Emily Brightwell

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.

Mrs. Jeffries Victorian Mystery series #7

"As the holidays approach, all is merry and bright for Inspector Witherspoon, Mrs. Jeffries, and the staff at Upper Edmonton Gardens...but murder knows no season. MURDER UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR Christopher Gilhaney isn't a popular man, and he proves why once again when he insults every guest at Abigail Chase's Guy Fawkes Night dinner party. When Gilhaney is shot dead under the cover of the night's fireworks, his murder is deemed a robbery gone wrong. But when the case hasn't been solved six weeks later, Inspector Witherspoon is called upon to find the killer--and quickly! With Christmas almost here, Inspector Witherspoon and everyone in his household is upset at the possibility of having to cancel their holiday plans--all to solve a case that seems impossible. Only Luty Belle, Ruth, and Mrs. Goodge refuse to give up and let the crime become a cold case. In fact, the American heiress, the charming next-door neighbor, and the formidable cook use all of their persuasive powers to get the others on board, because these three wise women know justice doesn't take time off for Christmas"--

"Old sins cast long shadows. Normally dead bodies in a graveyard are buried--but not this one. When a woman is found strangled in a North London cemetery with an old newspaper clipping clutched in her hand, Inspector Witherspoon is surprised to find that he and the victim have crossed paths before. Mrs. Robinson was a respectable widow who ran a quiet Islington lodging house. None of her lodgers have any apparent motive to murder their landlady. But nagging suspicions are lodging in the Inspector's mind--only he knows that "Alice Robinson" is not her real name. Now he'll need the help of Mrs. Jeffries to revisit an old case that has haunted him for years and to get the real story"--Page of cover.

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.

The Miss Marple of Victorian mystery.

Mrs. Jeffries Victorian Mystery series #10 Poisoned Pen It was a most peculiar murder. A man's body was found in the canal--but the evidence showed that he had drowned in a bathtub. A theatre critic known for his savage reviews, the victim had had a full cast of enemies. While Inspector Witherspoon scoured the theatre, Mrs. Jeffries uncovered the critic's secret past: a real-life drama more compelling than any stage play...

Mrs. Jeffries Victorian Mystery series #19 Sir Edmund Leggett is flattered to be stalked by a young lady--who makes herself scarce after he's murdered in cold blood. The police hold the young woman to blame. But Inspector Witherspoon has other ideas and consults his housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries--who always gets to the heart of the matter.

When a beautiful newcomer is found dead in the communal gardens, Inspector Witherspoon narrows down his list of suspects to Lucius Montague, who was seen threatening the woman, but Mrs. Jeffries has her doubts and sets out to find the real killer.

Mrs. Jeffries Victorian Mystery series #15 A Bone to Pick Eccentric Annabeth Gentry pretty much keeps to herself. Besides her recent inheritance--and the attention her bloodhound gets for digging up the body of a murdered thief--her life is, in fact, rather dull. So why does she think that someone is trying to kill her? That's what Mrs. Jeffries and her staff have to find out. What they discover is a dead body next door, and three attempts on Annabeth's life. But is there any connection between the murders and Annabeth? Mrs. Jeffries will have to sniff out some clues before the plot thickens...

Mrs. Jeffries Victorian Mystery series #3 A Vision of Death At the seance, Mrs. Hodges was a bit taken aback by the medium's dire prediction. But she soon dismissed it as stuff and nonsense. After all, she was a woman who knew her own mind--and minded everyone else's business. But that very night, demanding, domineering Mrs. Hodges was murdered. The Inspector's on the case, but he doesn't have a crystal ball to tell him whodunit. Fortunately, though, he does have Mrs. Jeffries...

Sir George Braxton was found lying face down in a frozen fountain with the back of his skull bashed to bits. The case is complicated by a distinct lack of holiday cheer in the victim's three argumentative middle-aged daughters and their sullen houseguests. Even the cranky cat hates everyone. To top it all off, the Home Secretary has called in inspector Witherspoon over the heads of some touchy local lads, making matters stickier than a plum pudding.

Mrs. Jeffries Victorian Mystery series #16 Harrison Nye may have been involved in some dubious business dealings, but no one ever expected him to be murdered. Now Inspector Witherspoon must root out the perpetrator of the underhanded deed. Nye's business associate visited him just hours before the murder and seems to know more than he's letting on. And when his maid disappears, this dirty business gets even deadlier. Now, Mrs. Jeffries and her staff must root through the sins of Nye's past to discover which one caught up with him...

Upper Edmonton Gardens looks forward to a jolly Christmas, until one humbug sings of murder—in Mrs. Jeffries's 26th mystery.'Tis the week before Christmas, and all through the house, every creature is stirring...But just as Inspector Witherspoon's staff prepares for the long-awaited wedding of Betsy and Smythe, a Yuletide murder falls in the Inspector's lap.A middle-aged spinster has been killed in what her murderer hoped would look like a random crime. But the Inspector's investigation reveals a web of lies, intrigue, and long-buried secrets. With uncooperative witnesses, sulking relatives, and a second Christmas wedding, a simple investigation seems unlikely. And the household will have to put aside its holiday spirit to save the Inspector's reputation.