Brought to you by OBS reviewer Valerie

Synopsis:

Ring in the season with another Mrs. Jeffries tale of holiday homicide.

Under a bundle of mistletoe, art collector Daniel McCourt lies with his throat slit, a bloody sword next to his body. Inspector Witherspoon is determined to solve the case-preferably before the eggnog is ladled out on Christmas Eve-but of course he will require assistance from the always sharp-witted housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries, who has a few of her own theories on why McCourt had to die by the sword. (Goodreads)

Review:

To tell you the truth, I’m not a big mystery girl. I usually guess the plot by the end of the story, so I tend to avoid the whole mystery genre. Not only that, but most mysteries I’ve read are more like monologues of a protagonist’s life than a genuine mystery novel. I was a little reluctant to read Mrs. Jeffries and the Mistletoe Mix-up, I admit. However, I actually was really pleased after reading it. Considering that I am not easily pleased, that’s saying a lot.

What I really like about this mystery is that it’s not just about one person. It involves a lot of teamwork. There’s Smythe, Betsy, Phillis, and Hatchet. There’s Mrs. Jeffries, of course, among some. What I admire is the author’s ability to change perspectives throughout the book without making it choppy. She transitions very seamlessly and still manages to spend enough time on each character. I also love how Inspector Witherspoon attempts to solve the mystery but secretly is getting help from his household. It’s so charming!

I love the Victorian setting. I love how there are no iPods or phones or cars. It’s so refreshing from what I normally read. It’s so cozy and charming to set the book back in the Victorian times, so I can read about the cook making scones or cakes. To tell you the truth, I was actually getting really hungry while I was reading because of all the food! Honestly, I never experience that from reading a book. I am so impressed with this series; I can’t wait to read the next book!

Unlike other series, you don’t need to have read the preceding books. This was actually the first Mrs. Jeffries book I had read, and I didn’t get confused at all. It was easy to feel like I had started at the first book, and I felt very comfortable reading the 29th book first. That’s actually quite a huge accomplishment for any author, so I really commend Emily Brightwell for doing such a great job! You can really start reading the last book and then read the first; that’s how good she is about making you feel comfortable.

This was actually a really charming read. I read this one in one sitting, which is a huge thing for me. I never read books in one sitting, so you can tell that this book has a great plot! Yup, you should pick it up today.