Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

Murder in the East End, the fourth mystery featuring cook Kat Holloway, is full of endearing characters and wonderful atmospheric Victorian England setting.

Always willing to help where she can, Kat agrees to do some digging when she learns from her friend Daniel that several children and a nurse have gone missing from the Foundling Hospital. Kat is surprised to meet Daniel’s “brother” Errol Fielding who is now a vicar, a member of the hospital’s board, and acquainted with Nurse Betts. Have the children been adopted as the hospital records indicate? Kat sure hopes so but fears the worst when Daniel finds Betts’ body in the morgue. Together with her friends in both low and high places, she sets out to get to the bottom of things.

I am a big historical mystery fan, and the characters in this series keep me coming back for more. Unlike so many of my other favorite series where amateur sleuths are aristocratic, this has a uniquely “downstairs” take; it’s a refreshing change of pace. Kat is plucky, wise, and bighearted. Her friend Daniel remains an enigma though readers do learn quite a bit more about his past in this installment. His relationship with Fielding, and how he deals with him throughout the book, is telling. Daniel may have a checkered past, but he is a good man. He and Kathy’s romance, which moves along at a glacial pace, does progress a bit here just not to my satisfaction. I am not sure how I feel about Fielding. He is obviously not reformed so it bothers me that he is a vicar, but I also think he is far too “hot headed” to be an effective conman. If he appears in future books, I hope he grows on me. Kat’s friends and coworkers are all represented here, and they always add variety and entertainment value.

Murder in the East End does touch on some disturbing topics concerning the plight of many of the orphaned and painfully poor children of Victorian London, but it is handled tactfully without glossing over it. The mystery is engaging, and the pace of the story is just right, but the ending completely fell flat. I still enjoyed the book just not as much as the previous installments, and the series still holds a place on my “must-read” list. Recommended to fans of historical mysteries, especially those set in the Victorian era.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*

This is my first Kat Holloway Mystery and it will not be my last. I cannot wait for more about these wonderful, intriguing, and unique characters. Kat is a skilled cook for a well-to-do family but that is not her whole story. She has a way with people that gets them to trust her, to tell their stories, and to help solve mysteries that may get overlooked by others.



In Murder in the East End she is asked to find out where foundlings, children without parents, are being sent when they disappear from the London Foundling Hospital. I was intrigued, I was invested in finding the truth, and I could not stop reading.

First, it’s important to note that this is the 4th book in the series. I know. I’m crazy for reading the 4th book 1st! But to it’s credit, it’s completely readable and understandable on it’s own. While, after reading it – I do think that reading the series top to bottom would be ideal – it makes sense on it’s on. I love when an author can do that.

Our protagonist, Kat Holloway, is endearing and I love that rather than being a lady of leisure, she’s a cook. Hence the ‘below the stairs’ moniker on the series. She’s an excellent cook in an upper class household and surrounded my an interesting group of supporting characters. In particular, I enjoyed the bluestocking characters and the love interest who clearly works for a kind of undercover police.

My main qualm with the book is that the mystery really seemed to take a backseat. This makes a complete sense. The main character is not an investigator or a police officer and since she’s working class she cannot investigate all the time. But, this makes the novel read rather slowly and means that the mystery does not have a quick resolution. On this note, at least in this novel, I feel like the wrap up of mystery was a bit too convenient.

Despite these issues, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! Kat is a fantastic character and I truly enjoyed the subplot of the romance, which seems like a major slow burn over the length of the series.

I would highly recommend this to fans of historical mysteries who are look for a different take on the Victorian murder mystery. I’m definitely interested in reading more of the series!

Murder in the East End is the fourth book in the Below Stairs mystery series and is another solid addition to Kat Holloway’s adventures. I discovered this series only two weeks ago and I have sped through every book I could get my hands on in the series. Needless to say, I’m obsessed with everything about it, and I am pleased to report that each book continues to get better as we learn more about the cast of characters and as their relationships grow stronger.

The mystery begins when Daniel asks Kat to meet with a board member of the Foundling Hospital, Errol Fielding, about a nurse and four children who have gone missing. To make things even more interesting, Errol is Daniel’s adoptive brother and they are not on great terms. I love that we keep getting details about Daniel’s past and hints about his current activities.

