Scandal Above Stairs by Jennifer Ashley is the second novel in the Kat Holloway Mysteries and offered up another suspenseful mystery, wonderful banter as we deal with life above and below in 1880 London.  Kate, respectably referred to as Mrs. Holloway is the cook in wealthy Mayfair home. With a sharp mind and excellent skills with a kitchen knife Kat finds herself enthralled in another mystery when there is a rash of home burglaries.

Scandal Above Stairs was just as fun as the first one though I must say I could have used more banter between Kat and Daniel!

Things below stairs is in a bit of a state as they are understaffed and it seems that Kat, the cook and Mr. Davis the Butler are trying to make up for the fact they have no housekeeper. This means they have to try and manage the downstairs and Kat is also in need of an assistant cook. Even with all of these she still manages to keep things flowing pretty good. Then Lady Cynthia needs Kat's help because one of her friends is having some problems. It seems some paintings have gone missing and since her friend has a gambling problem, her husband is accusing her of stealing them to pay off her debts. 

Soon Kat finds out that there have been a bunch of burglaries going on above stairs in different places. Then she learns that Daniel is working in a pawnshop where seedy things are happening. She still isn't sure what exactly it is that Daniel does for a living as one moment he speaks and acts like a gentleman and the next he acts like a common worker. She finds out he is there to receive some stolen goods but things go wrong when a man is found dead in the pawnshop. Kat fears the worst especially when she doesn't hear from him for a long while. Daniel is hiding out because some of the constables are on the lookout for him as not everyone knows he was working a case.

Also, it seems that Daniel has sent Kat an assistant and even though Tess doesn't know anything about cooking she is a quick study and Kat figures that Daniel must know what he is doing. Tess was my new favorite character and I hope she will be in the next book. 

I really enjoy the characters in this series. Kat is such a strong female character and even though she works below stairs and knows her station she still doesn't let that stop her. She has hopes and dreams of one day having a house her  and her daughter and quickly takes Tess under her wings when she can tell that she has smarts and could become a competent cook one day. Daniel, I never think much about having a book boyfriend but if I did I believe it would be him. There is just something about Daniel's character that appeals to me. He is a sweet guy with a checkered past and chose to become something better. Still not sure exactly what that something is as it seems he is not really a cop, so I am thinking he must work for the crown or something. I wish he would tell Kat as I want to know! :)I do wish that Daniel was in the story more, he was towards the middle and end but I missed him in the beginning!  I also liked getting to know a bit more about Eglin Thanos who is Daniel's friend and I so hope that him and Lady Cynthia get together, they would be so cute together! 

The mystery was done really well and I had a hard time figuring whodunit and was a little surprised to find out the bad guy in this one. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this one and can't wait for the next one! If you like mysteries then give this series a try!

Jen Mullen's review Jun 08, 2018 · edit
really liked it

Wendy introduced me to this series a while back, and I read and enjoyed Death Below Stairs. When NetGalley offered Scandal Above Stairs, I wanted to find out what Kat Holloway and Daniel and all of the characters introduced in the first book had been up to!

I suppose both books can be classified as Victorian cozy mysteries. The characters are an interesting mixture of above and below stairs, although the main character Kat Holloway is definitely below stairs as she is the cook in a prominent household.

Daniel...well, Daniel McAdam is a bit of a mystery. We know he comes from a rough background, but he has the ability to transform himself and be accepted in almost any role, from handyman to gentleman.

I liked that Cynthia and Mr. Thanos (above stairs) get to play a role in solving the mystery in this one and wouldn't mind these two graduating into even larger roles.

Tess is a new addition, and her character also shows promise of evolving.

When I read Death Below Stairs, I didn't initially realize that Jennifer Ashley and Ashley Gardner were the same person. I've read and enjoyed Ashley Gardner's Captain Lacy series set in Regency London. Both historical mystery series develop interesting characters, are well-researched, and are entertaining. :)

Read in May; blog review scheduled for June 20.

NetGalley/Berkley Publ.
Historical Mystery. July 3, 2018. Print length: 320 pages.

I love this series and hope it goes on for a good long time. Mrs. Holloway comes to the rescue again with her tender heart and pragmatic approach to people and the job at hand. This time around Kat has to deal with a frustrated detective, an art theft ring, a rash new assistant, and a last minute dinner party.

I love how Kat's work as a cook is integral to the book, with descriptions of menus and shopping, as well as her duty to train her help. The pride and satisfaction she takes in doing her job and doing it well is equally satisfying to read and reminds me of the satisfaction and pride I take in my own work. It's also a pleasure to read a historical novel written from a different point of view. Kat is not a middle class housewife, a poor downtrodden soul, a debutante, or an aristocrat. Fun!

Full review to be published online in early July.

Jennifer Ashley’s SCANDAL ABOVE STAIRS is another intriguing mystery taking place in London in the year 1880. The intrepid Kat Holloway has taken another job as head cook for a Gentry family in their city townhouse. As usual she finds a bit of mystery to solve; and as always, her special friend Daniel McAdams is smack in the middle of her investigation. Although I found this story a bit in the languid side, I enjoyed the mystery and the flair of the setting...as well as learning the preparation and recipes going into the dishes for the ‘upstairs’. There are also some enjoyable secondary characters, who look to be around for a bit in future books.

Oh, and a few more layers were also peeled back in the mystery wrapped in an enigma that is Daniel...

I loved book one, Scandal Below Stairs. Book two is a step above. Much of the back story and character development has already been done and the plot flows much smoother. This is a great mystery that kept me guessing. Daniel and Kat are more comfortable with each other and their interaction is more interesting this time. I loved the new characters and how they fit into the series. Ashley does a very good job of writing historical mysteries and I do not plan to miss a one.

I received free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

This series is getting better. It's perfect that the cook is the main investigator. The side characters are wonderful helpers. Can't wait for the next book.