Description (from cover): “When the reclusive Earl of Unsworth’s first party in over a decade is spoiled by murder, his Lordship’s loyal and efficient secretary, Mr. Quayle, must unravel a web of red-herrings and old family secrets before the murderer can strike again…

I do not wish to disturb you, your grace, but there is a body in the garden…

England, 1925. When a strange young women is found murdered on the grounds of Unsworth Castle, the Duke and his family are astounded at first, but quickly become enraged when the police begin asking all sorts of impertinent questions.

And when suspicions dare to fall on one of their own, it is up to Mr. Quayle, Lord Unsworth’s exceedingly efficient secretary, to find the true culprit and save the House of Unsworth from scandal and ruin.

My Thoughts:

There is nothing like a British estate murder mystery. For some reason, the British have really nailed this concept like no other and I always find myself drawn to books like this. In this book Lord Unsworth is hosting a party, his first in ten years, in order to celebrate his collection of familial artefacts and to announce his heir. Not being a very social person, this is a major feat for him and he has invited family and friends from far and wide to attend this party. When a guest turns up murdered in the estate’s gardens and no one knows who the young woman is, it appears that sinister things are afoot. Lord Unsworth asks his secretary, Mr. Quayle, to assist the police in the murder investigation on behalf of the family. Mr. Quayle soon finds himself embroiled in the middle of accusations and trying to keep the family’s good name out of the society scandal columns.

I really enjoyed reading this book as I always love a murder mystery set in a grand English house where society comes into play and there are a onslaught of suspects. The author did not disappoint in this regard as there were plenty of suspects and motives for the murder and everyone appears to have secrets. Who exactly wanted this unknown woman dead and who had the means, motive and opportunity to dispose of her body in the estate’s gardens? These are the questions that Mr. Quayle must find out and with the help of the police and their own investigations, Mr. Quayle is determined to find out the solution to the mystery at any and all costs, even if it means losing his job.

It is my understanding that this is the first book in the Mr. Quayle murder mystery series, however, at the end of the book, there was a link to a free copy of a previous publication featuring Mr. Quayle. That book is titled A Quite Deadly Affair and it predates this novel. I am not sure why that book is not considered the first in this series and I have not yet had a chance to read it, but it apparently provides Mr. Quayle’s background as to how he ended up working for Lord Unsworth. I am not sure if it is a full novel or a novella, but I am curious to see if anyone else knows. Nevertheless, this book was a delightful read and I will certainly be looking more from this author in the future. Also, this book is currently listed for preorder at $3.99 for a kindle e-book on Amazon if you want to snag a copy.

Overall Rating: 4 stars
Author: Anthony Slayton

Series: Mr. Quayle Mystery #1

Publisher: N/A

Publication Date: April 3, 2022

Pages: 309

Genre: Historical Mystery

Get It: Amazon

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

This was a first time read of this author’s work. I was drawn in by the plot description and I’m so glad I was. It was a really excellent whodunnit. With definite shades of Agatha Christie. The twists kept on coming and some of the clues to the murderer were there, but I failed to guess the culprit. Would definitely recommend to fans of murder mysteries. The plot rolled along really well and I am really keen to find out more about the mysterious Mr Quayle, hopefully this is just the start of a series. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early copy of a really great story.

This was excellent and delicious! Delighted this is going to be a series! I did doubt at points that the ending was going to tie up nicely but I was very pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed this a lot more than other murder books in the genre, it was just very sweet and clever and the humour was great.

A light read, some twists and turns but not too dark. I enjoyed the story and the characters and happy with the ending. I will definitely recommend this to those looking for a thriller/mystery

I LOVED this book. It was funny, witty and charming. I suspected everyone and at the same time, no one. I genuinely enjoyed reading this ARC, it was such a fun experience. I definitely want to read more by this author.

A brilliant book in the vein of a golden age of crime novel. There was nothing about this book that I did not like, The characters were well rounded and the internal feelings that they portrayed were totally understandable based on the time the book is set and the dealings with the aristocracy. Immediately after finishing this book I downloaded the first in the series, but do not worry as this did not detract in any way from the story as there was enough explanation as to why the main character was where he was.
A totally exceptional read and the reveal when it came was both expected and unexpected in equal measures,

Thank you Victory Editing and Netgalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A Most Efficient Murder truly was a cozy mystery and a classic whodunnit. It also gave me major Agatha Christie vibes, which I really appreciate.

I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and the pace of the book overall. It had an element of humor to it too, which added to the coziness and the enjoyability. The different characters were also very tasteful and provided multiple facets to the story. None of the characters felt shallow, useless, or incomplete.

The overall plot was very intriguing and captivating. I found myself eager to know what’s going to happen next, who committed the murder, and how it all played out. I love that there were so many elements in the story that tied in together very nicely. I did, however, have an inkling of what’s going to happen, but I didn’t guess it entirely. My inkling didn’t take away from my enjoyment because, as mentioned, there are so many elements to the story that just make it all the more interesting.

Overall, I’m very pleased with the book and I’m eager to see where this series goes!

A cozy set in 1920 featuring Mr. Quayle, a former soldier turned private secretary to a Duke. When the body of a young woman is found in the Duke’s garden; Mr. Quayle is pressed into finding the culprit while protecting the family from scandal. I liked this one but sometimes it felt like nothing was really happening, especially in the middle section of the book. Things picked up towards the end and Quayle is a charming character. Look for this on Apr 4/22. Thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars, highly entertaining whodunnit set in the 1920s in the style of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers. Kept entertained throughout and surprised (in part) by the ending, which is always good in a mystery. A nice writing style and steady pace maintained throughout. Great to see books like this still being published. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

A brilliantly written engaging mystery book with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Absolutely love the way the characters were written.

It is 1925 and the book opens at a dinner party on the rural estate of Lord Unsworth where the body of a woman is discovered in the gardens. None of the family members nor the guests seem to know who she is, how she came to the castle, or why she would have been presumably murdered on that night in those gardens. The story follows Mr. Quayle's own investigation into the unknown woman's murder and his attempts to save the reputation of Lord Unsworth's family, which proves to be a challenge due to the plethora of secrets the castle and each family member seems to hold along the way.

Anthony Slayton leads the reader through a series of twists and turns that will keep them guessing until the very end. Just when I thought I had figured it out, a new secret would come up or truth would be revealed that would have me questioning someone new. I did figure out the killer about halfway through the book but there was so much more to the overall crime that kept me guessing until the end of the book.

I absolutely loved this classic whodunit mystery novel and it is the perfect read for fans of Agatha Christie.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op, in return for an honest review. This is the first in a new series and I absolutely loved it! If you’re a fan of the Golden Age mysteries of Agatha Christie, you should enjoy this one. I can’t wait to read the next one and hope there are many more.
In 1929 England, the Earl of Unsworth is unpleasantly surprised when his butler arrives and informs him there is a body in the garden. The Earl is already unhappy as all his relatives have descended on his estate to both celebrate his ward’s 18th birthday and also to learn his decision on the Great Matter of who will be named his heir. Luckily, Mr. Quayle, former WWI British officer and Whitehall civil servant, is His Grace’s new secretary and able to take charge.
Mr. Quayle walks the delicate line of serving the Earl’s best interests while also maintaining his own integrity and honor. This is trying at times, given the strong and self-entitled personalities of many of the Earl’s family members gathered for the party. It’s possibly encouraging when Mr. Quayle recognizes Detective-Inspector Wintle as a fellow officer who also served on the western front in WWI. Working sometimes together and sometimes at odds, both men seek to identify the victim and the murderer. There’s also a lost diamond necklace, a disinherited sister, and all kinds of questionable motives for cooperation or prevarication. I can’t wait to see Mr. Quayle ande DI Wintle in action again!

I received an ARC of A Most Efficient Murder from Victory Editing and NetGalley. This book was a wonderful read. The atmosphere created by Anthony Slayton made it feel very much like I was taking part in a game of Clue. Everything fit seamlessly together. The Unsworth family, the estate, and the time period created a complex and thoroughly enjoyable experience.

I usually give a 4 star review when I am able to anticipate the killer early on; however the jarring and unexpected twists more than made up for it. If you are a fan of Clue, Agatha Christie, or any whodunit style mysteries, I highly recommend A Most Efficient Murder. I look forward to reading more Mr. Quayle novels soon.

This is first in what promises to be an enjoyable series, and as such, the reader is introduced to a cast of characters. In the title role, we have Mr. Quayle, who is secretary to Lord Unsworth and served in WWI with Lord Unsworth's son, who died in the war (there is some mystery there). We also meet Inspector Wintle, who served with Quayle during the war and should be a major character in other books. In this inaugural book of the series, Lord Unsworth, who hates hosting parties, is nevertheless throwing a party for his beloved niece Fanny and is set to make a big announcement. Before that can take place, a woman is found murdered on the grounds. No one will admit to knowing her. When the police are called, Lord Unsworth tasks Quayle with serving as a shadow and liaison to the investigation. Slayton has produced a well-written mystery. This is true Golden Age in the best possible sense. The book will release on April 4.

4.5 stars but since I enjoyed the closed door Agatha Christie style story and did not guess the murder, I will gladly round up to 5.

The book takes place in England in 1925 and at a birthday party hosted by the Earl of Unsworth a body is found in the garden.

I love a good mystery and A Most Efficient Murder did not let me down.

From the first to the last page I was hooked.

Who was the murderer?

