A Trace of Poison, the second book in the Phyllida Bright Series once again has Phyllida assisting in a murder investigation. Colleen Cambridge gives us an extremely capable and spunky character in Agatha Christie’s housekeeper, not just as an amateur sleuth but in keeping the house and the social gathering going smoothly.

With the Members of The Detection Club, a who’s who of mystery writers of that time, this is a delightful read. This 1930’s historical mystery will keep you turning the pages until the murderer is announced and caught.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Trace Of Poison is the second book in the Phyllida Bright Mystery series by Collen Cambridge.

The village of Listleigh is hosting a Murder Fete to raise funds to repair the roof of St. Wendreda’s orphanage. Agatha Christie has arranged for members of the Detection Club, Dorothy L. Sayers, G. K. Chesterton, and Anthony Berkeley, to attend. Aspiring writers have been encouraged to submit a short story, and the winner will receive a publishing contract. Phyllida Bright, the housekeeper for Agatha Christy and her husband Max, will oversee the activity at the Murder Fete.

The first event for the fete is a cocktail party. Everything is going just nicely until Father Tooley goes to the bar to get a drink and soon falls to the floor, dead. Phyllida immediately heads to check over Fr. Tooley and quickly retrieves parts of the broken glass, and Phyllida smells the scent of nicotine. When Phyllida informs Agatha of what she found at the scene, Agatha asks her to investigate the death of Fr. Tooley.

As Inspector Cork is interviewing the guest of the cocktail party, Phyllida tries to be inconspicuously listening in to gather her own clues to aid in her own investigation. It would appear to Phyllida that maybe Fr. Tooley was an innocent victim and that the drink was intended for Mr. Whittlesby. Mr. Whittlesby is one of the writers vying for the publishing contract and has made it known that he will win the contest. Phyllida will call on the maids and housekeepers of the village in her investigation. Phyllida will find that Whittlesby is not well-liked in the village. Phyllida needs to learn if Whittlesby was the intended victim and why Fr. Tooley’s cat died the next day after eating some cake laced with arsenic. Phyllida knows she must be getting close when she is attacked.

This series is a delightful historical cozy series and is well-written and plotted. And has a well-developed and interesting cast of characters. I particularly enjoy Phyllida's interaction with Mr. Dobble, the butler, and Mr. Bradforn, the chauffeur. There were plenty of red herrings that I kept guessing until the end of the book as to the killer's identity.

A recipe for a cocktail is also included in the book.

I am looking forward to the next book in this delightful series.

This is the second in an historical series that I fell in love with on its debut.

The protagonist, Phyllida Bright (herself a devotee of Hercule Poirot), is the housekeeper at Mallowan Hall, home of Agatha Christie and her husband Max. Centered around a local “Murder Fete” (attended by celebrated mystery writers of the period…The Detection Club…Dorothy Sayers, G.K. Chesterton, etc.) organized to raise funds for a local orphanage. There are multiple murders and suspected villains are members of the local Listleigh Murder Club who are vying for the prize of publishing contracts (US and UK) for their entries in the short story contest.

This is pure mystery fun, with the irony of a Murder Fete being host to multiple murders. The Murder Club characters are each wonderfully singular in their personalities and writings, and the plot/denouement is complex and exciting. My favorite takeaways from these books (so far) are the well-constructed characters, the images of the locales and the humor and starchiness of Phyllida herself.

So well done. Bring on number three!

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing the free early arc of A Trace of Poison for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

1930s. A Murder Fete is being held at St. Wendreda's Catholic Church in aided of the orphanage. Along side a competition for the best short story from the members of the Listleigh Murder Club. But soon there is a murder, were they murdered by mistake. If so who was suppose to be the real victim. Agatha Christie's housekeeper Phyllida Bright investigates, with help from various staff.
Another well-written historical mystery in this entertaining series. A good addition to the series which can easily be read as a standalone story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Teaser/review published 25 October 2022 at https://wellreadpiratequeen.blogspot.com/2022/10/a-trace-of-poison-by-colleen-cambridge.html

