortunately someone gets poisoned at it. Because there were many people involved, Phoebe and her lady's maid, Eva find themselves trying to sort out what happened.
I like seeing how Phoebe thinks and the interaction between the characters. It was interesting to see how the different classes "interacted" during this time.
I like seeing how Phoebe thinks and the interaction between the characters. It was interesting to see how the different classes "interacted" during this time.
February 20, 2017
Fun series with light hearted romps through countryside of a lady and her maid. This time out our Lady is hosting a luncheon at her alma mater to benefit her new relief organization for veterans. The headmistress drops dead at table after being served her dessert. Our maid is also an alumna and has been in the kitchen all day helping. Thus our friendly Irish detective asks the girls to help ask questions. They of course jump at the chance. School girls, rivalries, and romance are all mixed in with some war and politics and womens rights. Fun and light
March 13, 2018
I am really enjoying this series of cozy mysteries, and especially the two main characters, Phoebe and Eva. In this story, they are present at a luncheon at their school, Haverleigh, for a charity event that Phoebe has embarked upon. When the headmistress dies suddenly in front of everyone at the luncheon, Phoebe and Eva must find out who the murderer is and save an innocent man from being sent away. In setting and time period, this is a very good glimpse of what life was like in England post WWI, when women who had done untraditional things during the war were now trying to find their place in society. This is definitely a good read.
June 17, 2020
Set during the early 1920's in England, this mystery finds Lady Phoebe Renshaw and her maid Eva at a charity luncheon at the posh country school near their ancestral estate. When the school's headmistress collapses and is pronounced dead, mayhem ensues and Phoebe helps the school staff and police to calm the wealthy and well-bred students and at the same time look for clues, for the headmistress had been poisoned. Multiple suspects might have wanted the woman dead; Phoebe and Eva use their collective intelligence to find the truth.
March 20, 2021
I love this series. The time period is post-WWI and the world in England is changing. The author explores the viewpoints between the older, landed generation and the younger, soon to be much more independent generation. Due to the war and economics, families are losing their lands and titles while the younger people, even the women (gasp!) are having to make their own way in the world. The relationship between the lady's maid and her employer is also changing. Add to that a mysterious death and you can't go wrong!
October 28, 2024
I have just discovered this delightful series. Althought this is not the first book, it was more than accessible enough for me to decided to read the whole lot. Particularly attractive is the warm family setting of the slightly less wealthy than before WW1 Renshaws and Lady's Maid who has become a friend to adventurous Phoebe.
Also the school setting was both realistic and historically apt - complete with snobbery, class clashes and bitching that comes to No Good.
Hurrah for this dynamic female duo of young lady plus maid.
Also the school setting was both realistic and historically apt - complete with snobbery, class clashes and bitching that comes to No Good.
Hurrah for this dynamic female duo of young lady plus maid.
May 8, 2019
Lady Phoebe and her lady's maid Eva have returned to charm us in this second mystery book. They are able to combine their abilities to travel upstairs/ downstairs to solve the murder of the headmistress at Haverleigh, where Phoebe's youngest sister Amelia is currently a student. Things are not what they seem, and it's up to Phoebe and Eva to find the truth that the local police are willing to ignore for a more convenient culprit.
October 29, 2020
I'm not a great fan of historical fiction. Especially when the authors makes the people from the past seem a bit superficial or slow. I couldn't really feel too connected to the characters. It was okay. It passed a couple of hours each day , but it wasn't gripping my attention. Maybe it is just the fact that I have never been able to acquire the first book of this series. Just not the book for me right now.
September 2, 2024
So dumb!
The book, not the characters – although them swallowing certain bits of evidence hook, line and sinker are part of what makes it dumb.
Early on, I was inclined to give it credit for jumping straight into the murder but, no, that wasn't a choice; it was evidence that the personalities of the people around the victim were irrelevant. Nothing about the victim led to their death; it could've been anyone.
The book, not the characters – although them swallowing certain bits of evidence hook, line and sinker are part of what makes it dumb.
Early on, I was inclined to give it credit for jumping straight into the murder but, no, that wasn't a choice; it was evidence that the personalities of the people around the victim were irrelevant. Nothing about the victim led to their death; it could've been anyone.
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