Mrs. Jeffries Delivers the Goods

Mrs. Jeffries #37

by Emily Brightwell

When poison fells an arrogant and rude businessman in public, Mrs. Jeffries and Inspector Witherspoon both realize they are looking for a deranged maniac in this all new installment in the beloved Victorian Mystery series On a cold night in February, the popular Lighterman’s ball festivities are cut short when a guest of honor, Stephen Bremmer, goes into spasms and abruptly collapses.   Once again Inspector Witherspoon returns to the Wrexley Hotel to investigate a murder. The victim was considered a boorish snob who felt entitled to anything and anyone he wanted. Yet despite his Oxford education, he was barely literate, lazy, and prone to make stupid mistakes – his last mistake turned out to be crossing a killer. The owners and management of the Wrexley Hotel clearly don’t welcome the return of Inspector Witherspoon but he has his job to do, and Mrs. Jeffries, and the rest of the household must do their best to catch a murderer who shows no signs of slowing down… 

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

285 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 12, 2019

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

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading MRS. JEFFRIES DELIVERS THE GOODS which is a cozy murder mystery which takes place in England. This is my first read in this historical series, and I'm sure I will be reading another in the future.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stephen Bremmer agrees to attend the Lighterman's Ball because he's just been named to the board of directors and also because he has BIG plans to make people pay. Just as the lights return after a moment of silence and the toast is made, Stephen Bremmer collapses foaming at the mouth. Dr. Bosworth is on the scene and tries to revive the man but it is no use. Stephen Bremmer is dead and not of natural causes. Dr. Bosworth suspects arsenic poisoning and passes this information along to Wiggins who is attending the ball with a friends sister. Wiggins rushes home to share the news with Mrs. Jeffries and the rest of the staff so they can get to work solving the mystery to help the Inspector. This one is going to prove extra difficult because it seems that among Stephen Bremner's circle of acquaintances there was hardly a one who did NOT wish him dead!

I am amazed at how the author keeps this series fresh after 36 previous stories! While I found the whodunit predictable, I enjoyed the fun of watching Mrs. Jeffries, et. al figure it out. I did feel the story gets rather repetitive. Not just in explaining backstories for those who are new to the series, but also in relating information. I skimmed over those parts but in all this mystery felt longer than the others. Some of the conversations the characters have about the class and gender situations of the Victorian era sound eerily like conversations we're having now. I don't know if that was intentional by the author or just to set the time period. She has thrown in digs about Americans and guns before.

It was lovely to catch up with Mrs. Jeffries and everyone. There's a new downstairs romance brewing but it's going to be a slow burn! Luty Belle is a little toned down here and she doesn't have enough to do. I was waiting for her to shoot someone! Little Amanda makes a cameo appearance but is otherwise absent from the story. It's really enjoyable to see how Wiggins has matured and recognizes how his behavior has consequences. He's still a bit too independent minded to be told what to do but his conscience steps in and guides him. Phyllis has grown a lot too and she acknowledges how timid she used to be. She now has big dreams and is eager to help solve the murder. The Inspector still needs the downstairs family to get information from the servants from him. This information proves to be crucial in solving the murder. Otherwise he did a great job figuring it out on his own and diffusing the tense situation at the end. He's also come into his own and grown in confidence.

The new characters are obviously involved in the mystery. The victim, Stephen Bremmer, was a very, very unpleasant, nasty, bullying, rude, snobbish individual and if anyone in this Victorian London world deserved to die, it was he. His wife, Anne, isn't much better. She has one great ambition in life but her treatment of her husband won't help her achieve it. Her action towards the shopkeepers and tradesmen that make a living from her is appalling! I think she's not right in the head. Perhaps she murdered her husband. In the unlikeable category is Louise Mannion, a woman who is awful to her servants and the only friend Stephen Bremmer has.

I did not like her at all. Camilla Houghton-Jones and her fiance Montague Pettigrew are somewhat unlikable. He at least is sympathetic. He has a big secret that's not so secret and that was a really tough thing to keep secret at the time. His fiance seems to not know or care. Their relationship is very odd and I'm not sure I trust them. They certainly have motives for murder.

I really like James Pierce and how he honors his family's achievements, respects his employees (even women) and pays tribute to the dead. He seems like an admirable man and one ahead of his time. However, he could have killed Stephen Bremmer because the man was a thorn in his side. Another likable character is Elise Cory, especially after her motivation for hating Stephen Bremmer is revealed. I feel she's a bit cold though, for all she claims to be a passionate artist.

Which one of these people killed Stephen Bremmer? I do think there's something wrong with the killer's brain so I agree with the servants' judgement. This person is massively unhinged.

