I recieved free digital copy of this book from the publisher Allison & Busby via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine and given freely.

Going by the synopsis I was really excited to read this one and meet Arthur Skelton, he is so fun with his wife Mila. I soent the whole book trying to figure out who poisoned Ted... I seemed to think of the exact same avenues Skelton did which made me feel quite accomplished despite the fact I never did figure it out 😂

Skelton is a great character, he's smart and down to earth and fair, he seems to have a great relationship with Mila despite the fact he thinks she's having an affair... I found his thoughts about what his wife had to tell him wuite amusing... He kept jumping to an affair conclusion which was totally off base.

Alan kinda confused me at the beginning until I realised it was his brother and was keeping him upto date in general and anything they thought might help him, its sweet.

I will definitely be looking out for the author in the furture.

Oh my giddy aunt! This was a laugh a minute. Charming, quaint, engaging, and clever all at once, I rather loved it. Mila was marvellous, what a character! She deserves a story all of her own. Arthur, Tommy to her Tuppence, is a firm favourite - I want to see more!

The Rover Sunbeam, Sedgewick the hilarious horse, Pepper pies and Everton Mints, lots of tea drinking, copious amounts of rum where rum is not technically acceptable, Allan and Norah (not being one for religious gatherings, I'd attend one of their religious gatherings, no doubt about it!), this book is chock-full of characters.

The murders mentioned are intricate affairs of what might or might not be a foul deed, and one isn't quite sure of where to draw the line, a line which may or may not be black and white. It did tend to get a bit wordy in parts, but that is really the only (small) criticism I have. I especially loved the bit right at the end, the inspiration behind Arthur Skelton. How clever. I loved it.

Many thanks to Net Galley, David Stafford and Allison & Busby for my ARC.

Skelton’s Guide to Domestic Poisons shows Arthur Skelton’s journey through discovering a murder mystery, a “who done it?” murder investigation in 1929.

Arthur Skelton is a barrister alongside his partner Edgar, and when he is assigned a case that would make him look good, a murder case of Hannah Dryden who supposedly murdered her husband after years of abuse, the public believe she is innocent. Arthur is tasked with discovering if she is guilty or innocent but specifically to be proved innocent in order for his public appearance to shine through.

I gave Skelton's Guide to Domestic Poisons by David Stafford one star as it didn’t stick with me while reading it and I ended up not finishing the book. One of my favorite genres is mystery and when I first read the synopsis I actually was quite excited for it because the murder mystery aspect was fascinating and I wanted to continue reading from the synopsis. However when I picked it up, it wasn’t as energized or exciting as I thought it would be.

When reading a murder mystery I love the way it grasps my attention and makes me intrigued to know more but this book didn’t do it for me as much as I hoped. The plot sounded great and definitely made me interested but I felt that the way it was written did not fit whatsoever and I just felt disappointed with the way it happened.

I ended Skelton’s Guide to Domestic Poisons at 17% after it left me feeling normal and nothing more.

I would like to thank NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh how I enjoyed this book!

Light hearted, decent people
Beautifully and wittily written

Great

He was called "The Latter-Day Galahad". The Dryden case, the scandal of 1929, was deemed a "masterpiece of forensic eloquence". Hannah Dryden sued her husband for defamation of character after he authored "Mistress of Mayfair", a so-called "true to life account of Hannah's supposed debaucheries". Barrister for the prosecution, Arthur Skelton, wore thick glasses and had a pronounced limp. "...instead of attacking the defence case he praised it...he congratulated Maurice Dryden on his literary invention and his cast of witnesses, on their ability to tell spellbinding stories...as he exposed the implausibility of these stories". Shelton was now recognized everywhere!

Stop the funeral! Mary Dutton's husband cannot be buried! An autopsy was ordered. Pathological findings indicated "substantial amounts of arsenic administered in small doses over a period of time". Mary Dutton is called "The Collingford Poisoner", her picture splashed on the front cover of the Herald. "And now, at last, the British had an arsenic killer all of their own. And she looked like Lillian Gish". Mary didn't have a chance. Rat poison was found in her pantry...but...Ted Dutton was a cruel wife beater. He beat his wife with fists, sticks, kitchen utensils and regularly beat his children. Mary had the means-motive-opportunity to bring about Ted's demise. Did she do it?

A general election was coming. Why not hire the "Latter-Day Galahad" for this potential landmark case. A "Mary Dutton Defence Fund" was established by one of the political candidates running for office. If Skelton wins, his fame will skyrocket, if he loses, his star will crash and burn. Many women, wearing homemade sashes and displaying banners, "Mary Dutton Defence League" quietly gathered while newspapers claimed "the flappers were taking to the streets...the threat of civil unrests, especially where women were involved". "It is clear that the Mary Dutton case is regarded as something of a cause celebre".

Edgar Hobbes, Skelton's assistant helped him to theorize, to determine if someone other than Mary could have poisoned Ted. Ted ran a small holding...mostly sheep. Is it possible that he did not take proper precautions when dipping each sheep separately to remove ticks? Could the sheep dip have contained arsenic? In Edgar's words, "So...the prosecution would keep repeating cruelty, rat poison. Cause, Effect. And we'd be bleating on about sheep dip. She'll hang...".

"Skelton's Guide to Domestic Poisons" by David Stafford is a mystery "of old" with flourishes of modern times. Political agendas due to an election, women's rights and corruption at the highest level come to light. Author Stafford uses a broad brush to characterize Shelton and Edgar. As they travel in a chauffeur driven Daimler, rented by the day, Edgar rides with his head out the window so as not to barf from motion sickness in the interior of the elegant vehicle. The Dutton case was one of many cases this duo had pending on the court docket. A reader looking for a fast-paced courtroom thriller will find the action to be slow moving. This tome is character driven with many doses of humor and stops for a cuppa. Epistolary touches add to the investigative fun. This is a lovely, Golden Age type, historical mystery debut I thoroughly enjoyed!

Thank you Allison & Busby and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good story, the plot was fun and it was clearly well researched. As a historic novel it nailed everything from the snacks to the slang of the era which I thought was delightful. It also had a lovely feminist element to it which I appreciated. I loved the main character's wife and the way she viewed the world. However I will admit that the book was slow going and a bit plodding. It felt a bit cerebral for a murder mystery.

Very slow. Stopped at 26%. I skipped a whole chapter because it was babbling on about the life of Skelton's relative. Is there really time for that, dear author, when proper investigations have yet to start? Psh. The next chapter, chapter eight, was pretty good. But then chapter nine came on, and it was about that relative again. Couldn't hold my attention at all, so there we go. If it has any connection to the case at hand, perhaps my mind could be convinced to continue. However, it was a complete waste of time.

This is a tremendously fun read. The humour is black and the plot is a murder that might have never been discovered.
Skelton's cousins make excellent detectives with their travelling ministry and ear for details.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and really hope there will be more to come as I'm out of Christie and this harks back to the Golden Age of detective novels while also being refreshingly modern.

What a delight this book was.
With an opening scene that made you sit up and pay attention.
The main thing that drew me in was the humour... I probably smiled/laughed at this one more times than many comedy books.
The main characters of Skelton,Edgar and Mila were all perfect and interacted with each other beautifully.
Then thrown in there ,we have a possible murderers and women getting the vote and rioting on the streets..
Hugely enjoyable.... I hope