Mrs. Jeffries and the Mistletoe Mix-Up

Mrs. Jeffries #29

by Emily Brightwell

Ring in the season with another Mrs. Jeffries tale of holiday homicide.Moments after a high tea is interrupted by a fire in the servants’ hall, art collector Daniel McCourt is found sprawled on the floor of his study under a bundle of mistletoe, his throat slit by the bloody sword lying next to his body. Could the killer be a disgruntled lover, sending a message by murdering McCourt under the mistletoe? Could it be one of his fellow collectors, pointedly using one of McCourt’s own acquisitions to kill him?Inspector Witherspoon is determined to solve the case—preferably before Christmas Eve—but of course he will need some assistance from the always sharp-witted Mrs. Jeffries, who has her own theories on why McCourt had to die by the sword...

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

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2011

About the author

Cheryl Lanham was born on 11 October 1948 in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia, USA. Her family moved to Southern California in 1959 and she grew up in Pasadena. After graduating from California State University, she decided to work her way around the world and took off for England. She didn’t get much further because she met Richard James Arguile, the Englishman who became her husband, got married on May 1976, and had two children, Matthew and Amanda. While working in international shipping, she decided to pursue her dream and become a writer – which, of course, is the best job ever. She has written romance novels as Sarah Temple, and Young Adult novels as Cheryl Lanham. As Emily Brightwell, she is the author of the “Mrs. Jeffries” mysteries.

Cheryl Lanham Arguile returned to California, where she lives with her husband and a cranky old cat named Kiwi.

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's always like visiting old friends with Mrs. Jeffries and the gang. Always fun.

[Book Concierge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspector Witherspoon is called out for a high-profile case. The wealthy Daniel McCourt is murdered in his study with one of the ceremonial Oriental swords he collects. He had invited a group to tea so he could unveil his latest purchase, an extremely rare and valuable sword, but before he could gloat the party broke up. So who murdered him, if everyone had left the house? Inspector Witherspoon is sure to solve the case … or rather, his housekeeper Mrs Jeffries, along with the other servants of the household and a few friends, will solve it and gently nudge him towards arresting the suspect.

This is a gentle historical cozy set in Victorian London and featuring the Woman-behind-the-Man … or more appropriately the women and men who are far ahead of the Man. Using their wide network of contacts, and common sense, the team will quickly ferret out the important clues and piece together the puzzle. The novel moves back and forth in perspective from the Inspector to the various team members, giving the reader little clues as the characters unveil them.

I picked this up from my library’s seasonal display. It’s book #29 in the series and I did feel I was at a bit of a disadvantage for not knowing all the background of how the team had come together. Brightwell does give some back story so this wasn’t a huge disadvantage. I was sufficiently entertained to go back to the beginning of the series and read from book #1, though I suspect that I’ll get tired of the premise after a few reads.

[JoAn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's Christmas time and the Witherspoon household is preparing for Christmas when the Inspector gets another high profile murder case. The household along with Luty Belle and Hatchet are soon on the case to help the Inspector. A few deft twists and red herrings sprinkled throughout the story kept me turning the pages.

[Eileen Lynx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good story

[Elizabeth]

Checked it out as Christmas read but think l may just start series from beginning.

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Valerie

To tell you the truth, I’m not a big mystery girl. I usually guess the plot by the end of the story, so I tend to avoid the whole mystery genre. Not only that, but most mysteries I’ve read are more like monologues of a protagonist’s life than a genuine mystery novel. I was a little reluctant to read Mrs. Jeffries and the Mistletoe Mix-up, I admit. However, I actually was really pleased after reading it. Considering that I am not easily pleased, that’s saying a lot.

What I really like about this mystery is that it’s not just about one person. It involves a lot of teamwork. There’s Smythe, Betsy, Phillis, and Hatchet. There’s Mrs. Jeffries, of course, among some. What I admire is the author’s ability to change perspectives throughout the book without making it choppy. She transitions very seamlessly and still manages to spend enough time on each character. I also love how Inspector Witherspoon attempts to solve the mystery but secretly is getting help from his household. It’s so charming!

I love the Victorian setting. I love how there are no iPods or phones or cars. It’s so refreshing from what I normally read. It’s so cozy and charming to set the book back in the Victorian times, so I can read about the cook making scones or cakes. To tell you the truth, I was actually getting really hungry while I was reading because of all the food! Honestly, I never experience that from reading a book. I am so impressed with this series; I can’t wait to read the next book!

