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Mrs. Jeffries #18
Mrs. Jeffries Sweeps the Chimney
A Dirty Business ... Inspector Witherspoon is perplexed. No one seems to know the identity of the dead man dressed like a vicar and propped up against the outside wall of St Paul's Church. A paper clutched in the corpse's hand reveals the address of a dilapidated and seemingly abandoned cottage - abandoned if you don't count the human skeleton stuffed in the chimney. To link these two bizarre incidents will take all of the resources at Witherspoon's command - and a little help from the efficient Mrs Jeffries ...
She keeps house for Inspector Witherspoon ... and keeps him on his toes. Everyone's awed by his Scotland Yard success - but they don't know about his secret weapon. No matter how messy the murder or how dirty the deed, Mrs Jeffries's polished detection skills are up to the task ... proving that behind every great man there's a woman - and that a crimesolver's work is never done.
She keeps house for Inspector Witherspoon ... and keeps him on his toes. Everyone's awed by his Scotland Yard success - but they don't know about his secret weapon. No matter how messy the murder or how dirty the deed, Mrs Jeffries's polished detection skills are up to the task ... proving that behind every great man there's a woman - and that a crimesolver's work is never done.
215 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 6, 2004
35 people are currently reading
562 people want to read
About the author
Emily Brightwell
68 books536 followersCheryl 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.
Cheryl Lanham Arguile returned to California, where she lives with her husband and a cranky old cat named Kiwi.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
March 6, 2012
I'm a fan of what my wife calls nosy old lady mysteries. They come in different varieties. Sometimes it's a spinster down the lane, or a retired librarian, or a moustached and waddling little foreigner, or a British "consulting detective" with a double brimmed cap. Either way, there's an individual who has nothing better to do than solve murders that don't involve him or her. Frankly, I don't care that they don't belong in the investigation. A killer will be uncovered, and that's what matters!
But in the case of the Mrs. Jeffries series, it isn't an individual--it's an entire household staff in Victorian England. They work for Inspector Witherspoon, and the Inspector needs all the help he can get. Mrs. Jeffries sends them off on errands (see who owns the rights to this, find out if anyone nearby has heard about that, ask when they were married, bribe a clerk for the copy of the will, and on and on) and they return with clues which Mrs. Jeffries assembles and then plants the seeds in the Inspector's noggin while delivering the evening sherry.
The mystery was very simple. The solution jumped out at me fairly early. But I thoroughly enjoyed watching the staff head off on their little fact-finding missions. Sometimes they stumbled, sometimes they triumphed, always I was entertained. If the mystery was more complex and the red herrings did a better job at leading me off the scent, I might have given this a 5. But since I do love a "nosy old lady mystery," and I’ve already ordered another in the series, I’d have to say that it deserves at least a 4.
But in the case of the Mrs. Jeffries series, it isn't an individual--it's an entire household staff in Victorian England. They work for Inspector Witherspoon, and the Inspector needs all the help he can get. Mrs. Jeffries sends them off on errands (see who owns the rights to this, find out if anyone nearby has heard about that, ask when they were married, bribe a clerk for the copy of the will, and on and on) and they return with clues which Mrs. Jeffries assembles and then plants the seeds in the Inspector's noggin while delivering the evening sherry.
The mystery was very simple. The solution jumped out at me fairly early. But I thoroughly enjoyed watching the staff head off on their little fact-finding missions. Sometimes they stumbled, sometimes they triumphed, always I was entertained. If the mystery was more complex and the red herrings did a better job at leading me off the scent, I might have given this a 5. But since I do love a "nosy old lady mystery," and I’ve already ordered another in the series, I’d have to say that it deserves at least a 4.
February 21, 2018
Inspector Witherspoon is Scotland Yard's top detective when it comes to solving messy or strange murders. No one really understands how the quiet, unassuming man of inherited wealth went from records file clerk to the leading murder detective with no unsolved crimes in his career. They don't realize that unbeknownst to him, that he has an entire crew working behind the scenes to help him find the answers! Meet Mrs. Jeffries, the inspector's housekeeper and the brains behind his astounding success; along with Mrs. Goodge, the cook; Wiggins, the footman; Betsy, the maid; Smythe, the coachman; and Luty Belle Crookshank, a wealthy American and her Butler, Hatchet, who have become close friends with the Inspector's household staff. Murderers in Victorian England don't stand a chance of getting away with their crimes with this crew hunting them down!