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Back in July I read the first of Colleen Cambridge's Phyllida Bright books -- Murder at Mallowan Hall. I almost instantly fell in love with the story and the characters and was ridiculously excited that the second one was on NetGalley. I easily and eagerly gave Murder at Mallowan Hall five enthusiastic stars.
A Trace of Poison?
Well ....
I'm still debating this one. Unenthusiastically.
It may end up getting three stars. Each of those stars will belong to Inspector Cork, Mr Dobble, and Bradford -- those characters least likely to let Phyllida walk all over them no matter how hard she tries. She really can be a horrific snob and there was more than one occasion when I audibly "whooped" when someone knocked her down a peg or two. Not that she really ever seemed to notice what was happening due to her ego getting in the way of reality.
I had such high hopes that this would be as good as -- if not better than -- the first book. Unfortunately, for me, it wasn't. I couldn't even find myself getting overly giddy about the inclusion of Chesterton and Sayers because Phyllida was getting on my nerves too much. I haven't seen a third Phyllida book announced yet and I honestly don't know if I will request it if and when it may appear. Right now I'm even a little angsty about reading the other Cambridge waiting on my shelf ...

The village of Listleigh is holding a festival to raise funds for the orphanage roof. Hosted by some well-known mystery writers, a competition for the best mystery short story would award a publishing contract and the story would be published in both England and America. Is this a prize worth killing for? Phyllida Bright, Agatha Christie’s housekeeper and friend, believes that it is. Before the winner can be announced, Father Tooley, who tabulated the votes, is murdered. A deadly level of nicotine was found in his drink. It was a special drink favored by Mr. Whittlesby, one of the contestants, who had it prepared to share with Tooley. As mystery writers, each of the contestants is familiar with poison and each had been near the bar at some time during the day. Prior to having the drink, Tooley was also showing signs of arsenic poisoning. The next day his cat is found dead near a cake that Tooley had enjoyed prior to the festival, confirming the arsenic. The results of the competition are also missing.

Whittlesby claims that he was the intended victim. When the brakes are cut on one of his cars it lends more weight to his claims. Phyllida is asked by Agatha Christie to look into the events. Inspector Cork interviews each of the members of the writers’ club while Phyllida hovers in the background, taking time to offer tea or straighten up while listening to the suspects’ statements. Whittlesby’s overblown ego and officious manner had offended just about everyone, making it difficult to narrow the list of suspects. Phyllida knows she is getting close to a solution when she is also attacked.

Phyllida was involved in a previous murder investigation, much to the annoyance of Inspector Cork. While he warns her not to get involved, he is also receptive to her ideas and observations. Mr. Dobble, the butler, criticizes her for her familiarity with Mrs. Christie and the bright clothes that she wears, but she is sympathetic when one of his friends becomes a suspect. She finds Mr. Bradford, the chauffeur, annoying but accepts his assistance in her investigation. He admires her persistence and there is a certain attraction that will hopefully be developed in the future. Colleen Cambridge gathers all of the suspects for a final scene that is similar to Christie’s own revelations, making this a delightful mystery that will appeal to Christie’s fans. I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for making this book available for my review.

There’s just something about that old-timey cosy mystery feel, very reminiscent of Agatha Christie (I wonder why) and the sort of.. gentle murder feel? If that makes sense? Nothing gory, nothing actively violent happening on-page, just.. gentle murder. If you know you know.

The second book in a series (I have read the first (loved it) but you don’t have to in order to know the whos and the whys, you’re not thrown headfirst into the deep end with this one if you haven’t) of murders happening at or near the home of Agatha Christie and solved by her housekeeper, Phyllida Bright, this time we’re joined by several other authors of the 1930s scene, as well as a fun group of amateur crime-authors for a murder fetê. What could possibly go wrong? There’s a murder, obviously. There’s more than one, even. And it’s fun!

I don’t know what it is about Phyllida, but she’s just such a delight of a character. She’s a little bit more bitey in this book than she was in the first, and she runs the house with an iron fist, but she’s kind to her staff, protective and helpful when necessary. And yes, this is a book that’s based on a murder-plot, but the character dynamics are the glue that’s keeping it together and the way Phyllida’s interactions with her own household and the various other characters she comes across in her investigations are written just made my cold heart sing.

Oh Phyllida Bright, how I adore thee.