Unlike other series, you don’t need to have read the preceding books. This was actually the first Mrs. Jeffries book I had read, and I didn’t get confused at all. It was easy to feel like I had started at the first book, and I felt very comfortable reading the 29th book first. That’s actually quite a huge accomplishment for any author, so I really commend Emily Brightwell for doing such a great job! You can really start reading the last book and then read the first; that’s how good she is about making you feel comfortable.

This was actually a really charming read. I read this one in one sitting, which is a huge thing for me. I never read books in one sitting, so you can tell that this book has a great plot! Yup, you should pick it up today.

http://openbooksociety.com/article/mr...

[Phyllis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book begins with Inspector Witherspoon's household preparing for Christmas and the McCourt family holding an afternoon gathering. Daniel McCourt has gathered a group of acquaintances to brag about his acquisition of an ancient artifact, although no one, including his wife, knows what it is. Before he has a chance to reveal his acquisition, he is brutally murdered with his own sword. Inspector Witherspoon is called in to investigate the case. As in other "Mrs. Jeffries" books his household assists, without his knowledge, in solving the case by subtly interviewing people of society and members of domestic staffs to find out if they can contribute any information about the crime. Mrs. Jeffries cleverly pieces together information she and her colleagues (Mrs. Goodge, Smythe, Wiggins, Luty, Ruth Cannonbury, Hatchett and a few others) learn and information she learns from the Inspector and figures out who killed McCourt then relays the information to Witherspoon's fellow police officer Constable Barnes, who then helps initiate an arrest. This is a fun book to read and includes believable three-dimensional characters with everyday worries and lives.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspector Witherspoon has another murder to solve. Daniel McCourt, a collector of antiques, is found dead in his study. Right before he was murdered, he hosted an afternoon tea and the six attendees were all known to be people he competed against for his collection. His wife has just inherited a great fortune and had informed him that she would be handling the finances from that time on. The inspector must try to solve the case before Christmas. Mrs. Jeffries and her minions are on hand to point the inspector in the right direction. These mysteries are great fun. They are all set in Victorian England and the characters are great. I really love the way Ms. Brightwell twists the stories so that the servants do most of the mystery solving.

[Melissa Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the inclusion of Phyllis in the household and was glad that Betsy and Smythe were still a part of the investigations. The mystery is as charming as ever and I also like that Ruth is around more to help out as well. Question is will anything ever happen with Ruth and Witherspoon?? ha ha ha

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another solid Victorian cozy!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspector Witherspoon, of the Victorian-era Scotland Yard, has no idea that his household staff and their friends help him investigate all of his murders. Led by Mrs. Jeffries, the housekeeper, their resources are vast, and they can reach into all levels of society. This time, art and antiquities collector Daniel McCourt, who was about to flaunt his latest acquisition to a small group invited to his home, was found murdered by one of his own swords. Many people couldn't stand him. His newly-confident wife just inherited a fortune and isn't about to let him fritter it away as he did the last one. His relatives mostly despise him for various reasons, and they aren't too fond of each other as well. With so many people to investigate, will they finish by Christmas?

Another light mystery with the aspirational warmth of the household's found family to counter the murder of a man no one liked. The clues in this one felt a bit obvious, I'll admit, but I don't really read these for the mysteries alone. At this point, the characters all feel like old friends, and if most of them don't change much from book to book, well, I can live with that! At least Smythe and Betsy have a new baby, who's the delight of the household, and apparently never cries and doesn't get in the way of the investigation (I did say aspirational!).

[The Hobbit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daniel McCourt, a collector of Oriental antiquities, was murdered with a Korean sword. His body was found under a sprig of mistletoe hung from the where the sword had been. Several guests had been at the McCourt house for tea, which ended early when there was a paraffin fire downstairs in the kitchen. The smell was so over-powering that Mrs. McCourt had told her guests to go home. Daniel McCourt was furious with his wife; he was about to show his guests a valuable addition to his collection. Inspector Witherspoon and Constable Barnes interviewed all the guests at the tea; none of them liked Daniel McCourt, including Mrs McCourt. Mrs Jeffries, the Inspector's housekeeper, and his household staff, began their inquiries of the servants of all the McCourt's guests as soon as they heard Witherspoon had been given the case. Shopkeepers and pub customers were also interviewed by the household staff; gossip travels quickly and often is true. Getting the information to the Inspector was Mrs Jeffries job. She was aided by Constable Barnes, who passed Mrs Jeffries discoveries on to the Inspector as information from his "sources." Lots of suspects and red herrings! Most of the male suspects were disagreeable, miserable men - not very likable. Still a good read!