The Inspector and Constable Barnes are tasked with finding the murderer of an unknown man. He is dressed as a vicar and propped against the outside wall of a church. Who is this man and why does no one recognize him? Clutched in the victim's hand is a piece of paper with an address! The address leads them to an abandoned cottage, one of several across from a paint factory. While searching the cottage they discover skeletal remains stuffed up the chimney. Dr. Bosworth tells them that that the remains are those of a young woman. How does the skeleton connect with the unknown vicar? Mrs. Jeffries and the staff are happy to start their own behind the scenes investigation to lead the Inspector in the right direction.
The author brings the characters and London during the Victorian Era to vivid life, while giving us another twisted murder to solve. Mystery, cozy and historical readers will all delight in this engaging series.
The Inspector and Constable Barnes are tasked with finding the murderer of an unknown man. He is dressed as a vicar and propped against the outside wall of a church. Who is this man and why does no one recognize him? Clutched in the victim's hand is a piece of paper with an address! The address leads them to an abandoned cottage, one of several across from a paint factory. While searching the cottage they discover skeletal remains stuffed up the chimney. Dr. Bosworth tells them that that the remains are those of a young woman. How does the skeleton connect with the unknown vicar? Mrs. Jeffries and the staff are happy to start their own behind the scenes investigation to lead the Inspector in the right direction.
The author brings the characters and London during the Victorian Era to vivid life, while giving us another twisted murder to solve. Mystery, cozy and historical readers will all delight in this engaging series.
November 18, 2012
Mrs Jeffries keeps house for Inspector Witherspoon and assists him in all his investigations. In addition she recruits all the house staff to help her so that, as well as the Inspector and his forces, there is a team of amateurs involved in every investigation.
There are two murders in this one and it is a mystery as to how they have occurred and, of course, who committed them. Well into the book Wiggans, one of the house staff, comments, 'Nothing about this case makes much sense. I can't make hide nor hair of anything.' Even the indomitable Mrs Jeffries later says, 'I don't understand, sir.'
So imagine how the reader feels. Perhaps it is the best thing for a mystery to be perplexing but it is good to have some kind of idea. Well, this one is sometimes a struggle and to have a whole team of backroom staff running around gathering clues and reporting back to kitchen meetings is, to say the least, unusual.
So, overall while the idea is probably a good one, certainly novel, it doesn't completely do it for me but nevertheless it is a lightly likeable read.
There are two murders in this one and it is a mystery as to how they have occurred and, of course, who committed them. Well into the book Wiggans, one of the house staff, comments, 'Nothing about this case makes much sense. I can't make hide nor hair of anything.' Even the indomitable Mrs Jeffries later says, 'I don't understand, sir.'
So imagine how the reader feels. Perhaps it is the best thing for a mystery to be perplexing but it is good to have some kind of idea. Well, this one is sometimes a struggle and to have a whole team of backroom staff running around gathering clues and reporting back to kitchen meetings is, to say the least, unusual.
So, overall while the idea is probably a good one, certainly novel, it doesn't completely do it for me but nevertheless it is a lightly likeable read.
August 29, 2025
4⭐️
2 murders this time, but are they related? One is a Vicar and one is a cold case woman who was found shoved up a chimney. In this one there are twins who have always been rivals, a wealthy and disapproving uncle, India mission work etc!
Also, Wiggins meets his family for the first time and has to miss half of the investigation.
2 murders this time, but are they related? One is a Vicar and one is a cold case woman who was found shoved up a chimney. In this one there are twins who have always been rivals, a wealthy and disapproving uncle, India mission work etc!
Also, Wiggins meets his family for the first time and has to miss half of the investigation.
May 27, 2023
These books are all good. Easy reading and lovable characters. Lots of dialog. I listen to these on hoopla and am doing the series.
April 22, 2012
Old school detective work with no forensics or DNA to help out, because it simply wans't invented yet! A detective's entire household staff gets on the case (without his knowledge) and put bits and pieces of the mystery together to help their boss solve a crime without ever letting him know it. Great stuff!
