Mrs. Jeffries and the rest of the housekeeping sleuthing crew are back in Brightwell’s impressive 39th installment in the Victorian Mysteries series. This time around, MRS. JEFFRIES DEMANDS JUSTICE for one of the Metropolitan Police Department’s own inspectors, Nigel Nivens.
Mrs. Jeffries is not a fan of Inspector Nivens. He is lazy and entitled and he has undermined and hidden evidence in other investigations conducted by Mrs. Jeffries employer, Inspector Gerald Witherspoon. Still, Mrs. Jeffries believes in justice and even though Inspector Nivens is a wretched man, Mrs. Jeffries does not believe he is capable of murder. Local ice delivery man, Bert Santorini, was shot in the Felix Mews by a fancy dueling pistol found at the scene. The pistol belongs to Nigel Nivens, who was previously showing it off at a local pub. Nivens is now the prime suspect and the Metropolitan Police want to make sure the case is properly investigated to avoid any allegations of impropriety. Inspector Witherspoon is assigned to the case and Mrs. Jeffries, along with the rest of the household staff, start their own secret parallel investigation to help Witherspoon find the real killer. That won't be easy though, because Santorini was quite the ladies' man and had various enemies including his landlady and a local barmaid. Was he killed out of jealousy? Or did the O’Dwyer brothers have a score to settle with Santorini after his eyewitness testimony in a burglary case sent them to prison? Or is it the former ice cart owner who may have not liked the way Santorini attained his cart? The suspect list runs long and the crew has their work cut out for them as they visit the city’s seedy streets and local pubs questioning suspects and following up on clues. Will their sleuthing prove Nivens innocent? Or will they dig him a deeper grave?
Emily Brightwell's Victorian Mysteries series continues to deliver strong storylines and memorable characters. Mrs. Jeffries and the crew use their unique talents and backgrounds to track down clues and uncover devious plots in Victorian London. Inspector Witherspoon, although a capable man, would not have the success that he does without his household staff, although they are cunning enough to keep their investigations hidden from him. The mystery moves quickly and there are plenty of possible suspects, each well-defined and fleshed out. The clues are logical and the atmosphere of the novel is warm and charming as the housekeeping staff watches out for their beloved Inspector Witherspoon.
Longtime readers and new fans alike will enjoy the camaraderie of the household servants and local friends as they track down a killer and clear Inspector Nivens’ name. MRS. JEFFRIES DEMANDS JUSTICE is a strong addition to this popular long-running series.
Mrs. Jeffries always keeps her friends close and now must keep an enemy even closer if she is going to catch a killer. . . .
Inspector Nigel Nivens is not a nice man or a good investigator. In fact, he’s terrible at his job and has always done everything he can to make life difficult for Inspector Witherspoon. But even his powerful family can’t help him after he maliciously tried to hobble Witherspoon’s last homicide investigation. He’s been sent to a particularly difficult precinct in the East End of London as penance.
When a paid informant is found shot in an alley, Nivens thinks that if he can crack the case, he’ll redeem himself and have a much-needed chance at impressing his superiors. But there’s one big problem with his plan—Niven’s distinct antique pistol is found at the scene of the crime and even more evidence is uncovered that links the Inspector to the murder.
Despite their mutual dislike for Nivens, Mrs. Jeffries and Inspector Witherspoon know the man isn’t a cold-blooded killer. Now they’ll just have to prove it. . . .