I can see the appeal of Mrs. Jeffries: light, the clues are very interesting and out there (Brightwell isn’t trying to hide them). This series is for the mind that wants to solve the puzzle without the emotional roller coaster, being terrified, having nightmares, and who isn’t interested in passionate sex scenes. Just a light read to solve the puzzle. The author has a nice author’s voice which isn’t too overbearing or self-indulgent. Brightwell’s greatest strengths are her voice, the mystery/clues, keeping the story flowing (oh my goodness, I have read 150 pages of some authors with NOTHING happening except the angst of the main character. Bored out of my gourd. Brightwell has solved the mystery at that point). I enjoyed the book and would read another.
Still, the book is too light IMO: there isn’t enough character development to actually be drawn into the scene. The characters are surprisingly interesting given the lack of development (one is almost on the scene) – and there are a lot of characters. The book is good, the author has talent, and it is so close, I don’t know why she doesn’t have a developmental editor, or why she doesn’t hire one if the publisher doesn’t provide one.
There are some silly subplots, both in relation to the characters and the plot (the editor should catch this). The “everyone has a secret and comes to us without a past”: for every character? There might be one, possibly two characters, who are keeping everything about their past a secret. But everyone? Ridiculous. This comes across as laziness on the author’s part. Once the book is written, she should go back and develop some of the characters and set the scene/describe some of the scenes. I would like more of a feeling of Victorian London. I had no sense of where technology was at this point in time; I should in an historical. I’ve read this entire book and could tell you almost nothing about ALL of the characters. I really don’t know anything about Mrs. Jeffries (the main character!) except that she is a widow, smart (or maybe she just observed her husband's methods?), and for some reason doesn’t want her employer to know that she is smart. ?? I didn't connect to her as much as I should have for having completing the book. All it took was one Agatha Christie to fall in love with Poirot.
I recognize that Brightwell doesn’t want to mess with her author’s voice, which is very good, but this book, though worth reading, could be more satisfying. You know how you finish some books and are left with this warm, satisfying feeling? I’m not feeling it. I’m left feeling a little confused and unsatisfied. Like I had chips for dinner instead of something healthy, or wondering what it was I missed. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a good book, but it could be better.
And then the whole thing of the housekeeper solving the case without letting Inspector Witherspoon know because the man has to believe that he is the smart one and knows everything? What?!? I realize this series is old-fashioned and I expect women truly did think that way, but gag me. Nor is having Inspector Witherspoon be stupid appealing to me. I get it, Mrs. Jeffries is the real brains behind the operation, which has to be handled delicately.
It would be more satisfying to me if Mrs. Jeffries’ contributions were acknowledged. I don’t think it adds anything to the book to have the inspector oblivious of his staff’s contributions while developing an exaggerated sense of his own intelligence. Why does anyone’s ego need to be or deserve to be inflated to that degree? I always thought the truth would set you free.
Another sub-plot which doesn't ring true: they have to keep it a secret from Nivens (Witherspoon’s associate) that Inspector Witherspoon’s staff is helping him. Why? This sub-plot is used a LOT through-out the series and it gets REALLY old. Way overdone. I’m sure that Nivens has a staff, a detective force (EVERYONE does), why couldn’t Inspector Witherspoon hire people to look into things for him? This is no way negates Witherspoon’s ability as an inspector. (Sherlock Holmes had children working for him, for goodness sake.) What if Nivens finds out? OH MY GOD?? WHAT IF? I do not get this. Even if he does find out, Nivens doesn’t have any authority to do anything to Inspector Witherspoon. Their superior only cares that the murder gets solved, he doesn’t care if the family cat solves it.
If the author is going to keep an unconvincing sub-plot, it needs to be explained why discovery is so scary and what the consequences would be. Brightwell continually says Nivens is so nasty instead of showing him being nasty. Particularly when Nivens is made to look a fool at the end of this book, this should have been shown (not told). This could have been a great scene. Instead of Mrs. Jeffries being told in passing. And I would like to see Witherspoon's reaction.
I’m overstating this a little, the book is good, it’s just that these incongruences, having whole plots based on premises that don’t make sense and are rather inconsequential matters creates an underlying lack of satisfaction in the read.
To really be pulled into the story and to have a GREAT read, tweaking of the sub-plots is needed, as well as character development/scene development. Also attention to use of language. All these factors have the effect of pulling me out of the story instead of pulling me deeper into it. I want to be on the set. I can’t be if I’m not even sure who any of these characters are, what their motivations are (basic outlook in life) and where I am/what it looks like. The characters are not very distinct from each other and are mostly interchangeable in my mind.
Essentially this is a good read that could be a great read. No doubt Brightwell is wildly more successful than me in life, this is just one opinion. I did finish the book, which held my attention to the end, which tells you that I was engaged. Clearly I was engaged. Slightly irritated, but definitely engaged. I would read another.
Top reviews from the United States
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