Mrs. Jeffries and the Best Laid Plans [Mass Market Paperback]

Emily Brightwell (Author)

Book Description

Series: Mrs. Jeffries | Publication Date: May 1, 2007

A friendless old miser, banker Lawrence Boyd, is found dead at home. Called to the scene, Inspector Witherspoon is lucky to have Mrs. Jeffries's help-since the list of suspects includes just about everyone Boyd's ever met.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425215830
• ISBN-13: 978-0425215838
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #265,918 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born in West Virginia, the middle sister to Nanette and Linda. My parents moved the family to Los Angeles in the early sixties, and I graduated from Pasadena High School. I attended California State University at Fullerton and earned a Degree in American Studies.
On a visit to England in 1975, I met my future husband, Richard. We were married in May 1976 and lived in a small village outside London. We came back to California in September 1977.
In 1988 I began my new career as a fiction writer. Although I was working in the shipping industry, and enjoyed my job, I wanted to fulfil my long-held desire to write!
I began by writing romances. I joined the Romance Writers of America - Orange County chapter. After my entry in the "unpublished authors" contest run by this chapter was announced as a finalist - I was delighted, but the New York editor who read my entry was scathing in her criticism. I was crushed for a day or so, but it hardened my resolve to continue writing. My very next proposal was the one that my agent sold to Silhouette. It was published under my pen name of Sarah Temple as KINDRED SPIRITS. I was thrilled - a published author!

I wrote two more Special Editions for Silhouette but I jumped at the chance to write a Victorian mystery series for Berkley - I've always had a keen interest in mysteries. I called my brother-in-law, Robert, who lives in London and he found old,original London newspapers from the 1880s and a host of books on Victorian households. These books and newspapers were priceless guides to my understanding of the real Victorian world of Inspector Witherspoon and Mrs. Jeffries.
I have also written some Young Adult novels,which are not currently in print - writing as Cheryl Lanham - my maiden name. These were such fun to write because teenagers are so emotional and it was great therapy to switch from the lives of a Victorian household involved in solving murders to the angst of a contemporary California teenager! By some strange quirk of events, the Young Adult books sold really well in Norway - translated into Norwegian, I hasten to add. Sales in the United States were not as dramatic and the series was cancelled.

I quit my part-time job in October 2010 so I could write mysteries full-time. I live in southern Orange County.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprised, May 26, 2007

By 

P. Schaum "prussblue" (St. Louis area, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mrs. Jeffries and the Best Laid Plans (Mass Market Paperback)

This series has been described by another individual as "cozy." I confess to having read them after ordering for another. I found them to be great "stress reducers" if you will allow me that. This series has been like some old time TV shows, e.g. very predictable, but you just fell in love with the characters who crossed Victorian class boundries and became a "family" in the best sense of the term to serve justice. I may be wrong, but I think Mrs. Jeffries, et. al. pre-dated Sherlock Holmes if you follow time lines. I even ignored the fact that the author frequently used vernacular terms such as "cuppa" and "suss" that did not appear in the English language (either side of the Atlantic) until the 1930's and 1960's.
It sounded "British" much like our chimney sweep friend from Mary Poppins so it was O.K. BUT, Surprise is one descriptor for this latest in the series and begs a few questions. There is a bit of a change in writing style to begin with, but by the time you are finished with this tome
you are wondering what is going to happen next and to the "family" that you have learned to appreciate not just for the characters, but the qualities they possess. I, who read this series as a bit of a lark to get away from academic reading, etc., am looking forward to the next in the series! BTW, I don't know why anyone placed a "tag" for "nyc murder mystery 1900" but it would be better to have "London murder mystery circa 1880's" (Victorian) I believe.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, May 15, 2007

By 

Bookworm "Bookworm" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mrs. Jeffries and the Best Laid Plans (Mass Market Paperback)

Another fantastic installment in the Mrs. Jeffries series.

What is great about these books is that despite how many there are in the series, they never become formulaic and predictable. Brightwell always finds a way to include unique situations and details to make each book special. This book is no exception. For example: somebody is following the household staff as they make their inquiries. Is the odious Inspector Nivens finally closing in on the household's secret? Also, there is an undercurrent of tension throughout the book as Betsy frets about her upcoming wedding to Smythe. Despite the household trying to reassure her, Betsy is on edge. And here's something else that sets this book apart from the rest in the series - it ends with a substantial cliffhanger.

This book is a must read for all Mrs. Jeffries fans and all fans of cozy historical mysteries.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Done Cozy Mystery, May 10, 2007

By 

drebbles (Arlington, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mrs. Jeffries and the Best Laid Plans (Mass Market Paperback)

Nobody is terribly upset when someone murders banker Lawrence Boyd - he had many enemies and no friends. The murderer tried to cover up the murder by setting fire to the studio where Boyd was painting, but the police quickly catch on and Inspector Gerald Witherspoon is assigned the case. There are a lot of suspects and it will take time to question them all, but Witherspoon needs to solve the case fast because his rival, Inspector Nigel Nivens, will do anything to discredit him. Luckily Witherspoon has some help - unbeknownst to him his household staff, led by his housekeeper Mrs. Jeffries, have helped him solve cases in the past and are eager to work on this one, especially since it will take maid Betsy's mind off her upcoming wedding to coachman Smythe. But the staff needs to be very cautious as they investigate this one - not only do they not want Witherspoon to catch on to what they are doing, but someone is following footman Wiggins as he investigates and they are afraid that someone even higher up in the police department will realize that Witherspoon is not solving these murder cases alone.

"Mrs. Jeffries and The Best Laid Plans" is another delightful entry in a cozy mystery series that never disappoints. One of the things that make this series so good is the characters and they are at their best in this book. You can just picture Mrs. Jeffries, Mrs. Goodge, Wiggins, Betsy, and Smythe sitting around the table talking to the wonderfully eccentric American Luty and her butler Hatchet who also help solve the cases. While Witherspoon remains blissfully unaware that his staff is helping him, he is hardly a buffoon and uncovers several useful clues himself. He has a wonderful scene in this book when he confronts Nivens and shows some real backbone. Constable Barnes, his partner, is also well written, fully aware that the staff is helping solve the case, he is happy to pass clues their way. The mystery is set in Victorian England and author Emily Brightwell does a perfect job in capturing that time period and bits of that era are weaved throughout the book like when Witherspoon is amazed by someone using a typewriter. The mystery itself is well written and well plotted with plenty of suspects and red herrings. Careful readers will figure out the murderer at the same time that Mrs. Jeffries does which is very clever writing on Brightwell's part.

Longtime readers of the series may be surprised and a bit disappointed by something that happens at the end of the book. Now I can't wait until the next book comes out in October to find out what happens next.