Second book in this series and I wanted a bit more although the mystery in this book had me intrigued. Great characters and detailed plot lines. Looking forward to what comes next.

A TRACE OF POISON by Colleen Cambridge

Often times when reading fiction the reader has to suspend their beliefs in order for the plot to work. However, it’s difficult to imagine famed author Agatha Christie enlisting her good friend and housemaid, Phyllida Bright, to investigate serious crimes. It’s even more unbelievable when Phyllida inserts herself in an investigation and conducts her own search for clues (literally snooping through people’s homes!).

I didn’t care for Phyllida Bright at all. She’s pretentious, pushy and just annoying. She acts as if she has authority over all the servants and knows more/better than everyone else, even the police. She really should be charged with leading witnesses, tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice.

Overall, I didn’t enjoy this. It’s a shame because it had potential to be really good. Also? What is up with the endless descriptions of “quivering” moustaches? That so weird and unnecessary.

[ Note: My review is based on not having read the previous book in this series, MURDER AT MALLOWAN HALL. ]

**ARC courtesy of @NetGalley & Kensington Books

Rating: 2/5 ⭐️
Release Date: 10.25.22

A delightful whodunit with a splash of slapstick, lots of sparkling dialogues and a cast of whacky characters some real and some fictional.

It's always a pleasure to spend time with Phyllida Bright and the staff of Mallowan Hall, home of the famous writer Agatha Christie and her husband.

Phyllida is the efficient housekeeper at Mallowan, a talented sleuth and Agatha's faithful confident. But this time around all the action is taking place in the village of Listleigh where a "murder fête" is being organized by the members of the Detection Club with a writing competition at the center of the festivities and a possibility for the eventual winner to have his or her story published in the US.
So far so good. But the competition is fierce and many of the participants are determined to win at any cost...So as you can imagine mayhem ensues and soon murder invites itself at the table...

Poison, hate, grudges, jealousies, lust and lies are some of the ingredients that were necessary to cook this terrific and deadly stew that managed to keep me in stiches for a few hours...

So go for it and enjoy this literary meal without any moderation whatsoever!

Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this fabulous ARC

A Taste of Poison brings to mind the old adage, “too many cooks spoil the broth.” Agatha Christie has gathered a miscellany of mystery writers to her country estate, all Detection Club members. It’s the crème de la crème of Golden Age crime fiction: Dorothy Sayers, G.K. Chesterton, and Anthony Berkeley. Christie’s right-hand woman, head of household Phyllida Bright, enters into the festivities with gusto. The mystery writers will be featured guests at a Murder Fête in nearby Listleigh, “organized to benefit a local orphanage.” The authors “will congregate for charitable events, including a writing contest for aspiring authors.” It’s not a shabby prize: “the winner gets an international publishing contract.” The extravaganza is organized by Phyllida, who shamelessly employs the excuse of working at the fête to explain her absences from Mallowan Hall. To be fair, although she slips away frequently, Agatha Christie and her guests receive the usual splendid service from the staff—Phyllida trains her team well.

During the meet-and-greet cocktail party, the hubbub of excited conversation is interrupted by Father Tooley’s collapse on the ground. He emits a “strangled scream of pain” before lying “horribly, horrifically still.” Surprisingly, the guests begin to clap. Mrs. Rollingbroke—the wife of the most unpleasant would-be-published mystery writer in Listleigh—speaks for almost all when she cries out, “Absolutely screaming!”

“What a perfect way to end the cocktail party—with a game of murder for all of us to solve! I cannot wait to tell Rolly! He should be here any moment. Now, shall we begin to gather clues? Obviously, it was poison.”



“I’m not quite certain . . .” Agatha said hesitantly, “Max . . .”

Not so fast Mrs. Rollingbroke. Agatha asks for assistance from Max Mallowan, her archaeologist second husband. Dr. Bhatt leans over the priest’s body and “silently closed Father Tooley’s eyes.” The crowd of established and would-be murder writers speculates feverishly. Could it be strychnine, arsenic, digitalis, hemlock, belladonna, or cyanide? Their imaginations reach fever pitch. Phyllida Bright likes to imagine outcomes too but she has the luxury of an outsider’s knowledge of the village and its inhabitants. Her well-honed ability to observe is a valuable tool in her arsenal.

Phyllida quickly moves into investigator mode, much like she did in Murder at Mallowan Hall. Before the local constabulary can take charge, Phyllida picks up a fragment of broken glass: the glass that shattered when Father Tooley collapsed.

Phyllida used her handkerchief when she picked up the fragment. When she brought it to her nose and sniffed its contents, she smelled rye whiskey, something heavy and cloying, and the definite scent of tobacco.



Phyllida rose abruptly and sought another face in the crowd. As if reading her mind, Agatha met her gaze, then her attention dropped to the handkerchief-wrapped cup Phyllida was holding.

