Mrs. Jeffries and the Alms of the Angel

July 22, 2019
At the start of Brightwell’s diverting 38th Victorian mystery (after Mrs. Jeffries Delivers the Goods), a killer lures Margaret Starling, a wealthy widow known for her kindness and charitable acts with the Angel Alms Society, into the back garden of her London house. There he whacks Mrs. Starling over the head with a shovel. When Insp. Gerald Witherspoon, who has “solved more murders than anyone in the history of the Metropolitan Police,” is called in, his housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries, and her sleuthing group of house staff and servants fan out across London in search of clues, unbeknownst to him. No one can imagine why anyone would want to harm Mrs. Starling, until Mrs. Jeffries and crew learn of her erratic behavior and her loud arguments with the local vicar, who’s hiding a nasty secret. Meanwhile, Insp. Nigel Nivens of Scotland Yard, who’s jealous of Witherspoon’s success, tries to sabotage the investigation. Brightwell takes the reader back to a more simple time and place. Fans of light historicals will find plenty to like. Agent: Donald Maass, Donald Maass Literary.

August 1, 2019
Christmas is nigh, and there's a murder to solve. Inspector Nivens may have ambitions far beyond his local posting, but he's so hapless as a detective that it's no surprise when he loses a sensitive case involving the murder of well-to-do Margaret Starling in her yard to Inspector Gerald Witherspoon of the Metropolitan Police. Witherspoon, whose record is stellar, is independently wealthy, good-natured, and unaware that for years his staff and friends, especially his clever housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries, have fed him the clues that have been indispensable in closing his murder cases (Mrs. Jeffries Delivers the Goods, 2019, etc.). Determined to solve the puzzle of Margaret's murder before Christmas, Witherspoon's staff scatter throughout the neighborhood of the Starling residence, each of them searching for clues using their questioning methods tailored to every social stratum of Victorian London, from the housemaid to the well-heeled neighbors. Margaret's recent odd behavior seems to have something to do with the Angel Alms Society of Fulham and Putney, where she was a generous donor who served on the advisory board. She was also suing Mrs. Huxton, her next-door neighbor, whom she accused of trying to ruin her reputation. Alibis are tested and possible enemies questioned. The suspects range from that neighbor to Margaret's deceased niece's husband to the vicar of St. Andrew's Church, all of whom have reason to be angry with her. Mrs. Jeffries struggles to get on the right track as other members of the amateur detective group pass information to Witherspoon's constable, who's in on their scheme. It all comes down to love or money. Not exactly groundbreaking, but fans will enjoy this cozy Christmas addition to a long-running series.

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September 15, 2019
Scotland Yard's Inspector Witherspoon is on the case when wealthy Margaret Sterling is found bludgeoned in her garden a few days before Christmas. Sterling, respected by her staff, was seemingly on the outs with most everyone else, including her neighbor and several people associated with her favorite charity, Alms of the Angels, giving Witherspoon and his assistant, DS Barnes, numerous lines of inquiry. And that delights the inspector's housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries, and the rest of his staff, plus their connections, as they fan out across the city to chat up shopkeepers, the victim's household staff, and people at the charity. Witherspoon, of course, is oblivious to Jeffries' efforts, but he enjoys his nightly sherry with Mrs. Jeffries, to whom he explains progress on the case, and she, ever so slyly, plants ideas in his mind for follow-up the next day. Mrs. Jeffries' goal is to solve the crime by Christmas?and that she, er, Witherspoon, does. This latest entry in a long series of Victorian cozies will appeal to fans of Downton Abbey or Upstairs, Downstairs.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)