The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries Series by Emily Brightwell is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. This series has 37 books and each new book has been as enjoyable as its predecessor. The latest book, Mrs. Jeffries Delivers the Goods, returns Inspector Gerald Witherspoon and the household staff at Upper Edmonton Gardens to the location of a previous murder, The Wexley Hotel.
Stephen Bremmer is an elitist, arrogant man who has more enemies than friends. When he is poisoned at the Lighterman Ball, Scotland Yard sends in their best detective, Inspector Gerald Witherspoon. The inspector quickly narrows the possible suspects down to those who were sitting closest to the victim. Unfortunately, those happen to the be the people with the best reason for murdering the man.
Unbeknownst to Inspector Gerald Witherspoon, his servants have worked behind the scenes to help solve his cases, feeding him information as they scour the streets of London talking to maids, footmen, and shop keepers. However, the household gets a lucky break when not only the inspector’s footman, Wiggins, is on sight during the latest murder, but also, the household’s favorite collaborator in crime, Dr. Bosworth.
Each time I read a book in this series, I’m amazed. Emily Brightwell does a great job of creating characters cozy mystery readers will love. Perhaps the greatest thing she does is that she has allowed the characters to evolve over the course of the series. From the inspector’s first cases where he didn’t have a clue about solving murders, to being the confident detective he is today, the evolution of the inspector and that of his household has been a joy to see. I love this series and hope it continues for at least another 37 books.