In addition to the introduction of Daniel’s brother, we also get to meet another one of Lady Cynthia’s friends, Miss Townsend, an artist who paints domestic scenes in the impressionist style and is interested in painting scenes from the kitchen. I love small details like this that engage the reader with aspects of the Victorian world. Although it’s not a huge part it adds to the flavor of the time and is realistic
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Murder in the East End is an intriguing, character-driven mystery set in Victorian London. Now that I’ve finished the latest book in the series, I am going to be having withdrawals waiting for the next one to be published.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

-- Read this review, and others, on my blog at www.hookedbythatbook.com --

I can’t enough of Kat and Daniel. This get-it-done duo is back in full force, and this time there are children’s lives on the line. We get the same intrigue and action, with some new characters thrown in the mix, such as Daniel’s estranged brother, and another eccentric lady who is a friend of Lady Cynthia’s. That’s three unconventional ladies now, and I don’t know how realistic that is, but I honestly don’t care. They are refreshing and the story definitely needs them to help move the plot forward. Kat would not be able to do half of the things she’s doing without these ladies’ influence.

Kat and Daniel knocked heads a bit in this book, and I have to say, I really liked that. It feels like it’s another step forward in their relationship. They can disagree with each other, and keep their feelings. We learned a bit more about Daniel. And Kat had some personal setbacks that also gave her character room for growth and learning.

I sincerely hope there’s more to come.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Murder in the East End (A Below Stairs Mystery #4). By Jennifer Ashley. 2020. Berkley. (ARC eBook).

When Kat Holloway’s enigmatic friend Daniel McAdam brings her to meet his brother Errol Fielding, an equally enigmatic man who is currently engaged as a vicar in London’s notorious East End, Kat learns that children and a nurse from a foundling hospital have disappeared. As Kat and Daniel work together, various threads begin to unravel; sending them in various directions and recruiting help from both the lower working class and the wealthy.

From Kat’s pragmatic point-of-view, we get not only the amateur sleuth perspective, but that of the working class as well. I enjoyed the historical details which helped to bring London’s East End, like White Chapel and Seven Dials, to life. Overall, Murder in the East End is an entertaining Victorian mystery, but I was not fully engaged. I rather think that this is more due to this being the first I’ve read of this series. And while this could be a stand alone read, I think I personally will enjoy this installment better when I go back and start from the beginning. Which I plan to do.

In Victorian London, children from the Foundling Hospital are disappearing, and a nurse at the hospital has also vanished. Kat Holloway, cook in the aristocratic Bywater household, learns of this when her rather enigmatic friend, Daniel McAdam, sends for her to meet his foster brother, Errol Fielding. He's a vicar, now, and a very junior member of the board of governors of the Foundling Hospital. He asked Daniel for help, and Daniel decided that they needed Kat's help.

Kat, Daniel McAdam, and Fielding all have their secrets, and Daniel, for good reason, doesn't really trust his foster brother. Yet the children are missing, and Nurse Betts is soon found murdered. It's clear, also, that whatever other motives he has, Fielding had real feelings for Nurse Betts, and wants her killer found.

This is an intricate story with interesting and complex characters. We continue to learn more about both the major figures and the continuing supporting characters, in a Victorian mystery that is, unlike many, set among the working classes and those among the upper classes who don't quite fit into their assigned roles.

Lady Cynthia, for instance, Mrs. Bywater's niece, resists wearing women's clothing, or cooperating with her aunt's determination to marry her off, while being interested in a perfectly respectable young man who is not of appropriate social standing. She's also maintaining a friendship with Lady Roberta, and her new love, Miss Townsend. This was more common in Victorian London than we might typically assume, and more famous examples (of higher birth and consequently more protected against potential legal consequences) exist.

It's a sometimes gritty look at the lower classes and the fringes of society, with a good mystery and good characters. Recommended.

I receive a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, and am reviewing it voluntarily.

Kat Holloway is a talented cook in a big Mayfair home. She loves her kitchen staff and assorted people associated with the house. One of those people is deliveryman Daniel McAdam. He’s a mystery man and much more than his job title implies. In this book Kat is drawn into a case of missing children from the Foundling Hospital. This case involved a relative of Daniel’s and a very seedy side of London. Because of Kat’s past Daniel is sure she can help with the investigation. Kind-hearted Kat will do anything to help find the children – as will her friends and associates. I was satisfied with the resolution. Not all strings are tied though which leaves things open for the next book.

