Customer reviews

And victims. And I read so fast I didn’t to a good job of keeping them straight. But all was resolved in the end. the murderer was apprehended (good work Mrs. Jeffries and Lucy Belle), another one confessed. Each body was associated with the correct name. And everyone is keen to start on their next mystery.

WhosginnyB

Nice plot line with eccentric characters

Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2017

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I enjoyed this rather light-hearted murder mystery. The premise that the household staff of the Scotland Yard Inspector is the real secret to solving the mystery keeps it fun; the inspector himself is a comical character. The only thing I didn’t like that well is the dialect of the wealthy old American woman who figures in quite prominently. I don’t like British novels that portray Americans as caricatures. But overall, the story was interesting and engaged me pleasantly.

Denise Crettenden

Great characters and Fun Cozy Mystery!

Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2021

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I read two books from later in the series and decided to start at the beginning. I love the ways the character gather clues and the little bits of Victorian life you pick up.

JohnInMichigan

A Nice Formula

Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2013

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I've read several Mrs. Jeffries mysteries. The author has a formula for these books, and she sticks very close to that formula from book to book. That makes her work somewhat predictable. But it's a nice formula, and these mysteries make fun reading. I commend them to those who are fascinated by the Victorian period and the relationship between servants and "masters."

reading gal

How servants can serve in unusual ways.

Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2018

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I liked the relationship of the household members and the twists in the story that keep the reader guessing. Pretty tricky how they manage to inform the inspector without giving away the way they find out.

tootie

Mrs. Jeffries, Crime Solver in an Apron

Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2016

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The Mrs. Jeffries series is always fun. It is interesting to see how Mrs. Jeffries and the staff help Inspector Witherspoon solve cases when other policemen want him to fail. The inspector may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he learns from Mrs. Jeffries how to conduct investigations and how to deal with people in order to get answers about the crime. A fun series.

Barbara Greer

Mysterious!

Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2020

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I love the characters, the plots and the concept. Can't wait to read the next book.

EmpressHara

Victorian Cozy mystery

Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2020

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Loving this series. Its the perfect read for now. Great characters, good if not complicated plotlines. Buy it you won't be sorry.

Top reviews from other countries

Damaskcat

Mrs Jeffries Dusts for Clues

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 27, 2013

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Mrs Jeffries is housekeeper to Inspector Witherspoon - a nice but not very clever Scotland Yard detective. Because all his domestic staff are grateful to him for providing them with not too arduous jobs and a roof over their heads they work together to solve his cases for him.

In this delightful Victorian mystery Luty Belle Crookshank - an eccentric elderly American lady - asks for Mrs Jeffries' help in finding out what happened to a missing parlour maid she had befriended. In the process of tracking down the missing maid Inspector Witherspoon's domestic staff manage to solve a murder for him.

I like the characters in this entertaining series and it is interesting to see Victorian society from the servants' point of view. Mrs Jeffries is resourceful and intelligent and would do well as a detective herself though of course the police didn't employ women at the time.

The book is well written and if you like so-called cosy mysteries this would be a good one to try.

Liz

An Exceptionally Fun Series

Reviewed in Canada on February 7, 2020

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The characters that predominate in this series are the servant class. This is the class to which I can relate. I’ve worked on my family history and all of my considerable number of English ancestors were working class. Another series, by Anne Perry, is focussed, in the same period, on the upper class; much description is devoted to how the very beautiful/handsome aristocracy dressed. That becomes tiresome to me, and I much prefer the down-to-earth, and realistic characterization of the sleuths in these stories. Emily Brightwell has done a great job!!

Kindle Customer

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, so different from the host of others available.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2021

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A very enjoyable read, flows nicely, good full characters to keep the story moving along. Definately going to read more.