Friday, April 24, 2020

Book #Review ~ Death Below Stairs (Kat Holloway Mysteries, Book #1) by Jennifer Ashley ~ @BerkleyMystery


Book Details:

Series: A Below Stairs Mystery (Book 1)

Paperback: 336 pages

Publisher: Berkley
Publish Date: January 2, 2018

ISBN-10: 0399585516
ISBN-13: 978-0399585517

Purchase Link:

Amazon

About the Book:

Victorian class lines are crossed when cook Kat Holloway is drawn into a murder that reaches all the way to the throne.

Highly sought-after young cook Kat Holloway takes a position in a Mayfair mansion and soon finds herself immersed in the odd household of Lord Rankin. Kat is unbothered by the family’s eccentricities as long as they stay away from her kitchen, but trouble finds its way below stairs when her young Irish assistant is murdered.

Intent on discovering who killed the helpless kitchen maid, Kat turns to the ever-capable Daniel McAdam, who is certainly much more than the charming delivery man he pretends to be. Along with the assistance of Lord Rankin’s unconventional sister-in-law and a mathematical genius, Kat and Daniel discover that the household murder was the barest tip of a plot rife with danger and treason—one that’s a threat to Queen Victoria herself.

My Review:

Kat Holloway high demand as a cook affords her the rare opportunity to take a job at Mayfair mansion. Becoming a part of the household of Lord Rankin takes a bit of time, as is to be expected in a new household. As Kat tries to assimilate, blending in proves a bit difficult at times, especially with the various oddities Kat observes. She’s relatively unconcerned with the strangeness if the family stays out of the kitchen - until she discovers the body of her young, Irish assistant in the larder.

Kat enlists the assistance of her friend Daniel McAdam, along with Lord Rankin’s sister-in-law and a mathematical genius friend of Daniel’s, to assist her in finding out who killed her assistant. Together, the four of them realize the death of Kat’s assistant is just the tip of the iceberg. A plot has been hatched that directly threatens Queen Victoria’s reign.

Daniel is more than who he pretends to be and is a great asset to Kat. I love their dynamics. Kat is strong and independent, but she also has a secret that had me breaking down into tears. Daniel is a strong character and I enjoyed his protector-type demeaner and his ability to see Kat is capable and not weak.

The mystery was captivating and had twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. The story kept me engaged, was interesting, and had great characters. The author did a wonderful job creating a historical English mystery with imagery I could visualize and made me feel like I was in the story. I look forward to reading book 2.

My book is a verified Amazon purchase.

My Rating:


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