Mrs. Jeffries Speaks Her Mind (2010) - Plot & Excerpts
Olive Kettering was not a very nice person and had very few friends, so no one is particularly surprised when she is murdered during a nasty storm. It is up to Inspector Gerald Witherspoon and Constable Barnes to find her killer and they have plenty of suspects to deal with. But Witherspoon has a lot of help with this case, even if he doesn't know it - his household staff, led by housekeeper Mrs. Jeffries, are working behind the scenes to make sure he catches the killer."Mrs. Jeffries Speaks Her Mind" is the 27th book in Emily Brightwell's engaging mystery series set in Victorian England, a series that never disappoints. Despite there being so many books in the series it never gets stale, with the characters growing stronger in each book. In this particular book it is maid Betsy who takes center stage as she is happily married to Smythe but adjusting to not living with the rest of the servants and afraid she will be replaced by newcomer Phyllis. This storyline is an example of what makes this series so strong - the characters. They think of each other as family (which is especially evident in this book. I had wondered how Brightwell would handle the series now that Betsy and Smythe are married and she does an excellent job.As for the mystery elements, like all the other books in the series they are well done and the mystery is well plotted with plenty of suspects and some good motives. The fun in this series is watching both Witherspoon and his staff tried to solve the case and finding clues, as they do, and trying to figure out the solution before Mrs. Jeffries does. Astute readers will pick up some clues that Brightwell scatters throughout the book but it may still come as a bit of a surprise when the killer is revealed. The ending is action packed and danger filled and will keep readers at the edge of their seats for a few pages."Mrs. Jeffries Speaks Her Mind" is another great cozy mystery by Emily Brightwell. Olive Kettering apparently had no friends and treated her servants like slaves. After she's killed, there are a host of suspects including relatives and members of a religious cult which might be after her money.Like the other books in the series, the real story isn't so much the mystery, but the the lives of the characters. Mrs. Jeffries and the other staff do their best to solve the murder for the Inspector without him catching on that they're doing it. It's a lively bunch, each with his or her own talent.The characters are interesting and the mysteries more complex than some series. However, I would enjoy these mysteries so much more if there weren't quite so many sections of "summing up" going on, where clues, motivations, and possibilities are discussed many times over. It can be rather repetitious when it doesn't have to be.
What do You think about Mrs. Jeffries Speaks Her Mind (2010)?
I'm a big Mrs. Jefferies fan and found this book to be just as good as the others.
—mike
