Alyssa Maxwell's MURDER MOST MALICIOUS takes place during the Christmas holidays after the end of World War I. Phoebe Renshaw, 19 and the second oldest of the children at Foxwood Hall, overhears an argument between her older sister, Julia, and Henry Leighton, the Marquess of Allerton to whom Julia is expected to become engaged. Julia tells Henry she's not interested and he tries to blackmail her with a secret he knows about something that happened over the past summer. Phoebe is concerned when Henry doesn't appear for breakfast or lunch, but she isn't truly dismayed until her lady's maid, Eva Huntford, among others— receives a finger in her Christmas box from the family. The one difference is that the finger in Eva's box is wearing Henry's signet ring. But the rest of Henry is nowhere to be found.

The police interview everyone at the house and examine footprints in the snow that lead from the servants' entrance to the woods and back. A cleaver is found in a servant's room, and the police arrest George Vernon. But Phoebe and Eva are certain of his innocence and determined to prove it.

This is the first book of Alyssa Maxwell's I've read, although she has written the Gilded Age mystery series, which takes place in Newport, a favorite town of hers. MURDER MOST MALICIOUS takes place in 1918 and explores to some degree the position of women in society. Phoebe's family wants her to return to duties according to her station now the war is over, but Phoebe got a taste of and independence with her war efforts. Also, she and Eva are friends as well as lady and maid in this novel which lends credibility to Maxwell's story. A relationship such as this works in this time period, but much earlier in history, and it wouldn't be acceptable.

Maxwell sets the stage well, introducing us to the household enough so we get to know people but not so much as to bore or overwhelm the reader. She also does a nice job of mixing dialog and description in MURDER MOST MALICIOUS. Numerous suspects appear including George and Julia, so the reader is kept guessing the identity of the culprit until the end. Some people may figure it out, but I don't spend a ton of time trying to, so I was appreciably surprised. The author also does a nice job with the story, dropping hints, but nothing requires a suspension of disbelief and the whole tale ties together. No sleuths doing incredibly silly things that are unrealistic and make you roll your eyes.

Maxwell also introduces a hint of romance, so I'm definitely curious to see what comes in the next installment. I'm a big fan of historical cozy mysteries, and Maxwell has written a gem with MURDER MOST MALICIOUS.

Book Summary

In post–World War I England, Lady Phoebe Renshaw and her lady’s maid, Eva Huntford, step outside of their social roles and put their lives at risk to apprehend a vicious killer…

December 1918: As a difficult year draws to a close, there is much to celebrate for nineteen-year-old Phoebe Renshaw and her three siblings at their beloved family estate of Foxwood Hall. The dreadful war is finally over; eldest daughter Julia’s engagement to their houseguest, the Marquis of Allerton, appears imminent; and all have gathered to enjoy peace on earth, good will toward men.

But the peace of Foxwood Hall is shattered on the morning of Boxing Day, when the Marquis goes missing. Not entirely missing, however, as macabre evidence of foul play turns up in gift boxes given to lady’s maid Eva Huntford and a handful of others. Having overheard her sister and the Marquis in a heated exchange the night before, Lady Phoebe takes a personal interest in solving the mystery.

As the local constable suspects a footman at Foxwood Hall, Phoebe and Eva follow the clues to a different conclusion. But both young women will need to think outside the box to wrap up this case—before a cornered killer lashes out with ill will toward them…

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