I like the glimpses of downstairs life that Jennifer Ashley gives readers in this series. I also like the pace of the development of Kat and Daniel’s relationship. A bit more is shown in each book and I’m always left eager to read the next book. I look forward to seeing what Kat and company will be doing next time.

4 out of 5 stars - If you ask me, I'll tell you to read it.

I really enjoyed meeting Kat Holloway and Daniel McAdams in book 4 of this series. I will definitely go back and read the other 3 already published.

In this story, Kat, the cook at a nice home in London, is brought into a mystery involving missing children from a Foundling Hospital (orphanage). Daniel's "brother" is on the board of trustees and fears that children have gone missing, as well as one of the nurses in their charge. Daniel wants Kat to help him investigate, as she has the ability to go and talk to people he might not (such as the orphanage cooks and maids). They do not want to go to the police until they know there's truly something sinister happening with the missing children.

In the end, as always happens in this book, the mystery is solved (but not everything always turns out positively).

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this advanced copy!

When orphan children and their nurse disappear from the London Foundling Hospital, Kat joins Daniel and a surprising ally to work against the clock before they disappear for good. The downstairs, working class situation of the amateur detective heroine in this series grabbed my focus from the start and I love seeing her as a crusader for justice while overcoming her past and learning to trust in a small, but growing circle of friends.

Murder in the East End is the fourth of the Kat Holloway mysteries. Each mystery is standalone though there is an ongoing series arc for Kat’s personal and relationship developments.

At this point in the series, Kat Holloway is an established character as are her growing circle who, like her fellow household servants feel like family and sometimes aid her in slipping away to work on mysteries, or like Lady Cynthia, Mr. Thanos, Lady Cynthia’s friends, Daniel and James who all work together on solving the mysteries.

I love that Kat is a cook in an upper class Victorian home and her daily life as cook and the life of that house are a large part of the books. It’s fascinating to me how they lived, but also makes for an interesting amateur detective set up. I thought her background was a neat mystery in the very first book and that she has to keep her daughter secret and living with friends and only seeing her on her once a week days off because of the rules for servants back then.

Daniel is Kat’s growing love interest. I enjoy this slow burn series thread. They have been attracted since the beginning of the series and both had their secrets. Kat’s secrets are now known to Daniel, but she has been forced to learn his secrets a little at a time and some of the secrets like who he works for when he takes on personas, disguises, and even trips out of town to do dangerous work, he is not allowed to tell her. Kat has deep trust issues because of what happened to her and Daniel has a few of his own struggles, let alone they both have to work hard to earn livings so the pace of their relationship works well. I do love seeing the rise in tension and the deepening relationship as well as amateur detecting partnership.

The mystery in this one doesn’t have an imminent feel to it, though with missing children it does have everyone working hard to find them. There is a sadness for the plight of the vulnerability of the orphaned poor and the author doesn’t shy away from describing just how bad it can get for them. I didn’t have an early solution and could only tag along as Kat and the others worked hard to follow the trail. There is an interesting new player in this one and I hope becomes a recurring character in future books.

All in all, it was another engaging installment in a fabulous historical mystery series. Those who enjoy good character and relationship development, attention to historical setting and details, and a solid mystery should definitely pick up this book/series.

Intriguing continuation of the Below Stairs mysteries!

Missing children, a nurse's disappearance, and a foundling home at the center of these troubles. This was an exciting addition to the addictive Victorian mystery series
with the intrepid cook Kat Holloway again being drawn into ongoing conundrums. Daniel McAdam of course involves Kat in these investigations. Apparently the Foundling Hospital doesn't want to notify the police as any rumors might affect their funding. Embroiled in this is someone from Daniel's past. And a little more light is cast on Daniel's checkered background. He's just that little more visible. No longer the shadowy figure of mystery. His outline is being given form.
I like the way Ashley has us discovering more about the lives of Daniel and Kat, as their pasts impact the now. The series unfurls rather like a fiddle fern revealing a little more each time.
We're also privy to more information about those Upstairs. Lady Cynthia is her normal vibrant self, still trying to ward off her aunt's unwanted match making.
Then there's the painter Miss Townsend who's a somewhat enigmatic character, quietly competent, and I feel, a bit of a game changer.
There's a fleeting chilling glance at a character who seems cast in ice and iron, someone I feel sure we'll see in future developments, someone that neither Kat nor I care to be involved with.
I found myself really involved in this particular mystery, more so than in previous ones.

