Mrs. Jeffries and the Three Wise Women

August 15, 2017
Victorian sleuths from every social stratum imaginable work in the background to solve cases.Six weeks after he's given the case of Christopher Gilhaney, killed in an apparent botched robbery on his way home from a Guy Fawkes Night dinner party, bungling Inspector Nivens has gotten no results. Now the police, thinking it was a deliberate murder, hand the case to Inspector Gerald Witherspoon, who, along with his reliable constable Barnes, has a near-perfect record at catching killers. Not even Witherspoon realizes that the secret to his success is his network of sleuthing servants, gossips, informants, and wealthy friends who supply tidbits the police would never hear. This time, his housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries, and her staff are less eager to get involved because Christmas is near and they fear their holiday plans will be ruined if they don't solve the case in record time. Gilhaney was a financial genius hired by Newton Walker to work his magic on the failing Walker and Company. Abigail Chase, who, with her husband, Gordon, hosted the Guy Fawkes party, remains so incensed by his rude behavior that six weeks later she still remembers most of what he said to the people he insulted, all of whom have ties to Walker and Company. Convinced that one of the party guests had to be the killer, Witherspoon sets out to investigate their backgrounds. The sulking staff, aware that the only way to salvage their Christmas plans is to find the culprit, fan out far and wide in search of clues. Fans of Brightwell's venerable series (Mrs. Jeffries Rights a Wrong, 2017, etc.) will be delighted to revisit the clever sleuths as they wade through a plethora of suspects and motives in this pleasant holiday tale.

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October 15, 2017

The 36th book (after Mrs. Jeffries Rights a Wrong) in this popular historical series finds Inspector Witherspoon of Scotland Yard and his household led by housekeeper Mrs. Jeffries anticipating their holiday plans until a botched murder investigation is assigned to Witherspoon. Given that the killing happened six weeks ago, all are feeling rather pessimistic about achieving justice for Christopher Gilhaney in time to enjoy the holidays. The staff soon rallies and begins hunting for clues to aid their employer. The inimitable Mrs. Jeffries needs a nudge from her three wise women, Luty Belle, Ruth, and Mrs. Goodge, to pursue the case wholeheartedly, but once she's on board, there's no chance of the killer getting away. VERDICT An entertaining and well-crafted Victorian mystery that will attract readers of Anne Perry and Victoria Thompson.

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 13, 2017
At the start of Brightwell’s delightful 36th Victorian mystery (after Mrs. Jeffries Rights a Wrong), Christopher Gilhaney is shot dead on his way home from a London dinner party on Guy Fawkes Night, a gathering at which he insulted every guest, making for a large suspect list. Unfortunately, the original police inspector on the case treats it as a mere robbery, botching the investigation. Insp. Gerald Witherspoon has to step in days before Christmas, putting everyone’s holiday plans in jeopardy. Fortunately, Mrs. Jeffries, Witherspoon’s housekeeper, and her team of household servants are ready to help the inept inspector find out who killed Gilhaney and why. Though newcomers may have trouble keeping track of the many house staffers and their relationships, Brightwell does a good job of unfolding the suspects’ backstories while keeping the true culprit obscured to the very end. A passing reference to suffragists makes a moving statement about the mainly female staff members who work in secret to solve crimes and keep the innocent safe. This long-running historical series shows no sign of losing steam. Agent: Donald Maass, Donald Maass Literary.