There is some strongish Christian content towards the end.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 37th installment of this series opens at the Lighterman ball where the guest of honor, Stephen Bremmer collapsed and die. Dr. Bosworth and Wiggins were guests at the ball and were able to give Inspectors Witherspoon valuable insights into what happened. The Inspector's household again gathers together to share information that will help solve the crime. I highly recommend this book and series for a light and relaxing read.

Disclosure: Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Rachaelbookhunter · Rating 2 out of 5]

A man falls dead after sipping champagne at a dinner party. He was poisoned and it soon becomes clear that many people had reasons for wanting him out of the way.

This is the 37th Mrs. Jeffries cozy Victorian mystery and the first one I have read. There are a lot of previously established characters that do a lot of talking amongst themselves and I hard time keeping them straight. This probably wasn't the best entry to start with the series because I never connected with them.

The murder itself was interesting enough, but the investigation was not. The nature of the servants' investigations is to discuss things among themselves and interview people. There was a lot of repetition, a lot. Even in the interviews that different servants have with people the same things are discussed. It just isn't very exciting. Or great detecting.

It is also hard to see how Mrs. Jeffries comes to her conclusions. I guessed the killer because I felt it was pretty obvious but we don't get to see what she's thinking. It takes too long to get to real evidence while the reader is being given hints. With nothing new happening for a while it is a little unbelievable that they actually come to a conclusion.

The Victorian element is pretty light, but repetitive again, which I can get past because the book does have a nice feel to it. It's clear there are ongoing and evolving relationships among the characters that I might appreciate more in an earlier entry. This book took too long to read though as after I was halfway through I put it down and only occasionally picked it back up.

[Marie McNary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an easy series to read. It has charming characters who are loyal to each other, as well as to their beloved Inspector. I like that Wiggins and Phyllis have larger roles in this book and that we get to know a little more about their personalities. My only criticism of the book is that it ended far too quickly and kept me wishing for more adventures from this enjoyable group of friends.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a historical mystery set in England in the 1890's. It's the thirty-seventh book in a series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous books. The story wasn't heavily historical, though there were enough details to provide a historical feel. The characters were engaging and realistic, though not highly complex.

It's a clue-based puzzle mystery. The main characters asked good questions and followed up on leads. There were enough clues to figure out whodunit and how some time before the main characters did, though Mrs. Jeffries figured out that there was even more going on than I'd thought. There was no sex. There was a minor amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable mystery.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.

[Della Tingle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover of this book says, “If you like Downton Abbey, you’ll love Mrs. Jeffries!” Well, that isn’t what I think about this book, but that is what caught my attention and led me to buy this book. I didn’t realize until I entered it into Goodreads that this is book number 37 in the series. Yes, THIRTY-SEVEN! 😮 I don’t like reading series books out of order, but I did go ahead and read this one. For the most part, it was a stand alone book. I could tell I was lacking some background information on the characters, but I was able to follow along. I certainly wasn’t going to read the first 36 books just so I could read this one! 🤪

“Life…teaches us that the passions of youth often become the embarrassments of the present” (89).

[Kirby Manning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series

I have read and enjoyed all 36/37 of the books in this series. This really should be a PBS series. This story was an interesting mystery. I did realize who committed the crimes probably because after reading so many books in this series I just happened to guess via way of eliminating who probably was y he perpetrator. When I rate a book I don't compare different authors, because there are many creative writers. This series has a great sense of friendship and caring. It's a story of a group of individuals who create a family and friendship of individuals who genuinely care about each other and their employer, who happens to be an Inspector dedicated to bringing individuals who harm others to justice and he's fortunate enough to have a dedicated household that gathers information unbeknownst to him that enables him to solve a crime. I thought this story was exceptional. The characters are always interesting. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series....

[Kayt18 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to believe this is the 37th book in the Mrs Jeffries series. It is still fresh and entertaining. The characters are diverse and well-developed. This book and all of the books in this series can be read as stand alone and/or in any order. What a treat it is to have a new Mrs Jeffries book to read. If you are a fan of English cozies, well written mysteries and character driven reads, this will tick all the boxes. This is another book in the Mrs. Jeffries series that truly delivers the goods.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mrs. Jeffries and the crew are back in a book that is based on coincidences. The setting is the same hotel that a murder occurred in a previous book. Wiggins and the doctor are on the scene of the crime when a rather nasty man is poisoned and are able to provide their input up front. My only quibble was that it was fairly obvious who committed the crime. Then again I like feeling smart so actually solving the mystery was a perk.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and exciting Victorian murder mystery! This book is #37 in a series I have never heard of before. It was a prize from our library’s adult summer reading club. Our library doesn’t own any of this fun series, so I will have to see if I can find some. Anyway, this is a perfect cozy mystery.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspector Witherspoon and Mrs.Jeffries along with the household and friends are at it again. A nice easy solid mystery to solve. Unlike other series that seem to loose steam as the series keeps going,this one is still going strong.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series

[Dianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good audiobook for bedtime.