Sometimes Phyllida takes imagining too far, like when she shamelessly eavesdrops on folks who are “at the end of their rope.” She also spends an inordinate amount of time thinking about fictional star detectives. How can a mystery writer abruptly end the life of a favorite character, a thought that pops into her head when she overhears an unpleasant conversation—is it a man speaking? —at St. Wendreda’s Catholic Church.

She hoped it wasn’t Dorothy Sayers speaking about her detective character Peter Wimsey. Not that Lord Peter could hold a candle to Poirot, but Phyllida certainly enjoyed his detective work—and having recently solved a real-life murder herself, she highly approved of the intrepid Harriet Vane as his partner (although she was no comparison to Agatha’s spunky Tuppence Beresford).

With A Trace of Poison, readers have two for the price of one—a savvy investigator and her friend and mentor, the doyenne of crime fiction: “Readers may be surprised that Phyllida, not Agatha Christie, is the in-house investigator, but Christie is a hard-working author who doesn’t particularly want to be disturbed. Admittedly, over private cups of tea, she and Phyllida discuss the progress of the case.” The local constabulary finds Phyllida somewhat annoying because her advice is pertinent and spot-on, and she often “primes the pump” before the police arrive. You’d think they would be used to her by now.

Colleen Cambridge plays fair with her readers. Golden Age detective fiction is sometimes referred to as “puzzle-based crime fiction—the kind you can theoretically solve yourself” and readers are encouraged to suss out the murderer before Phyllida beats them to the punch.

I should have loved this because I love this genre. There was just some reason that I could not get into the characters or the story. I think there were just too many characters at the beginning and it felt like they were similar so I had trouble keeping track of who was who and where they lived. I tried to finish the book a couple times but just never made it to the end.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and appreciate the opportunity to read this book, this did not influence my comments.

Disappointing. The beginning of the book is full of excessive names and drawn-out descriptions, leaving the reader to wonder what is important and what is filler fluff.

A lover of mysteries will have the perpetrator figured out early on since it was obvious after the first few chapters. Having reached my fill of monotony, I had to give up and jump to the end to confirm my suspension and then marked this book as a DNF.

I enjoyed Murder at Mallowan Hall, the first book in the series, and was let down with this book since A Trace of Poison did not equal Colleen Cambridge’s earlier novel.

Princess Fuzzypants here; If you are a fan of period pieces from the golden age of mystery, you will enjoy this book. Agatha Christie and her husband Max are hosting members of the Detection Club who are attending a fete to raise money for an orphanage in their small village. A local group of mystery writers have submitted short stories to this illustrious group and the winner will be awarded a literary contract. Competition is fierce. And deadly.

First the priest at the church where the event is held is poisoned, Then his poor kitty succumbs to another poisoning and that is not the end of the body count. Is one of the contestants, the one everyone, including the author himself, figures will win, the intended victim. The evidence seems conclusive to everyone but Phyllida, housekeeper to Agatha and her husband and close friend of the author. She is every bit as clever a Poirot and she will need to be. Nothing, as they say, is what it seems and the “author” of these crimes is as devious as ruthless.

One could image being in one of the great houses, like Downton Abbey, as the various characters, both real and fictional, mingle. The writing draws the reader into the world above and below stairs. And the ;plot is fiendishly clever. It is only when Phyllida reveals all that the pieces fall into place and the red herrings of the red herrings become clear. I got quite swept up in the story and the setting. It was highly enjoyable. Five purrs and two paws up.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of A Trace of Poison by Colleen Cambridge. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC.

I loved the idea of this book, but the execution was just ok. I never warmed up to Phyllida Bright, housekeeper, friend, and sleuth. Add a large assembly of possible suspects, and it was too busy for my personal tastes. I give A trace of Poison 3/5 stars. I recommend everyone give it a try for themselves since a lot of my opinions came down to personal taste.

What a great mystery! I enjoyed the story, as well as the plot. A bit of an old fashioned mystery feels good when you've been buried under a pile of thrillers. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes. I have to admit, I didn't have the plot all figured out, which was quite fun! I didn't know it was a series, so now I'm 9n the hunt for book one!

I enjoyed the second in this series set at Mallowan Hall and featuring real life characters alongside fictional Phyllida Bright, housekeeper to Agatha Christie, even more than the first as it seemed to really hit a good stride in this one. While Christie herself is a minor character, it has that excellent atmosphere of the small town England murder mystery, and while that may seem vague, I think anyone who is a fan of that style of story knows what I mean. The household characters are all wonderful, and the nods to Christie's work and influence in this one make it really fun.

