Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge #bookreview #series #backlistreview

Thank you Kensington Books, #partner, for the advanced copy of Murder at Mallowan Hall in exchange for my honest review.

Publisher: Kensington Books

Published: October 26, 2021

 

Summary:

The first in an exciting new historical mystery series set in the home of Agatha Christie!

Colleen Cambridge’s charming and inventive new historical series introduces an unforgettable heroine in Phyllida Bright, fictional housekeeper for none other than famed mystery novelist Agatha Christie. When a dead body is found during a house party at the home of Agatha Christie and her husband Max Mallowan, it’s up to famous author’s head of household, Phyllida Bright, to investigate…

Tucked away among Devon’s rolling green hills, Mallowan Hall combines the best of English tradition with the modern conveniences of 1930. Housekeeper Phyllida Bright, as efficient as she is personable, manages the large household with an iron fist in her very elegant glove. In one respect, however, Mallowan Hall stands far apart from other picturesque country houses…

The manor is home to archaeologist Max Mallowan and his famous wife, Agatha Christie. Phyllida is both loyal to and protective of the crime writer, who is as much friend as employer. An aficionado of detective fiction, Phyllida has yet to find a gentleman in real life half as fascinating as Mrs. Agatha’s Belgian hero, Hercule Poirot. But though accustomed to murder and its methods as frequent topics of conversation, Phyllida is unprepared for the sight of a very real, very dead body on the library floor…

A former Army nurse, Phyllida reacts with practical common sense–and a great deal of curiosity. It soon becomes clear that the victim arrived at Mallowan Hall under false pretenses during a weekend party. Now, Phyllida not only has a houseful of demanding guests on her hands–along with a distracted, anxious staff–but hordes of reporters camping outside. When another dead body is discovered–this time, one of her housemaids–Phyllida decides to follow in M. Poirot’s footsteps to determine which of the Mallowans’ guests is the killer. With help from the village’s handsome physician, Dr. Bhatt, Mr. Dobble, the butler, along with other household staff, Phyllida assembles the clues. Yet, she is all too aware that the killer must still be close at hand and poised to strike again. And only Phyllida’s wits will prevent her own story from coming to an abrupt end…

 

My thoughts:

There is nothing I love more than discovering a new series and this one sounded right up my alley! I have a feeling this is going to be a much beloved series if this first book is anything to go by.

While I have not read all of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot books, I loved how this book gave such a big nod to them. Phyllida Bright, the head housekeeper for Agatha Christie and her husband, makes such a fantastic amateur sleuth when she finds a dead body in the house and feels that the town police are not doing an adequate job in solving the murders as the bodies are piling up. She relies on all she has learned from the many conversations she has had with her beloved employer as well as all she knows Mr. Poirot would do and takes things into her own hands.

The red herrings and twists and turns this book takes really keep you on your toes and I greatly enjoyed this cozy mystery, especially as it was a locked-room mystery – these are always my favorite! There were a ton of suspects, and I just loved the idea of this whole story taking place at Mallowan Hall, the home of Agatha Christie and her husband, Max Mallowan. That intrigued me as much as the mystery itself. I loved getting to know the large staff and I hope as the series continues, we get to know a bit more about them all. It was fun how some of them helped Phyllida and I wonder if that will be the case moving forward.

I cannot wait to continue on with this series. As I already mentioned, I think it is going to quickly become a favorite.

 

Books in this series:

1. Murder at Mallowan Hall
2. A Trace of Poison – due out October 25, 2022