[Eileen Lynx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another nice installment to the series.

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://openbooksociety.com/article/mr...

Mrs. Jeffries Delivers the Goods
Mrs. Jeffries, Book #37
By Emily Brightwell
ISBN13: 9780451492227
Author website: www(.)emilybrightwell(.)com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt

Synopsis:

When poison fells a crude, self-important member of society, Mrs. Jeffries and Inspector Witherspoon realize they are dealing with a madman who intends to kill again in this all new installment in the beloved, New York Times bestselling Victorian Mystery series.

On a cold night in February, Wiggins, the young footman for Inspector Witherspoon, attends the Lighterman’s Ball held at the Wrexley Hotel with his friend. He, along with the rest of the room, watch in horror as Stephen Bremmer goes into spasms and abruptly dies while sitting at the head table. Mrs. Jeffries and the others are shocked that one of their own was at the scene of Inspector Witherspoon’s latest homicide investigation.

The victim happened to be a boorish Oxford-educated snob who felt that because of an accident of birth he was entitled to anything and anyone he wanted. Yet Stephen Bremmer was barely literate, lazy, and prone to making stupid mistakes. His biggest mistake was trying to blackmail someone who even more arrogant than himself.

This is not the first time murder has cast its pall on the Wrexley, and the owners and management are not pleased that it has happened again. But Inspector Witherspoon, Mrs. Jeffries and their household are on the case. It isn’t long before they uncover a maze of hidden motives, unrequited love, and the terrifying rage of a killer who won’t stop.

Review:

Mrs. Jeffries Delivers the Goods is the 37th installment in author Emily Brightwell’s Mrs. Jeffries series. Yes, I said the 37th book. That is a real accomplishment. And the series is still fresh and enjoyable. I have to admit I have not read all 37 books in the series. I came to it rather late. It was easy to pick up the rhythm and characteristics of the people in this series. All of the books seem to be able to be read as standalone books too. Now on to this book. Once again I really enjoy all the players in this series. Without the help of Mrs. Jeffries and her cohorts who knows if Inspector Witherspoon would be so successful. Thank goodness he does not need to find out and neither do we.

The Lighterman’s Ball is being held at the Wrexley Hotel, the place of another mystery involving the characters. Mrs. Jeffries is shocked to find out that one of their groups is in attendance when a man is poisoned. Stephen Bremmer was not cared for by anyone. No one is going to mourn his death, but the Inspector (and therefore Mrs. Jeffries and friends) will still need to stop this murderer. Bremmer was rude, lazy, and definitely had quite a few enemies. With the help of the household staff and friends, Mrs. Jeffries is able to get pertinent information about possible suspects and motives.

There are many suspects and even more motives in the mystery. Each member of Mrs. Jeffries group delves into the hunt for answers. Along the way, we get a glimpse at their lives and happenings too. This mystery was full of intrigue and suspense. The characters are charming, intelligent and so entertaining. With so many suspects, and motives, I could not figure out the killer until almost the end. So many things going on and yet author Emily Brightwell is able to present them in such a way that they are never confusing. Her writing style is easy to read and quite enjoyable.

Mrs. Jeffries is such a wonderful protagonist. Her group of amateur detectives is a mix of different social and economic levels. I really enjoy this series and always get wrapped up in their investigations. This 37th installment of author Brightwell’s long running series is just as fresh and entertaining as any of the ones I have read. Thankfully the series shows no signs of stopping. If you are a fan of the English cozy mystery, this is a hit that you will adore. Mrs. Jeffries Delivers the Goods can definitely be read as a standalone and all of the books in this series can be read in any order, really. This is another book in the Mrs. Jeffries series that truly delivers the goods.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*

[Drebbles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although he doesn’t know it, Inspector Jeffries has had help from his household staff and friends in solving murder cases he is assigned to. When Stephen Bremmer is poisoned at a dinner, they expect this case to be fairly easy, not only do they have a narrow list of suspects, Coachman Wiggins was at the dinner, as was Dr. Bosworth, who has helped them solve mysteries in the past. But the case doesn’t turn out as easy as Mrs. Jeffries thought it would be – Bremmer was not a nice man and plenty of people hated him and wanted him dead. Can the Inspector, Mrs. Jeffries, and his friends catch the killer before someone else is killed?

