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Jane Jeffry #13
The House of Seven Mabels
"Homemaking" is about to take on a whole new meaning for Jane Jeffry, now that she's agreed to help the prosperouslydivorced Bitsy Burnside restore and redecorate a decrepit old neighborhood mansion. Bitsy's decision to employ an almost all-woman crew has prompted Jane's quick-witted best bud Shelley Nowack to dub the project, "the House of Seven Mabels" -- but it's also engendered some nasty ill will.
And when what begins as a series of anonymous, mean-spirited "pranks" ends up leaving one of the workwomen lying dead at the foot of a staircase, Jane and Shelley decide to try and nail the assassin. But the more Jane saws away at the truth, the more it appears that she may be painting herself into a corner, leaving herself no exit if a crafty killer decides to make Jane Jeffry the next demolition project.
And when what begins as a series of anonymous, mean-spirited "pranks" ends up leaving one of the workwomen lying dead at the foot of a staircase, Jane and Shelley decide to try and nail the assassin. But the more Jane saws away at the truth, the more it appears that she may be painting herself into a corner, leaving herself no exit if a crafty killer decides to make Jane Jeffry the next demolition project.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 2002
3 people are currently reading
348 people want to read
About the author
Jill Churchill
42 books199 followersA pseudonym used by Janice Young Brooks.
Jill Churchill, winner of the Agatha and Macavity Mystery Readers Awards, and nominated for an Anthony for her best-selling Jane Jeffry series, lives as Jane does, in a midwestern suburb. On purpose! She says writing this series and the Grace and Favor series is the best treat she can have without a knife and fork.
Under her real name, Janice Young Brooks, and various pseudonyms, she's written historical novels, a gothic novel, and a history textbook as well as many articles for newspapers and magazines. When she's not writing, she's avidly doing genealogy which she says is a lot like mysteries with all the red herrings, clues, speculations, and surprises.
She gardens enthusiastically, needlepoints superbly, and plays a mean game of gin against the computer. She has a son and daughter and two granddaughters, Rose Louise and Emma. Janice is currently in a battle of supremacy with her cat Max.
Jill Churchill, winner of the Agatha and Macavity Mystery Readers Awards, and nominated for an Anthony for her best-selling Jane Jeffry series, lives as Jane does, in a midwestern suburb. On purpose! She says writing this series and the Grace and Favor series is the best treat she can have without a knife and fork.
Under her real name, Janice Young Brooks, and various pseudonyms, she's written historical novels, a gothic novel, and a history textbook as well as many articles for newspapers and magazines. When she's not writing, she's avidly doing genealogy which she says is a lot like mysteries with all the red herrings, clues, speculations, and surprises.
She gardens enthusiastically, needlepoints superbly, and plays a mean game of gin against the computer. She has a son and daughter and two granddaughters, Rose Louise and Emma. Janice is currently in a battle of supremacy with her cat Max.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
July 18, 2008
Somewhat feministic anti-feminism mystery
Dont waste your time. I kept forgetting about this book and would have to try and remember what happened the last time I read it. To actually finish the book I had to leave it on my night stand so I'd remember to read it. I would've just left it unread, but I am a stickler for finishing what I've started, so regretably I read to the end. It was an all of a sudden ending like the author was sick of writing it and just said, "I'm bored. What's the quickest way to end this? ok, blah blah blah, the end." I was truely disappointed on the last page. The only good thing about the ending was it was just that, the ending. Hallelujah, I'm free!
Dont waste your time. I kept forgetting about this book and would have to try and remember what happened the last time I read it. To actually finish the book I had to leave it on my night stand so I'd remember to read it. I would've just left it unread, but I am a stickler for finishing what I've started, so regretably I read to the end. It was an all of a sudden ending like the author was sick of writing it and just said, "I'm bored. What's the quickest way to end this? ok, blah blah blah, the end." I was truely disappointed on the last page. The only good thing about the ending was it was just that, the ending. Hallelujah, I'm free!
April 30, 2023
This was okay. It wasn't one of the best JJ books and a few of the comments have not aged well. I can't help but think that the author was sort of losing interest in the series at this point. That said, it was probably better than it seemed because the earlier books had set the bar so high. Still a highly recommended series!
August 13, 2023
Great addition to this cozy mystery series
July 20, 2017
This is a great little mystery if you are looking for an easy read. It won't set the world on fire, but it's a great way to pass an evening.
June 30, 2024
A remodeling project can create all kinds of high tension no matter who is doing it. Those projects also seem to take on a life of their own all too often. You assume it will cost a specific amount to do the job; the cost overruns leave you staggered and scared. The builders assure you the remodeling will finish in just a few weeks; the job finishes in a few months if you're lucky.
