Mrs. Jeffries Aims to Win - Historical Mystery Review

Goodreads:   Mrs. Jeffries Aims to Win (A Victorian Mystery #41) by Emily Brightwell

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  Mrs. Jeffries must help Inspector Witherspoon crack a new case and catch a killer in this next installment of the beloved Victorian Mystery series.

Successful businessman Jeremy Marks wasn't highly regarded by any of the members of the West London Archery Club. Most of them considered him a buffoon and a bore. But everyone was stunned when the fellow was murdered during a lull in the club's annual archery competition. He'd been shot with arrows from a longbow during a raging thunderstorm.

But those who knew Marks well understood that the unkempt court jester persona adopted by the late, unlamented man was as fake as the smile he wore. As Inspector Witherspoon investigates the murder, he discovers the victim had real enemies amongst the assembled archery contestants. Marks was notorious for not paying his bills, cheating vendors, bad-mouthing business rivals, and worst of all, betraying his business partners. The dead man had built a whole career and amassed quite a substantial fortune by harming those who trusted him. It will take Mrs. Jeffries and the inspector's household as well as their friends to sort out fact from fiction and target a killer.

Genre: Mystery - Historical

Why I Picked This Book:  I've really enjoyed the most recent books in the series and I do love a mystery solved by a team effort.  

My Impression:  This is such a fun series!  In this latest entry a truly hateful man is killed by being shot by two arrows and the question isn't who would want him dead but more of all the people who wanted him dead who had the strongest motive and opportunity.  Inspector Witherspoon, Mrs. Jeffries, Wiggins and the rest of the below stairs staff have their hands full trying to get that figured out.

I really enjoy the classic mystery feel of this book.  The characters investigate based off their strengths and who they have access to and little by little the reader (and the characters) get all the pieces of the puzzle.  It's not the fastest paced mystery but it's an enjoyable investigation from start to finish and I very rarely can put the pieces together completely before Mrs. Jeffries and her team help Inspector Witherspoon get to the solution.  The upstairs/downstairs element also adds a fun element as the characters investigate and question people from all walks of life.  I really enjoyed that Luty and Hatchett have such a front and center role in this book.  They are both so entertaining and I never know what Luty is going to say next.

I really enjoyed this latest Mrs. Jeffries book and catching up with all the different characters.  If you enjoy a nice cozy with a classic mystery feel this is a great book to pick up.  You can jump in at any point with the series with no problem as the whos and hows are explained pretty easily.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely!  I've also started reading the earlier books in the series and have been enjoying them as well though don't think they're quite as strong as the later books.

Would I Recommend this Book?   Definitely!  If you enjoy cozy mysteries or classic mysteries I think you would enjoy this series as a whole and this book.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *