Book 4 in the series, and now I want to read the others. A good cozy mystery and was a fun read. Highly recommend.

I’ve enjoyed all the Beryl and Edwina mysteries because I enjoy the characters. For me the mystery in this book was just ok. I got to a point where I almost put it down because nothing in the mystery was progressing and I was bored. Everything seemed to resolve in the last 20 or so pages. I knew who the culprit was before we got to the halfway point, but still had to slog through the main characters’ bumbling. Beryl and Ed are really smart, I feel like they could have figured it out much faster.
I’ll keep reading and anticipating the series, but this one fell flat for me.

After the third novel, I was all caught up in the series, and was happy to see the next book on NetGalley.

RATING: 4 STARS (2020, Kensington)

Adventuress, Beryl has been caught speeding and decides the best way out of it is to charm the magistrate (judge). When he asks Beryl and Edwina to call on him for a case, they come across dead body at the bottom of the stairs. Beryl and Edwina take on the case as they believe their new Gardner,  Declan O’Shea, is not guilt while Constable Gibbs has her eyes on O'Shea.

Another great instalment (Book 4) in the Beryl & Edwina Mystery! I loved the balance of lightness and humour with a more serious issue of murder and the outcome. It is a lot like Beryl and Edwina's relationship. It is realistic and endearing. I am so happy to have found this series.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book.. This was an interesting mystery and I really enjoyed the characters.

Beryl and Edwina continue to make quite the detecting duo. After American Beryl is cited for reckless driving, she and Edwina try to charm their way back into good graces, only to find the magistrate dead. Robberies and missing census reports lead the two down a very twisty, but engaging path.

It’s time for the census to be taken, but the Walmsley Parva villagers aren’t sure what the government intends to do with the information. The man who delivers the forms to each house is willing to explain, but distrust is still evident.

A series of burglaries has the villagers on edge, too. Most never lock their doors, and now, looking for someone to blame, they are focused on Declan O’Shea, new to town and Irish to boot. Beryl believes he’s innocent; Edwina is willing to be convinced.

Then the worst happens—the completed census forms are stolen. Beryl and Edwina’s firm, Private Enquiry Agents, is hired to find the forms, without letting anyone know they’ve gone missing. While they’re investigating, another burglary occurs, but this time, the owner was home and is found dead at the bottom of the stairs. Was it murder or an accident? Beryl and Edwina feel the theft of the census forms, the burglaries, and the unexplained death are all connected. Now to prove it—to do so, they are forced to work with Constable Doris Gibbs who is none too pleased about it either.

This is the fourth book in the series (previous three were reviewed for KRL). Beryl and Edwina have taken the former gardener as a silent partner in their detection agency after he inherited money and business of his own. Thanks to him, they also have a maid to care for household chores. Edwina has been forced to face established behaviors and realize they no longer have any meaning. Beryl, used to fame and constant excitement, has found she quite enjoys life in a small town, at least as long as they are paid to snoop and solve crimes. Life after WW1 may be slower than we experience now, but there’s no end of excitement when Beryl and Edwina are involved. Beryl and Edwina never fail to deliver a rollicking good read.

Another delightful addition to this series. The main characters, Beryl and Edwina are smart and lively; while the supporting characters are delightfully reminiscent of those inhabiting a 1920's English village cozy mystery.

The fourth of Beryl and Edwina's adventures take place in their home village of Walmsley Parva. Spinster Edwina Davenport has lived there all her life, except for a stint in an all-girls boarding school, where she met Beryl, and the two became the unlikeliest of friends. Years later, internationally known, high-flying adventuress Beryl Halliwell is between husbands, a bit down on her luck, and determined not to return to America until Prohibition is repealed. Edwina lost much of her income during the Great War and is quite desperate about keeping up appearances. The two quickly fall into their old friendship, pool their funds, and discover a talent for sleuthing.

Beryl can be considered a reckless driver, not only by Edwina but also by local Constable Gibbs. Ticketed by the constable, Beryl appears before the Magistrate, a pompous individual named Farraday. Beryl proceeds to charm the Magistrate and escape what could be a large fine. Also in the court is handsome Declan O'Shea, new to the village, and Irish. Beryl thinks his harsh fine is more about his Irishness than his offense and hires him to help their ancient gardener. Declan also seems to be the natural suspect in a series of burglaries in the village as well. The census-takers' schedules have been stolen in the burglaries, and the ladies are hired to find them. During the investigation, they visit the Magistrate and find him dead at the bottom of the stairs. Could the murder and the census be connected?

Murder Comes To Call is another fast, fun read in the series. However, I found it a little repetitive of earlier books and not as humorous as the first three. I enjoyed it, however, and thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advance digital copy.

A brisk entry in an enjoyable series - I find this series to be very comfortable; the writing is pleasing, the plotting is intricate enough but not too taxing, and the characters are humorous, well-drawn, and occasionally surprising even as they work within the cozy mystery confines. Quite a few interesting, long-term happenings pepper the narrative (so glad we don't stay in the same place financially, emotionally, etc., with any person in Beryl & Edwina's household) which I think will take further mysteries to some intriguing places. A recommend for sure for those who want their mysteries to feel like a warm, weighted blanket.

Nothing quite beats Beryl and Edwina when it comes to finding adventure. The two sleuths step into a mystery the way other people step into having fun, and in Murder Comes to Call, they step into a lot more than usual. They can't seem to go very long without someone hiring them to solve a murder or another crime. This time they have landed squarely in the middle of a murder investigation and a theft.

Beryl is fun-loving, up for the next adventure, and seriously curious. Edwina is a thinker; she has an analytical mind and uses her brain to solve complex problems. Both characters are easy to like. They compliment each other in all ways. Being a female sleuth that has distinctive ideas about the world and a women's place in it isn't always easy in the world these characters live in, and most of the time, it can be downright dangerous. But nothing stops Beryl or Edwina. However, there is a great deal of inner thought rambling through this book, and readers who have not read the others in this series may have a hard time becoming engaged.

The murder of a well-known magistrate has the characters hopping, then the theft of census paperwork makes things even trickier. There is no end to the possible suspects. Motives range from prejudice to money, to relationships, and back again. It takes time and effort to ferret out the villain, but the two sleuths are ready and willing to take on all comers in this new adventure.

Murder Comes to Call is the fourth book in this series; it has all the necessary components for a good mystery with impressionable characters. The two women are great sleuths who live in an era of the total man's world, yet thrive in the environment. Readers will not be disappointed by this adventure and will enjoy hearing more about Beryl, Edwina, and the wonderful Simpkins.

Jessica Ellicott involves us in another British village cozy from after the First World War. Someone has stolen village census information and a series of burglaries has upset the locals. Suspicion falls on an Irish worker who Beryl and Edwina decide to champion while they have also been engaged to find out where the missing census data has gone. At the same time the village magistrate has fallen down the stairs of his home and died; the ladies discover him dead at the foot of the stairs. Whodunit? Period settings are intriguing and village characters make excellent suspects. Read and enjoy.

It is always a pleasure to spend time with Beryl and Edwina! Walmsley Parva is a very busy place, experiencing numerous thefts and the death of a magistrate. Beryl and Edwina, as private inquiry agents, have been hired to find census reports that have gone missing. While investigating the theft of the census reports, they unofficially investigate the murder of the magistrate, and discover unknown facts about some of Walmsley Parva's residents. By the end of the book they not only help solve the death of the magistrate, but the mystery of the thefts plaguing the village.

Murder Comes to Call is the fourth book in the Beryl and Edwina Mystery series, set in the post-WWI English countryside, and brings you further into the domestic lives of adventurous Beryl, author-wannabe Edwina, newly wealthy gardener Simpkins and the residents of Walmsley Parva. The village and characters are so well-described, and so realistic, that the reader easily and readily gets engrossed in the story and solving the mysteries.

This is a wonderful series, Jessica Ellicott has a knack not only for writing an excellent historical mystery, but also for writing engaging dialogue and characters. I highly recommend this book and all the others in the series and anxiously await the next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for kindly providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.
This isn’t the first book in this series, but it was the first one I have read. I think it read perfectly well as a stand alone- I was never lost in the story or felt I was missing important information from the previous books.
This book ticks a lot of boxes for the things I like in a cozy mystery. I like a historical setting- in particular ones set in the Golden Age, it has a female friendship duo who take on the sleuthing, and there’s a pet dog who is a well formed character in its own right!
I really enjoyed the writing and the plot twists kept me guessing. The characters are well developed and I think this will continue in the next books in the series. I will definitely be continuing with the series.

I'm not a big historical fiction fan, but just love this series of books that focuses on Beryl and Edwina, two women in the post-WWI era. Beryl is a daredevil who flies planes and drives fast cars, while her former school mate is more typical of modest women of that era. They have formed a detective agency and are hired to investigate the disappearance of some documents. I really enjoy these two opposite personalities, as well as those of the supporting characters. In particular, the female town constable character shows much more depth than in the previous book I'd read. The book is enriched by additional sub-plots. Very enjoyable! Can't wait for the next one!

Reading one of Jessica Ellicott's Beryl and Edwina mysteries is like sitting down to a cup of tea with an old friend. I love the relationship between these two independent women, Walmsley Parva's best known (and only, lol) lady detectives, and also the continually developing relationships that they have with the other residents of their small English village. When the duo finds the magistrate dead at the bottom of his stairs, they set off to prove who did it, and to determine if there's a connection between his murder and the rash of burglaries plaguing Walmsley Parva, including the theft of very sensitive census documents! And absolute joy to read, I adored Murder Comes to Call! 5 stars!!!

Burglary And Murder Abound..
Burglary and murder abound in this fourth instalment of the Beryl and Edwina mystery series. Jessica Ellicott has created a pair of delightfully twee amateur sleuths. The very American and eccentric Beryl and the very English and proper Edwina, old school pals, are rather a joy, their rapport a pleasure and their sleuthing questionable.. Set post war in the seemingly peaceful village of Walmsley Parva. Humour dances off the page from the first to the last. Eminently readable, great fun with a colourful, eccentric cast.

It's always fun to spend time with Beryl and Edwina. Beryl came to Walmsey Parva to slow down a bit and reconnect with her school chum, Edwina. Beryl's life was larger than life full of adventure but life in a small village with a friend sounded like a good plan. As for Edwins, life in post WWI Walmsey Parva was short on money and Beryl had the solution. It was a good plan, sort of. Neither Beryl nor Edwina foresaw becoming private inquiry agents and solving crimes, especially murders. They have a talent for detection.
This time around there is a hint of deja vu in the opening chapter. Beryl really likes snazzy cars, fast ones and she prides herself on being a very good driver. When we first met her she was dealing with a rather large fender bender. This time she has been given a citation for reckless driving. She was speeding....at 45 MPH. Off to meet the local magistrate and try to work her charm on the gentleman. While waiting her turn she encounters a young Irishman who is in a bit of a sticky situation. In order to avoid jail time he has to come up with a sizable fine in a short period of time. Beryl offers him employment working in their garden, doing the heavy work to help out their gardener. Soon there is a rash of burglaries and, being an Irish immigrant, the police focus on him. When a death occurs, he is in even more need of the services of Beryl and Edwina.
The setting, the characters, the time period plus a very well crafted puzzle all come together to give the reader a most entertaining read. I like to read series in order but this works fine as a stand alone.
My thanks to the publisher, Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

When Beryl Helliwell goes to court for reckless driving, she meets Declan O’Shea, an Irish immigrant trying to start a life for himself in the English village of Walmsley Parva. However, being Irish, he is viewed with suspicion, and the string of thefts happening in the village only make things worse. When the police start to question him about the thefts, he hires Beryl and Edwina Davenport to clear his name. The stakes are only raised when a dead body turns up at the scene of the latest burglary. Couple that with another client who needs his case solved right away, and Edwina and Beryl have their work cut out of them. Can they figure out what is really happening?

While this is the fourth book in the series, you could easily jump in here. You would miss out on the growth in the characters and their relationships, which is definitely part of the charm of the series. Plus these are just great characters to spend time with. Fans will be delighted to check in with these friends and catch up with the latest going on in their lives. The plot seemed to be a bit scattered early on, but I suspected that events would tie together, and my faith was rewarded. In fact, I was impressed with just how everything came together by the end. The setting, both location and historical, come to life well. We get a great feel for the impact of World War I on this village without it ever slowing things down. I was fully absorbed in another time and place as I read, and if you are looking for a great historical mystery, you will be, too.

This was a fun read. I'm new to the series but had no trouble following along. An English village is always a good setting for a cozy. Edwina & Beryl are delightful private enquiry agents. They are an odd pair of friends but work really well together. The mysteries were good ad kept you guessing. The characters in the village were great. You can just see the women glancing out their shop windows and bustling out to see what is going on. Really good cozy.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.

1921 Walmsley Parva. There have been a spate of burglaries in the village with the prime suspect according to Constable Doris Gibbs is the new Irish under-gardener Declan O'Shea of Edwina and Beryl. But then they come across the dead body of the magistrate in his ransacked house. When they are employed to investiage a theft they are pleased to get an official case whereby they then can unofficially investigate the death and the other burglaries. So they join forces with Constable Gibbs.
A well-written enjoyable cozy historical mystery with a cast of interesting people. A good addition to the series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.