Mr. Quayle it was a pleasure to meet you and I hope you will come back soon to solve another mystery. Bring your friend Inspector Wintle to match wits with.

I will be first in line for Book 2 of the Series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for a mysterious read .

Really enjoyed this book, loved the characters and the storyline was good, an enjoyable read with some twists and turns along the way

There is seldom in this world that can top my enthusiasm of finishing a deliciously delightful & marvellously well-crafted book. When I find myself eagerly making my way through a story; satiated by the encumbering pages that lay ahead, I am filled with sentiments of gratitude for the author who put so much of themselves into the story. Such is my experience with this first instalment of what I hope to be a long-running series of mysteries writing by Slayton.

In 1925, with the Great War behind them, members of an aristocratic house find themselves gathered in numbers to celebrate a new coming of age. All the while, a body lays inert amongst the foliage where members of the party scurry past in the hopes of sustaining their own motives of secrecy. If you are someone who has ever enjoyed an episode of Midsomer Murders; who has delighted in the suave nature of an Agatha Christie mystery; who has become enthralled with the classic takes on crime befalling Rex Stout’s defectives; if you have ever found yourself on a blustery day in need of a story that will itch at the corners of your imagination, A Most Efficient Murder is one such story you will delight in reading.

There was no one moment which led me to the conclusion that I was enamoured with this story; the book’s opening pages encouraged me to maintain that feeling from start to finish. I suppose what makes a great mystery novel is, not always our inability to guess the twist but, the author’s ability to lead a reader into an environment in which they know something is amiss; nothing is quite as it seems & one must believe that to be true, however plainly things appear to be the opposite. By this I mean, that the author has introduced a cast of characters who are settled, they know themselves & we need little to understand that these are multi-dimensional people whom we have now caught at a disadvantage as, there has been a crime commitment. Yet, even though we are aware that one of the people we grow fondly to know as a person in this world, might very well be the villain of the story; we seek to find them amongst the pages. Slayton has flawlessly introduced a cast of characters which each hosts their own distinct perspectives, dialogue, actions & personalities. Every single character was unique to themselves, even the ones who lacked a bit of backbone.

As much as I appreciate my ability to clock a twist, I most certainly prefer a story which distracts me from my longing to do so. While reading a mystery, I do not want to have my conscious state entirely focused on solving the riddle; I want to have a story encourage me to relinquish my hold of self-control & allow myself to be lead through the maze of suspense. Regardless if I have solved the enigma, I want to have my appetite for the secrecy sustained. This is a personal aspect of reading, I very much acknowledge that. This is not to say that, if/when I solve a reveal I am left disappointed, on the contrary; you’ve granted me enough information to allow me to stand toe-to-toe with a character who knows more than I do, I applaud your ability to be subtle & discreet.

The setting of this story brought me some level of nostalgia which I cannot quite pin-down. The story, for the most part, takes place on a vast estate & yet encouraged me to utilize my full imagination when I was required to build the scene within my mind. This story included elements of everything I adore about classic crime novels; a vast array of eloquently devious characters, elements of classic literature, a crime within a mystery, the necessity to reach beyond the limits of the property to better understand people we know not, a setting which reeks of cozy suspense while horror seeps from the cool rocks of the estate.

I am very impressed & enthused to have come across this book. I hope to read many more of these stories in the approaching years. Coming across books that remind us of all the things there are to appreciate in an old-time murder mystery is unparalleled & invaluable.

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op & Anthony Slayton for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

#AMostEfficientMurder #NetGalley

I enjoyed this book. Thank you for the ARC copy from Net Galley.
This was a well-written, easy to follow good mystery. I emjoyed the main character Mr.Quayle.
The authors style of writting was easy to follow, I read this book quickly.

My thanks to @Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, as well as to @NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of A Most Efficient Murder.

"Mr. Quayle, must unravel a web of red-herrings and buried secrets before the murderer can strike again…"

When a body is found on the grounds of Unsworth Castle, Mr. Quayle soon learns that those living in the House of Unsworth may not be quite as innocent as they seem.

I liked this book a lot and I'm so happy it's the start of a series! I very much enjoyed the “whodunnit” murder mystery style, along with the classic ending. I felt the manner of writing was enjoyable and I'm eager to read more about the characters in the next book. I loved Mr. Quayle's wisdom and his determination to solve the murder mystery, no matter what it takes.

I recommend A Most Efficient Murder - especially to those who enjoy taking a step back in time and reading an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery!

I enjoyed this book very much. Mr. Quayle is a very intriguing character!! There’s an air of mystery surrounding our main character and I’d like to know more about him.

He has friends in high places!! He’s smart, kind and very efficient! Secretary to Lord Unsworth, he also investigates a murder that Lord Unsworth asks him to.

I enjoyed the author’s style of writing. An easy fun read while he kept the characters real and intriguing. This is the first work I’ve read by this author.