Review

It’s almost Christmas and households all over England are getting ready for the holidays. Mrs. Jeffries and the rest of the staff at Inspector Witherspoon’s house are especially excited this year because they get to pamper the new baby of Betsy (one of the maids) and Smythe (the coachman). Nearby, the McCourt household is full of arguments between Daniel and his wife Elena and a gathering for afternoon tea is spoiled by a small fire in the servant’s quarters. Daniel is furious that the party ended before he had the chance to show off a newly acquired treasure. While ranting to himself in his study, Daniel is murdered with an Oriental sword from his own collection. Inspector Witherspoon is assigned to the case and now Mrs. Jeffries and the rest of his household staff must put their holiday preparations on hold so they can help the Inspector solve the case before Christmas.

This newest installment of Emily Brightwell’s long-running Victorian mystery series featuring Inspector Witherspoon and his housekeeper Mrs. Jeffries is as fresh and entertaining as ever. If you are new to the series, you may need a bit of time to warm up to the premise of an entire household, friends, and even the Inspector’s own constable helping him to solve crimes, without his knowledge. However, once you get used the idea, you can sit back and enjoy all that the book and this whole series has to offer – an authentic Victorian setting, unique and likeable characters and the friendships they share, and the interesting cases they work together to solve.

There are plenty of suspects in the Inspector’s latest case since the victim has made plenty of enemies in both his personal and professional lives. So many people have a motive for Daniel’s murder, including his wife, cousin, and a former co-worker. The reader is kept guessing until everything is wrapped up with a bow at the end of the book. All the members of the household have a role in solving the crimes. For example, their wealthy friend Luty Belle Crookshank has contacts in “high society”, Mrs. Goodge the cook can get information without ever leaving her kitchen, and Mrs. Jeffries is able to piece together the clues that everyone shares during their daily meetings. The camaraderie and atmosphere of friendly competition between the friends to get the clue that helps solve the case is the best part of the book. Also entertaining are the occasions when Mrs. Jeffries provides a sounding board for Witherspoon when he returns home at the end of the day, and he never realizes his housekeeper’s suggestions are actually based on clues gathered in their own investigation.

All of the characters from the prior books in the series play important roles in this installment and new readers will have no problem catching up. The newest addition to the household, Phyllis, fits in well with the other members of the household, and Betsy is showing a new maturity since having a baby. Wiggins, the young footman, shows more depth to his character as he reflects on a secret he has been keeping out of respect to his former employer, the Inspector’s aunt who passed away several years earlier.

This is an outstanding cozy mystery and is perfect for the holidays. While the crime is serious, the mood of the book is light. There is a delightful scene in which Inspector Witherspoon and Constable Barnes catch a witness in a blatant lie. The reactions of everyone in the scene are priceless and showcase the author’s subtle humor. The identity of the murderer as well as the discovery of what “treasure” Daniel wanted to show his guests, provide an interesting puzzle that remains suspenseful throughout the book. The Victorian setting is comparable to author Victoria Thompson’s Gaslight series, but the overall tone is the closest to Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple series. Mrs. Jeffries and the Mistletoe Mix-Up is a charming cozy to add to your Christmas list.

Reviewed by Christine