Mrs. Jeffries and the Midwinter Murders by Emily Brightwell

Mrs. Jeffries and the Midwinter Murders (Mrs. Jeffries, #40)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: Mrs. Jeffries #40
Publication Date: 11/16/21
Period: Victorian London
Number of Pages: 304

Who can believe that this fun, entertaining, and well-written series now has forty books? It is amazing to realize how far our very naïve, backward, and unworldly Inspector has come since that first book. It is also amazing to see how his unknown crew of helpers has grown and matured in their means and methods of helping THEIR Inspector solve crimes – especially without letting him know he is being helped.

Christmas is rapidly approaching and everyone at Inspector Witherspoon’s is hoping their Inspector won’t catch any cases before the holiday because they are all looking forward to the celebrations. Sadly, that isn’t to be the case. Inspector Witherspoon is filling in for someone else when he is called to the scene of the murder of very wealthy Harriet Andover.

Harriet certainly had no intention of dying and spoiling anyone’s Christmas, but it seems that is just what happened when she is found in a locked room with the plaid belt to her husband’s robe wrapped tightly around her neck. Her husband seems grief-stricken – but is he really? Her step-children don’t even pretend they liked her, but the servants were all fond of her and appreciate her. She was a pleasant woman who treated the servants with respect and definitely improved their lives when she saw that they had proper food to eat and proper wages. It seems nobody really loved her though. At the same time, nobody seemed to hate her either.

There is, as always, much more to the inner workings of the family than is visible at first. While Inspector Witherspoon is quickly sure the servants aren’t involved in the death, there are five other residents in the household who could possibly have a motive. Mr. Jacob Andover, the husband, says he loved his wife – but did he? Her step-son, Percy Andover, was angry with her because she refused to keep supporting him and made him get a job. Mrs. Ellen Swineburn, Harriet’s step-daughter, felt Harriet was common and beneath the Andover’s social status – even though it was Harriet’s money that saved them all. Harriet’s best friend, Marcella Blakstone, is staying with the Andovers while her own home is having renovations done. There is also Harriet’s nephew from the United States, Reverend Daniel Wheeler, who has only just met his aunt for the first time. Is the murderer one of the house residents or guests? Or, is it someone from one of Harriet’s many and varied business dealings?

Inspector Gerald Witherspoon, Constable Griffiths, Constable Reed, and Constable Barnes will have their work cut out for them if they want to solve the case before Christmas. Of course, none of them other than Constable Barnes knows that they are also getting a massive dose of behind-the-scene help from the people who consider Inspector Witherspoon THEIR inspector and always want him to succeed. Mrs. Jeffries is the housekeeper and ring-leader of the group whose other members are: Luty Belle Crookshank – a wealthy American who loves bright colors; Hatchett, Luty Belle’s butler with benefits; Lady Ruby Cannonberry, widow of a peer; Smythe, the secretly very wealthy groom; Betsy, Smythe’s wife; Mrs. Goodge, the cook; Phyllis, the parlor maid; and Wiggins, the footman. With their wide set of skills, knowledge, social strata, and acquaintances – both home and abroad – they’ll fan out and gather clues they can surreptitiously pass along to the Inspector – especially through Constable Barnes.

This was a fun locked-room mystery and it took all of the skills and resources of our intrepid crew to solve the case and put the culprit where they belonged. We also get some good news and some upsetting news for our characters and we’ll just have to read the next books to see where it all goes.

I can definitely recommend this if you want an interesting mystery and some fun interactions with some lovely people. Now, I have to wait for the next one.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

View all my reviews

Never Fall For Your Fiancee by Virginia Heath – Blog Tour

Never Fall for Your Fiancée
The trouble with lies is they have a tendency to catch a man out.

The last thing Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham, wants is a wife.
But since the only way to keep his mother’s matchmaking ways at bay is the promise of
impending nuptials, Hugh takes the most logical action: he invents a fake fiancée.

It’s the perfect plan – until Hugh learns that his mother is on a ship bound for England to meet his ‘beloved’. He needs a solution fast, and when he collides with a mysterious beauty, he might just have found the answer to his prayers.

Minerva Merriwell is desperate for money to support her sisters, and although she knows that posing as the Earl’s fiancée might seem nonsensical, it’s just too good an offer to refuse.

As the Merriwells descend upon Hugh’s estate, the household is thrown into turmoil as everyone tries to keep their tangled stories straight. And with Hugh and Minerva’s romantic ruse turning into the real thing, is true love just one complication too many?


‘Filled with fabulously British banter, wit, and heart,
this delightful book is one of my must-read rom-coms of the year’
Purchase Link – https://books2read.com/neverfalluk


Author Bio – When Virginia Heath was a little girl it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Twenty-two books and two Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations later, and it still takes her forever to fall asleep.
Social Media Links – 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/virginiaheathauthor 
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/VirginiaHeath_ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virginiaheathwrites 
Giveaway to Win 2 x e-copies of Never Fall for Your Fiancée (Open INT)
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

OR if you don’t like html or are on WordPress
Rafflecopter
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494451/?

Barbara’s Review:

This book had me smiling, giggling, and laughing out loud from the very first line on the first page. While this author’s works are always filled with a bit of humor, this one is definitely filled to the brim. You’ll fall in love with our erstwhile hero, Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham, whose dearest desires are (1) never to marry, (2) never to hurt anyone’s feelings, and (3) never cause any conflict. We can also admit that Hugh is a gifted storyteller and has never met a tale he couldn’t embellish. When all of those things come together, he is in a whole heap of trouble with no idea how to get out of it. At least he had no idea until he had a chance encounter with Minerva Merriwell who seemed the perfect solution to his woes. Ah, Hugh, remember the saying “if something can go wrong it will go wrong”? You certainly managed to prove the truth of that!

Minerva Merriwell has been solely responsible for her two sisters – Diana and Venus (Vee) – since she was nineteen years old. Actually, long before then, but that is when her worthless father finally left them in Clerkenwell, totally on their own. Minerva had a fairly good income as a wood engraver for prints used in calling cards – until the printer closed. Now, her clients are few and far between, and the shrinkage in their income has put them in danger of losing even the leaky roof over their heads. She was hesitant, but intrigued, when a Lord intervened on her behalf during a dispute – and then offered her 40 pounds to play a role as his betrothed. Goodness – what could a huge sum like 40 pounds do for her and her sisters. Still, she was hesitant, but for some reason, she trusted him to do right by them.

Can Hugh and Minerva pull the wool over Hugh’s mother’s eyes? After all, the woman is traveling halfway around the world to meet her daughter-in-law-to-be. Can she be so easily fooled? His mother is one sharp cookie – OOPS. What about the actress Hugh has hired to play the part of Minerva’s mother? Can she be relied upon or will she put them all to shame? Then, there is Minerva’s sisters – OMGoodness – those girls think this is a huge problem that will bring shame upon them all. What about Minerva’s ‘frozen to death’ father?

Through it all, Hugh and Minerva try to fight their attraction. Hugh because he knows he can never be a faithful husband and Minerva deserves better. Minerva because she knows Hugh is a scoundrel and she has had enough of those in her life. Sometimes though, all is not as it seems and fate has another path in mind for us. Can Minerva and Hugh let go and realize all they could have?

You really, really need to read this book. It is delightfully entertaining, romantic, and witty. You can’t help but love both Hugh and Minerva, and you’ll definitely become totally invested in the fate of the two sisters. Will Diana end up with Giles (Hugh’s best friend) in another book? Will Vee end up chasing after their father? You’ll just have to read this book and the others in the series to find out all of those answers. I can hardly wait for the next Merriwell installment!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.