Phyllida Bright has a nose for detection and this time it's poisoning. The village is holding fund raiser for the local orphanage - a murder Fete....with a real murder. The Detection Club will be in attendance to oversee a mystery writing contest. The winner will get a publishing contract. There are loads of clues, many of them red herrings and the twists abound. What else would one expect from such a mysterious gathering? Getting to the bottom of the crime will test Phyllida's talents but get there, she will.
I hope this series has a long run. The setting is perfect, the recurring characters are very well developed and both books in the series have kept me engaged to the great reveal. Of course, being a fan of Dame Agatha and the Golden Age of Detection, I was a happy reader from page one.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

First I should mention I hadn't read the first book but didn't find this a problem. There are a lot of characters in this book but that was really due to all of the introductions of the various mystery writers there for the writing contest so this did seem to slow the pace down at the start but it soon pick up the pace later on.. The author definitely created complex twists and turns which keeps the reader guessing all the way through and made for a good mystery story. I received an early review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Colleen Cambridge for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Trace of Poison coming out October 25, 2022. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

In England’s manor houses, murder is not usually a topic for civilized people. However, in Mallowan Hall, Agatha Christie and her husband, Max are exceptions to the rule. And housekeeper Phyllida Bright loves talking about gory plot details with her friend and employer. 

Listleigh is a neighborhood village that has become a place of grisly happenings. Murder Fête was organized to benefit a local orphanage. Members of The Detection Club include renown authors such as G.K. Chesterton, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Agatha herself. They gather together for charitable events. This includes a contest for aspiring writers. The winner receives an international publishing contract. During a cocktail party—hosted by Phyllida—murder strikes too close even for her comfort.

The victim seemed to be poisoned by a cocktail intended for Alastair Whittlesby, president of the writers’ club. The annoying Whittlesby is thought to be a shoo-in for the prize. It’s a mystery right up Phyllida’s alley. She can’t resist solving the case. Which guest has the motive for murder? Can she find the killer before someone else is poisoned?

Overall, I really enjoyed this story! I’m a big fan of Agatha Christie novels. I love detective stories, especially when they’re the amateur detectives. I love Agatha as a character. I loved the plot of the writing contest and receiving a publishing contract. The Detective Club is also a lot of fun. I think there were parts I didn’t enjoy as much like someone trying to kill Whittlesby multiple times. It seemed a little overkill. The pace seemed a little slow in some parts. Some of the side characters were a little annoying. I really loved the first book, so I was definitely interested in reading the second book. I don’t think I enjoyed it as much as the first book, but there were definitely some good parts.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Agatha Christie murder mysteries!

I'm really enjoying this historical mystery series written by Colleen (Gleason) Cambridge. Not only does it have a plot that would make Dame Agatha proud, but historian Cambridge really gives readers a strong feel for the period and all that it entails being the housekeeper of a large country home.

Phyllida Bright is a stern taskmistress, but she is liked and respected by the staff of Mallowan Hall, and since she and Agatha Christie served together during the Great War, she has a special relationship with her employer. Phyllida is extremely opinionated and, in A Trace of Poison, seems to have a thing about mustaches, but to each her own. The chauffeur, Bradford, and his puppy really get up her nose, and I love how Bradford enjoys getting a rise out of her every chance he can get. Yes, the sparks are flying between these two, but I sincerely hope that Cambridge doesn't light the fire, at least for a while.

All detectives worth their salt have "resources" to help them with their investigations. Sherlock Holmes has the Baker Street Irregulars, and Phyllida Bright has her "downstairs" contacts-- all the housekeepers, cooks, maids, and footmen who work in the surrounding houses. She needs all the help they can give her because this is one magnificently convoluted crime.

All the historical figures in A Trace of Poison are 99% set dressing. They say very little and have even less to do with the actual plot, but it's great just to imagine them spending a weekend with Agatha Christie and her husband in their country house. If there's anything I've found to be a bit tiresome in the (so far) two books in this series it's the long, drawn-out summoning of the suspects and all the explanations given during the reveal at story's end. It just takes too bloomin' long. Phyllida, I know you love Hercule Poirot; does he take as long to amaze us with his brilliance? If he does, you really don't have to be a slavish imitator, you know!

I’m a big fan of this series. The main characters are really likeable. The premise is easy to read and not too straight forward where you figure it out before we get to the denouement and there’s even a little will they, won’t they side plot. Couldn’t ask for more.

The second book in Cambridge’s delightful series about Agatha Christie’s housekeeper, Phyllida Bright, does not disappoint. The first one was a take on The Body in the Library; this book takes place at a “Murder Fete,” an early version of a mystery book conference. In this iteration, there are just a few authors, but they are Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, GK Chesterton, and Anthony Berkley. Pretty swoon-worthy. There’s also a short story contest judged by the celeb authors, and the outcome is hotly anticipated by the local mystery writing group. The prize is publication.

The celebrities really play a very tiny part in the proceedings – these are Phyllida’s books all the way. When the local priest drops dead at the opening cocktail party, Agatha takes Phyllida aside (the two had been wartime friends) and asks her to investigate things, much to the annoyance of the local constabulary. Cambridge did an excellent job of establishing Phyllida’s character in the first novel, and it’s a perfect one for a detective. She’s exacting, thorough, and misses no detail (also makes her an excellent housekeeper). She’s also insatiably curious, which doesn’t hurt either.

Cambridge provides a nice circle of suspects within the writer’s group, which is varied enough for interest and reaches different segments of village society. Pretty much everyone hated one of the members of the circle, and he was widely supposed to be the winner of the short story contest. It also appears that he, rather than the priest, may have been the intended murder victim.

While Phyllida capably manages the festival, she’s also conducting her own murder inquiry. Cambridge uses many, many golden age tropes, freshening them up with a bit of modern sparkle. One of them is her version of Holmes’ Baker Street Irregulars. Phyllida’s informants are “garbed in aprons, caps, and livery.” The scene where she extracts information from the various maids, cooks and butlers belonging to different households in town is one of the strongest in the book.

Phyllida’s bete noir is Agatha’s chauffeur and his dog – she views the dog as a slavering beast, but it’s clear from the reactions of other characters in the book that he’s an adorable, sweet puppy. The chauffeur is also helpful, though Phyllida is certain he’s smirking at her in the background. It’s a nicely set up friendship and could certainly be a useful one, in terms of detection, going forward.

This is a very traditional mystery, formatted very much in a golden age manner, complete, of course, with a summing up of the proceedings by Phyllida at the end. Like many another fictional detective she takes some disparate elements and clues and is able to assemble a full picture of what happened. The twists of the plot and the motivations are weirdly believable, and the whole enterprise is totally enjoyable. If you are a fan of the traditional detective novel, this is the read for you.

A Trace of Poison is actually the second book in a series, but I didn’t realize that going in. However, you do not need to read the first book, Murder at Mallowan Hall, to understand everything (although I did go back and read it after finishing this and thoroughly enjoyed it.) There’s mention of Phyllida previously solving a case, but nothing that makes you feel like you missed out by not reading the first book in the series.

Instead of just writing an Agatha Christie-type mystery, Colleen Cambridge has put Agatha in a murder mystery as a character. This historical cozy mystery has Christie’s housemaid, Phyllida, solving a murder that happens at a mystery writers weekend gathering called The Detection Club. It really was a club, and in real life and in this mystery, the writers help each other with their stories. Real-life authors Dorothy L. Sayers and G.K. Chesterton are just some of the familiar writers written into the story.

There’s a Murder Fete, where money is being raised for an orphanage, when the murder occurs. Agatha asks Phyllida to help investigate the murder, and she’s got her work cut out for her. After all, all the suspects are mystery writers, who are constantly devising ways of murdering people on the page. Phyllida is bright and clever, using her “little gray cells” the way Poirot does. She does come off a bit as unlikeable because she’s so exacting, but that’s what you need in this type of mystery.

The pacing of the story is good. I never felt bored, the narrative moved along nicely. There are many references to Christie’s and the other authors’ works, which was lovely. There are clues and red herrings and even another murder along the way. One of the most satisfying things is that Phyllida actually figures out the murderer with her wits, instead of just stumbling upon the murderer in action.

Phyllidia is back ! Agatha Christie's house keeper once again sets out to solve a murder, this time of a priest. And then others (no spoilers!). There's a Murder Fete going on- a contest where the best story will win the author a contract- and someone is actually murdering. The Detection Club, comprising a group of famous mystery authors (including Christie) figure in this and you, like me might see familiar names. I liked the first book in this series but this felt a bit more scattered (so many characters). Know the Christie is only a minor player and that Phyllidia is the star. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Fine as a standalone.

A Trace Of Poison is the second in Colleen Cambridge's Phyllida Bright Mystery series set in the 1930's. Phyllida Bright is in the employ of Agatha Christie and her husband as the housekeeper. Though I have not read the first mystery, I did not feel cheated by it as there is enough information to keep the reader in the flow. The time period is a favorite of mine and to include Ms. Christie, and other famous writers of that period, was genius. The descriptive prose was a delight to read, but Phyllida's stiff and somewhat arrogant attitude was less so. I hope she unbends a bit in future books. Overall, this is an engrossing mystery read featuring an amature female investigator and I look forward to continuing this series.

