A Most Efficient Murder

Mr. Quayle Mysteries #1

by Anthony Slayton

When the reclusive Earl of Unsworth’s first party in over a decade is spoiled by murder, His Lordship’s loyal and efficient secretary, Mr. Quayle, must unravel a web of red-herrings and buried secrets before the murderer can strike again…

“I do not wish to disturb you, your grace, but there is a body in the garden…”

England, 1925. When a strange young woman is found murdered on the grounds of Unsworth Castle, the Duke and his family are astounded at first, but quickly become enraged when the police begin asking all sorts of impertinent questions.

And when suspicions dare to fall on one of their own, it is up to Mr. Quayle, Lord Unsworth’s exceedingly efficient secretary, to find the true culprit and save the House of Unsworth from scandal and ruin.

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

314 pages, Paperback

First published March 6, 2022

About the author

Anthony Slayton is a self-confessed Anglophile, at least when it comes to murder and death. Author of the Mr. Quayle Mysteries, he is a life-long mystery aficionado—the more bodies, the better! In his spare time, he can probably be found walking in the park or binge-watching one mystery series or another (possibly just rewatching Poirot and Midsomer Murders for the umpteenth time). You can follow him on BookBub for the latest on sales https://bit.ly/BookBubslayton

Reviews

[MarilynW · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Most Efficient Murder by Anthony Slayton
(The Mr. Quayle Mysteries, Book 1)
Narrated by Rafe Beckley

This audiobook was fun to hear. The narrator was perfect for the story and I felt like I could see the location and story in my mind's eye. It's 1925 and the Earl of Unsworth's loyal secretary, Mr. Quayle, has been tasked with finding out who murdered a mysterious girl during a birthday party at the Unsworth Castle.

Mr. Quayle's assistance isn't exactly appreciated by the official investigators but at least the head inspector is someone who knows and respects him from the last war. Also, Mr. Quayle fought under Earl Unsworth's late son in the war and Earl Unsworth cherishes him for that reason. I really like Mr. Quayle and am glad that there will be a second book so we can once again follow his amateur sleuthing abilities.

The story brings back the best of the old murder mysteries, so different from murder mysteries of today. There is a lot of traipsing around with a hoard of family members and friends following Mr. Quayle. He's determined to not let his employment with Earl Unsworth interfere with his finding the real murderer. He's doing this all for the memory of Earl Unsworth's late son, a person that I feel meant very much to Mr. Quayle. I hope in the next book we find out more about how the son and Mr. Quayle are so closely connected. I very much enjoyed this complicated murder mystery.

Pub Sep 15th 2022

Thank you to BooksGoSocial Audio and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: A classic old-time mystery, full of Agatha Christie feels. The story is mostly formulaic (dead body, loads of characters who aren’t revealing all, twists galore on the journey, a big reveal at the end). The author’s approach that combines humour and sarcasm makes a difference. What elevates the experience further is the brilliant audiobook narrator.

Story Synopsis:

1925. (Taking the year info from the blurb. I don’t recollect the audiobook revealing the time period at all.)
When the introverted and bookish Earl of Unsworth threw a party to celebrate his dear niece’s birthday, the last thing he expected was to hear of a dead body being found on the castle grounds. His secretary, Mr. Quayle, is immediately given charge by His Lordship of making sure that the police find the murderer, and nothing more, especially no damaging secrets about the Unsworth family.

Where the book worked for me:
✔ I enjoyed the quirky humour in the story. It pokes fun at the snooty upper classes of the Britain of yore without going overboard.

✔ Quayle, a secretary who “loved Sherlock Holmes and Arsène Lupin”, makes for an interesting investigator, being intelligent, subtle, understanding, and diplomatic, unlike most popular fictional detectives.

✔ There is a wonderful old world charm to the story. It brought the time period alive.

✔ In a strange irony, it is a slow-moving story written in a very quick pace. I never felt the rhythm of the story dragging. Right from the first chapter, the proceedings kept me gripped.

✔ The audiobook narrator. *chef’s kiss!*


Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ While I do read mysteries, there are very few books that impress me with their style of reveal. Most end up info-dumping towards the climax. This was no exception. The ending scenes are typical mystery fare, what with a whole load of confessions and revelations toppling out one after the other.

