About
Reviews
Search
Submit
Home

Mystery Books for Sale

[ Home ]
[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]


  

MRS JEFFRIES HOLDS THE TRUMP
by Emily Brightwell
Berkley Prime Crime, June 2008
245 pages
$6.99
ISBN: 042522208X


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

When a dead body is found in the Thames, everyone is shocked to learn that it belongs to Michael Provost, a quiet London businessman. Nobody has anything but praise for the dead man, so there are no obvious clues to his death. However, Inspector Gerald Witherspoon of Scotland Yard has a secret weapon in his arsenal of crime-solving tools: his trusted housekeeper, Mrs Jeffries. Together with assorted servants and neighbors, Mrs Jeffries works behind the scenes to unlock the clues of the crime…and finds that this case is even bigger than it first appears.

The victim, Michael Provost, was following in the steps of another legendary (if fictitious) investigator to determine the perpetrators of another crime--the disappearance of his friend, a local pub owner. When the Inspector and Mrs Jeffries learn that there are two crimes, not one, to be solved, the stakes are raised. Complicating matters is the resistance being shown by another Scotland Yard inspector, who believes Provost's death is nothing more than an accident.

MRS JEFFRIES HOLDS THE TRUMP is not only a great cozy with an intriguing storyline, but a interesting look at Victorian England and the power of the people behind the scenes. Mrs Jeffries and her band of amateur sleuths are interesting characters in their own right, even when they are just sitting around the kitchen, drinking tea and bandying about ideas on the case. And Mrs Jeffries' own techniques for planting ideas in Inspector Witherspoon's mind will remind readers that behind every successful Victorian gentleman was a team of servants smoothing the way.

Author Emily Brightwell has developed a charming series with Mrs Jeffries and Inspector Witherspoon. She brings just the right amount of historical accuracy and grace to the story, highlighting class differences and the two separate worlds that coexist and depend on each other. She doesn't fall into the trap of making one set better than the other; indeed, their very interdependence is the heart of her stories. She also uses her characters to utmost advantage in solving the case, and never lets a clue drop by the wayside. This series is sure to continue in popularity if MRS JEFFRIES HOLDS THE TRUMP is any indication. It's equal parts charm and mystery, making it the perfect cozy.

Reviewed by Christine Zibas, June 2008

[ Top ]


QUICK SEARCH:

 

Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]
[ Home ]