December 14, 2012
Disappointing - the police inspector is a bit of a dolt, and only solves crimes because his household staff figure things out. The writing is erratic - sometimes characters speak with Cockney accents, dropping their "h"s, and other times they don't.
April 15, 2017
Such a fun book. Enjoyable characters.
October 4, 2021
Another good ensemble book. The team working well together with the addition of Barnes as backup. An easy to solve mystery, but little progression in the personal lives.
November 28, 2020
My favorite indulgence. Listening to a good book while playing a video game. This is a a good story
February 7, 2017
I really did enjoy the story. The characters are as familiar and lively as ever and the mystery, though fairly obvious, is well-written. There was one part, however, that bothered me. The chimney. I don't know why this bothers me so much, but it does! That issue aside, it was a good, fast read.
February 7, 2015
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
March 22, 2017
A quick read. While I was able to figure out the murderer fairly quickly, it was a cute little story. You do need to shut your brain down a little and ignore the fact that the inspector is a little naive and dense, that everyone seems to know that it is the household staff that solves the mysteries, and yet the inspector is highly respected. Not to mention the cookie-cutter characters, the occasional use of modern slang, and side stories that go no where. But like I said, it's a nice way to waste some time without exhausting your brain.
January 26, 2010
Just finished this 2nd book. I started this series in the middle as some of them you can not get anymore at least around here. I enjoyed seeing Mrs Jeffries and the staff help the inspector again on his new case. The more I read about the characters they more you want to know them. I will keep reading this cozy series.
September 14, 2017
Another delightful book in the series. Easy to read and interesting plot. Prequel to "The One Who Got Away". Series always great for travel reading.
October 15, 2025
Reverend Jasper Claypool meets a grim end with a bullet to the forehead, collapsing just outside a church near a cluster of abandoned cottages in Victorian London. Owned by the proprietors of a nearby paint factory, these crumbling homes hide dark secrets. As Inspector Witherspoon and his keen-eyed partner, Constable Barnes, dig into the case, they uncover a chilling link between Claypool’s murder and a skeleton lodged in one of the cottage chimneys, hinting at a tangled web of greed and betrayal.
I pieced this mystery together too early—maybe I’m just a seasoned cozy reader, but a witness’s offhand remark about a past injury clicked everything into place halfway through. That predictability nudged this from a potential four stars to a solid three, though the characters kept me hooked. Checking in with the Witherspoon household staff is always a delight—they’re a clever bunch, quietly gathering and synthesizing clues behind the scenes. This time, young footman Wiggins, ever the charmer with an eye for pretty girls, is absent, tending to a family emergency involving his ailing grandfather—a subplot I suspect will bloom in future books.
As always, the unassuming housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries, is the true genius, subtly steering Inspector Witherspoon to the solution with her razor-sharp mind. The staff’s discreet detective work in smoky parlors and bustling markets makes this a cozy, satisfying read.
This 17th installment in Emily Brightwell’s Mrs. Jeffries series is a wholesome escape, free of steamy scenes or profanity—a refreshing contrast to much of today’s fiction. I adore how Betsy, the housemaid, and Smythe, the coachman, share stolen kisses without veering into risqué territory. This restraint keeps the series approachable for all readers, and I’m confident future books will stay true to this charm.
Abigail Maupin’s narration, recorded for the American Printing House for the Blind via the National Library Service, brings this story to life. Her intuitive grasp of the characters feels spot-on, and she wisely avoids exaggerated accents or cartoonish voices. As someone with slight hearing loss on my left side, I deeply appreciate her clear, natural delivery—it makes listening a joy. My enthusiasm only grows knowing she narrates the next three books in the series.
I pieced this mystery together too early—maybe I’m just a seasoned cozy reader, but a witness’s offhand remark about a past injury clicked everything into place halfway through. That predictability nudged this from a potential four stars to a solid three, though the characters kept me hooked. Checking in with the Witherspoon household staff is always a delight—they’re a clever bunch, quietly gathering and synthesizing clues behind the scenes. This time, young footman Wiggins, ever the charmer with an eye for pretty girls, is absent, tending to a family emergency involving his ailing grandfather—a subplot I suspect will bloom in future books.
As always, the unassuming housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries, is the true genius, subtly steering Inspector Witherspoon to the solution with her razor-sharp mind. The staff’s discreet detective work in smoky parlors and bustling markets makes this a cozy, satisfying read.
