Mrs. Jeffries Rocks the Boat [Large Print] [Paperback]

Emily Brightwell (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 311 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press (September 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786244631
• ISBN-13: 978-0786244638
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,764,254 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 After my entry in the "unpublished authors" contest run by this chapter was announced as a finalist - I was delighted, but the New York editor who read my entry was scathing in her criticism.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

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Victorian mystery, July 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Mrs. Jeffries Rocks the Boat (Victorian Mystery) (Paperback)

Only the gardener and the residents of Sheridan Square have keys that allow access to the gardens. Venerable Scotland Yard Inspector Gerald Witherspoon begins investigating the murder of Mirabelle Daws, a visitor from Australia. The highly regarded law enforcement official expects this case will prove relatively simpler to solve than most of his previous cases due to the limited opportunity. However, as Gerald meets the occupants, he finds it difficult to see who would possibly have the motive amongst this gentle group. Adding to his troubles is that no one, including the sibling, knew or expected Mirabelle to be in England.

Unbeknownst to the Inspector, his housekeeper Mrs. Jeffries organizes the staff to begin their own inquiries in support of their beloved employer. As the Witherspoon servants begin to unlock the case, Mrs. Jeffries subtly provides her employer with clues and answers without him being aware of what his crack staff is doing for him.

The fourteenth Mrs. Jeffries Victorian mystery stays with the overall premise of the series, yet continues to retain a freshness to each new novel entry. The current tale, MRS. JEFFRIES ROCKS THE BOAT, is entertaining and the who-done is perplexing but interesting, and the characters provide a taste of life the nineteenth century in England. Emily Brightwell's novels continue to be some of the brightest historical mysteries of the past decade.

Harriet Klausner

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mrs. Jeffries is at the top of her game!, September 26, 2005

By 

S. Schwartz "romonko" (alberta canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mrs. Jeffries Rocks the Boat (Victorian Mystery) (Paperback)

This is one of the better Mrs. Jeffries books. The plot is a little more complex than some of the preceeding books. When an unidentified lady is found stabbed to death in a locked communal garden, Mrs. Jeffries and her crew are launched into investigating one of the most confusing cases yet. The ending for this one is a bit of a surprise as well. And we see Bestsy and her Smythe reach another level in their "courting". Same great characters, same cozy atmosphere - What else could you ask for?

3.0 out of 5 stars Not the Best, November 8, 2011

By 

glitzy (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mrs. Jeffries Rocks the Boat (Victorian Mystery) (Paperback)

Basically, I enjoy reading all the Mrs. Jeffries' books but this one did not hold my interest as much as some of the others. I really like the regular characters in the Jeffries' series; Wiggins, Betsy, Mrs. Goodge, Smythe, Detective Witherspoon and, of course, Mrs. Jeffries. I just feel it was a weak plot and just not as interesting as some of others in the series. However, if you are like me, I enjoy these simple mysteries by Emily Brightwell and want to read all of them.