Thank you to #NetGalley, @ColleenCambridge, and #KensingtonPublishing for granting my request for an Adavanced Reader Copy to read and review. My opinions are my own, I review books that I enjoy to share them with others.
#ATraceofPoison #NetGalley

I was very intrigued by the premise of this historical cozy, set in the early 1930s featuring Agatha Christie as a character. I had high hopes, and this book did not disappoint!

In A Trace of Poison, Agatha Christie's housemaid, Phyllida, is the sleuth solving a murder that happens among famous mystery writers who had once all actually belonged to a group they called The Detection Club. In real life and in this story, the members helped each other with different aspects of their writings and coauthored some works together.

In the book, members of The Detection Club include real-life authors Dorothy L. Sayers and G.K. Chesterton, who all arrive to attend a Murder Fete to raise money for an orphanage. When an actual murder occurs, Phyllida will have her work cut out for her as all the suspects, mystery writers, know how to get away with murder.

I really enjoyed this! It felt inspired by classic Agatha Christie mysteries and Poirot. Well-written and deftly plotted, the pacing was good, and the references to Christie's fictional sleuths, books, and other famous literary detectives were all great fun. Phyllida is quick thinking and uses her wits, or "little grey cells," to solve a crime full of suspects, red herrings, and a twist or two. I genuinely appreciated that Phyllida solves the mystery rather than stumbles upon the murderer.
I hope there are more mysteries to come in this series. I cannot wait to read more! Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to review this ARC!

"Phyllida Bright, housekeeper to the grand dame of murder mysteries, Agatha Christie, must uncover the killer among a throng of crime writers in this sparkling new historical mystery from acclaimed writer Colleen Cambridge.

In England's stately manor houses, murder is not generally a topic for polite conversation. Mallowan Hall, home to Agatha Christie and her husband, Max, is the exception. And housekeeper Phyllida Bright delights in discussing gory plot details with her friend and employer...

The neighboring village of Listleigh has also become a hub of grisly goings-on, thanks to a Murder Fête organized to benefit a local orphanage. Members of The Detection Club - a group of celebrated authors such as G.K. Chesterton, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Agatha herself - will congregate for charitable events, including a writing contest for aspiring authors. The winner gets an international publishing contract, and entrants have gathered for a cocktail party - managed by the inimitable Phyllida - when murder strikes too close even for her comfort.

It seems the victim imbibed a poisoned cocktail intended for Alastair Whittlesby, president of the local writers' club. The insufferable Whittlesby is thought to be a shoo-in for the prize, and ambition is certainly a worthy motive. But narrowing down these suspects could leave even Phyllida’s favorite fictional detective, M. Poirot, twirling his mustache in frustration.

It's a mystery too intriguing for Phyllida to resist, but one fraught with duplicity and danger, for every guest is an expert in murder - and how to get away with it..."

I love Colleen Gleason under whatever name she writes, but getting in The Detection Club makes this one a favorite!

Phyllida Bright is unsurprised when she overhears a conversation about “doing away” with someone and how it should be accomplished. Should the weapon be a car or poison? You see, not only is she setting up for the Listleigh Murder Fête, where there were dozens of detective fiction writers milling about, she’s also Agatha Christies’ housekeeper. Obviously such discussions occur all the time and are nothing to cause concern.

Organized to raise funds for the orphanage attached to St. Wendreda’s Catholic Church, the Fête‘s main event is a writing contest for the best short story. The grand prize is a very lucrative publishing contract, so the competition is fierce, particularly amongst Listleigh’s local group of aspiring mystery writers.

The stories are being judged by members of the famed Detection Club, including Christie, Dorothy L.Sayers, G.K. Chesterton and Anthony Berkeley. The first day ends with a cocktail party, hosted by Father Tooley, the priest at St. Wendreda’s, who is also tallying the judges votes. The entrants are gathered, get chummy with their writing idols, and everything is going just perfectly until…

“Father Tooley gave one strangled scream of pain . . . and then he went horribly, horrifically still.”

It seems that someone really did kill for that prize. Phyllida knows a poisoning when she sees it. And based on past history, she also knows that the authorities aren’t the most skilled when it comes to investigating murder. Phyllida must use all of her instincts and ingenuity to find a murderer before they strike again.

The oh so proper, yet incredibly vibrant, Phyllida Bright is back in her second mystery. Having already read the very entertaining Murder at Mallowan Hall, I had certain expectations for this new book. Let’s just say that I was not disappointed.

