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51st out of 293 books
—
979 voters
The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries (Mrs Jeffries #1)
As Inspector Witherspoon's dedicated housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries keeps things running smoothly and is quite clever at putting Witherspoon on the right track in case after case. In fact, Mrs. Jeffries' polished detective skills prove once again that behind every great man, there's a great woman. Watch for the next exciting Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries mystery in 6/93.
Hardcover, 181 pages
Published
February 1993
by Berkley
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"The Inspector and Mrs Jeffries" (1) by Emily Brightwell Scotland Yard's mild Gerald Witherspoon, recently promoted from the records division, inherited his aunt Euphemia's household and rescued other employees from destitution. Grateful for their light duties and generous employer, housekeeper Hepzibah, widow of country copper, supervises investigators: kind burly coachman Smythe, abandoned housemaid Betsy, slow of wits but quick to spot a pretty face footman Wiggins, and elsewhere-unemployable...more
This was an interesting premise for a period cozy. Mrs. Jeffries is the housemaid for Scotland Yard Inspector Witherspoon. She and the rest of her crew solve one of the Inspector's cases for him without his knowing.
While credited as the first in the series I kept feeling as though I had missed something from a previous book. In some ways this is a credit to the author that she really developed her characters and their relations to each other. But at the same time I kept questioning whether this...more
While credited as the first in the series I kept feeling as though I had missed something from a previous book. In some ways this is a credit to the author that she really developed her characters and their relations to each other. But at the same time I kept questioning whether this...more
Set in the 19th century, the story involves Mrs. Jeffries, house keeper for Scotland Yard inspector Witherspoon, who helps him solve mysteries without his being aware. Mrs. Jeffries, widow of policeman, is an intelligent woman who helps, along with the various house hold staff of the inspector, the inspector solve his criminal cases. He is slow moving and not quick to grasp things so she works to encourage and guide him along the way.
This is the first in the Mrs. Jeffries series.
This is the first in the Mrs. Jeffries series.
I feel bad about this book. It's presumably a fine representation of what I believe is called a "cozy Victorian mystery." However, it seems I loathe Cozy Victorian Mysteries, and as a result I can only offer up two stars.
In some ways, this book didn't seem like the first in the series. The characters kept referring back to previous mysteries, the staff all seemed to know that Mrs. Jeffries was sneaking around solving crimes for her boss, and the Inspector apparently had been given his current po...more
In some ways, this book didn't seem like the first in the series. The characters kept referring back to previous mysteries, the staff all seemed to know that Mrs. Jeffries was sneaking around solving crimes for her boss, and the Inspector apparently had been given his current po...more
Inspector Witherspoon is a kind man, shy with women, and good to his servants. When he inherited a house and fortune from his aunt, he kept on the staff even when he didn't need to and thus earned their loyalty. His housekeeper is Mrs. Jeffries, a fifty-something widow of a copper who has a quick intelligent mind, a passion for solving mysteries and a need to mother everyone.
Dr. Slocum is found slumped over his lunch, obviously murdered. An unlikeable man while alive, the Inspector works to solv...more
Dr. Slocum is found slumped over his lunch, obviously murdered. An unlikeable man while alive, the Inspector works to solv...more
The focus of the book was in solving the mystery, and the answer was fairly clever (though I did solve it before our heroes did). The pacing was good, and the characters engaging. The world-building was okay. It often felt to me like this mystery could have happened at any time but had a few historical things dropped in to make it a historical. The social structure shown in the book certainly wasn't typical of the time. The characters are what kept me reading, not the mystery or the history.
Also...more
Also...more
I call these kind of books my "palate cleansers" - something quick, light and entertaining to read when I need a break from dark, violent suspense or dense historical fiction. This is the first book in the series, and I liked the "downstairs" characters - Mrs. Jeffries, Smythe, Betsy, and Wiggins. I find it hard to believe that Inspector Witherspoon could possibly be as incompetant as he is portrayed and still work for Scotland Yard (it's a good thing Mrs. Jeffries covers for him). Still, I did...more
Reading this book just makes me smile. This a pure cozy reading, and I enjoyed this first installment quite a bit, although I agree with other reviewers who report that this seems to be the second mystery the housekeeper turned clandestine detective solves with the help of the rest of the household staff--and under the nose of their employer, a kindly, but rather inept detective.
