Mrs. Jeffries Stands Corrected: Review

Mrs. Jeffries Stands Corrected is the ninth installment of the Victorian era cozy mystery series by Emily Brightwell.  Mrs. Jeffries is the housekeeper for Inspector Witherspoon of the Yard.  Little does he know how much his domestic staff helps him in his investigations....at least usually.  This particular novel could just as easily be called "Mrs. Jeffries Is Locked Out"--not locked out of the house, but locked out of the case.  She's been telling Inspector Witherspoon all along (as she feeds him clues that the servants have gathered on his behalf) that all he needs to do is listen to his "inner voice."  So, that's what he decides to do....and not share any details over sherry like she's become accustomed to him doing.  He's being all secretive and the servants are hard-pressed to to come up with information on their own.

And what are they investigating?  Well....Haydon Dapeers is the much disliked owner of several pubs in London and the book begins with the grand opening of his newest establishment.  It's also his birthday, so it's quite an event--with all sorts of people milling about.  All sorts of people who had a reason to wish Dapeers dead.  And before the evening is over, he is--knocked on the head and then fatally stabbed in the back.  While Mrs. Jeffries and the other servants are investigating the possibility of murdering ministers, brutal barmaids, wicked wives, or lethal lawyers (who happen to be up to their eyes in gambling debt), Inspector Witherspoon is following his inner voice on a path of his own. Witherspoon's servants are worried that his inner voice (which is not his housekeeper's this time) will lead him back to the records room where he was a clerk before he brilliantly solved his first murder. They become especially alarmed when he announces that he has a plan to catch the villain.  Will they discover the murderer in time--or has the inspector really solved this one on his own?

This is a fun, cozy series--sort of like brain candy.  Not a lot of heavy duty thinking, but it's just the thing when you want something comfortable and light.  It's always fun watching the servants scramble around to hunt up clues and sneak the information to Witherspoon without him noticing.  This one has an interesting twist though--with Witherspoon going out on his own.  That was fun too--watching the servants be all upset about not having the inside track.  And does Witherspoon out-investigate them?  Well, you'll just have to read it and see.  Three stars for a nice comfy read.