It may be Inspector Witherspoon's life, but it is Mrs. Jeffries who really runs things. Not only is she the housekeeper who keeps life at home smooth running, she is also the one who seems to guide the Inspector in solving the mysteries that come his way.

In this book, the Inspector has put the household on a tight budget. To keep in line with this new ruling, Cook has dusted off an old cookbook with recipes that are as tasty as the dust but very economical. Not only is the Inspector suffering through these frugal meals, he is also working through a new murder of a business man who has a long list of possible suspects. Seems this business man has cheated his investors our of a nice chunk of money. The Inspector is trying to focus on finding clues and interviewing witnesses, while trying to ignore hunger pains from his diet at home.

Behind the scenes, Mrs. Jeffries has organized the household staff into its' efficient sleuthing team mode. Cook may be feeding pauper meals to the Inspector, but she still is sure to have tea and sweet buns for when other household staff members drop by to chat in the kitchen. Meanwhile Wiggins, Betsy and Smythe utilize their network of other household staffs for information; uncovering some unsavoury secrets that point to who the guilty party is and why.

This is a cozy series set in Victorian times and is a fun and fast read. ( )

Squeezed one more book in before the end of the month. Do enjoy this mystery series set in Victorian England, where the hapless Inspector Witherspoon has his murder cases solved by his servants, led by the inimitable Mrs Jeffries (his house keeper). A good cozy mystery series, where an interesting group of characters have been brought together. I look forward to reading further on in this series. ( )

From the book jacket - (Mrs Jeffries) is keeping the household on a tight budget – and the Inspector is suffering for it. Even worse, he’s got a new murder case on his hands. The victim, a businessman, may have cheated his stockholders out of a princely sum. The housekeeper’s interest is piqued … and when it comes to catching killers, the smart money’s on Mrs Jeffries!

My reactions
I like this cozy mystery series featuring Mrs Jeffries and other servants in the Inspector’s Victorian household, who work together to lead their boss to the solution of the mystery. However, I think I’ve read too many recently and the plots are getting formulaic and thin. Also, I’m noticing more repetition in the books. How often does the reader need to be told that the team must get together over one more cup of tea? Or that Smythe or Wiggins (or any of the others) actually provides valuable information?

Still, it’s a fast read, and an occasional cozy never hurt anyone. ( )

This series centers around the household of Gerald Witherspoon, an extremely kind, but not terribly bright individual who has a great reputation for his amazing (if not downright unlikely) success at solving murders. Inspector Witherspoon doesn't realize, but his good deeds and kindly nature have created great loyalty on the part of his household staff. Led by the housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries, a policeman's widow, they successfully (and competitively) investigate every case, and tactfully pass the information along to Witherspoon. A few friends and neighbors eventually join in to help.

I like having a largish band of appealing, repeating characters who are distinct from one another and continue to develop throughout the series. The stories are somewhat formulaic, which the reader may like or dislike. Personally, I wish that the continuing subplots would develop and change a little faster. The books are best read in order, although it isn't entirelly crucial. With such a long series, it is often hard to get all the books.

A friend recommended this series to me when I was extremely depressed, and it was perfect! ( )