I do hope the characters will continue to evolve, and not remain static. While adorable and quirky, the characters see...more
I do hope the characters will continue to evolve, and not remain static. While adorable and quirky, the characters see...more
The Inspector has recently been promoted from the Records department and is now the "star" investigator at Scotland Yard. What no one knows, is that his skill isn't really his. His housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries, is the the brains behind his success. This is the first installment of a very long series. It's set in Victorian England, and this first book deals with the mysterious death of blackmailing doctor. This seems to fit the cozy mystery category --- humorous, at times, and no overt blood and gu...more
Light read, not a complex mystery, but one that I found thoroughly enjoyable. Housekeeper to an Inspector uses her crime-solving skills, along with the rest of the staff, to help him solve cases. Classic British cozy, interesting Victorian setting, great way to spend a few relaxing hours.
I thought this book was cuter when I read it in the '90's...but I'm still going to keep re-reading the series. But I'll admit that the doddering inspector routine gets a little bit annoying. Couldn't they make him just a little bit less airheaded??
The inspector will never solve the crimes without the help of Mrs. Jeffries and his grateful household staff. He is so lucky and they are so happy to help, it is great fun. Lighthearted reading for mystery fans.
1st in Mrs. Jeffries series.It was a cute Ewardian mystery and I plan to read the next three. I am hoping they get better with the next couple. The characters are interesting in the book, that is for sure.
I really enjoy this series. The characters are entertaining and the mysteries aren't obvious. My 9yo loves them too, they are clean and not graphic so I don't worry about her reading them.
Inspector Witherspoon receives the cladestine support for solving crimes from his domestic staff. One of the earliest stories and exp0lains how everyone became aware. A doctor is poisoned in his home or was he?
First book in a series.
By the time I got to book 2, I was hooked.
And I'll be checking to see if they've done a TV series on this.
If not - they should.
Read in 2009.h
By the time I got to book 2, I was hooked.
And I'll be checking to see if they've done a TV series on this.
If not - they should.
Read in 2009.h
Jun 13, 2008
Cindy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
cozy lovers
Shelves:
mysteries,
19th-century
Mrs. Jeffries is the housekeeper for Inspector Gerald Witherspoon of Scotland Yard. She helps him on his cases, without him knowing it. This is the first book of the series and it focuses on the murder of a doctor. If you like cozy mysteries, you would enjoy this one. It's set it Victorian England and it a quick, fun read. The series gets repetitive, though, so I got tired of it after a while. The servants are the center of the book and there's a lot of focus in the book on them and their relati...more
Love this whole series! Fun, quick mysteries :) Keep then coming!
May 11, 2010
Karie
added it
I could NOT get into this book. It just felt too contrived.
Mrs. Jeffries and her staff of "detectives" are a delight.
I really liked this series. I've only read a couple.
I would read another of these.
This was amusing -- a fun bit of light reading. It would be good on an airplane! I'll read the next one.
First book in charming Victorian mystery series.
Cute book. Not much thinking.
Fun, short, whoduntit mystery. I got a kick out of the characters, but will have to read more of the Mrs. Jeffries mystery books to get to know them better.
Fast and fun series
Lovely series!
A nice little British cozy. The Inspector of the title definitely needs the aid of Mrs. Jeffries, his housekeeper, as well as the rest of his staff, to solve the cases he gets - even as a police inspector, he hardly 'has a clue' about what is going on. But he is a gentle soul, as are the main characters of the book/series. After seeing so much violence & lack of caring in the news, it is refreshing to at least read about gentle people helping each other [while solving a good mystery.]
I would actually rate this 3 1/2 stars... it is a fun book, with fun characters... a little simplistic, but not a bad mystery at all... I will be reading more of this series (luckily a lot of them are in the library) and I'll see if the writing gets better (my hope, obviously) because this will be a gold mine if the writing does keep improving from this first book (which was not terrible by any means).
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Aka Cheryl Lanham, Sarah Temple
Emily Brightwell is the pen name of Cheryl Arguile. She is the author of all twenty-three published titles in her Victorian murder mystery series, The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries.
Emily Brightwell lives in Southern California. She has also written romance novels as Sarah Temple and Young Adult novels as Cheryl Lanham.
More about Emily Brightwell...
Emily Brightwell is the pen name of Cheryl Arguile. She is the author of all twenty-three published titles in her Victorian murder mystery series, The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries.
Emily Brightwell lives in Southern California. She has also written romance novels as Sarah Temple and Young Adult novels as Cheryl Lanham.
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