When highly-accomplished cook Kat Holloway accepts a job at the
Mayfair mansion in London, she thinks she's found a
respected position
where she can finally lay her cap. The Rankins have a bit of
an eccentric
reputation for being rather eccentric: Lord Rankin rubs in
nefarious
circles, Lady rankin hardly leaves the house, and her
sister, Lady
Cynthia insists on wearing men's clothes and avoiding the
topic of
marriage altogether. Kat's first day begins well, with her
cooking's
praises being sung by family and staff alike, it turns
deadly when Kat
discovers the body of the seemingly innocent scullery maid
in the
larder. Suddenly, Kat becomes involved in the investigation
to find the
maid's murderer. Even more surprising, Daniel McAdam, a
man Kat
knows to be more than the delivery man he leads everyone to
believe, is
investigating the murder, as well as possible wrongdoings by
the
Rankins. What Kat and Daniel begin to discover is as
intriguing as the
budding attraction between them!
Downton Abbey meets Gosford Park in this wonderful historical
mystery! DEATH BELOW THE STAIRS is a top-notch read, full of
intrigue, class struggles, and social acceptance. Kat is a
pragmatic and
poised young woman making a name for herself as a talented and
natural cook, and the perfect point of view for the start of
Jennifer
Ashley's new series. It was a joy reading about the
simple-yet-hearty
meals she prepared with care and ease. The simmering romance
between Kat and Daniel isn't the main attraction, but a
delightful side
plot line that moves well along with the rest of the story.
Daniel's
mysterious reasoning behind his actions leave everyone a little
confused, Kat included, but he always does things with
conviction, and
to keep those he cares for safe. The side characters are
delightful and
well-developed, and add to the upstairs/downstairs push and
pull
between high society and the people keeping things running
behind the
scenes. A charming new mystery series sure to please!
Highly sought-after young cook Kat Holloway takes a
position in a Mayfair mansion and soon finds herself
immersed in the odd household of Lord Rankin. Kat is
unbothered by the family’s eccentricities as long as they
stay away from her kitchen, but trouble finds its way
below stairs when her young Irish assistant is murdered.
Intent on discovering who killed the helpless kitchen
maid, Kat turns to the ever-capable Daniel McAdam, who is
certainly much more than the charming delivery man he
pretends to be. Along with the assistance of Lord
Rankin’s unconventional sister-in-law and a mathematical
genius, Kat and Daniel discover that the household murder
was the barest tip of a plot rife with danger and treason
—one that’s a threat to Queen Victoria herself.
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