This is the second time we've solved a murder with Phyllida Bright, who happens to be the housekeeper of none other than Agatha Christie. A Trace of Poison was as enjoyable as the first.
There's something almost nostalgic about the cozy mystery feel of this series. Phyllida and her interactions with the other characters are delightful.
When Agatha, some of her fellow crime writers and a group of amateur crime writers get together for a murder fete, of course murder ensues. Who else can we depend upon to solve the crime but housekeeper/Detective Phyllida Bright.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A mystery involving the authors belonging to the Detection Club was something I couldn't miss and I enjoyed it as Ms Cambridge delivers a solid mystery and a fast paced plot.
The book is well researched and I did not find any fault or mistake as I am a fan of the authors who are in this book.
Phyllida Bright is a clever, likeabls, and well developed character. She's not reckless or rude and I like how she investigates.
The solid mystery kept me hooked and guessing.
Can't wait to read the next story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

This mystery series, in my opinion, has the most awesome basic premise ever. The main character, Phyllida Bright, is Agatha Christie's housekeeper. Not only does she keep Mallowan Hall running smoothly, but she also plays amateur detective when things go wrong. Investigating deaths tied to the Queen of Mystery Writers -- beautiful! Such an awesome idea for a book series!

I enjoyed this second book in the Phyllida Bright series just as much as the first. This time, members of the famous Detection Club have been invited to take part in a murder fete fundraiser to aid an orphanage. Things go horribly wrong when Father Tooley drops dead during the party on the first night. When a second attempt is made on another guest, Agatha of course calls in Phyllida to investigate. Can you even imagine a murder at an event involving so many famous mystery writers? Who would dare!?
Perfect idea for an awesome plot, in my opinion! The ending surprised me - I didn't see it coming. I love it when that happens!!

The story kept my attention from start to finish. I love the characters and the basic premise of this series. And I'm definitely eagerly awaiting the next book!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Kensington. All opinions expressed are entirely my own**

Phyllida Bright and Agatha Christie team up again to solve another murder. The first evening of the Murder Fete brings on death to a participant. Why would an innocent person be killed? Are the other well known authors able to solve the mystery before Mrs Bright?

Thanks to Kensington Books and Net Galley for this ARC. This sis the second book in the series and i much prefer it to the first. The story is quite good and the twist at the end i didn't see coming. I had hoped the author would delve into the protagonists back story in this book as she has dropped loads of hints in the first but its hardly mentioned in this book. I'm hoping if there is a third this will be addressed.

Thank you to Kensington Books, the publisher for auto approving me so that I could read this second novel in the Housekeeper mystery series.

Phyllida is the Housekeeper to Agatha Christie and her husband Max Mallowan.

There is a writing contest that will lead to the winner getting a publisher's contract on both sides of the ocean - USA and England. Agatha Christie and other mystery novelists like Dorothy Sayers are hosting a Murder Fete.

There is an odious character in the story. An innocent victim was killed instead of this odious character or was the victim the intended target.

With twists and turns, the author kept me guessing. This was a well crafted mystery .

Highly recommended for fans of Agatha Christie.

Once again, Agatha Christie’s friend and housekeeper, Phyllida Bright, is plunged into the centre of a mystery in need of solving.

When the Detection Club, with big-name author members including G.K. Chesterton, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Agatha, arrives at the village of Listleigh near Agatha and Max’s Mallowan Hall, they have no idea they’ll be involved in a real life murder mystery.

The Detection Club is in Listleigh to support a Murder Fete to benefit a local orphanage and they’ll award an international publishing contract to one of the local mystery club writers as part of a writing contest.

At a cocktail party where all the writers have gathered, one guest succumbs after drinking a poisoned cocktail meant for Alastair Whittlesby, president of the local writers’ club…and the writer many expect to win the contest and coveted publishing contract. There are plenty of locals who have a reason to loathe the intolerable Whittlesby. But who disliked him enough to want him dead?

Phyllida steps up to discover who the murderer is, but it’s a real challenge given all the suspects are experts at creating murders on paper. Who is willing to kill in real life…and more than once as the victims begin to add up? And is Phyllida on the kill list?

Author Colleen Cambridge has created another intriguing mystery for the feisty Phyllida to solve…one that would engage all the little grey cells of Phyllida’s preferred fictional detective, Hercule Poirot. There are plenty of potential killers, and the story abounds with twists, turns and challenges to keep the reader engaged.

A Trace of Poison is another winning read from the talented Colleen Cambridge.