“Mrs. Jeffries Delivers the Goods” is the wonderfully done 37th book in Emily Brightwell’s Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries cozy mystery series. I have read all the books in the series and have been a fan since the beginning of the series and I constantly am amazed at how strong this series continues to be. By now the characters feel like old friends and I love visiting them in each book. All of the characters have grown throughout the course of the books – Phyllis, the newest member of Witherspoon’s household staff feels like she has always been a part of the series and Witherspoon himself has gotten much better at solving murders. The setting of the series in Victorian England and Brightwell does a wonderful job with the setting and time period. The mystery itself is well plotted with plenty of suspects and more than one surprise. I figured out who the killer was around the same time that the Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries did – nice plotting by Brightwell!

“Mrs. Jeffries Delivers the Goods” is another great cozy mystery by Emily Brightwell.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered the Mrs. Jeffries books 6 years ago, and I’ve read quite a few of them since. I love cozy mystery books…especially when they are historical ones. There’s just something about the Victorian age that makes cozy mystery books even better. It probably has something to do with the fact that they didn’t have the technology we have now, so they had to do a lot of sleuthing on foot. That’s where the staff in the Mrs. Jeffries books come in. No, Mrs. Jeffries isn’t a detective, but since she started working for Inspector Witherspoon, she’s solved her fair share of murders.

Mind you, Inspector Witherspoon doesn’t realize his household is helping him. Every evening, when he comes home from work, Mrs. Jeffries listens to him talk about his cases and gives him gentle nudges based on what she and the others have learned. It helps that the Inspector’s partner, Barnes, does know that the household is helping since he can get and give information to Inspector Witherspoon and the staff based on what each has learned.

In Mrs. Jeffries Delivers the Goods, a very unlikable man has been murdered. This makes it very hard to discern who the killer is since so many people hated him. I, like the staff and inspector, was kept guessing in Mrs. Jeffries Delivers the Goods until almost the very end! I have come to love these characters, and reading a Mrs. Jeffries book feels like coming home. The plot of this book is well-paced, and the clues given throughout are just enough.

[Bebe (Sarah) Brechner · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazingly solid, satisfying 37th story in the delightful Mrs. Jeffries series. Brightwell keeps it fresh once again, as the wonderful household team works to solve the mysteries brought home by their kind, but unsuspecting Inspector. The team has expanded under the adept leadership of housekeeper Mrs. Jeffries, and their brilliant network goes to work to solve a puzzling murder of poisoning. The growing skills of the Inspector are acknowledged here, a welcome development resulting from the years of secret help given to him by the household. He's still in the dark, of course, not realizing all the supporting work his devoted household brings to his cases.

As always, there are authentic details of life upstairs and downstairs, societal mores, dazzling complexities, and plenty of action. A reader can pick up most any of these books for a great read, but taking them in order allows the reader to pick up the dynamics and new characters of the team. Well done!

[Anna Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is terrific. The mysteries are interesting. The fact that the household helps their boss (the detective) solve the mysteries and has now expanded to friends is fun. This one, I feel, had even more twists than usual. The younger characters continue to develop.

I thank the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for my honest review - If you haven't started this series - what are you waiting for? This is # 37.

[C.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yikes! I love Inspector Witherspoon and his staff. I love that the author does a good job letting each mystery be a window on a particular aspect of British society. In this case, the we are looking at businesses and boards. However, what makes this one memorable is the sheer arrogance of the killer. Entitlement at its most ugly.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute Victorian era cozy, but story and mystery is same old same old.

[Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This delightful installment earns a solid four cozy stars.

Wiggins, Inspector Witherspoon’s ever-cheerful footman, steps out to the Lighterman’s Ball in place of his mate Tommy. Tommy’s sister desperately wants to attend, so Wiggins happily pinch-hits. Among the guests looms Stephen Bremmer—a lazy, half-literate toff whom nearly everyone loves to hate. He doesn’t mind. He only showed up because the host just offered him a cushy seat on the company’s board.

The evening’s big moment arrives: lights dim for the traditional toast to departed colleagues. Darkness lasts mere seconds—just long enough for someone to slip arsenic into Bremmer’s glass. As the chandeliers flare back to life, he drains his drink, staggers, and collapses. Guests assume a stroke. Dr. Bosworth, police surgeon and dear friend to the Witherspoon household, rushes forward, but Bremmer is already gone.