A Berkley ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Another excellent book in the Below Stairs Mystery.

This one is different from a regular murder mystery. Children are missing and one of the caretaker nurses ends up dead. Do these things have the same criminal or does London have enough bad guys to spare?

The driving force of the book is finding the lost children while Kat begins to start thinking about her feelings for Daniel and what this means for her future. We get more hints at Daniel's secretive life along with more of his backstory, including a brother. This leads to characters who are spoken of but will be more important in future story lines and I'm really excited for this series to continue.

This review is based on an advanced copy provided by Netgalley for a honest review.

The case was an interesting one that took us into some seeder sections of London, exposing brothels and even the quirks of the ton who donate to the hospital.

Of course, while all this is going on, Kat must visit her daughter and run the household kitchens. Things were topsy-turvy in the house, and I worried for Kat. It showed just how close-knit those below the stairs have become.

We learned more about Daniel and saw some movement with the romance. It was enough to tease and perhaps clarify intentions, but not nearly enough to satisfy. I enjoyed spending time with Thanos, Cynthia and our newest acquaintance and ally, Judith. She proved to be quite an asset and supporter of Kat.

I’ve grown fond of these characters, even the prickly ones. The case took a clever turn and ended on a high note. We will have to wait until the summer of 2021 for the next installment.

Full review will post at Caffeinated Reviewer on August 6, 2020. It will be uplifted on all social media and cross posted to Goodreads and Amazon. Link provided.

I’ve enjoyed this series from the very beginning.
This one doesn’t disappoint.
I love that we learn more about Kat and Daniel.
The ending seemed a bit easy. But still a great read.
I can’t wait for the next book!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for my honest review.

An entertaining Victorian mystery. The attention to historical detail really brings the world to life, and the characters are all interesting and well fleshed-out. The writing was engaging. I felt the resolution to this particular mystery was slightly odd and underwhelming. Also, coming into this series at this point left me feeling just a bit confused/lacking in information about the main characters' backstories. It didn't effect the plot, but I think the book would read better if you had read the others in the series.
Content Warning below
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CW: children forced to work in brothel, abuse not on page

1882. Kat Holloway, cook at the home of Mrs Bywater, is introduced to Reverend Errol Fielding, foster brother of her friend Daniel McAdam. Fielding is on the Board of Governors of the Foundling Hospital in Brunswick Square. His attention has been draw by Nurse Nell Betts that three children have gone missing. He hopes that Kat will investigate but as her time is not her own she recruits her friends to help.
An interesting and enjoyable historical mystery, a well-written story with a varied cast of likeable characters, with a strong female lead. Another good addition to the series.
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This series takes us downstairs from the society folk Kat serves and gives us a behind the scenes look at what the lower levels of society in Victorian London may face. Each novel in the series ensnares the reader in the mystery while captivating our minds and hearts with the strength of Kat’s character as well as those of the staff and friends around her. What could be a simple tale ends up having many layers and gives depth to these simple people who are just trying to work to survive a harsh landscape. Kat Holloway navigates these various levels of society never forgetting her circumstances and how a wrong word can affect she and her daughters survival. Murder in the East End laid bare the fine line she walks as well as the emotional balance she strikes between her friendship and love, no matter the level of society those people reside in.

What did I think of Murder in the East End? I enjoyed not only the resolution to the mystery but also how Kat’s relationship with Daniel moved to the next step emotionally. After being betrayed by her husband Kat is very careful with her feelings but Murder in the East End revealed secrets that allowed Kat to give Daniel her trust, and hopefully her heart will follow. I’ll admit to being fascinated with the Victorian era as well. Society is filled with rules and yet below stairs their lives are much more base. The contrast between the two makes the division between classes even more apparent which makes novels riveting reading. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of the ARC from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

This is the first book I have read by Jennifer Ashley. I thought it was a really great mystery. I loved how the person working to solve the mystery was someone who still had to work and wasn’t wealthy. I liked that while they we trying to find the missing children, they were able to help stop a very bad thing that was happening. I liked that there was some interaction between those above stairs and below and I liked how forward thinking the young wealthy women were. I thought this was a good book and that the mystery kept you engaged the whole time. I would be interested in reading the other books in this series.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

Kat Holloway is a young cook who has much more than culinary interests. She has found herself in precarious situations. In large part this is due to her avid curiosity when things are not as they should be. Previously she has found herself more than effective when it comes to solving murders. Currently, Kat learns that not only are children of London's Foundling Hospital disappearing, but that one of their nurses has been murdered. Quite naturally, Kat cannot ignore the situation.