A Trace of Poison by Colleen Cambridge is the second in her series featuring Phyllida Bright, Agatha Christie’s housekeeper at Mallowan Hall. They had known one another from nursing together during the war. Mrs. Bright did not look like a housekeeper, thought Dobble, the butler. He didn’t like how young she was, her shock of blonde/reddish hair, and her stylish dress. Of course, he was less than perfect himself, and everyone else had great respect for her. This weekend was the Murder Fete being held on the grounds of St. Wendreta’s as their orphanage would be the recipient of any funds raised. The guests of honor were the famous Detection Club, made up of authors such as Christie, Dorothy Sayers, GK Chesterton, and a dozen or so others. The local Murder Club was hosting and competing in the short story contest, the prize for winning being a contract to publish in England and America. They were all very excited. Mrs. Bright did not write mysteries but she was very invested as she was in charge of the event and would accept nothing less than perfection. And it seemed it was until Father Tooley fell over, dead.

Given who was present there were any number of ideas about what had happened. The police were incompetent, that had been established. But, they must still be treated with respect while Phyllida conducted her own investigation. There were so many plot twists and red herrings that it is a wonder anyone worked it out. Bright is an excellent character, just the person Christie would select as her housekeeper. Almost as good is Bradford, the chauffeur who played a significant part in solving the crime, which was convoluted at best. Do I spy a partnership or perhaps, a romance, in the future? Just reading about the life these regular folks led in an English village at the time is captivating. Adding murder to it makes it more so. I like it.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Trace of Poison by Kensington, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Kensington #ColleenCambridge #ATraceOfPoison

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp. for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review “A Trace of Poison.” All opinions and comments are my own.

This newest “Phyllida Bright Mystery” finds Mallowan Hall, the (fictional) home of Agatha Christie and Max Mallowan being used as a headquarters of sorts for a mystery writers convention. And while amateur writers from all over are attending the conference, so are some of the giants of the genre. Besides Miss Christie, readers will “meet” G.K. Chesterton and Dorothy L. Sayers, members of the famous Detection Club of the time. Mrs. Bright, Mallowan Hall’s housekeeper, will have her hands full ensuring all goes well. So, when a member of the local Listleigh Murder Club (an amateur writing group) dies from a poisoned cocktail at an opening reception, oh, dear. What’s an aspiring (amateur) detective to do? Figure out whodunit, of course, because the local constabulary are of no use at all.

Was the cocktail given to the wrong person? There’s that inference; someone else was supposed to drink and die, an individual disliked by all and sundry. And when that somebody is threatened again, well, the investigation seems rather cut and dried. But is it? Because soon there are more deaths. Colleen Cambridge has her characters and her plotting well in hand, and her neat little tricks will have you hard-pressed to keep track of who’s who and where they all were. And why -- always, the why.

Along the way we get observations and examination of the personalities which have their place on these pages. Phyllida has a new foil in the guise of Bradford the chauffeur, who is both helpful and hindering. I wanted to wring his neck, but that’s just me. And the tension between housekeeper and Mr. Dobble the butler gets a lot of play. It is somewhat sorted eventually, which is always a good thing. I do see growth in these characters, even if I don’t always agree with the direction.

Author Colleen Cambridge offers up a homage to the “Golden Age” of mysteries with “an actual denouement speech,” as Mrs. Sayers calls it, in a final drawing room scene. Just as a fictional detective would have it. Indeed, it’s our fictional Mr. Chesterton and Mrs. Sayers who insist upon it being done that way. So Phyllida gets her chance to shine, and shine she does, exposing an extremely clever and diabolical murderer, worthy of addition to the annals of the Detection Club.

“A Trace of Poison” offers an entertaining tale with an intelligent heroine with human quirks and foibles. And as an added bonus, readers will get a recipe for “that” cocktail. Hopefully without any additional life-threatening ingredients to it, though. Probably for the best.

The first book in this series was excellent [with such a fun and unique premise] and I am glad to report that this second offering in the Phyllida Bright series is just as good [if not a teeny bit better] as the first one and I enjoyed it very much.

This time around, Mrs. Bright is up to her eyeballs in getting all the details right for the murder fete that her boss [Agatha Christie] and some of her contemporary writers [this was a fun addition!] are holding as both a competition for some of the local writers [with the prize being published] and a fundraiser for a new roof for the local church. Along with all the fete details, she is also in charge of a large supper and it is at this supper that the ish goes down [to quote Mr. Chesterton "WHO murders a Priest?"] and after a second attempt on one of the guests and "Mrs. Agatha" [as her staff calls her] asks her beloved housekeeper to start seeking out the truth [you'd REALLY think that the police would try harder, but apparently not] and Phyllida dives in with both feet, and with the help of Brandford and her squad of maids and staff, she figures it out. I am STILL not 100% sure how! LOL Because I was totally shocked - I totally went "WHAT?? WHO?? WHAT??" when the reveal happened [the why I totally understood and while I absolutely DO NOT CONDONE murder, you will see why the killer did what they did and how they had convinced themselves that there was absolutely no other way and that is so very sad].

Very well-written and very smart, this is one series I will always read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Colleen Cambridge, and Kensington Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.