This 17th installment in Emily Brightwell’s Mrs. Jeffries series is a wholesome escape, free of steamy scenes or profanity—a refreshing contrast to much of today’s fiction. I adore how Betsy, the housemaid, and Smythe, the coachman, share stolen kisses without veering into risqué territory. This restraint keeps the series approachable for all readers, and I’m confident future books will stay true to this charm.
Abigail Maupin’s narration, recorded for the American Printing House for the Blind via the National Library Service, brings this story to life. Her intuitive grasp of the characters feels spot-on, and she wisely avoids exaggerated accents or cartoonish voices. As someone with slight hearing loss on my left side, I deeply appreciate her clear, natural delivery—it makes listening a joy. My enthusiasm only grows knowing she narrates the next three books in the series.
September 5, 2019
This is the second Mrs. Jeffries book that I've read recently. Like the previous, this was written for an American readership (USA publication 2004) and only published later in the UK (2018). This is obvious from the text with the author's use of American English. There are several references to 'row houses' which would be called 'terraced houses' in UK usage. Elsewhere, Inspector Witherspoon says he has put a watch for a suspect at train 'depots'. That term is never used in the UK, he would have said railway 'stations'. An interesting use I've never noticed before is in the form of the past tense of the verb 'to light' as in to light a fire, lamp etc. In several places the past tense is shown as 'lighted'. To British ears that sounds rather like a way a child would speak. Here, the past tense of the verb is always 'lit'. The author is usually good on London and English geography. However, in one episode the maid, Betsy, is following a witness who goes to Finchley station and buys a return ticket to Amersham. Betsy does likewise and gets into conversation with the witness and realises 'as the train draws into Edgeware (actually spelt Edgware)' that she needs to gain the individual's confidence 'before they reach Willesden Junction'. Edgware always was, and still is, the end of the line and nowhere near Willesden Junction - although no longer, sadly, directly connected with any of the Finchley stations. Ok, enough of the nitpicking and to the book itself. By halfway through the book, it was clear to me what had happened and who the perpetrators of the ghastly murders were. However, the intrepid band of servants and friends trying to help the Inspector don't realise the truth until right at the end if the book. I also thought the author had transgressed one of the 10 rules of detective fiction, but on looking at the rules again, I think she gets away with her plot device. I won't say which one as it would be a spoiler. The idea of the band of servants having nothing better to do than spend most of the day following suspects, traipsing all round London etc. is fairly unbelievable and the book really is not worth more than 2*. I was over generous with the rating of the last one I read.
May 2, 2022
Mrs. Jeffries Sweeps the Chimney is number 18 in this cozy Victorian era series. I read 1-3 and jumped to number 17, now I've read 18. It's very easy to not have to read these books in order and be able miss a whole bunch like I did, as the characters are the same after all these years. They haven't developed and that's okay with these series, they don't have too and it certainly helps my case of not being able to find books 4-16 in any of my second hand book stores.
I bought a whole bunch of them (#17 and on) back in 2015 and finally found books 1-3 a while back. It's only now that I've started reading a book every other book I read. Good thing I quite enjoy them since I have so many in my bookcase.
So Mrs. Jeffries and the rest of Witherspoon's household are back at it, helping their beloved inspector and employer solve another mystery by very casually dropping hints at what they have found out for themselves.
This time there is a dead vicar found dead and propped up against the outside wall of St. Paul's Church with a paper clutched in his hand with an address of a dilapidated and abandoned cottage to find out there's a dead human skeleton stuffed up in the chimney!
But there was something new that happened that hasn't taken place in any of the 4 previous books I've read, the story doesn't quite wrap up and I'm hoping that "something" returns in a book yet to come.
Unfortunately, I didn't solve this one, though when it was revealed, it seemed so obvious.
There was mention of a "Dresden figurine", so I had to google it because I was curious as I live on a Dresden Road.
I'm looking forward to #19.
I bought a whole bunch of them (#17 and on) back in 2015 and finally found books 1-3 a while back. It's only now that I've started reading a book every other book I read. Good thing I quite enjoy them since I have so many in my bookcase.