That's what Amateur Sleuth Jane Jeffry and her friend, Shelley, discover when they get an opportunity to serve as interior decorators for a hard-core feminist Who is remodeling an old house using only female employees. Jane and Shelley aren't sure they really want the job. There is a great deal of ill will among the employees. The woman who crafted the contracts did so in a highly unprofessional manner, and before this book ends, they'll find her at the bottom of a flight of stairs irredeemably dead.
The subplots are fun to read as well. Jane apostrophe yes children are growing up, and both Jane and her youngest son determine they need new computers. Naturally, that new computer is going to help Jane with her eternally written novel that she has never finished. Her son is using the new machine for homework purposes!
This included an ending I didn't see coming. It is always a delight to check on this single mom and her friend. They have such a down-to-earth way of looking at the world. It's refreshing to watch them operate. I don't have many books left in the series, and I will miss it when it finishes. But until then, I look forward to my next visit with Jane and Shelley.
That's what Amateur Sleuth Jane Jeffry and her friend, Shelley, discover when they get an opportunity to serve as interior decorators for a hard-core feminist Who is remodeling an old house using only female employees. Jane and Shelley aren't sure they really want the job. There is a great deal of ill will among the employees. The woman who crafted the contracts did so in a highly unprofessional manner, and before this book ends, they'll find her at the bottom of a flight of stairs irredeemably dead.
The subplots are fun to read as well. Jane apostrophe yes children are growing up, and both Jane and her youngest son determine they need new computers. Naturally, that new computer is going to help Jane with her eternally written novel that she has never finished. Her son is using the new machine for homework purposes!
This included an ending I didn't see coming. It is always a delight to check on this single mom and her friend. They have such a down-to-earth way of looking at the world. It's refreshing to watch them operate. I don't have many books left in the series, and I will miss it when it finishes. But until then, I look forward to my next visit with Jane and Shelley.
March 18, 2020
I was looking for an easy, ‘soft’ read, and this one fit the bill. If you’re into cozy mysteries, this book works fine. I enjoyed the banter between the two amateur sleuth/friends, and their character development. I haven’t read any of the other books in this series, but imagine Jane and Shelly’s home life plays a part in each.
One thing I like about most cozy mystery, is the play on words in its title, and House of seven Mables is no different. A foreboding old house being renovated by mostly women contractors.
One thing I like about most cozy mystery, is the play on words in its title, and House of seven Mables is no different. A foreboding old house being renovated by mostly women contractors.
August 13, 2018
Genre fiction gets a bad rap, but this book hurts the mystery rep. It's a good book if you don't expect much. Say...you're on a flight and simply want a distraction, something harmless and fluffy. This is your series. The plot is of murder, the story unfolds with more time given to matters domestic, and a diversion to Chicago's huge Merchandise Mart. Even the confrontation between protagonist and killer isn't much. Still, it's a lite mildly enjoyable story when "lite is right!" 2 stars.
August 25, 2025
This sees Jane and her friend Shelley being asked to take on a job decorating a house which is being restored by a local divorcee. Freshly feminist, Bitsy has got an almost all woman team working on the property, but the project seems beset by personality clashes and issues. And that's before one of the team turns up dead in the basement. This was written twenty years ago so it has a few elements that are a bit dated, but the mystery is fun and Jane and her friends are a consistently engaging group to spend time with.
April 17, 2019
Jane and Shelley decide to take a job because they are bored. Once they see the jobsite and read the contract, they are no longer sure. As things start happening they are even more unsure and then someone ends up dead.
October 27, 2021
The House of Seven Mabels: A Jane Jeffry Mystery by Jill Churchill is a fun cozy mystery with plenty of suspects to keep readers guessing. With a cast of endearing characters and a great whodunit plot, The House of Seven Mabels is perfect for fans old and new!
December 18, 2022
I've read many books in this series, but not for a long while. Was in the mood for a cozy read with characters I knew. It was a simple, breezy read. The equivalent to eating chocolate. :) The story wraps up rather quickly at the end, but plausibly.
April 23, 2023
I've read many books in this series, but not for a long while. Was in the mood for a cozy read with characters I knew. It was a simple, breezy read. The equivalent to eating chocolate. :) The story wraps up rather quickly at the end, but plausibly.
November 28, 2017
It was pretty standard Jill Churchill fun. Exactly what one expects and enjoys if you like her writing.
March 2, 2018
I found this at a used book store and thought it would be fun to read. I read several in these series 20 years ago. It did not hold up well.
August 20, 2018
I liked it, I didn't know for sure whodunnit, but the finale was a little abrupt.
January 27, 2019
Meh. I don't think this series is for me.
Maybe a little too "domestic"? I found the approach to the feminist side-storyline a little odd.
Maybe a little too "domestic"? I found the approach to the feminist side-storyline a little odd.
October 5, 2020
3 - Good
December 23, 2022
cute story, entertaining, and a quick read
February 26, 2024
Love Jane and Shelly and their way of working thru mysteries.
October 16, 2025
another good book by Jill Churchill.
