In Book 26, Inspector Witherspoon investigates a deceptive Yuletide murder case amidst wedding preparations. Lies, intrigue, and long-buried secrets emerge as he unravels the truth amidst uncooperative witnesses and sulking relatives. Mrs. Jeffries Speaks Her Mind A businessman has been murdered - and it could be because he cheated his shareholders. The housekeeper's interest is piqued..and when.... 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. At the Jubilee Ball honoring Queen Victoria, the death of Hannah Greenwood sets off an investigation by Inspector Witherspoon and Mrs. Jeffries. Their search for answers uncovers hidden secrets and rivalries in the prestigious Hyde Park Literary Circle, where the victim was a member. Get ready for more in Mrs. Jeffries On the Ball! Mrs. Jeffries On the Trail

Tregolls School - an academy in Truro has been interviewing candidates to take over Lara Jeffries after she announced she was leaving, two years into the role. A festive Jubilee Ball in honor of Queen Victoria turns into a fatal affair for Hannah Greenwood. Inspector Witherspoon was a guest at the ball so the job of finding the murderer falls to him. Fortunately.....Inspector Nigel Nivens, known for being unpleasant and a poor investigator, faces the consequences for sabotaging Inspector Witherspoon’s recent case. Banished to a challenging precinct in London’s East End, Nivens learns that his influential family can’t save him from every situation. Get swept up in the thrilling mystery of “ Mrs. Jeffries Demands Justice“. Mrs. Jeffries and the Midwinter Murders This book has given me a new appreciation of the word "manipulation". Mrs. Jeffries is a master in the *subtle* art of manipulation (the emphasis is on subtle). Besides being the housekeeper to Inspector Witherspoon Mrs Jeffries has another duty - solving the cases of the inspector and nudging him in the right direction so that he thinks he had solved the case all by himself. She leads the inspector all along to the major clues and suggests the strategies of investigation. But she pretends the inspector has been the one who came up with every idea. Talk about spoon feeding! During Sir Edmund Leggett’s engagement party, a stalker takes their obsession to deadly new heights. Naturally, the police suspect the stalker, but Inspector Witherspoon has a hunch. To uncover the truth in “ Mrs. Jeffries Stalks The Hunter,” he turns to his housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries, who always manages to get to the heart of the matter. Mrs. Jeffries and the Silent Knight

The book starts out as suggested: cute, quirky, and intriguing. Immediately I liked Mrs. Jeffries. She’s sweet, clever, supportive. I didn’t know the other help had such a large role in solving the crimes, but delightfully they do, all bringing their individual traits to the table. The detective is subpar with his investigative technique and confidence, previously having been in the filing room for the majority of his career, but this only brings more charm to the story. The guilty party at the end doesn’t stand out much in personality; I wouldn’t have guessed them to be the killer, and motivation came toward the end anyway.Set in Victorian England at Christmas time, “Mrs. Jeffries and the Midwinter Murders” is the well done 40th book in the Mrs. Jeffries cozy mystery series by Emily Brightwell. The fact that the series has lasted so long is a testament to how wonderful this series is. By now all the characters – Inspector Witherspoon, Constable Barnes, Mrs. Jeffries, Luty Belle, Hatchett, Ruth, Smythe, Betsy, Mrs. Goodge, Phyllis, and Wiggins all feel like old friends and I love visiting with them again. The setup for each book is the same – Witherspoon and Barnes question the suspects while Mrs. Jeffries and friends talk to servants, shopkeepers, etc. to get clues that Mrs. Jeffries puts together to solve the murder but Brightwell manages to keep the series fresh with each book. This book has plenty of suspects which allows the reader to try and solve the mystery alongside Mrs. Jeffries. There are also plenty of twists and turns and a few red herrings – I thought for sure I knew who the killer was but I was totally wrong. Finally, the book ends with a couple of cliffhangers that make me eagerly await the next book in the series. Even though the evide I love the Mrs. Jeffries Mysteries. I think I have read all 40 of them and eagerly wait for the next one to be published. I marvel at Ms. Brightwell's ability to create stories that feel new and fresh and don't disappoint. I work as hard as I can to try to solve the mystery before I get to the end. But, alas, that does not frequently happen. Over time you get to love the characters in the books and get so entangled in their lives. I do think it is time for something new to happen beside the solving of the crime. Maybe a wedding of the Inspector. Hannah Lonsdale was - WAS - the fiancé of Mr. Marks up until moments before he died. Gossips claim Hannah Lonsdale, a middle-aged wealthy woman, had a great row with Mr. Marks and then she left. She doesn't seem very upset by the news of his death and not terribly surprised either. The club manager and other members indicate that Hannah Lonsdale's family has a lot of clout and no one wants to upset them. Is Inspector Witherspoon certain Miss Lonsdale went home and didn't return to the club? Did she have family there with her? Mrs. McElhaney, a wealthy matron, was previously engaged to Mr. Marks. She's spitting nails furious that he proposed to another woman while still dating HER! EEE! That's bad. That's a good reason to want revenge! She doesn't blame the woman, fortunately, but her eyes were opened to Mr. Marks's character. How good a shot is she? Where was she when the murder happened? Miss Lonsdale is very smart and a very good archer. I think she could easily be the murderer. Mrs. McElhaney doesn't seem too shabby in the brains department either. What if they teamed up to kill their ex-lover?

This is a "cosy" in the real sense of the genre term: a highly unbelievable domesticated premise, a large cast of two dimensional stereotypes. Wiggins's repeated "cor blimey" was especially irritating raising the spectre of VanDyke's hideous accent in Disney's "Mary Poppins"...good lord. The plot here becomes so complicated you'd need algorithms or charts to follow the many unnecessary details only to discover that 90% is just there to obscure a fairly plain solution. Finally all this is wrapped up in a singularly undistinguished but adequate style.Thirty-Nine books into the series and I’m still loving it. The characters are as fresh and delightful today as they were in the first book. There is always a serious mystery to solve, but it is done with wit and charm galore. I always look forward to each new book because of its warmth, it’s family feel – all of the characters have the utmost respect and care for each other despite the differences in their stations in life. Each book is a delightful addition to the series, but you can also read each book as a standalone should you wish to do so – but you would be missing the character and relationship growth that has occurred in the previous books. Banker Lawrence Boyd didn't waste his time making friends, which is why hardly anyone grieves when he's found dead in his burnt-out studio..