So Mrs. Jeffries and the rest of Witherspoon's household are back at it, helping their beloved inspector and employer solve another mystery by very casually dropping hints at what they have found out for themselves.
This time there is a dead vicar found dead and propped up against the outside wall of St. Paul's Church with a paper clutched in his hand with an address of a dilapidated and abandoned cottage to find out there's a dead human skeleton stuffed up in the chimney!
But there was something new that happened that hasn't taken place in any of the 4 previous books I've read, the story doesn't quite wrap up and I'm hoping that "something" returns in a book yet to come.
Unfortunately, I didn't solve this one, though when it was revealed, it seemed so obvious.
There was mention of a "Dresden figurine", so I had to google it because I was curious as I live on a Dresden Road.
I'm looking forward to #19.
June 10, 2019
Rating 3
a nice easy read which didn't tax my vocabulary or reasoning powers to identify the killer/s.
it has been a while since I last read one of these books and seeing this one in the local charity shop thought why not. This is number 18 in the series and way beyond what I had read previously.
however although the number of helpers for Mrs Jeffries has increased by quite a number, and how the inspector doesn't twig something is a bit beyond me, the personal stories of Mrs Jeffries and the rest of his household have not really advanced any further. Neither has his really, not professionally nor personally.
in other words as with many other long running series the main characters do not change despite the passing of the years and the extra attention they must attract after so many successful cases.
on one hand i don't mind that as these are still entertaining reads and pass the time - achieving presumably what the author set out to achieve; on the other hand it is nice to see some changes occasionally even if only for a couple of books. (for example 2 other 'cosy' series Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin have become for me at least very poor reads due to the non changing nature of the main characters, and what few changes have been made have made those characters less rather than more)
Overall then a nice , entertaining read which passed the time quickly and enjoyably.
I think i would recommend if anyone asked me.
a nice easy read which didn't tax my vocabulary or reasoning powers to identify the killer/s.
it has been a while since I last read one of these books and seeing this one in the local charity shop thought why not. This is number 18 in the series and way beyond what I had read previously.
however although the number of helpers for Mrs Jeffries has increased by quite a number, and how the inspector doesn't twig something is a bit beyond me, the personal stories of Mrs Jeffries and the rest of his household have not really advanced any further. Neither has his really, not professionally nor personally.
in other words as with many other long running series the main characters do not change despite the passing of the years and the extra attention they must attract after so many successful cases.
on one hand i don't mind that as these are still entertaining reads and pass the time - achieving presumably what the author set out to achieve; on the other hand it is nice to see some changes occasionally even if only for a couple of books. (for example 2 other 'cosy' series Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin have become for me at least very poor reads due to the non changing nature of the main characters, and what few changes have been made have made those characters less rather than more)
Overall then a nice , entertaining read which passed the time quickly and enjoyably.
I think i would recommend if anyone asked me.
August 10, 2019
Slightly disappointing end but still a good story
When Reverend Claypool is found murdered in a churchyard clutching a note with an address on it Inspector Witherspoon is called in. It becomes even more intriguing when the Inspector and Constable Barnes find an abandoned cottage, owned by the victims family, with a hidden skeleton.
Twisting and turning through the lies of all the family members seems to be getting them nowhere fast but not to worry Mrs Jeffries and the rest of the household are working diligently to help the Inspector in the background.
With Wiggins away visiting his dying grandfather who wants to make amends the team are one short but Luty Belle and Hatchett are back from America and more than happy to join in finding the murderer. Will Wiggins be able to forgive his grandfather for abandoning him and his mother, leaving them in poverty following the death of his father?
Is it Horace who's been embezzling the company funds?
Or his younger brother Eric who's been forced to earn his position in the company?
Is it Hilda, one of the twins who appears to be happily married but was preventing the sale of the cottages?
Or maybe the black sheep of the family her identical twin Eliza who's been living in Paris with a series of lover's?
Read on to find out, with as many twists and turns as Agatha Christie's tales can you work out which one before Mrs Jeffries?
When Reverend Claypool is found murdered in a churchyard clutching a note with an address on it Inspector Witherspoon is called in. It becomes even more intriguing when the Inspector and Constable Barnes find an abandoned cottage, owned by the victims family, with a hidden skeleton.
Twisting and turning through the lies of all the family members seems to be getting them nowhere fast but not to worry Mrs Jeffries and the rest of the household are working diligently to help the Inspector in the background.
With Wiggins away visiting his dying grandfather who wants to make amends the team are one short but Luty Belle and Hatchett are back from America and more than happy to join in finding the murderer. Will Wiggins be able to forgive his grandfather for abandoning him and his mother, leaving them in poverty following the death of his father?
Is it Horace who's been embezzling the company funds?
Or his younger brother Eric who's been forced to earn his position in the company?
Is it Hilda, one of the twins who appears to be happily married but was preventing the sale of the cottages?
Or maybe the black sheep of the family her identical twin Eliza who's been living in Paris with a series of lover's?
Read on to find out, with as many twists and turns as Agatha Christie's tales can you work out which one before Mrs Jeffries?
September 3, 2024
When a reverend is found murdered in the London streets, a note containing an address clutched in his hand, Inspector Gerald Witherspoon is at first baffled; it appears that nobody knows who the man is, or how he came to be killed. Soon enough, he learns that the man had just returned from India without letting his relatives know about his arrival, and that the address in his hand is one of several abandoned houses near a factory owned by his family - an address that happens to have a skeleton stuffed up its chimney! With so little information and so many confusing details, the Inspector will certainly need the clandestine help of Mrs. Jeffries and the rest of the household staff in coming to a conclusion in this matter…. The 18th Mrs. Jeffries book shows all the hallmarks of the earlier ones - lots of bumbling around for information that doesn’t seem to make any sense, bits and pieces garnered from the lower classes, a sudden flash of insight and - ta-da! - a mystery solved. Here we learn a bit more about Wiggins’ family history and discover that Luty Belle is well-served by her lawyers, again adding just that little bit more to the sense of family that these books convey. Enjoyable as usual; recommended.
September 7, 2018
#18 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).
Inspector Witherspoon’s latest murder case: an unidentified dead man, dressed like a vicar, is discovered propped up against the outside wall of a church. A paper clutched in his hand reveals the address of a seemingly abandoned cottage except for a skeleton stuffed in the chimney. Are they connected and why was man killed? That is Inspector Witherspoon’s latest case.
Inspector Witherspoon’s latest murder case: an unidentified dead man, dressed like a vicar, is discovered propped up against the outside wall of a church. A paper clutched in his hand reveals the address of a seemingly abandoned cottage except for a skeleton stuffed in the chimney. Are they connected and why was man killed? That is Inspector Witherspoon’s latest case.
June 7, 2020
A very good entry in the series. Not too many characters, but all suspects at one time or other. An elderly vicar is found dead, propped up sitting against the wall of a church near the London docks. He he has bullet in his forehead and a piece of paper with an address clutched in his cold hand. When Inspector Witherspoon and Constable Barnes go to address, they find a dilapidated house in a row of houses that have not been lived on for 10 years. Upon examining the house, the two policemen find a body stuffed in the chimney!! The police surgeon estimates the body has been there for 10 years. Does the body in the chimney have anything to do with the dead vicar; he just returned to England that morning, after living in India for 10 years. Do they have one murderer or two? Inspector Witherspoon's loyal servants, led by his housekeeper Mrs Jeffries, are determined to help the Inspector solve this most confusing mystery. A delicious page-turner!
July 19, 2021
In Victorian London, an elderly clergyman is shot and killed in a fog. In his pocket is the address of an abandoned cottage where another murder victim--killed many years before--is found. It's a perplexing case for Inspector Witherspoon, but his household--which secretly helps him investigate--is on the case. Meanwhile, Wiggins, the young footman, is summoned to the bedside of a dying grandfather he's never met; Wiggins' mother wasn't "good enough" for the grandfather's deceased son, or so the grandfather thought at the time. Has he changed his mind?
This is such an enjoyable series, with such warm relationships in the found family of the household and their friends. I gave it only three stars because the murder was pretty easy to figure out this time; the author employed a well-used plot device that any reader of mysteries (or Shakespeare, or Wilde, or many other authors) can spot pretty quickly.
This is such an enjoyable series, with such warm relationships in the found family of the household and their friends. I gave it only three stars because the murder was pretty easy to figure out this time; the author employed a well-used plot device that any reader of mysteries (or Shakespeare, or Wilde, or many other authors) can spot pretty quickly.
