This installment sees Kat confronting the racists attitudes towards immigrants and foreigners as she tries ensure that real murder of the gentleman next door. In addition she and the rest of the household staff are dealing with a new housekeeper with her own agenda for the household. This book was full of movement on several of the character arcs that are spanning the series and I can't wait to see what develops for Kat and Daniel (and Grace) in the next book!

Who knew the life of a cook for a wealthy household could be so exciting? And involve so much sleuthing and murder? Kat Holloway once again dives into an investigation when her neighbour is found murdered. Their immediate suspect is Chinese scholar Le Bai Chang a man Kat counts as a friend after a chance encounter. Determined to prove his innocence Kat once again puts her considerable intelligence towards solving the case.

Kat is a fantastic heroine, her strength, intelligence and kindness makes her a compelling and extremely likeable character. However, Ashley hasn’t just created a great heroine, the characters around Kat, like her mouthy assistant Tess, the eccentric Lady Cynthia and the mysterious Daniel are all well rounded and interesting. This makes the story really engaging as you invest not just in finding the murderer but the more domestic stories in the background.

This series gets better with every book, not only was the mystery intriguing but watching Kat’s every day life and trials unfold was also fascinating and kept me turning the pages. Then there is the extremely slow burn romance between Kat and the mysterious but dashing Daniel. It all leaves me eager for the next book in this series.

The following review was published on my blog (www.blogginboutbooks.com) on 11.18.20:

(Note: While this review will not contain spoilers for Death in Kew Gardens, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from earlier Kat Halloway mysteries. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)

Although Kat Halloway doesn't run into a lot of Chinese people in her neighborhood, the London cook thinks little about a chance encounter with "Mr. Li" on the streets of Mayfair. It's only when her next door neighbor is stabbed to death in his bedchamber that she realizes she may have come face-to-face with his killer. As an "Old China Hand," Jacob Harkness claimed to be an expert on China. His posh home is filled with treasures he's purloined from the Orient. Was Mr. Li trying to reclaim a stolen relic? Or was his motive more sinister? Did Mr. Li truly murder Mr. Harkness as everyone believes?

With more sympathy toward Mr. Li than Mr. Harkness, Kat sets about to prove the Chinese man's innocence with the help of her enigmatic friend Daniel McAdam. She's sure Mr. Li didn't kill Mr. Harkness. But if he didn't, who did?

I've enjoyed every installment in Jennifer Ashley's Victorian mystery series starring Kat Halloway. Death in Kew Gardens—the third book—is no exception. Kat and Daniel make a fun detecting duo. They're both kind, likable, and always up for an adventure. The mystery at the heart of Death in Kew Gardens isn't super original and the killer isn't much of a surprise, but still, this is an enjoyable mystery. There's enough suspense to keep the story moving and the upstairs/downstairs dynamic adds a layer of intriguing tension to the tale. As with the previous books in this series, Death in Kew Gardens is clean, upbeat, well-written and entertaining.

Grade: B

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for mild language (no F-bombs) and violence

To the FTC, with love: I received a copy of Death in Kew Gardens from the generous folks at Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

A fun continuation of the mystery series. Mrs. Holloway is embroiled in the murder of Lady Cynthia's neighbor, which includes a mysterious Chinese stranger, tea and the lavish gardens of Kew Gardens.

A cook in Regency England helps solve murders while also maintaining her extremely high standards. While it is a basic and very unlikely premise, the book is a fun read.

Death in Kew Gardens by Jennifer Ashley is the third in the series of Below Stairs Mysteries featuring Kat Holloway. While it is not absolutely necessary to have read the books in order, it is beneficial. Many of the characters continue as do the non-mystery plot lines from the previous books. This book adds a multicultural element into this very British setting and, in the context of a mystery, takes on the issue of prejudice, making it different than the ones before.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2019/12/death-in-kew-gardens.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

Settling in for a visit with Kat Holloway and and Daniel McAdam’s is always a pleasure, and this third installment in Jennifer Ashley’s series was another good one. Is it any wonder this series is among my favorites? For those new to the series, Kat is a cook in Victorian London. She is very good at her job—and has a nose for murder. When a Chinese scholar is suspected of murdering her next door neighbor, Kat has strong doubts. Her instincts about people are usually right, and she does not believe Li is guilty. With the help of her friends, Kat attempts to unravel the mystery, while at the same time dealing with a not so nice new housekeeper who seems out to get her.

Kat does not look for trouble, but it seems to find her as has been seen in previous novels. This worries her friend Daniel, who himself seems to always be in the middle of some sort of investigation. With each book we get to know a little more about him, but he still remains a bit of a mystery. I love the slow burn romance between the two characters. Trouser wearing Lady Cynthia is one of my favorite characters in the series, and it was good to see more of her and her friend Bobby in this book. Tess, Kat’s assistant, was her usual outspoken self, and we get to see a side to Mr. Davis, the butler, we haven’t seen before. I do love my time visiting Ashley’s characters! This is such a fun series, with historical and cultural tidbits woven into the mystery, this one involving merchants and China—and tea. I enjoy reading the interactions between the characters, and seeing how everything unfolds. The mystery in Death in Kew Gardens is well crafted and clever. I look forward to the next book in the series.

DEATH IN KEW GARDENS by Jennifer Ashley is the third installment in the "Below Stairs" mystery series which was new to me although the first book, Death Below Stairs, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. The main character is named Kat Holloway who is a roughly thirty-year-old cook in Victorian London. By coincidence, she meets Mr. Li, a Chinese scholar who is later accused of murdering Kat's neighbor, Sir Jacob Harkness. Harkness is a frequent traveler to China and interested in the botany work at Kew Gardens. Curious and steadfast by nature, Kat is determined to clear Mr. Li's name with the help of her employer (Lady Cynthia), her fellow servants (especially assistant Tess), and her romantic interest, Daniel McAdam. Although they will enjoy Kat's adventures, readers may have to ignore some overly convenient events. For example, how does Daniel manage to immediately obtain a position working at Kew Gardens for yet another botanist and the very one who has brought Mr. Li to the authorities' attention? The characters do have unique and appealing personalities and Ashley does an engaging job of weaving suspense with historical Victorian facts and meal preparation details. "'Oh my,' [as] Tess said excitedly. 'Better than a panto.'"

Very good historical mystery series, with just a touch of romance. I like the romantic relationship is developing slowly and doesn't overshadow the mystery. I enjoyed learning about Kew Gardens and tea in this book as the mystery was solved. I also love the diverse cast of characters in these books. People pushing against the limits of traditional gender roles and expressions is not a new thing, and it's important for historical fiction to portray this.

Jennifer Ashley continues her Below Stairs mysteries with Death in Kew Gardens. A man is murdered next door to the household where Kat Holloway is cook. It is 1881 and suspicion falls on Li Bai Chang a visiting Chinese scholar. Kat is sure he is innocent and sets to work with Daniel McAdam to find the real culprit. At stake is an exclusive tea that the murdered man has stolen from Chinese gardeners. Kat also has to fend off the new housekeeper who is an interfering blackmailer. Read and enjoy.

Death In Kew Gardens, number three in Ashley’s Kat Holloway Below Stairs mysteries and, at least in its first half, the best one yet (I’d still recommend you read the first two, I loved’em). As you know, I don’t read mysteries for the “puzzle-mystery-solution”, or for the criminal’s motive or psychology, but the detecting main character and, in Ashley’s series’ case, her marvelous detecting team of “below stairs” maids, butlers, housekeepers, and mysterious policeman/detective/government agent Daniel McAdam (man of many roles and disguises) and his friends. Of all the mystery series I read, I love Ashley’s for her protagonists and friends, who help Kat Holloway, an inspired cook by profession, solve crimes and bring justice. Kat is talented, smart, beautiful, and kind. In Death In Kew Gardens, Kat’s kindness sets off the novel’s mystery. As Kat shops with her mercurial, temperamental, and hilarious cook’s assistant, Tess (I loved her!), she accidentally knocks over a passerby, Mr. Li, whom she then helps up. That night, Mr. Li knocks on the Rankin house kitchen door, where Kat cooks for the Bywaters and their niece and her friend, Lady Cynthia, and gifts Kat with a box of aromatic tea.

Unfortunately, also that night, the Bywaters and Lady Cynthia’s neighbour, Sir Jacob Harkness, a man who made his fortune in China and whose home is full of priceless Chinese treasures, is murdered. Moreover, that night, Sir Jacob was seen in Kew Gardens with other botanical specialist-types because Sir Jacob is an expert on all things Chinese plants. Suspicion immediately falls on Mr. Li for no other reasons than he was in the vicinity and is “a stranger in a strange land”. I thought Ashley did an excellent job of portraying the prejudices that would lead the police and public to suspect a “foreigner” in Victorian England. But she balanced this beautifully with Kat’s kind nature, as well as those around her, who support Mr. Li. Mr. Li’s own story, as he reveals it to Kat, his reasons for being in England, etc., make for a compelling narrative and are in keeping with the themes of colonialism and exploitation that Ashley explores. The mystery itself, as the body count rises, is lost in Mr. Li’s story and Kat and Co.’s wonderful relationships. It makes for a skewed narrative, but this reader didn’t miss it (the sheer action of the resolution, however, was terrific, though I’d guessed the culprit ages ago).

On the other hand, the relationships and interactions of Kat with her fellow “below stairs” servants, as well as Lady Cynthia and other friends, especially Daniel McAdam, his friend Mr. Thanos, and son James, make for a great read. Tess who’s kind, generous, and has a big, truth-telling mouth and fiery temper, is a hoot! Mr. Davis, the butler, ever fastidious and exacting in his work, is as kind, in his fashioin, as Kat. And then there’s the villainess new-housekeeper, Mrs. Daley, and her foiling — cackling-laughter dee-light-ful! But my heart belongs to Kat and Daniel’s growing love; here’s a snippet that says you don’t want to miss this series:

“You have no need to look out for me,” I said in surprise. “If I draw the wrong conclusions, then it is my fault.” Daniel’s fingers tightened.

“I do have need. To look out for you, I mean.” Wind stirred his hair around the edges of his cap.

“Really,” I said faintly. “I look out for myself.”

“I don’t agree. You have murders in your house and next door, you give aid to fugitives — I include myself in this number — and you put yourself in danger. You need a guardian angel. Or maybe you have one, a very good one, seeing as you’re still alive.”

“Quite amusing, Mr. McAdam.”

Banter, affection, friendship, camaraderie, esprit de corps, loyalty, conviviality: these characters share and it makes for a warm and wonderful read. With Miss Austen, we find in Ashley’s third Below Stairs mystery “a mind lively and at ease,” Emma.

Jennifer Ashley’s Death In Kew Gardens is published by Berkley Prime Crime. It was released on June 4th and may be found at your preferred vendor. I received an e-ARC from Berkley, via Netgalley.

A great installment in this series. Love how Kat effortlessly gets pulled into every murder in London and loved how we keep seeing more of her and Daniel!!

Another great entry in this series! She's such a good writer. The mystery moves at a clipped pace and you get so many interesting characters and historic details. My only criticism was that it was too sparse! My favorite characters outside of Kat and Daniel is Lady Cynthia. There was good insight into motivations this book but I want more! I always enjoy when they Scooby Gang the mystery and there was plenty of that. But, my favorite part of it all is the descriptions of life below stairs. Whether it's the drama, what Kat is cooking, their discussions about current events or gossip about the people upstairs...I just want more. I want all of the characters to have happy endings or end up together but at the same time I need the formula the author has created to stay the exact same. I plan to recommend this book quite a lot this summer and promote it through the NYPL website.

Another fine 'below stairs' read!