Mystery series with well-know authors in the role of detective are kind of tricky (IMO). Often-times writers end up spending more energy exploring the life of that author, or inventing details of their lives, than they do on the actual crime that’s been committed. The twist here is that Agatha Christie want’s nothing to do with investigating a murder (she’d rather invent her clues than look for them in real life). She leaves the investigating to her friend and housekeeper, Phyllida. But we still get all of the Christie references as Phyllida’s insights on the investigation often give Agatha ideas that we know will pop up later in her plots.

The plot is inventive and involves a number of subplots and twists that the reader may, or may not, see coming. The narrative is often very tongue-in-cheek, with every one of the famous writers believing that they (or their fictional detective) are capable of solving the murder, only to realize it’s not so easy in real life. Phyllida on the other hand, has a way of being in the right place at the right time, is undaunted, and definitely undeterred. There is always a job to do in the room where Inspector Cork is carrying out his interviews, and sees importance in details that others disregard. Most importantly, she has her own unique way of gathering information. Just about every house in the district has servants, and they have no qualms about sharing what they’ve seen and heard with Phyllida.

In addition to being a murder mystery, the author has give us a mystery regarding Phyllida herself. What we know about her is limited. She and Agatha met and became friends during the Great War, when Agatha worked in a hospital dispensary, and Phyllida worked as a nurse at that same hospital before being sent to the front lines. They’ve remained great friends and confidents since. But at some time in the past, and for an as yet unknown reason, Phyllida was in need of a job that offered some anonymity. When offered the position of housekeeper by Agatha she gladly took it. She’s very guarded when questions regarding her past arise, and has deftly left them all unanswered. I’m hoping for more information as the series unfolds (hint, hint, wink, wink?).

This is a lovely cozy mystery that pays homage to the Golden Age of Detective Fiction while giving us just a taste of Agatha Christie.

Source: NetGalley/Kensington Books

3.5 Stars

I am always on the lookout for a new ‘favorite’ historical mystery series and author, and though I rarely read the fan fiction types of books, I thought I’d give this one a try. I did not read the first book in the series, but I don’t feel as if I missed anything that this book didn’t fill in for me – nor did this one enthuse me to go back and read that first book.

Mrs. Phyllida Bright is housekeeper to the famous author Agatha Christi and her archaeologist husband Max Mallowan. Agatha and Phyllida became best friends during the war and they remain so. Phillida is perceptive, and exacting, and expects those who report to her to be efficient with their tasks and exacting with their personal grooming. She sets high standards and expects them to be followed to the letter.

The local Catholic church, St. Wendreda, supports an orphanage that happens to need a new roof. So, it was decided that a Murder Fete would be held and that the local Listleigh Murder Club members (they are amateur murder fiction writers) would each write and submit a short story to be judged by the members of The Detection Club (that really existed as did the members). The author of the winning entry would be published in both England and America and they would also get an agent. Those are very valuable prizes to would-be professional writers.

On the first evening of the Fete, there is a murder and as the Fete goes on, there are more murders and attempted murders – not to mention thefts. Everyone (including Phyllida) knows it is up to Phyllida to solve the crime. The police, Constable Greensticks and Detective Cork are both bumbling idiots that Phyllida looks down her nose at, so they cannot be trusted to solve the murder. Yes, it has to be Phyllida.

While continuing to manage the Fete and run her household with ease and efficiency, Phyllida investigates the crimes. Everyone is hiding some secret or another. Are those secrets pertinent to the crime or are they just embarrassing bits of information they don’t want to share?

There are so many characters and references to popular murder mysteries of that period that you’ll need a pen and paper to keep up with them. The author does provide a ‘Cast of Characters’ section at the front of the book to help you keep up, and I believe it is multiple pages long. I believe the author is trying to write in the style of those early mystery writers without directly copying them and, to me, it was just too much, too many twists, too many out-of-left-field things happening, and the end was a major leap of – logic??? For me, the story gets bogged down in so much minutia that it just almost comes to a halt. I believe the author could present the same general story with many fewer words and have a much more readable story.

I just could not come to like Phyllida. I know I was supposed to like her, but try as I might, I just couldn’t. I thought she was condescending, aloof, and a bigger snob than her ‘betters’. Some of my favorite parts are when the driver, Bradford, gets the better of her. Frankly, I was rooting for him to solve the mystery and leave Phyllida in the dust. I wouldn’t mind knowing more about Phyllida and Bradford because the author keeps hinting that there is more to them than we are privy to know. I’m not sure I’m interested enough to find out by reading the next book though. I’ll have to think about that for a while. Should you choose to read the book, I hope you’ll love it. It just wasn’t the style of book I enjoy.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.