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

#29 in the end of the 19th century London based mystery series in which Scotland Yard Inspector Witherspoon's domestic staff headed by Mrs. Jefferies, without his knowledge, work to help him solve his murder cases. The recurring and well developed helpers” are Barnes (Witherspoon’s detective sergeant), Mrs. Goodge (cook), Smythe (coachman), Betsy (maid and later Smythe’s wife), Wiggins (servant), Phyllis (maid and newest addition), Luty (wealthy American widow), Hatchet (Luty’s butler), and Ruth (next door neighbor and romantic interest for Witherspoon).

It is near another Christmas and Inspector Witherspoon gets assigned a murder case as he has the past couple of Christmases.

Oriental art collector Daniel McCourt murdered by one of the objects in his extensive collection. He is not the easiest person to get along with so there is a large group of persons not mourning his passing. The investigation quickly turns up angry women, wives, scorned lovers, unhappy relatives and a deadly taste for collecting that seems to be shared among the dead man's family.

[Alison C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daniel McCourt is a collector of Oriental artifacts, and he has a number of rivals in the collecting world, as well as grasping advisors and people with bad intentions. When he is murdered with an ancient sword, there can be little doubt that his obsession with collecting is pertinent to the crime, but how will Inspector Witherspoon sift through all the arcane details to discover the real story? With the clandestine help of his household and their friends, of course…. One of the fun things in this series is the development of the various recurring characters; this time around, we actually learn the first names of some of these characters who we have known for 29 books now! I’m a little upset that Betsy is sidelined here, however happy she is with her situation, but aside from that I found this another enjoyable outing in Victorian London. Though I must say that Ms. Brightwell seems to create especially tricky murders right around Christmastime (I think this is the fourth or fifth book in the series set at that time of year)! Recommended.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Sometimes, Mrs. Goodge considered the idea that Mrs. Jeffries had a flair for the dramatic, but of course, she kept that opinion quiet." YES, Mrs. Goodge, you are so right!!! I become so annoyed anytime, (which is every time) that Mrs. Jeffries says she thinks she knows the identity of the murderer but refuses to tell the rest of the household, due to the fact that she could be wrong. UGH! It is just Mrs. Jeffries pride talking....wouldn't it be better to discuss it with the others to hear their opinions on her theory? Okay, I finally got it out of my system lol. This was a pretty enjoyable Mrs. J. mystery, especially since we meet Smythe's and Betsy's baby!!! I was pleasantly pleased with Betsy's attitude after having her baby. A fun read perfect for the weeks before Christmas. I am already reading the next one in the series! ;)

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's Christmas time and the Inspector's house is preparing for the big holidays, but as usual, a murder takes place and it's up to Mrs. Jeffries and the rest of the Inspector's Witherspoon's household to help solve yet another, actually #29, in this beloved Victorian series.

The victim this time is art collector, Daniel McCourt. He has gathered a group of acquaintances in his home for an afternoon tea to brag about his latest acquisition, an ancient artifact, a sword. Before he has a chance to reveal what it is to everyone, including his wife, he is brutally murdered, his throat slit by this sword.

I really enjoy this series. I'm always on the hunt to find more of them in my second hand bookstores. I recently found 3 more - yippee!

I usually can solve who the murderer is before Mrs. Jeffries does and I was successful with this story too. Another yippee!

[Zara · Rating 5 out of 5]

#29

I continue with this series as I really enjoy spending time with Mrs Jeffries and the household. They are a found family and it is truly heartwarming. I love the descriptions of Victorian decor and I love how Brightwell shows times were changing (suffragette movement, Mrs Goodge changing her opinions on class, and ofcourse most of the murders seem to be amongst the upper class by nasty upper class people).

This was a good mystery, a not very pleasant man who loves collecting Eastern art/antiques has his throat sliced by an ancient Eastern sword. This one kept me guessing a little, although suspects from outside the immediate present were introduced during the story which is unusual for Brightwell. I loved learning a little about how the British upperclass collected Eastern art/antiques, an aspect of history I haven't really thought much about.

Very enjoyable for cosy mystery lovers.

[Vicki Gooding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, in the first couple of pages into the book, something was said that caused me to think, "I'll bet this is the one who did it". However; there was little pointing to the why. Eventually I learn it was correct.
Once again our wonderful gang of the Inspectors servants, and their warm, close knit ties start the task of discovery and spoon feeding the Inspector details of the direction (which he still believes he comes up with on his own) he should investigate next. The ending seemed quite satisfying somehow. This was another enjoyable, & easy read which with the holiday theme is always welcomed.