Kat doesn't act alone, however. She is aided by good friend Daniel McAdam, formerly a man of mystery as far as she was concerned. But at least now Kat knows Daniel has some ties to Scotland Yard. Can the pair work together once again? I loved this next book in the Kat Holloway Mysteries because we finally get to know more about Daniel. Meanwhile, readers of this series have been seeing the pair draw closer together. It is hoped that now that Kat has a better understanding of Daniel that the pair can find something special together.

So this book and series delivers wonderful suspense, more than a bit of danger, and the nicely tuned element of romance. The case in this story is a bit more sensitive than previous titles in this series. This is especially because young children are the victims here, and that is never easy to read about. And when I say victims, it is rather serious and truly tragic. The intensity of their investigation was finely balanced with the growing romance. As a mother and grandmother, I kind of needed that break while reading this story.

Cozy mysteries are one of my favorite types of stories. I have read several series and always love how people become and continue to be amateur sleuths. In this case with the budding romance, as well as other friends that are in the mix, I have truly come to love and enjoy Kat and her industriousness when it comes to unraveling details, no matter how difficult and painful. Jennifer Ashley definitely has a fan in me and I can't wait to read more in this series.

Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Series: Kat Holloway Mysteries #4
Publication Date: 8/4/20
Number of Pages:320

The ONLY problem with devouring this book in one sitting – as I did – is that I now have to wait a year for the next one. I always have great intentions – of reading the books in this series slowly and savoring each word – but I’m weak and can never put them down once I start reading. The writing is excellent, the plot is tight and perfectly paced, and the characters are full and interesting. I love that we learn more and more about Kat and Daniel in each new book – and their relationship deepens. Daniel is one of the most enigmatic characters I’ve ever read and I can hardly wait to learn his full story. Then, of course, there are the returning secondary characters that we already love, but get to know better with each new book. Definitely, a wonderful ensemble cast within a compelling and exciting mystery.

Kat Holloway is a gifted cook in an aristocratic home – and she also has a soft, giving heart and a penchant for solving mysteries. When Kat learns that it is suspected that children are missing from London’s Foundling Hospital, she determines to get to the bottom of the mystery. Are the children missing, or aren’t they? If they aren’t missing, then, where are they? If they are missing, then, where are they and how did they end up missing? Kat’s greatest fear is that they’ve somehow ended up in the clutches of flesh peddlers and she’ll stop at nothing to rescue them from that fate.

Kat knows she cannot do it alone and asks for help from Daniel McAdam. Daniel has been her friend for several years and yet she still doesn’t know his full story. She knows she admires him; she knows he has some loose connection to Scotland Yard, but she knows very little of his early history. She’ll learn more in this book and even meet his ‘brother’. (It will be interesting to see in that brother has any roles in upcoming books.)

The search intensifies when a lovely nurse from the foundling home disappears. What could have happened to young Nurse Betts? Several days later, Daniel discovers that her body is in the morgue at Scotland Yard. She was literally beaten to death and Daniel’s brother, Errol Fielding, a vicar, is incensed because he had a tendresse for the young woman.

Kat and Daniel definitely have their hands full trying to keep Fielding in check and still uncover the fate of the children as well as the murderer of Nurse Betts. They’ll need all of their friends to help them – James, Bessie, Tess, Lady Cynthia, Mr. Elgin Thanos, Bobby – and new friend Miss Townsend. Of course – all of the investigating and crime-solving have to be worked around so Mrs. Bywater, Kat’s employer, is unaware of what is happening below stairs in her home.

This was an exciting, unputdownable read and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. You certainly cannot go wrong when you have such engaging characters solving such intriguing mysteries. I did like that there was move movement on the romantic front between Kat and Daniel, but it is definitely moving too slowly to suit me. I can hardly believe that I now have to wait a year for the next installment!

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