Following on from previous troubles and triumphs with Kat Holloway and her friend Daniel McAdam, this time they face the murder of a man renowned for his collection of Chinese artifacts and plants, and neighbor to Kat's household.
Kat surprisingly (or not!--is she prescient?) always seems to be in the right place at the right time. At the market Kat becomes the champion of a Chinese man, a man who later becomes embroiled in the happenings next door and is indeed a scholar, Li Bai Chang.
Meanwhile a new housekeeper of a dubious nature is employed by the Mrs. Bywater and Kat finds herself contending with issues on all sides.
Daniel, Mr Thanos and Cynthia become involved in the solving of the murder and the cause.
A lively and suspenseful read, as Kat and Daniel's relationship develops a wee bit of steam.

A NetGalley ARC

This is one of my favorite series so I was so excited to read this one and it did not disappoint!

While Kat was out doing some shopping for the kitchen where she works she accidentally bumps into a Chinaman. She didn’t know that doing so was going to throw her into another investigation. When Sir Jacob who lives in the house next door to where Kat works is murdered she can’t help but do some sleuthing to try and figure things out, especially when the Chinaman, Mr. Li is accused of the murder. She doesn’t believe he done it even though she doesn’t really know him but he was kind to her and so she stands up for him.

There is a lot of strange things going on that Kat must get to the bottom of with the help of her friends. When the cook from next door comes over and hastens Kat over to the house next door because the housekeeper thinks that her mistress has been poisoned, Kat soon finds out some interesting things about the lady’s companions. It seems like everyone is wanting to get involved with solving this case from Tess her assistant cook to Lady Cynthia.

There were quite a few suspects and I was stumped and when I found out who it was I was like….ahhh I should have guessed that! It was a great mystery with lots of intrigue and I always love following along with this oddball group of ‘friends’ as they try and solve things.

Kat is one of my favorite characters and I am glad that some of her other companions found out some more things about herself and are not judgy. It’s not like lady Cynthia can say much as she dresses like a man in a time when that is very frowned upon. I really like her as well. Honestly there is not a character that I don’t like, well except in this one they got a new housekeeper who tried my patience and got what she deserved at the end! Daniel is another of my favorites and probably one of my top favorite male characters. I still haven’t figured out exactly what he does for a living but I have my guess and I do hope we one day get to find out alone with Kat what exactly he does (I am thinking royal spy…lol). I do love the chemistry that Daniel and Kat have and hope one day they actually get together instead of just the casual flirtation! 🙂

I highly recommend this series if you are a fan of mysteries especially historical ones! You could probably jump in with this one but I think it’s best to start at the beginning to get the full affect!

I love this series. I had just read a historical murder mystery book and was so disappointed that this one picked me right back up. Kat is a wonderful character who is so comfortable with her world but open to experiencing more of it. This murder itself it very twisty and with a satisfactory ending.

This book also deepens her friendship with Lady Cynthia who she opening herself up more to. She also explains why she's scared of being romantically involved with Daniel. I'm looking forward to the book that goes into his mysterious backstory.

There's a nice subplot with the new housekeeper who is horrible but it builds suspense with the question what is she going to do next to make Kat's work life harder?

<I>I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</I>

I absolutely loved Death in Kew Gardens!! It's by far my favourite book in the Kat Holloway series. I enjoyed all the characters and the plot was super engaging. I was surprisingly really invested in the new characters and the mystery itself was fun to solve.

The romance between Kat and Daniel is still pretty much a slow burn. I'm thinking things might move faster next book...hopefully lol.

My absolute favourite character in this series is definitely Elgin. He's so adorkable 😍 I can't wait to see where his romance with Cynthia goes. Tess also gets a love interest in this installment, which is so exciting!!

I'm really glad this book was good, especially after the disappointment of the last book. I'm definitely sticking with this series now!

I love, love, love Jennifer Ashley's Death below stairs mysteries, featuring Victorian cook Kat Holloway. Kat is really good at her job, cooking for a wealthy London family, but she's also really good at solving mysteries, and luckily for us, she can do both! The series is funny, thrilling, and full of twists and turns you don't see coming - not to mention the will-they/won't-they romance of Kat and her mysterious friend Daniel.