[Jennifer Warner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started strong but got a little boring to me. That may be a function of my life right now…running around for Christmas in the real world means starting and stopping and reviewing where I was. Still, I found the premise to be a bit much. There is a massive group of servants, neighbours, and even other police, helping this one inspector to look good at his job. An increasing number of people are in on the secret, but the inspector has no clue? He must be terrible at his job. I also found it repetitive, with clues and their meanings being stated over and over. Nevertheless, it’s a cute Christmas cozy that is easy to read.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A plethora of clues, once again, and difficulty figuring out the answer makes this book another win for Ms. Brightwell. I knew right off the bat who I WANTED the murdered to be but couldn't see my way clear to prove it. To go through the investigating as the household crew gathers information is fun, and I particularly enjoyed baby Amanda. It surprised me that Phyllis wants to be a typist, so I figure she may not be long for the crew, since once anyone discovers it, they will make sure she gets the training for it, and she'll be gone. The Inspector is growing with each book, too, and I have hopes for a happy outcome for him.

[StillReadingBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have tried to read this before and couldn’t get into it. This time I picked it up because I was avoiding reading for work. For whatever reason, now was the right time. There are quite a cast of 1000 in this series, so at times I think I was confusing people, but I got the main characters, and I clearly understood all the suspects. I did not predict the end, which is nice. I did find myself drinking a lot of tea as I read ... I would read another in this series. Who doesn’t like the PG rated version of Victorian Society?

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mrs. Jeffries directs the household staff of a policeman who inherited his house and still works for a living. Due to his working class background, he regards his servants as human beings and this has brought him the affection and loyalty of all of his employees who have decided to secretly help him to solve his cases. Helping him solve this case is especially important because Christmas is approaching and they don’t want it to interfere with the happiness of the season. This book features interesting characters and a look at the challenges of being “in service” in Victorian England

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never read a book by this author before. My daughter suggested it because it fit a challenge task. I do enjoy reading cozy mysteries, and this was fun to read. It isn't the first in the series, but I was able to catch on to who was who. The team of sleuths were delightful. Kind of sad that Inspector Witherspoon has no idea that his staff and friends are sleuthing for him. But at least the case gets solved, right?
I would read another Mrs. Jeffries book. I'd recommend this cozy mystery to those who love the genre.

[Terry Polston · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine murder mystery. There are a lot of characters in the story that work behind the scenes to help solve the mystery. The whole cast of domestics in the house plus some neighbors. Then there are all the witnesses and people of interest who the Inspector and Constable have to interview. It is quite endearing how the staff help the Inspector without him knowing it. Just my own trouble keeping the names straight stopped me from giving 4*

[Marian · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kind of mystery! A delightful bunch of good guys - housekeeper, butler, coachman, housemaid and cook in Victorian London, who gather clues for the head of house, Inspector Witherspoon. And a respectable bunch of possible murderers, so, with abundant clues gathered right along, we're kept guessing til near the end.

[Barb Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collector of Asian antiquities has his throat slashed by a valuable Japanese sword, and it's up to Inspector Witherspoon and crew to solve the murder.

Some of the clues seemed a bit contrived in this Mrs. Jeffries novel. Our team solves the case but only because of a domestic altercation. Still, the stories involving our favorite Victorian-era household continue to delight.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a hard one for me to rate, I enjoyed the beginning of this book, but the middle was long and boring, but the ending ruined it for me. The writing was repetitive, which was tiresome. I didn’t like how everyone treated the inspector like an idiot and worked behind his back. And the resolution was rushed and amateur. I don’t think I’ll read more in this series.

[Alton Motobu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasant cozy Christmas mystery with Inspector Witherspoon's housekeeping staff solving the crime and letting him take the credit. They do not expect accolades - they do it for their own amusement - as they interview housekeeping staff of some of the suspects to get a real picture of what was going on.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps a 3.5 rating would be more appropriate.

The suspects in this book were not as developed as in Emily Brightwell's other book. The story line was OK but a bit confusing because brothers were involved and it was difficult to follow the train of thought of the police and their helpers.

[Amy Knighton · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was my first Mrs. Jeffries book, so I had trouble keeping up with the characters. But I did enjoy it enough to read another one. I plan on checking out the first Mrs. Jeffries book- The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries.