Emily Brightwell continues her Victorian mysteries in Mrs. Jeffries Delivers the Goods. Stephen Bremner drops dead at a banquet after sipping a toast; all the people at the head table are suspects. Inspector Witherspoon discovers the Bremner was disliked by everyone and had a little habit of blackmailing his friends. Who put arsenic in his champagne? Mrs Jeffries works with her group of helpers to find clues that will help Inspector Witherspoon.. Delightful period cozy.

Inspector Gerald Witherspoon and Constable Barnes are called to the scene of a poisoning at the Wrexley Hotel. James Pierce, the owner of a shipping company, was holding the annual Lighterman’s Ball at the hotel for his board members, employees, and suppliers. Witherspoon’s own footman Wiggins is a witness since he was in attendance at the Ball as the guest of an employee. As the investigation gets underway, the victim is found to have many enemies so finding the killer could be difficult. Fortunately, unbeknownst to him, the Inspector has Mrs. Jeffries and the rest of his staff gathering evidence that will help him solve the case.

The premise of the book and the entire series that Inspector Witherspoon’s household staff and close friends help him solve murders without his knowledge may sound silly to those new to the series. However, the author is able to make it believable. It helps that Witherspoon’s right-hand man, Constable Barnes, is in on the secret and is able to feed information to the staff to help them with their part of the investigation. New readers can start with this book and will enjoy it, but will be missing out on the rich history of the main characters and their friendship. I love seeing the household out “on the hunt” for information and then sharing what they’ve learned in their daily meetings. The meetings are one of the highlights of this book seeing the household working together, but with the spirit of a little friendly competition over who can gather the most important clues.

Even though this is a long-running series, the author is able to keep each book fresh. This time, Wiggins and the medical examiner, Dr. Bosworth, are witnesses to the crime since they were attending the Ball. That was interesting and I actually wish the fact Wiggins was there had been used even more in the plot than it was. I am a little disappointed that Betsy has not played as big of a role in the most recent books. I’m glad newcomer Phyllis has become more outgoing and skilled in the household’s investigations, but hate to see Phyllis becoming a more important character than the more likable Betsy.

A positive aspect of this installment is seeing how much Witherspoon has grown as a detective in his own right. His success in solving cases with his household’s help has given him more confidence in his abilities. He now listens to his “inner voice” more and more and is able to make intelligent deductions on his own. There are plenty of suspects and possible motives in this murder investigation. I was able to guess some of the solution, but the ending still held a few surprises. This is one of my favorite series, and I always enjoy seeing the camaraderie teamwork, and devotion between Mrs. Jeffries and the others. I like the Victorian England setting and experiencing another successful case for the Inspector and his secret team. The book is a quick, entertaining read for fans of this author as well as those who enjoy Victoria Thompson or Agatha Christie.

~ Christine

Always a great Victorian time. Characters are like visiting family. Ready for the next one, great read every time.

Cozy mystery readers will already be familiar with the Mrs. Jeffries series. The staff at Upper Edmonton Gardens all pitch in to secretly assist their boss Inspector Witherspoon on his cases. Witherspoon investigates murders for Scotland Yard along with his assistant Sargent Barnes. Mrs. Jeffries as the housekeeper is the go between for the staff and Witherspoon coordinating household duties and investigative tasks. She spoon feeds the information to Witherspoon as observations or probing questions.

A wonderful series full of charming characters that will delight readers. The latest installment features a murder that is witnessed by one of the household staff. Wiggins escorts his friends sister to her work celebration. During the beginning toast a man dies. Also on scene is a police pathologist who has assisted in past cases, Dr. Beaumont. Beaumont calls for the police immediately and preserves the scene, because the man has been poisoned. The cast of suspects all wanted the man dead but which society member is the culprit?

This series is terrific. The mysteries are interesting. The fact that the household helps their boss (the detective) solve the mysteries and has now expanded to friends is fun. This one, I feel, had even more twists than usual. The younger characters continue to develop.

I thank the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for my honest review - If you haven't started this series - what are you waiting for? This is # 37.

I discovered the Mrs. Jeffries books 6 years ago, and I’ve read quite a few of them since. I love cozy mystery books…especially when they are historical ones. There’s just something about the Victorian age that makes cozy mystery books even better. It probably has something to do with the fact that they didn’t have the technology we have now, so they had to do a lot of sleuthing on foot. That’s where the staff in the Mrs. Jeffries books come in. No, Mrs. Jeffries isn’t a detective, but since she started working for Inspector Witherspoon, she’s solved her fair share of murders.

Mind you, Inspector Witherspoon doesn’t realize his household is helping him. Every evening, when he comes home from work, Mrs. Jeffries listens to him talk about his cases and gives him gentle nudges based on what she and the others have learned. It helps that the Inspector’s partner, Barnes, does know that the household is helping since he can get and give information to Inspector Witherspoon and the staff based on what each has learned.

In Mrs. Jeffries Delivers the Goods, a very unlikable man has been murdered. This makes it very hard to discern who the killer is since so many people hated him. I, like the staff and inspector, was kept guessing in Mrs. Jeffries Delivers the Goods until almost the very end! I have come to love these characters, and reading a Mrs. Jeffries book feels like coming home. The plot of this book is well-paced, and the clues given throughout are just enough.

Once again, MRS. JEFFRIES DELIVERS THE GOODS. A thoroughly delightful addition the cozy mystery series. The stories keep getting better and better.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Consistently excellent series with well developed characters and fascinating plots, this 37th story is still just as fresh and delightful as the previous ones. This is a highly recommended series that delivers every time. A must for every library.