The household staff of Scotland Yard Inspector Gerald Witherspoon find themselves in a bit of a funk. Their employer, known for his success in solving murders, is currently working on an embezzlement case. His staff and neighbors can't assist as they usually do when the inspector works a juicy murder. But things change when police surgeon Dr. Bosworth disagrees with a police finding on a death. What one inspector calls accidental drowning, Dr. Bosworth calls murder. Can he convince Inspector Witherspoon to take the case?

The deceased, Michael Provost, owned a successful medical supply company. He was much-loved by his workers and his home staff. But he had been conducting his own investigation into the mysterious disappearance of a friend. How did this amateur detective become a victim of murder? Was he on the right track? Or was he the victim of random crime?

Unaware of the subtle clues given to him by his loyal staff, Witherspoon pieces together the puzzle of Provost's investigation and his subsequent death. Behind this slightly clueless detective is his ever-so-clever housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries. She'll suss out the villains and still serve tea on time.

I found MRS. JEFFRIES HOLDS THE TRUMP to be an enjoyable historical cozy. There's no requirement to read Ms. Brightwell's considerable backlist titles in this series before enjoying this entry. The author does a great job of introducing a newcomer to the series to the wide assortment of characters that populate the story. I've never read any of the Mrs. Jeffries books before but this one won't be my last. I recommend readers give this cozy a try.

Book Summary

Mrs. Jeffries must swim upstream to catch a killer.

Successful local Michael Provost had no enemies, yet he was found dead off the Chelsea Vestry Wharf. With the help of her staff, Mrs. Jeffries dives into an investigation that leads to an earlier crime—and even more questions.