Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an e-galley of this novel.

This mystery novel is set in 1920 in the Cotswold's, one of my favorite areas of England. The village of Little Barlow and Foxwood Hall provide the locations for this story; not an entirely isolated village but close enough to large towns and cities so characters can travel outside their setting to give the reader a rest from the small community. Lady Phoebe Renshaw is an independent woman in some ways because she has a motor car at her disposal to drive for trips to go visiting and shopping and it also comes in handy for chasing down clues to the murder of Foxwood Hall's new head gardener. Eva Huntford is lady's maid to Phoebe and the two of them can't possibly resist the temptation to investigate this murder. As in most village murders there is a wide range of suspects which only becomes clear when the background of all those involved finally shows what the motive was for the crime.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery as the light reading it is intended to be. There are quite a few characters in the story but that is how it would naturally be in a community of people living this close together. This is book number five in the series but there is no problem for readers new to the series to begin here.

I have really enjoyed these books in the past and was so excited to get this one as an ARC - I am so glad the series is continuing!!

This book is a bit different [SO. MANY. CHARACTERS.], with Phoebe's sister Lady Julia [widowed AND pregnant] visiting at the same time as Eva's sister Alice [who is in need of a "break from her family" and who's behavior is very concerning to Eva] and all the chaos that visitors cause. Lady Julia is quite spoiled and comes off as a bit bratty, even for a titled lady.

When the brother of Alice's former beau [see what I mean about a lot of characters, and we haven't even gotten to the police AND all the incidental characters] ends up dead, everyone's eyes turn to both Alice and Keenan [her former beau] and the incriminating evidence that is found doesn't help matters much. It is up to Phoebe [who, for a Lady, is eager to dive into a mystery], Eva and HER beau, Constable Brannock to sort it all out and find the murderer before they strike again.

The story was good and believable, the mystery was excellent - I was VERY surprised at who the murderer was and absolutely surprised at the why, and THAT is why I really like these books - some of it may be a touch unbelievable, but the mystery never disappoints. I am hoping that the author keeps writing these - I know I will keep reading them if she does!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Another very good book in the series! Lady Phoebe and Eva continue to have a wonderful friendship despite the class difference who manage to figure out a murder mystery. There’s all the familiar characters along with some new ones. There’s lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing the whodunit. Wonderful historical cozy mystery series.

September, 1920 in the Cotswolds, Eva, maid to Ladies Phoebe and Amelia Renshaw takes center stage in this tale. She is the driving force while maintaining her position, trying to puzzle out the change in her family dynamics, sleuthing with Lady Phoebe, giving the reader a look at the upstairs/downstairs dynamics of a Great House and explaining the close knit community of Little Barlow.

Everything is familiar, old characters, new ones that are introduced, life surrounding Foxwoods Hall and ah yes, a murder. It was interesting to have Eva become the storyteller in this latest installment of “A Lady and Ladies Maid Mystery series and watch her follow the carefully dropped clues to a harrowing but satisfying ending.

I always enjoy Alyssa Maxwell’s books and this was no exception. Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for a copy.

Lady Phoebe Renshaw and her lady’s maid, Eva Huntford find their lives disrupted by each of their sisters for various reasons. In A Silent Stabbing by Alyssa Maxwell, Phoebe's sister Julia is fretful. Newly widowed and pregnant, she is unsure how she feels about having a baby and about her husband's sudden death. Stephen Ripley returns to become the head gardener at Foxwood Hall after the abrupt and totally unexpected departure of long-time gardener Alfred Peele. When Phoebe meets him, she decides he has a sly and sneaky way about him, but is determined to be friendly because of his brother Keenan, a local pear grower. When someone is murdered. Lady Phoebe and Eva are determined to find the killer.

Thank you Net Galley. I enjoyed this book in the "Lady Phoebe and her maid Eva" series. I have read two of the previous books in the series and enjoyed them. This one is delightful too. It is breezy and fast paced, making it a quick read. enjoyed it very much.