Being the housekeeper for THE Agatha Christie can have its challenges, but finding a dead body isn’t one that housekeeper Phyllida Bright anticipated. Phyllida immediately contacts the local constable, who initially believes she is jesting as surely there’s not a dead body in the library of Agatha Christie’s home. No one seems to know who the mysterious (and now dead) Mr. Waring is, as he wasn’t on the guest list for the party. Phyllida decides to investigate, approaching the mystery the way she envisions M. Poirot would handle it. Can she uncover which one of the guests is a murderer and why?

MURDER AT MALLOWAN HALL is the first book in the Phyllida Bright series, and oh what a treat for readers! I grew up on Agatha Christie’s mysteries and have reread them over the years, so I was excited to see a book featuring Agatha Christie and her household. Most of the characters, as well as Mallowan Hall, are fictional, but the story line is phenomenal, particularly for Agatha Christie enthusiasts like me. And who doesn’t love that the dead body in the opening paragraphs of MURDER AT MALLOWAN HALL is found in the library, a reference to Agatha Christie’s book, A BODY IN THE LIBRARY?

Phyllida is a marvelous heroine! I love her sharp mind as well as her ability to organize even in the midst of a crisis. Most importantly, however, she cares for others and does her best to accommodate and assist them without doing any detriment to her job. Oh, and her interactions with Agatha Christie are such a delight! Agatha is a secondary character and the interactions between Agatha and Phyllida are thoroughly enjoyable. Quite honestly, Phyllida is exactly who I would envision as a housekeeper for Agatha! She’s neat, precise, organized and quick on her feet- but has a bright head of hair that is just as full of spunk as she is! I look forward to learning more about her mysterious past in future books.

MURDER AT MALLOWAN HALL is a delightfully good cozy mystery by Colleen Cambridge. Agatha Christie fans, in particular, will relish this spectacular tale as the atmosphere and pacing are reminiscent of some of Christie’s own tales. Colleen Cambridge is the pseudonym of Colleen Gleason, an author who wrote some of my favorite vampire tales, and I’m thrilled to say that MURDER AT MALLOWAN HALL is just as amazing. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Phyllida in the next installment!

Book Summary