March 21, 2017
I love this book, I've read it a few times and always come back to this series. I love the mystery and how we get an update on everyones life, each time I read it I find new and old things that get under my skin, and yet I can't push it away.
September 3, 2009
The mystery was just okay, and I didn't like the ending very much. What really bothered me were the cheesy stereotypes. Jane (the protagonist) was so intrigued by the women hired to do "typically male" jobs (plumbing, dry wall, electrical work, etc.). The owner of the home, Bitsy, became involved with a "rabid group of feminists" and tried to hire mostly female workers. The workers had names that were stereotypically female, but could be shortened to stereotypically males names (Thomasina to Thomas, Henrietta to Henry, Jacqueline to Jack). The play on gender roles started to get old.
I do have a favorite part, though, which doesn't really have much to do with the plot. Jane discovers that her son has a new-found talent for math. She then teaches him a couple of tricks she learned back when she worked at a bank.
1. If a number is divisible by nine, adding the digits of that number together will equal a number divisible by nine. Take 2943. 2+9+4+3=18. Eighteen is divisible by nine, therefore, so is 2943.
I'd learned that trick when I was younger, but this next one is new to me and I think it's pretty cool!
2. If you transpose any number of digits of any number, the difference between the original number and the transposed number will be divisible by 9. Take 4675, transposing the first two numbers to 6475. 6475-4675=1800. This information was useful to Jane when adding wads of checks. The lists of numbers were always added twice to ensure accuracy. If the results didn't match each other, they would subtract one result from the other. If the difference equaled something divisible by nine, at least one number had been transposed.
Cool, huh?
I do have a favorite part, though, which doesn't really have much to do with the plot. Jane discovers that her son has a new-found talent for math. She then teaches him a couple of tricks she learned back when she worked at a bank.
1. If a number is divisible by nine, adding the digits of that number together will equal a number divisible by nine. Take 2943. 2+9+4+3=18. Eighteen is divisible by nine, therefore, so is 2943.
I'd learned that trick when I was younger, but this next one is new to me and I think it's pretty cool!
2. If you transpose any number of digits of any number, the difference between the original number and the transposed number will be divisible by 9. Take 4675, transposing the first two numbers to 6475. 6475-4675=1800. This information was useful to Jane when adding wads of checks. The lists of numbers were always added twice to ensure accuracy. If the results didn't match each other, they would subtract one result from the other. If the difference equaled something divisible by nine, at least one number had been transposed.
Cool, huh?
November 15, 2016
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.
February 5, 2011
I really used to love this series, until Jane Jeffry, the heroine, seemed to lose her raison d'etre as her children grew up, and Churchill seemed to lose the focus on suburban living that kept the series so entertaining. In this book, Jane's best friend Shelley persuades her to consider a job as a decorator in a house a wealthy divorcee is renovating with an all female crew. When the obnoxious female contractor dies, Jane's significant other, policeman Mel, becomes involved. One short scene (Jane and Shelley go to a buffet for lunch) is unpleasantly agist. Too bad.
April 13, 2012
I picked this book up in the RV park clubhouse where we stayed for the winter...and that's where I left it 3 days later. One of the women that I sometimes visit with in the hot tub had read it and she really liked it so I decided to give it a go. After the first couple of chapters, I found that I didn't care about any of the characters, I wasn't sad when one wound up dead or interested in who killed her. I simply "skimmed" through the rest of the book so I could report finishing it to the hot tub lady.
January 11, 2016
A Jane Jeffry mystery. Jane and her neighbour and long time friend Shelley are asked to decorate a decrepit old mansion. The up side to this job would be the money earned but the down side would be that the owner wants only women working on the site. The contractor in charge is not good at her job and is found dead in the basement, after being fired by the house owner. Before Jane and Shelley have even signed a decent contract there have been a number of pranks, some of which could have been deadly. Do they really want this job and all it entails?
Good read - recommend.
Good read - recommend.
November 2, 2008
Mystery #13 in the Jane Jeffry and her best friend Natalie mystery series. In this mystery, Jane and Natalie find themselves considering being hired as interior decorators on a project to restore an old home in poor shape. The owner, who they knew previously, has become a feminist and is hiring an all female crew to do the work. There are a number of incidents which cause damage to and delay the on-going work and eventually a murder which Jane and Natalie help solve.
December 2, 2012
#13 in the Jane Jeffry mystery series. Just another story about Jane and her best friend getting mixed up in murder. They are asked to help decorate an old mansion that is being renovated and the mystery begins, who's behind all the 'pranks' that are plaguing the renovation and then who killed... No spoilers from me. The book is a fast read. I'd love to be able to think like these two and see outside the box.
March 10, 2013
I was looking for something quick, light, and fun, but this book was not worth the time it took to read it. I skimmed the last third and I can't honestly explain why I even bothered to finish it, except that I was avoiding any threat of actually being a productive human being for a few hours. (According to my own rating system I have to give at least 2 stars to a book if I finish it. My system is under review.)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews