Murder at Mallowan Hall

Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge is the debut of A Phyllida Bright Mystery series. Phyllida Bright is the housekeeper at Mallowan Hall which is the home of Agatha Christie and her husband, Max. When a reporter ends up dead in the library, Mrs. Bright doubts the abilities of the detective assigned the case. She decides to some sleuthing on her own to solve the crime so the houseguests can be on their way. Murder at Mallowan Hall opens with the murder of a reporter found by Mrs. Bright in the library at Mallowan Hall. I like the character of Mrs. Bright. There is more to her than meets the eye. I like that she is an efficient housekeeper with attention to detail. Her bright hair is the one thing out of place which bothers the butler. Mrs. Bright has some quirky characteristics. We are introduced to a large cast of characters that include the household servants, Agatha Christie and her husband, Max as well as their houseguests. It can be difficult to keep track of all the characters. The whodunit is a closed room mystery. Someone in the house is the guilty party. Mrs. Bright actively investigates by asking questions and searching for clues. There are multiple suspects and a couple of red herrings. There are good clues to help readers solve the crime. Mrs. Bright’s reveal reminds me of an episode of Murder, She Wrote. I appreciated that the case was completely wrapped up. Murder at Mallowan was easy to get into in the beginning, but it can be slow going at times. The author is extremely detail oriented. A room or individual can be described down the minutest detail. This can be a bit much after a while. There was such a large cast of characters, that we really do not get much detail on the main ones. I am sure we will get to know the household staff better in future books. I think that die-hard fans of Agatha Christie will either love this story or hate it. I did feel the author captured the time when manor houses were still thriving. There is a definite Upstairs/Downstairs feel to the story. I am curious to learn more about Mrs. Bright. She is someone who is definitely keeping some secrets. Murder at Mallowan Hall has curious crime will have you confused unless you pay close attention to the clues.

1930s Devon. Mallowan Hall is home to Agatha Christie and her husband Max Mallowan. During a house pary housekeeper Phyllida Bright discover the body of Charles Waring, supposedly a reporter for the Times. He was murdered in a locked down house during a severe storm. But who was he really, and why was he at the Hall. Even with the presence of Scotland Yard Detective Cork, Phyllida decides to investigate. An entertaining and well-written historical mystery, with a cast of varied and mainly likeable characters.

1930s, England, law-enforcement, murder, murder-investigation, relationships, situational-humor, cosy-mystery, domestic-staff***** I really like Phyllida Bright and her way of looking at information and using (un)common sense and a thorough knowledge of the household, staff, and guests to work out the puzzle of the murder. She is aware that she has knowledge that the constabulary can't possibly know but is also vain enough to climax with an *Agatha Christie finish*. The publisher's blurb is a good one as it lays the foundation for enjoying the plot. The household characters are very well presented, the guests are done well enough, and the constabulary are fairly depicted as irritated by the civilian but not dumb enough to disregard the information. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely read any others as they come along! I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!