Another delightful mystery from Colleen Cambridge starring Phyllida Bright!
Cambridge is an auto-buy author for me, and I love the premise of this series! Set in the 1930s, Agatha Christie's housekeeper and friend, Phyllida, solves mysteries. This time, Phyllida has a string of sinister ones threatening theatre folk to get to the bottom of!
I love how cleverly the Christie references are woven in, in addition to Christie and her husband, Max, who are supporting characters. This time, Christie oversees a stage adaptation of one of her plays, there is a chef who physically resembles Poirot, and the mystery is reminiscent of Christie's ABC Murders. There are so many delightful easter eggs for Christie fans, but the book also stands firmly on its own, making it accessible to readers who may not be familiar with her work.
The story brims with vibrant characters, especially Phyllida. She is an observant, savvy, and likable sleuth. I enjoy her interactions with household staff, the witnesses and suspects, and her warm, devoted friendship with Christie. Phyllida even has a blossoming romance, which I am invested in because it's just so charmingly depicted. The mystery was creative, twisty, and well-plotted and kept me guessing all the way to the end. The denouement was reminiscent of Poirot himself, and I loved that touch.
This time, the action takes place away from Christie's estate, Mallowan Hall, and I enjoyed the backstage passes to the London theatres at the center of the suspicious deaths. The historical details create vivid scenes and immerse you in the setting. This witty series just keeps getting better and better, and this was such a fun and entertaining read.
Thank you to Kensington Books for the gifted review copy! This comes out October 22, 2024!
My steep was Madagascar Coconut White tea from Maya Tea
PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:
A witty and inventive treat for lovers of all things Christie, Downton Abbey, and Knives Out, set in London and the English countryside and starring Phyllida Bright, fictional housekeeper to the great dame of detective fiction herself. “Dame Agatha would be proud” (Publishers Weekly). Housekeeper Phyllida Bright is quite in her element at Mallowan Hall, the charming English manor that she keeps in tip-top shape. By contrast, the bustling metropolis of London, where her famed employer Agatha Christie has temporarily relocated, leaves Phyllida a bit out of her depth. Not only must she grapple with a limited staff, but Phyllida also has to rein in a temperamental French cook who has the looks of Hercule Poirot, but none of the charm. When a man named Archibald Allston is found dead in an armchair onstage at the Adelphia Theater, first impressions are that he died of natural causes. But the very next day, the unlucky actor playing Benvolio at the Belmont Theater is found with his head bashed in. And when a third victim turns up, this time with double-C initials, the fatal pattern is impossible to ignore. With panic erupting among theater folk—a superstitious bunch at the best of times—Phyllida steps up to help with the investigation. The murderer’s M.O. may be easy to read, but can Phyllida uncover the killer’s identity before the final curtain falls on another victim?
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