I found this novel a relatively cosy mystery to put my feet up with, it was witty and well written but didn’t stay with me afterwards. It was a very quick read, based around the barrister Arthur Skelton, who has experienced relatively recent media attention by winning a high-profile case. Usually a sensible Yorkshireman, his wife is very amused to see him practicing his signature. In 1929 another high profile case comes his way, the defence of alleged murderer Mary Dutton. The case is thought to be impossible, but Skelton doggedly follows the evidence, avoiding political pressure and media coverage referring to Mary as The Collingwood Poisoner. Arthur and his clerk try to find the truth uncovering a tale of domestic abuse. Will he be able to get past scheming characters and media assassination to save this woman’s life - if indeed she is innocent. Cosy and charming.

I absolutely loved this book, one of my top reads of the year. I loved the characters, the deadpan humour and the legal aspects. Great period setting, very enjoyable read.

This was a fun book that is about a humble lawyer that is suddenly thrust in to the limelight by a previous courtroom battle. Now he is trying to defend Mary Dutton, accused of killing her violent husband. Is the case what it seems or is there something else going on?

Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read an ARC of this story!

Unfortunately, this one wasn't exactly my cup of tea. Things for Skelton just.... Happened? He seemed to always be in the right place at the right time. The investigation was all too easy. And the fact that Skelton himself wasn't even an investigator, but a lawyer, made that all the more frustrating for me. Now, the writing itself isn't bad by any means, it's fine, but the characters, while varied, mostly fell flat for me.

I give 2.5 stars out of 5 for Skelton's Guide to Domestic Poisons.

Arthur Skelton is now a famous barrister due to his success in a front-page case. He has to get used to being recognized by people in the streets thanks to his picture being published on several newspapers. Therefore, his services are highly requested. His next case is another notorious one: "The Collingford Poisoner". Mary Dutton has been accused of poisoning her husband. It's believed she has done it to end years of domestic violence. It was well known that her husband committed severe violence against her.

Skelton visits Mary Dutton in prison along with his assistant, Edgar, and after several questions, he's highly convinced she's innocent. They will have to follow a long and intricate road to discover the truth: who killed Mary Dutton's husband?

In conclusion, an entertaining and enjoyable historical mystery book. It's been a lovely surprise. I liked Arthur Skelton and I'd like to read more stories, or cases, with him as a barrister.

Thanks to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

After winning an important and highly publicized case, Barrister Arthur Skelton finds himself suddenly in great demand in the latter part of the 1920's. Now it's 1929, and he's been asked to take over the case of a woman accused of killing her husband. But the case comes with a whole lot of problems. For one, all the evidence points to her being guilty. For another, she was an abused wife and has become a cause celebre for women who are about to cast their first vote in the upcoming election which means the Home Office would really like to ensure she isn't executed. So Skelton is faced with a huge dilemma - should he convince his client to take a lesser plea to avoid the gallows or should he go ahead with the trial and, somehow, fingers crossed, win the case.

Skelton's Guide to Domestic Poisons by author David Stafford was a completely entertaining historical cozy reminiscent of the Golden Age of mysteries. Although it lacks much in the way of action, it makes up for it with sly humour and likeable characters who kept my attention throughout. This was definitely a whole lot of fun and I recommend it highly to anyone who enjoys a quiet, slyly witty historical mystery.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Alison & Busby for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

Arthur Skelton is a quiet unassuming lawyer who has found himself thrown into the public eye thanks to his latest win, the high-profile Dryden case which was 'the scandal of 1929’. Now that his services are in popular demand he is carefully choosing who it is he would like to represent. Amongst many cases that are available and against his trusted assistants recommendation, he agrees to defend Mary Dutton. Dubbed 'The Collingford Poisoner' by the press, Mary is accused of poisoning her husband after years of abuse. Together with his assistant Edgar, they work on the case and discover that all is not as it appears with secrets and lies that run deep into the Dutton family history.
I wasn’t too sure what to expect going in but I found that I loved the mystery around Mary Dutton and her family. Full of some brilliant characters and plenty of twists and turns, this is a delightful historical mystery read.
I absolutely loved the relationship between Skelton and Edgar. They have such a wonderful dynamic, not unlike Holmes and Watson, and there were some brilliant scenes with them both.
Throughout the story though, I found there were times that I couldn't keep up with where they were and what they were doing but overall it was easy to follow. There are quite a lot of bible references in, which I feel is necessary to the character providing them. I am not a religious person so this did not appeal to me but it wasn’t so full on that it disturbed me from enjoying the book on the whole.
A wonderful historical mystery with a comedic twist, I thoroughly enjoyed Skelton’s Guide to Domestic Poisons and I look forward to reading more of their journey.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5

” A real page turner mystery thriller”
I would define the book, Skelton’s Guide to Domestic Poisons by David Stafford as staggering and gripping for mystery and thriller lovers. With every page you will find a new discovery to the case. At one moment you are thinking that the culprit is found and by the time you reach the end of the chapter the whole scenario changes.
It will make you feel like an active participant in the story with Arthur Skelton, our protagonist and lawyer.
Thanks NetGalley for providing me an ARC copy of this book.
#SkeltonsGuidetoDomesticPoisons #NetGalley

This book was an utter delight to read. It's been a while since I've read a contemporary murder mystery that so emulates the golden age detective books so well. This book gave such a warm, fuzzy feeling reading it - a real latter-day cosy mystery, although this was not really a mystery, even though it was (please forgive the paradox). Skelton is no detective and he did not set out to solve a crime. He was merely a barrister trying to get onto the track of a defence for his client in order to win his case.

As a main character, Authur Skelton was an absolute winner. Thoroughly likeable, and with no character flaws that I could discern. Even his too-ready acceptance of the idea that his wife was having an affair, with absolutely no evidence whatsoever, told more in his favour than against him. His clerk Edgar as also a gem, and the chemistry between the two of them was pure heaven, even if the scope of Edgar's duties as a barrister's clerk wen further than I would have imagined for such a post! Their dialog had me in stitches much of the time, for the sheer inconsequential triviality of much of it, and the dryness of the wit that this evinced. Skelton's cousins Alan and Norah were wonderful exponents of this aspect of the book and their epistolary interludes were wonderful.

This was true of much of the dialog in the book - I have never laughed so much at people talking about something and nothing. It is a quality that is difficult to describe - one has to read the book to really understand - yet it is a quality that may well have as many detractors as advocates. As one of its staunchest advocates, I found it quite delightful and as pleasant a read as I have had in a while.

This being said, the one jarring note was the way in which, despite the book's clear 1920's setting, modern social mores permeated the story. This is something that I find almost all modern historical fiction suffers from, to the detriment of the genre. The authors just don't seem to able to avoid merely writing 21st century characters, putting them into a historic setting, and calling it historical fiction. Unfortunately there is an element of that in this book too. The worst offender is Mila, Skelton's wife - she of the non-existent affair. As one who is heartily sick unto death of the current trend to write all women characters as staunch feminists who rail against the plight of their downtrodden sex at every conceivable opportunity (and I say this as a member of that very sex), I found Mila something of a discordant note. This was indeed the time between the wars when women had taken several steps forward and were not to be shoved back down - the age of the flapper and female voters. However, Mila seemed way too militant to be the wife of mild mannered Skelton, and her comments towards the end of the book, about teaching the girls in her archery class to box was somewhat unsavoury, as was her condoning the unbridled physical violence that one of her charges had clearly resorted to. When Skelton challenged her as to whether she should be encouraging this sort of behaviour, she replied 'Of course I should'. Hmmmm.

One other female that was written in a similar vein but with much more subtlety than Mila was Rose. She again eschewed the traditional gender roles for women of her class and background, setting her sights on a career in the law. I don't say that there is anything wrong with this, just that it is extremely unlikely for a woman of those times, as is the surprisingly easy way she found articles in London, Another aspect was the suspiciously anachronistic way in which both Skelton and Edgar accepted the idea of a same-sex relationship between two of the characters in the book. It is extremely unlikely that this would even have occurred to two middle-class men of their stamp, let alone been considered in such an equitable manner. Very 21st century!

In spite of these small issues, this was a lovely book and I would heartily recommend it. I hope it is the first of a series. The world deserves more Skelton and Edgar.

I liked this one a lot! It was quirky and unusual and snarky. The characters were well developed and of an interesting mix of personalities and foibles. The plot was interesting and engaging. The pacing was a bit uneven - it would shift from furious page flipping to a more measured read every now and again, which I found a little frustrating, but overall the story was entertaining enough to keep me in the thick of things throughout. This feels like it has the potential to translate into a series; I'd definitely pick up future titles to see what the embattled Skelton finds himself up against next!

This book was brilliant!

The first in a new series, the protagonist is Arthur Skelton the foremost barrister in 1929. Ably assisted by his law clerk, Edgar, Skelton is defending a farmer’s wife against a charge of murdering her abusive husband.

To be honest this all sounds horribly grim, but the book wasn’t like that at all. All of the characters were vividly drawn. Arthur Skelton, the ‘Latter Day Galahad’ is described a a tall, thin man who walks with a limp. He is married to Mila, who is a part Swedish communist and militant feminist. Edgar is resigned to the uphill battle he faces keeping Skelton respectable. Quite honestly, I spent an indecent amount of time laughing out loud at various characters words and actions.

The impressive thing was that this wasn’t a farce, and Stafford eloquently shows the darker side of things too. We hear about the after effects of World War I on the soldiers who returned. The fight for women’s emancipation and the shockwaves that sent through British life and politics.

All of this was tied to an great murder mystery.

All in all I can’t recommend this enough and look forward to reading the next in the series.

***Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher***

I enjoyed this character-driven mystery book. It had Golden Ages sprinkled on it with a bit of satire.

I'll be following the next books. Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

Very strong character-driven mystery with light touches of the Golden Age but which has a dry humour to it. I'll be interested to see how the series develops.

Personally I could not get into this book. I thought that the premise of the novel was good and that the characters were interesting, however, the story line at the beginning was slow and I found it hard to want to continue reading. It was a DNF for me unfortunately.

A good keep-you-guessing mystery. Can barrister Skelton keep Mary from being convicted of poisoning her husband? How about his home life? His relationship with his assistant? Very amusing yet thought provoking while dealing with serious subjects.

This had everything that I should have loved, but I found myself really bored while reading it. I thought the pacing was off and a lot more editing needed to happen. I thought the story dragged on for far too long, too much attention to random details and not enough on the important stuff.

This book simply turned out to not be my cup of tea. The premise was interesting, that of a lawyer of humble origins using his common sense and interest in the world around him to defend his clients. I also liked the witty and meandering way of telling the story. However, the wit and humor felt incongruous with the rather gloomy feel of the novel as a whole. It felt like there were varying levels of seediness around every corner. The main thing that didn’t work for me was the lack of a clear solution to the mystery. All in all, I can see why some people would really like this book, and others would really dislike it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for providing a digital ARC.

Ted Dutton is dead. His wife, Mary Dutton, stands accused of his murder. And before you waste any time feeling sorry for Ted, he was an awful guy who beat his wife and kids. Mary stands accused of feeding him arsenic by way of meat pie, which has a delightful Sweeney Todd feel to it. But she’s got a ton of people who don’t think she’s done it and they’ve put together a trust to hire a lawyer to defend her.

Skelton aka Galahad is the lawyer (barrister, really, since we’re talking about England) who comes to the rescue of women in distress. The first case of notoriety was a woman suing her ex-husband for libel, which Skelton easily wins. He’s a mild-mannered man who used mild-mannered whimsy to poke holes into the prosecutor’s case until it collapsed. This new case is as dramatic, but a good deal harder because he’s got to find out who really killed Ted if he wants to prevent his client from being sentenced to death.

Skelton and his clerk Edgar search for the truth, which means looking into Ted’s family. Not only are they shady, but they’re crazy. There’s Ted’s dad, who was a dirty police inspector (he stole money from lepers) and who the whole police force misses; his mom who was a holier-than-thou drunk and bitterly hates Mary, and his brother Billy who doesn’t really want anything to do with them since they’re all nuts. They’re not Kardashian level crazy but they’re Osbourne level wackos. I appreciate the refined, let’s drink tea and chat up this nice murder suspect or this kindly busybody who may hold the clue I’m looking for.

The author manages to draw out whodunnit over the course of the book. Honestly, most murder mysteries can be solved relatively quickly but this one was entertaining enough to keep me puzzled and reading.

Right up until the very end, the reader doesn’t get to know whether or not Mary is guilty. We’re on the edge of our seats asking, but did she do it? I wonder if the writer didn’t know whether he wanted her guilty or not. It made for really good reading because you didn’t know what to make of all the bat shit crazy stuff that was happening.

Skelton’s Guide to Domestic Poisons was a fun read. It’s gentler than a screwball comedy but it’s fun and witty and there are enough crazy plot twists to keep the pages turning and the reader guessing until the end. Fans of Rhys Bowen and Charles Todd will love Skelton’s Guide to Domestic Poisons.

Skelton's Guide to Domestic Poisons is a delightful book, an absolute treat. It's a detective novel in the cosy/classic style set in the 1920s, but the pace and humour give it quite a modern flavour. It's quirky. And it's funny. It has undertones of P.G. Wodehouse, but with the humour coming from witty, clever dialogue rather than slapstick situational comedy. I found myself giggling repeatedly and annoying my husband by reading quotes, which, admittedly, out of context weren't all that funny but in context were deliciously entertaining.

It's most definitely character driven. Arthur Skelton - "six foot three, with a face like a horse" - is a hoot. His sidekick Edgar is a perfect foil. Don't expect fiendishly clever plotting, but there's intrigue aplenty. The basic premise - the apparently impossible defence of Mary Dutton when all the evidence is stacked squarely against her - hooks you at the start and keeps the tension high.

I can't wait to read the next installment. Highly recommended.

My thanks to Netgalley for giving me a free copy of this book. All my reviews are 100% honest and unbiased, regardless of how I acquire the book.

This book is very delightful and full of charm and witt and a little bit of murder. Mary Dutton’s husband was murdered..... or was he? After an autopsy was performed, there was a substantial amount of poison found in his system. Mary says she is innocent and there are some who believe in her innocence and others her guilt. She found herself front page news. To top it off rat poison was found in her pantry. Ted Dutton was a farmer so to speak so there could possibly be a good reason for it. Ted Dutton wasn’t husband of the year either. He was mean and abusive. The case against Mary was not looking good for her. On top of that it was an election year. A candidate running for election set up a defense fund in hopes of raising money to hire a barrister for Mary. We then meet Arthur Skelton who agrees to take on the case knowing this will either make him or break him. Was it really un winnable? This is by far one of the best books I have ever read and would love to read more with Skelton. The authors eloquent writing abilities keep the reader engaged and feeling as though they are actually in the novel. I would give this book 10⭐️‘S if I could. Refreshingly amusing it kept me enthralled and entertained throughout. Please Mr. Stafford, write more books with Skelton!