August 28, 2020
The staff at the inspector’s house have their work cut out for them this time as they attempt to solve two murders committed ten years apart.
This is another great historical mystery featuring the eclectic characters including Mrs. Jeffries, the rest of the staff and a few friends. As with the other books in this series, the author weaves a great tale that triggers the reader’s imagination and allows them to visualize the historical setting. The characters are engaging, the mystery complex and intricate, and underneath it all a sense of friendship and family. I look forward to the next adventure.
This is another great historical mystery featuring the eclectic characters including Mrs. Jeffries, the rest of the staff and a few friends. As with the other books in this series, the author weaves a great tale that triggers the reader’s imagination and allows them to visualize the historical setting. The characters are engaging, the mystery complex and intricate, and underneath it all a sense of friendship and family. I look forward to the next adventure.
May 23, 2021
3.5 stars. Audiobook-reader, Jennifer Dixon, I like better than Lindy Nettleton.
These are enjoyable, cozy mysteries in Victorian England. The characters are entertaining, and you become attached to them. Their stories and relationships evolve over time. The mystery itself is good, too. The premise is a bit silly--that the servants can solve the mystery without the inspector finding out. There are caring and tender moments in the books. It's fun to come back to them after reading books that are more serious. I ignore the contrived bits. This story is one of the few times in my life that I actually figured out the mystery first! (All books in this series have basically the same review.)
These are enjoyable, cozy mysteries in Victorian England. The characters are entertaining, and you become attached to them. Their stories and relationships evolve over time. The mystery itself is good, too. The premise is a bit silly--that the servants can solve the mystery without the inspector finding out. There are caring and tender moments in the books. It's fun to come back to them after reading books that are more serious. I ignore the contrived bits. This story is one of the few times in my life that I actually figured out the mystery first! (All books in this series have basically the same review.)
August 15, 2021
I have to say that I figured out this mystery before all of the clues were given. A Vicar from India is found dead next to a parish and found in is hand is an address on a piece of paper. When the police go to this address they discover another body. This body is in the chimney, and according to a bone expert, it has been there a very long time. Who would hide a dead body in a chimney, and why did the dead Vicar have the address of this house in his hand? Are the deaths related or two separate murders? At the core is a family and their paint manufacturing plant which is located next to the home where the body was found in the chimney. Are they related? read and see.
July 9, 2025
An elderly vicar is shot to death outside a church. No one in the church recognizes him, and the only clue is an address clutched in his hand. When Inspector Witherspoon and Constable Barnes check out the address, they find a skeleton stuck in the chimney. Who are these two unfortunate people, and who wanted them dead? Are the deaths related? Eventually, they discover the vicar’s name and locate his family, but the mystery becomes more and more curious. The staff at the inspector’s home use every resource they can think of to help the inspector solve it. Lutie and Hatchett are back, but Lady Cannonberry doesn’t appear in this story.
December 31, 2023
Mrs. Jeffries Sweeps the Chimney (Mrs. Jeffries, #18) — Emily Brightwell/Narrator: Jennifer M. Dixon (11 chapters) December 27, 2023
A mysterious dead man, propped against an outside wall hold the address of an abandon house that only contains the corpse of a very dead woman. No one can identify neither the man nor the woman, and yet they surely are related. It takes all the information that Mrs. Jeffries and he gang can drag up to help Inspector Witherspoon solve this case, but she needs to do it before another person is killed.
Four stars.
A mysterious dead man, propped against an outside wall hold the address of an abandon house that only contains the corpse of a very dead woman. No one can identify neither the man nor the woman, and yet they surely are related. It takes all the information that Mrs. Jeffries and he gang can drag up to help Inspector Witherspoon solve this case, but she needs to do it before another person is killed.
Four stars.
June 4, 2024
This is for audio book readers on BARD ( books for the reading disabled). The book itself is great, I really enjoy listening to this series, but the reader/actor for books 1-17 were beautifully done with great accents. Unfortunately, the reader for volumes 18-25 were not. The reader would be fine if this series was set in North America, but its not (and there is one person in the boom that is, so the similarity to the other voices is too close for my liking).
The book is still good, and makes for a great cozy mystery series to get hooked on.
The book is still good, and makes for a great cozy mystery series to get hooked on.
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