❌ I am also a bit tired of the ‘characters keeping a secret’ trope. In this book, almost every character has at least one secret that he/she doesn’t reveal or lies about until later.
(Note that the points above wouldn’t matter to a mystery fiction lover. Unlike most readers, I am not a huge fan of this genre for these very reasons.)


The audiobook experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 8 hours 20 minutes, is narrated by the amazing Rafe Beckley. This was a mystery with a whole load of characters, and yet not once did I feel confused about who was speaking., From a quivery-voice for old Butler Perkins to the dominating vocals of Lady Constance, Beckley hits the right note for every character. He makes even the bland chapter titles sound wonderful! I enjoyed every minute of his narration.


All in all, I did enjoy this mystery, which is not something I can say for most mystery fiction novels I read. I don’t know if I would have felt the same had I actually read the book – the plot stuck to the tried-and-tested formula and didn’t venture into anything novel. That said, if Rafe Beckley is the one to narrate the subsequent adventures of Mr. Quayle, ooh la la! Count me in!

4 stars. (3.5 for the story. Jumping upwards for the audiobook.)

My thanks to BooksGoSocial Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of “A Most Efficient Murder: The Mr. Quayle Mysteries, Book 1”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.



———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

England 1925

The body of a young woman has been found in the garden of The Earl of Unsworth's estate. Mr. Quayle, the lordships loyal secretary, is tasked with helping the police (Inspector Wintle) solve the crime. Guests and family members who were attending the party at the vast estate, claim to not know the dead woman.

No one seems to enjoy being questioned as they all have something to hide!

This was an engaging and fun audiobook with a fantastic narrator! I hope Rafe Beckley (the narrator) narrates future books in this series.

I thought this was an extremely clever and well thought out murder mystery/whodunit. It is reminiscent of old murder mysteries. I loved how the investigation progressed. Everyone had secrets and things to hide. I enjoyed the plot and that there were no slow parts. Everything flowed nicely and at a nice pace. This book played out like a movie in my mind. The characters were fun, interesting and engaging.


Thank you to BooksGoSocial Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Heidi]

DNF

It never bodes well when you fall asleep during an audiobook two nights in a row. Despite its charming Agatha Christie-tinged mystery and a few intriguing characters, it wasn’t enough to keep me interested. When you don’t care who killed the dead body in the garden, it’s definitely time to move on!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Most Efficient Murder is the first book in the Mr. Quayle series. The very private Earl of Unsworth hosts his first party in over a decade, but unfortunately it gets marred when an unknown young woman is found murdered in the garden.

Mr. Quayle is Lord Unsworth's secretary and is very loyal to his employer. Once the police arrive, they quickly start asking questions of Lord Unsworth and his aristocratic family which doesn't go over well. Mr. Quayle is asked by Lord Unsworth to keep an eye on the investigation while also conducting an investigation of his own on the family's behalf. The lead detective on the case served in the military with Mr. Quayle during WWI which added an interesting dynamic to the investigation.

I love mysteries where the setting involves an old English estate and a cast of interesting characters. Set in 1925 England, this is a good old fashioned well-plotted whodunnit with an interesting cast of characters, family secrets, and lots of red herrings along the way. Mr. Quayle is a very capable amateur sleuth and I look forward to continuing on with this series. I listened to the audiobook which was magnificently narrated by Race Beckley. 4 stars.

[Marialyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's England in 1925 and there's a party being thrown. The Earl of Unsworth is having a gala after a respite from partying of over ten years. Throwing a bit of a damper on the party spirit is the discovery of a young girl's body in the garden. No one seems to know her or at least that is what they claim.

Bring in a host of of family with some bearing their typically British stance and one by one the party goers are questioned. To this mixture is added Mr Quayle, a wonderfully efficient secretary of the earl's who works side by side with the powers that be to find the culprit. When a finger is pointed in the direction of a family member and said family member bolts for the door and escape, the plot thickens and one by one the devious, money seekers (diamonds are in the mix), and the not so devious are reveled.

I loved all the characters and the audiobook narrated by Rafe Beckley was just perfect with the stuffy British accent that was so wonderfully enticing and made the book come alive. I think the author paid tribute to Agatha C in his telling. Truly a "Fun" experience and I want to thank Anthony Slayton, Books Go Social, and NetGalley for a copy of this winner of a mystery which published in September.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this back-in-time murder mystery!

I felt like I had suspicions about who the guilty party is and I turned out to be right - what a great feeling! :)

The writing was engaging, I felt like I had to look up a lot of meanings for words, but I enjoyed that! The story was easy to follow and I liked how we learned more about the characters as the pages went on.

I was curious to learn more about how things were back in the day (1920's) - a lot of things I found extremely odd, like the casting system, and marrying a rich cousin being especially favoured. Oh well! You live and you learn. :)

Overall, I enjoyed this read and would absolutely read the next instalment in the series, given the chance.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

[Chantel · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is seldom in this world that can top my enthusiasm for finishing a deliciously delightful & marvellously well-crafted book. When I find myself eagerly making my way through a story; satiated by the encumbering pages that lay ahead, I am filled with sentiments of gratitude for the author who put so much of themselves into the story. Such is my experience with this first instalment of what I hope to be a long-running series of mysteries written by Slayton.

In 1925, with the Great War behind them, members of an aristocratic house find themselves gathered in numbers to celebrate a new coming of age. All the while, a body lays inert amongst the foliage where members of the party scurry past in the hopes of sustaining their own motives of secrecy. If you are someone who has ever enjoyed an episode of "Midsomer Murders" (1997); who has delighted in the suave nature of an Agatha Christie mystery; who has become enthralled with the classic takes on crime befalling Rex Stout’s defectives; if you have ever found yourself on a blustery day in need of a story that will scratch the corners of your imagination, A Most Efficient Murder is one such story you will delight in reading.

There was no one moment that led me to the conclusion that I was enamoured with this story; the book’s opening pages encouraged me to maintain that feeling from start to finish. I suppose what makes a great mystery novel is, not always our inability to guess the twist but, the author’s ability to lead a reader into an environment in which they know something is amiss; nothing is quite as it seems & one must believe that to be true, however plainly things appear to be the opposite.

By this I mean, that the author has introduced a cast of characters who are settled, they know themselves & we need little to understand that these are multi-dimensional people whom we have now caught at a disadvantage as there has been a crime committed. Yet, even though we are aware that one of the people we grow fondly to know as a person in this world, might very well be the villain of the story; we seek to find them amongst the pages. Slayton has flawlessly introduced a cast of characters who each host their own distinct perspectives, dialogue, actions & personalities. Every single character was unique to themselves, even the ones who lacked a bit of backbone.

As much as I appreciate my ability to clock a twist, I most certainly prefer a story that distracts me from my longing to do so. While reading a mystery, I do not want to have my conscious state entirely focused on solving the riddle; I want to have a story that encourages me to relinquish my hold of self-control & allow myself to be led through the maze of suspense. Regardless of whether I have solved the enigma, I want to have my appetite for secrecy sustained. This is a personal aspect of reading, I very much acknowledge that. This is not to say that, if/when I solve a reveal I am left disappointed, on the contrary; you’ve granted me enough information to allow me to stand toe-to-toe with a character who knows more than I do, I applaud your ability to be subtle & discreet.

The setting of this story brought me some level of nostalgia that I cannot quite pin down. The story, for the most part, takes place on a vast estate & yet encouraged me to utilize my full imagination when I was required to build the scene within my mind. This story included elements of everything I adore about classic crime novels; a vast array of eloquently devious characters, elements of classic literature, a crime within a mystery, the necessity to reach beyond the limits of the property to better understand people we know not, a setting that reeks of cozy suspense while horror seeps from the cool rocks of the estate.

I am very impressed & enthused to have come across this book. I hope to read many more of these stories in the approaching years. Coming across books that remind us of all the things there are to appreciate in an old-time murder mystery is unparalleled & invaluable.

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op & Anthony Slayton for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Maria Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars, highly entertaining whodunnit set in the 1920s in the style of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers. Kept entertained throughout and surprised (in part) by the ending, which is always good in a mystery. A nice writing style and steady pace maintained throughout. Great to see books like this still being published. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

[Tahera · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Most Efficient Murder is an efficient and promising start to a new historical cosy mystery series. I have been reading a lot of cosy mysteries lately and wondered how this would fare but this turned out to be highly entertaining. The plot gets right into the thick of the action from the first chapter itself and maintains a steady pace throughout with some effective twists and turns to keep the readers guessing till the end. What begins as a murder of a complete stranger at Lord Unsworth's party turns into a complex plot involving Lord Unsworth's estate, a riddle pointing to the lost Unsworth diamonds and the identity of the murdered woman. All the characters introduced have something to hide and are good at keeping up appearances which contributes to the twist and turns of the plot. I had a good time reading this book and look forward to the series especially getting to know more about Mr. Quayle, secretary to Lord Unsworth, and Detective Inspector Wintle who seem to share a few secrets of their own.

I received an e-Arc of the book by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and the author Anthony Slayton via NetGalley.

[Pooja Peravali · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the body of a strange young woman is found in the Earl of Unsworth's garden during a party, his capable secretary Mr. Quayle is tasked with keeping the family from scandal during the investigation - a task only made harder by the secrets everyone is keeping.

This is a cozy sort of mystery in 1920s England, with the vibe you'd get if you blend the adventurous plots of Sherlock Holmes and the humorous domestic drama of PG Wodehouse. I liked how the author built the rigid class structure of the times into the mystery and the characters' attitudes, making the post-war setting come alive. The mystery is a complicated one with plenty of red herrings and dead ends, and I liked that I was able to solve some of it but not the whole.

However, I did feel like the big reveal of the solution was poorly handled, overlong with some amount of melodrama and dastardly behavior on the parts of the villains. The writing got repetitive in parts as well, with certain words and phrases - glares and 'sharp smiles' - peppered noticeably throughout. While characters were distinct and had their share of shades of grey, I never got particularly interested in any of them, maybe because no one struck me as very likable or interesting.

I listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by Rafe Beckley. I thought he did an excellent job, bringing humor to the production and providing distinct voices for a range of characters with different regional accents. His performance definitely elevated my listening experience and kept me absorbed in the story.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Quayle (we never do learn his first name, or as they’d say “Christian name”) and Detective Chief Inspector Wintle served together in the same regiment in the Great War. So there’s a reserve of trust between them when a dead young woman turns up in Quayle’s employer’s garden during a party.

But the two men have different goals — although both want to see justice done for poor Juliet Evans — and that doesn’t last. Who will be the one who discovers the culprit?

I adored this debut to a series penned by Anthony Slayton. Sure, the novel evokes Bertie Wooster with Jeeves in the relationship between the empty-headed Earl of Unsworth and Quayle, just as there were similarities with Agatha Christie, Gladys Mitchell, Dorothy L. Sayers and Margery Allingham. However, A Most Efficient Murder contains its own sardonic wit, clever plotting and idiosyncratic characters. I bought the sequel, A Rather Dastardly Death, one third-of the way through this novel — it’s that excellent!

[Auđur · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,7*

[H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. It was funny, witty and charming. I suspected everyone and at the same time, no one. I genuinely enjoyed reading this ARC, it was such a fun experience. I definitely want to read more by this author.

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- fabulous cover on this one!

This was probably one of the best historical "who-done-its" I have read this year. Fantastically written and well paced. A well-crafted plot full of twists and red herrings. A wonderful time period and setting, and a plethora of intriguing characters. I can't wait to see what these characters get up to in the next book.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

[Nathalya · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 stars

I liked this book but unfortunately I figured out who the killer was pretty early on. But there were other things that did surprise me and I liked the writing style.

I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun story! If you’re a fan of Marple or Midsomer Murders, then this will be right up your alley!

What starts as a celebration ends in murder.
The time: 1929
The place: Unsworth Castle
The victim: no one knows…or do they?

This was a rather enjoyable tale from start to finish. It gave multiple perspectives and had insight into different histories for different characters, but did not overload with information. In fact, gave you just enough information to satiate.

These characters had so many sides to them that it was fun to see how everyone related to one another and how everything played out. This story showed that murder is not always so upfront and there were quite a web of knots that the inspector and Quayle had to untie and come to a conclusion on.

As I was reading, I was really able to see this all play out in my mind; I could see the surrounds of the castle and even imagine tones of voice along with minute facial expressions.

Secrets and lies can hinder and ruin relationships quite completely and I’m curious to see what comes next for Quayle.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC ebook edition of this story!

[Miglė · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mielas klasikinis detektyvas, per daug nepricackinta, viskas aišku, istorija gana paprasta, bet veikia.

Gal net pernelyg paprasta, nes atsidariusi savo goodreads ir pamačiusi šios knygos viršelį vis pagalvodavau: pala, aš ją perskaičiau? Ar šiaip pasižymėjau? Pala, apie ką ten buvo? Ai, aristokratų šeima, vakarėlis, kuriame paskelbs apie paveldėtoją, sode randama negyva mergina, kurios nė vienas iš namiškių / svečių neva nepažįsta. Tada galvoju - pala, kas buvo žudikas?

Apskritai patiko stilius - man atrodo, kai šiuolaikiniai autoriai rašo apie "anuos laikus", lengva įkristi į duobę su daug šmaikštalų ir ornamentų, kurie turėtų neva perteikti atmosferą, bet priešingai - skamba keistai anachronistiškai. Čia man to nesijuto, tuo ir džiaugiuosi!

[Valleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to @Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, as well as to @NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of A Most Efficient Murder.

Mr. Quayle must unravel a web of red herrings and buried secrets before the murderer can strike again…

When a body is found on the grounds of Unsworth Castle, Mr. Quayle soon learns that those living in the House of Unsworth may not be quite as innocent as they seem.

I liked this book a lot and I'm so happy it's the start of a series! I very much enjoyed the “whodunnit” murder mystery style, along with the classic ending. I felt the manner of writing was enjoyable and I'm eager to read more about the characters in the next book. I loved Mr. Quayle's wisdom and his determination to solve the murder mystery, no matter what it takes.

I recommend A Most Efficient Murder - especially to those who enjoy taking a step back in time and reading an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery!

[Dayana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Victory Editing and Netgalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A Most Efficient Murder truly was a cozy mystery and a classic whodunnit. It also gave me major Agatha Christie vibes, which I really appreciate.

I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and the pace of the book overall. It had an element of humor to it too, which added to the coziness and the enjoyability. The different characters were also very tasteful and provided multiple facets to the story. None of the characters felt shallow, useless, or incomplete.

The overall plot was very intriguing and captivating. I found myself eager to know what’s going to happen next, who committed the murder, and how it all played out. I love that there were so many elements in the story that tied in together very nicely. I did, however, have an inkling of what’s going to happen, but I didn’t guess it entirely. My inkling didn’t take away from my enjoyment because, as mentioned, there are so many elements to the story that just make it all the more interesting.

Overall, I’m very pleased with the book and I’m eager to see where this series goes!

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A finely done classic style mystery that adequately meets most of the criteria for quality in the genre but doesn’t offer much that we haven’t seen before.

This is a fairly well-plotted and structured mystery and pays good homage to golden age mysteries. But it’s also one of those books that I probably won’t remember a thing about in a few months because there’s nothing about it that stands out from its peers.

I’m never bothered by slow pacing in a mystery, but I do need more atmosphere and sense of place out of this style, and there’s little to none of it present here. The characters too are competently drawn but unmemorable, and all of this adds up to the reader’s mind wandering, especially when using audiobook format. It should be said that this is not the fault of the narrator, who was lovely.

In the end, this isn’t an unpleasant read at all and there are no specific quality issues with the mystery itself. But I need more atmosphere out of a book like this if there isn’t anything unusual about the story itself.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. This is the first book in a promising new detective series. As an avid fan of Agatha Christie books, especially those featuring Poirot, this book shares some similar qualities as the mysteries encountered by famous detective. Mr. Quayle is asked by his employer, Lord Unsworth, to assist the police in investigating the death of a young woman who was found in the garden on the night of a party. The party was in honor of Lord Unsworth's niece, Fanny, on her 18th birthday. But none of the family or friends gathered admit to knowing the woman. As Mr. Quayle digs into the mystery, we enjoy many of the elements of the golden age mysteries, including family heirs and inheritances, missing family heirlooms, estranged family members reappeared and old family manors with hidden passages. Most of the family members have opportunity to commit the crime, but what was the motive? Lady Constance, Lord Unsworth's sister, is desperate for her brother to name her son, Arthur, heir to the title since her nephew died in WWI, especially since it is her husband, Sir Robert, who is keeping the castle aloft with money for renovations. But it is no secret that Lord Unsworth wants to find a way to allow Fanny to inherit, something that Mr. Quayle and the previous secretary were working on, Mr. Quayle's predecessor having left under a cloud of suspicion some months ago. Fanny eventually reveals that the dead woman was Juliette, daughter of Lord Unsworth's dead estranged sister, Lady Sybil. If true, she would be the true heir to the title since Sybil was the eldest sibling. When the police discover that Arthur was paying for Juliette's apartment, they confront him and he flees. It turns out that Arthur was engaged to Juliette and is the prime suspect for her murder. When the gardener's son ends up missing and is later found dead, Mr. Quayle knows that he saw something important on the night of the murder. Then the former secretary is found dead in a long forgotten hidden passage and the pieces begin to click into place. The unravelling of the mystery leads Mr. Quayle back to WWI and tracking the fates of many of the family members and ends with the final big reveal to the family in the drawing room, ala Poirot. He figured out that Juliette was an imposter, the real woman having died in WWI. She was really Sir Robert's mistress, as I suspected, and he was the one paying for the apartment using an account that he set up in his son's name to hide his windfall from illegal business dealings during WWI. He had been working with the former secretary to feed his mistress info to bolster her story with the hope of her inheriting the family diamonds. But he swears that he did not kill her or the others. So who did? Fanny's boyfriend, a major in WWI, killed them to protect his secret that he was not injured in battle during the war but by his own hand. Juliette was the nurse who tended to him and she knew that truth so she could not be allowed to ruin his chances at marrying Fanny. The secretary knew the truth so he had to go and Tom was blackmailing him after he saw him in the garden. A clever twist. In addition to the obvious connection to Ms. Christie's novels, the connections to WWI reminded me of the Maisie Dobbs' series, at least the earlier books. I highly recommend to anyone who has read and enjoyed any of those novels or any fan of golden age mysteries. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fabulous homage to the “Golden Age” mysteries! Moving at an incredible pace, the story comes together in the same way Agatha Christies Poirot did, with breadcrumbs scattered throughout until the final “payoff” when the murderer is revealed. It is a rare thing to find a book that moves along at this type of pace without losing some of its voice and cadence. As for Mr. Quayle himself, he is a great character with his own secrets and a mysterious air that makes you want to know more about him! I am so excited that this will be a series, so hopefully we will continue to learn about Mr. Quayle and his background.

Synopsis: Lord Unsworths beloved niece Fanny has made a horrible discovery: a body in the garden. Instead of making an important announcement to his family and friends, Lord Unsworth finds himself dealing with a murder instead. He makes a deal with the local authorities, insisting that his secretary, Mr. Quayle, be given access to the investigation. Clearly not part of the family but also not a servant, Mr. Quayle finds himself stuck between wanting justice for the victim but also wanting to repay the kindness of his employer, who has hired him because he served with his lordships son during the war.

[Katy The Sleepy Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A body is found during a birthday party at the vast estate of the Unsworth family. Lord Unsworth is throwing a party for his niece, and suspected heir, and with the sudden death of a supposed stranger, everyone there is now a suspect, family included.

The cast is this: Lord Unsworth, his niece, Fanny, his sister, Contance, her husband Robert and their son Arthur, Fanny's boyfriend Major Eatwell and Mr. Quayle, the Lords new assistant. Inspector Wintle rounds everyone up and starts questioning. The Lord asks Quayle to assist the police in their investigation and they oblige. They soon discover that not everyone in the family is innocent and the secrets go deeper and are larger than anyone realized. Can Quayle and Wintle discover who the murderer is before they escape?

I really enjoyed this book. Mr. Quayle reminded me of Poirot or Marple. I would classify this as a "classic whodunnit". Quayle's wit and wisdom was fun to read, the mystery parts of the story were spot on, and I was guessing until the very end. The chapters are short, and the pacing is perfect for an afternoon read. The story is intricate yet easy to follow once all of the pieces fall into place. If you enjoy, A Christie style read, then this is the book for you. I am excited that this is a series, and I can't wait to see what else Quayle gets himself into. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.

[Lata · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
A fun mystery set in the period soon after World War I, this is the first of a series with Mr. Quayle, Secretary to Lord Unsworth of a great old pile, Unsworth Hall.

Mr. Quayle was an officer in the war, then worked in the War Office, and left under a cloud. Now, he attempts to bring some order to Lord Unsworth’s papers and arrange the man’s affairs.

When a murdered young woman is found during a party (and what should have been the moment when his Lordship announced his heir) for Lord Unsworth’s niece Fanny, Quayle is drafted by Unsworth to keep an eye on the police and their investigation and apprise the Lord of their progress. This all gets more complicated when all the suspected family members lie and shade the truth from the police, whether about the potential Unsworth heir or missing diamonds at the Hall.

Quayle proves to be a stand up guy, and I doubt we’ve heard the last about his War Office shenanigans. I liked police inspector Whittle, and how once Quayle and he repaired their friendship (begun during the war), they worked well together, finding the solution to the case. I got most of the way there, too, but missed a detail or two, which I was glad about. I like when a mystery writer surprises me, and look forward to the next Mr. Quayle case.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[Byrd Nash · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent murder mystery heavily influenced by Agatha Christie and the Golden Age, with a very small dash of P.S. Wodehouse. Probably not a series I will follow as I just didn't connect with the main detective, but a decent read and well-written.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent mystery with fine characters. Mr Quayle is a treasure.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lord Unsworth doesn't like giving parties and hasn't done so for a decade. But his favorite niece is turning eighteen and he has invited friends and far-flung family for a huge gala in her honor. He also plans on making a big announcement at the end of the party. But things go awry when an unknown woman is found dead in his garden. With high-profile guests, Lord Unsworth really doesn't want the police to ruffle any feathers. He asks his trusted secretary, Mr. Quayle, to keep a watching brief on the investigation and manages to convince the Chief Constable to allow Quayle to "shadow" Inspector Wintle as he takes up the case. Fortunately, Quayle and Wintle served together during the Great War so there is a measure of trust between them. At least until Wintle begins to suspect that Quayle is more interested in protecting the family than discovering the truth. But he should remember Quayle's record in the service....the secretary isn't going to let a murderer go free even if s/he winds up being a member of Lord Unsworth's family.

And it just may be...because it isn't long before Quayle and Wintle discover that several of Lord Unsworth's family did indeed know the woman. And certain pieces of evidence indicate that someone well-acquainted with the house and people must have let the woman into the grounds. Things get even more tricky for the Unsworth's when the gardener's son, known for picking up odd bits of information here and there, is found dead next. Did Tom Nettles see or hear something that led to his death? And can Quayle and Wintle find the killer before anyone else dies?

This is a fun tribute to the country house murders from the Golden Age. Slayton captures the time period and the atmosphere of the vintage mystery really well in this debut novel of what promises to be a good series featuring the very efficient, very observant, very intelligent Mr. Quayle. Clues are distributed quite liberally--almost too liberally since I figured out half of the solution fairly early on. But Slayton's deft hand with characters, narrative, and dialogue makes this a real winner. He especially captures the upper-class grande dame in Lord Unsworth's sister very well. There are hints about Quayle past that are quite intriguing and I hope that future installments will give us more insight on what happened and how Quayle wound up in Lord Unsworth's employ. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.

[Karen M · Rating 4 out of 5]

British Country House murder mystery, oh my! This book had me from the title. I just love Miss Marple, Lord Peter Whimsey, Miss Silver and all the other amateur detectives who, during their visit to a stately home, seem to find their skills called upon to solve the mystery. Now I can add Mr. Quayle to my list of favorites.

You think I enjoyed this story, no, I loved it! A diverse cast of characters, all of whom at one time or another I was convinced ‘had done it’ only to change my mind over and over again. This very well written book was exactly what I look for in a classic British mystery.

The character of Mr. Quayle and the late Theodore Statham have a history, a military history circa WWI which is hinted at but never truly explained and Inspector Wintle knows something of that story because he also knows Mr. Quayle from the War.

Lord Statham has hired Mr. Quayle as his secretary, assistant, dog’s body to try and keep his family reined in and out of trouble and out of the newspapers but when murder happens there is no hiding it.

I enjoyed this lovely example of a classic British mystery.

I won this ebook in a FirstReads giveaway. Thank you to the author, Anthony Slayton.

[Doc · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5.0

A Most Efficient Murder by Anthony Slayton is the first novel in a new mystery series based on the fictional character Mr. Quayle. Mr. Quayle is a World War I Veteran working as the secretary for an English Earl in the 1920's.

After a young lady is found murdered in the garden of Lord Unsworth's estate Mr. Quayle is assigned to assist the police detectives in the investigation as well as protecting the interests of the estate. As neither party is comfortable with this situation, this allows for some friction as they work together to solve the questions, who was this woman, why was she murdered and by whom.

Overall, the story was fairly standard mystery fare. A good mystery but nothing outstanding or revolutionary.

The narration however was the highlight of this experience. Rafe Beckley does an excellent job in giving each character it's own voice and his tone and pitch was very engaging in tense moments.

I recommend this audiobook to anyone interested in testing the audio format to see if would work for you.