Lucky for justice, Wiggins stands witness. He bolts home and spills every detail to the eager staff. Mrs. Jeffries, Mrs. Goodge, Betsy, Smythe, Phyllis, and the rest dive in with their usual brilliance. They coax secrets from maids, porters, and delivery boys—the very people Scotland Yard overlooks—until the clues point straight to the killer.

I can’t quite pinpoint why this volume hit me harder than the others, but Emily Brightwell’s prose sang to me this time. Something about the rhythm, the little grace notes, the way she lets her characters breathe—it all clicked. Keep an eye on housemaid Phyllis and our Wiggins, though. The glances, the blushes, the perfectly timed cups of tea… dare we hope for a slow-burn romance? At this rate, if the series runs a few more years, Betsy’s little Amanda will toddle in and crack the next case herself.

Four stars, a warm blanket, and a second cuppa—highly recommended.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stephen Bremmer was a boor of the highest order, so when he drops dead at the Victorian-era Lighterman's Ball, no one is sad and many people are delighted. However, it's still murder so Inspector Witherspoon must investigate--with the unsuspected help of his household staff and their friends. It's rather difficult to investigate with such a cornucopia of motives. Was it James Pierce, head of a shipping company, who lost his would-be fiancee to Stephen's lies? Was it Stephen's wife, who loathed him (it was mutual)? Was it Elise Carol (I think that was the name), newly returned from America after her husband's death? It was Bremmer who drove her away from her original love. Was it Louise, who seemed to be the only one without a motive? This one might be too tricky even for Mrs. Jeffries! (Spoiler-not-spoiler: it's not.)

While I continue to enjoy this found-family detective series, I gave this one three stars because I guessed the murderer pretty early. You know that anytime the author draws attention to something that would otherwise be too trivial to mention, that's your clue. But I did enjoy that Witherspoon does a lot of the legwork and mental work himself here, and came off quite well.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

#37 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).

On a cold night in February, posion kills an arrogant and rude businessman, Stephen Bremmer, at a popular London ball at the Wrexley Hotel. Witherspoon is assigned the murder which brings him back to the hotel of an earlier case and the owners and management clearly don’t welcome his return. Witherspoon and Barnes have to work their way through a number of suspects and the complicated relations and past between these suspects to find the murderer. Bremmer is considered a boorish snob who felt entitled to anything and anyone he wanted.

[Alison C · Rating 3 out of 5]

No one mourns when Stephen Bremmer is poisoned at a hotel soiree, except perhaps the hotel managers; after all, the hotel had weathered a murder there a few months before and barely recovered, so what will another death on their premises do to their reputation? Inspector Gerald Witherspoon, however, is inclined to pursue the investigation; after all, nobody deserves to be murdered, even someone as despicable as Bremmer. As ever, his household staff is keen to help his investigation (without his awareness, of course), but even they are astonished by just how many enemies this man had…. Another lovely entry in this long-running series; it seems to me that Luty Belle Crookshank shines more than the others this time, but all of the major characters get their moment in the sun, so to speak. I think one can pick up this cozy Victorian series at any point and find it enjoyable, but as the characters and their relationships develop over time, once having read a later book the reader will probably want to go back to the beginning. Recommended.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unbelievably, this installment was my introduction to this long running series! I had no trouble getting into this book which has a fun group of characters all working together to solve the murder of Stephen Bremmer, who collapses at the Lighterman's Ball. There are no shortage of suspects: including James Pierce, Louise Mannion, Anne Bromley Bremmer, Montague Pettigrew, and Camilla Houghton-Jones. Inspector Gerald Witherspoon and Constable Barnes conduct the official homicide investigation, but Mrs. Jeffries (the middle aged housekeeper) and her friends are hard at work too. Servants of suspects get scared of losing their positions and become quiet when questioned. Fortunately, those same servants chat up a storm with talking with one of their own. I thought this cozy was enjoyable because it was different than most other cozies I've read. I look forward to reading the other books in the series.

[Shirley Schwartz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy reading the Mrs. Jeffries series, and after 36 books (this being the 37 in the series), I've come to love the staff at Upper Edmonton Gardens. But after so many books, it must be hard for Ms. Brightwell to come up with new storylines. I did enjoy this book. It was a nice light read, and it's always good when an odious man is the victim, but I have to admit, I had figured out the murderer very early into the story, so I read just to see how it would play out. In this book, on a cold night in February, we have another murder victim at the Wrexley Hotel. There is no lack of suspects here, but endless fun as all the Upper Edmonton Gardens crew is on the hunt for another murderer. If you enjoy a light Victorian mystery, with lots of tea and crumpets, you'll love this series, and if you're just starting, you will have a really long time to get to know and love these characters as much as I do.