Kat Holloway Solves the Murder of a China Expert

Kat Holloway, only thirty-years-old and one of the best cooks in England is very careful about who she works for. Her current situation works very well. She likes Lady Cynthia although she’s a bit eccentric, wearing male dress. Mr Davis, the butler, and she get along very well, even though they are sharing the housekeeper duties until a new one is hired.

The mystery begins with the death of Kat’s next door neighbor, Sir Jacob Harkness. He’s a wealthy man who is supposed to be an expert on China. On her way to the market, Kat, hurrying along, runs into an old Chinese man, Mr. Li. She helps him up and makes sure that he is all right. In his gratitude, he brings her a gift. She’s not sure she should accept, but since it’s a box of tea, it seems acceptable.

The problem is that a Chinese man was seen outside Harkness’ house when the murder took place. Mr. Li is the suspect. Kat has formed a liking for the old man so she takes on his cause to solve the murder.

The characters in this series are wonderful. You can’t help liking Kat and Daniel, a mysterious man who keeps showing up to help her solve crimes. The new housekeeper, Mrs. Daley, makes Kat’s life miserable. One of those characters you love to hate. Kat’s daughter is adorable. In short the whole cast makes the book fun to read.

The mystery was a little light, but with several sub-plots the story moves along swiftly. This is one of my favorite series. I do love the romantic interludes between Kat and Daniel. I just wish there were more of them.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

Set to post June 4 2019 at The Good, the Bad and the Unread


Stevie‘s review of Death in Kew Gardens (A Below Stairs Mystery, Book 3) by Jennifer Ashley
Historical Mystery published by Berkley 04 June 19

I’ve been greatly enjoying the Below Stairs series and was eagerly awaiting this, the third novel. Once again, Kat and her fellow servants in the London town-house find themselves deep in murder and mysteries, and once again the cross-dressing Lady Cynthia and man of mystery Daniel McAdam, not to mention Daniel’s son James, are only too keen to help Kat find the solution to each puzzle.


Things start off gently enough. Kat quite literally bumps into a Chinese gentleman while out buying provisions. Having set him on his feet and gone on her way, she is surprised to meet him again that evening while taking leftovers outside to distribute amongst those in need. This time, introductions are made, and Kat is gifted with a box of very high-quality tea in recognition of her kindness. Kat is intrigued and wants to learn more about her new friend, but he slips away into the night. And the next morning the household wakes to the news that their next-door neighbour has been murdered.

The man in question made his fortune in China, and brought back many souvenirs – some valuable – so the suspicion is that he disturbed a burglar. A visitor to the house reports having seen a Chinese man in the area, and Kat fears that her new friend will find himself in trouble, whether he had any involvement in the incident or not. As it turns out, Mr Li was hoping to speak to the murdered man and try to reclaim a rare tea bush stolen from his family. This, of course, makes him the number one suspect in the eyes of the police, although a number of others appear to have equal, if not greater, motives as far as Kat can make out.

Kat’s investigations take her to Kew Gardens, where she finds Daniel working undercover – having had the same suspicions as her: that the murderer was someone who knows about rare plants – and she gets to spend time showing her daughter around the greenhouses while looking for clues.

Back at the house, however, all is not well. Lady Cynthia’s aunt has hired a new housekeeper, who is threatening to disrupt everyone’s routine and create more work than the staff can cope with. She distrusts Kat for being a young woman in a prestigious job and denigrates Kat’s collection of cookery books. Not only that, there are suspicions that the interloper is a thief and a blackmailer. Kat resolves to find out why such an unsuitable person has been taken on, but before she can investigate this new mystery, another murder takes place, obviously connected to the first.

Once again, I loved how all the strands of the various investigations were interwoven with little details about life in a Victorian household, and it was great to see the developing relationships between Kat and Daniel and between Lady Cynthia and Daniel’s good friend, Mr Thanos. It was highly pleasing to see those who deserved it get their comeuppance and for everyone else to progress in their lives and friendships. Once again, I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Grade: A