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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brightwell does it well time after time, April 8, 2009
Train enthusiast Francis Humphreys has invited several relatives and neighbors over for tea. Since he is always punctual, his family is surprised when he doesn't show up on time for tea. Soon they discover there is a very good reason why he didn't show up - while they were all together downstairs someone murdered Humphreys. Scotland Yard puts their best man on the job - Inspector Gerald Witherspoon. Unbeknownst to Witherspoon, his household staff has helped him solve several murders in the past. He is definitely going to need their help this time - not only were all his suspects together at the time of the murder, but Scotland Yard throws him a major curve ball that threatens his ability to solve the case.
"Mrs. Jeffries in the Nick of Time" is another great entry in a consistently delightful cozy mystery series. This is the twenty-fifth book in the series and author Emily Brightwell continues to make the series feel fresh. A lot of what makes this series work so well is the characters and they are all here - Witherspoon, Constable Barnes, Mrs. Jeffries, Mrs. Goodge, Wiggins, Betsy, Smythe, Luty, Hatchet, and for a pleasant change, a lot of Ruth Cannonberry. Witherspoon's old nemesis, Inspector Nigel Nivens, is also there (showing a softer side for a change) as is Nivens' nephew Lionel Gates (who adds a lot of comic relief to the book). Another thing that makes this series stay so fresh is the way Brightwell manages to throw in different plot twists - there's a doozy of one here (which I won't spoil) that completely changes how Witherspoon and his household investigate the case. The mystery itself is nicely plotted - readers will early on have at least an idea of how the murder was done, but not exactly how it was pulled off. Brightwell continues to create Agatha Christie-like mysteries and once you have finished reading the book you will want to go back through the pages to see how cleverly Brightwell plotted the book and left clues as to who the real killer is while adroitly pointing the finger at other characters - not an easy task but she does it well.
"Mrs. Jeffries in the Nick of Time" is another wonderful cozy mystery from the talented Emily Brightwell.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Had to explain itself, October 31, 2011
The story had such a long list of characters that it was hard to remember who they all were and (yes) how they were inter-related. Consequently, I just kept reading, and the author kept tucking mini-summaries into the dialog, which I thought were explanations put there for those of us who were bogged down in all the names and peripheral connections. There were a few places where Mrs Jeffries fretted that no progress seemed to have been made on the case, and I as a reader was feeling the same; it needed more action; the story needed to move along. For stretches it seemed nothing at all was happening. At the end there was a full re-cap of the whole who-did-what, as it was all explained in dialog between the household staff. When I finished the book I realized I had never felt suspense building as one usually feels when reading a mystery. This was way too bland. There were only a few action scenarios. And it seems to me that if a mystery is really well written it should not require a summary at the end; it should have become obvious to the reader what happened without that.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
fabulous locked room case, March 7, 2009
A tea party is commencing at Humphrey House, but the owner of the place, train devotee Francis Humphreys fails to be with his guests. Relatives and friends become concerned because he is a punctual person. A knock on his door goes unanswered. Recently Francis has been forgetful as if he was in an early stage of senility. All talking at the party abruptly ends when a shot is heard. Everyone rushes to Francis' room where they find him dead, a bullet to his head. They call the cops and Scotland Yard sends their top detective Inspector Witherspoon to investigate what looks like a suicide by a man losing his mind.
The Inspector is disgusted as he is stuck with as his assistant Inspector Niven's' nephew Lionel Gates; Witherspoon would rather have Constable Barnes whom he respects. Still they interview the guests and investigate motives; most inherit part of Francis' estate. However opportunity remains elusive as every attendee had an alibi as all of them were in the drawing room together when the shot was heard. Witherspoon's housekeeper Mrs. Jeffries and the rest of the downstairs staff secretly investigate in hopes of finding clues to assist their kind employer and prevent a killer from murdering again.
Reading a Mrs. Jeffries Victorian whodunit is paraphrasing the Lays' potato chip commercial you can't read just one. The latest case is a fabulous locked room police procedural with all the suspects providing alibis for one another as they were together having tea. Witherspoon is as always solves the case, but is clueless that his housekeeping staff conducts an inquiry with the downstairs employed at Humphrey House. Fans will enjoy this fine historical mystery that showcases how the police conduct an official investigation and how the amateur sleuths perform their version.
Harriet Klausner
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