"Excellent historical mystery"

Sir George is a parsimonious, mean-spirited man who cares more about his cat Samson than he does his three daughters. The cat, a mean old Tom who scratches everyone except for Sir George has been missing for two days putting his master in a fouler mood than usual. Sir George wakes up quickly when he hears Samson outside and goes to find him. Someone smashes him on his head killing him.

Since Sir George was the cousin of Queen Victoria, his case is very high profile so Scotland Yard assigns it to Inspector Gerald Witherspoon who has a phenomenal successor rate in solving homicides. Neither Witherspoon nor his supervisors know that his housekeeper Mrs. Jeffries and the other servants of his house work behind the scenes to help their master solve his cases. This inquiry is harder than most as everyone has a motive for killing the baronet, including his three daughters, his ex- lover, the gardener the housekeeper, and trades people he cheated out of money.

This is one historical mystery series that never gets boring or dull. The author keeps the series fresh by making each homicide case original. Lovers of late Victorian mysteries will thoroughly enjoy this tale because Inspector Witherspoon comes across as so innocent and naïve that readers will adore him. Emily Brightwell is an author whose mysteries are well worth reading.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted October 15, 2005

Summary

Sir George Braxton was found lying face down in a frozen fountain with the back of his skull bashed to bits. The case is complicated by a distinct lack of holiday cheer in the victim's three argumentative middle-aged daughters—and their sullen houseguests. Even the cranky cat hates everyone.

To top it all off, the Home Secretary has called in Inspector Witherspoon over the heads of some touchy local lads, making matters stickier than a plum pudding. Only the help of his housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries, and her crime-solving staff will give the poor Inspector any chance of sleeping in heavenly peace on Christmas Eve.