The Spring Cleaning Murders by Dorothy Cannell is book seven in the Ellie Haskell Mystery series. I have read several books in this series. While it is not necessary, I think it does help to appreciate the characters. Ellie's longtime housekeeper, Ms. Malloy, leaves, and she must find a replacement. The problems begin when the housekeepers start dying. Ellie suspects any of her neighbors could have killed to keep their secrets. While not a super suspenseful cozy, I enjoyed the book. It was a relaxing read.

3 death bodies! All revolving around the Chitterton Fells Charwomen’s Association. What did the housecleaner’s find in order to be the target of a murder. Ellie Haskell finds herself becoming part of the housecleaner’s group in order to figure out who did it. Hopefully she won’t be victim number 4!

It was an okay cozy mystery. It took a while for the story to draw me in. Maybe all the spring cleaning talk just wasn’t for me.

This is the first of these books that I have had the pleasure of reading, and I found it to be delightful. If you are a lover of cosy mystery as I am, then you will undoubtedly get a kick out of this novel. The author is witty and her characters are both believable and charming. I really like Mrs. Malloy in particular, she has a certain way about her that makes her rather difficult to forget.

The mysteries in this book pile up just as quick as the body count and I loved that the main character didn't spend her time freaking out over every little thing, but kept her head about her throughout most of the book. There weren't a lot of ridiculous situations that forced me to suspend belief, so I was able to read right along, satisfied without stopping to roll my eyes as I do with a lot of mystery books.

The family atmosphere and the descriptions of the twins and their antics made me happy, having twins of my own I could relate. I didn't guess the culprit until they were revealed either, which made me happy.

This book was a lot of fun and I look forward to catching up on this series. Recommended for mystery lovers.

This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I would recommend this for readers who appreciate British mysteries, along the lines of the Aunt Dimity series. The author has a wonderful wit and adds a dry sense of humor to the every day activities of Ellie's life.
Although this is part of a series, it can be read satisfactorily as a stand alone story.

Ellie and Ben are the happy parents of twin three year olds. Their household also includes an aged gardener and an on-site cousin, plus their long time, part-time, cleaning lady, Mrs. Malloy.
As the book begins, Ellie gets the sad news that Mrs. M. will no longer be available to clean the house. This is just the beginning of unfortunate circumstances for Ellie and the members of the Chitterton Fells Charwomen's Association.

As the Association numbers dwindle, due to the deaths of members, Ellie finds herself included in the search for secrets among friends and new village residents. The clues are subtle and it seems suspects with motive could be increasing in number.

It is the personalities that makes this a delightful series. The loving interactions, the loyalty, and the sarcastic, dry wit, especially of Mrs. Malloy.
If you enjoy strong character driven mysteries, this is a series you should read.

The Spring Cleaning Murders is the eighth book in Dorothy Cannell's Ellie Haskel mysteries. In this particular story we start out with Roxie Malloy, Ellie's housekeeper/friend/accomplice resigning to move to London to care for her new granddaughter. While lost without her friend, Ellie puts on a good front, even trying other charladies, but none compare. And none come back as they each meet their demise.

With several new residents in the area, all of whom have employed the ladies before their deaths, and clues that don't quite match, Ellie is at it again, not seeing that she is placing herself in harms way. What is it that the charladies have seen that has put their lives in danger? And how fast can she solve this, especially when Mrs. M returns?

Meanwhile, things are not going too well at her husband's restaurant, Abigail's. Local vegan protestors are virtually closing them down. With Ellie's encouragement, he decides to close and stay home for the time being. He is set to learn all that their aging live in gardener, Jonas, can teach him.

He is also prepared to help Ellie, both with solving the mystery and producing the natural cleaning products that Abigail had left behind. However, their plans to discover the secret that brought others down fall short.

Fast paced, rich characters, and twisty turny events make this another winner in the Ellie Haskell mysteries. I do recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the complimentary copy of The Spring Cleaning Murders! I wish that I could say I loved this book, but I found it to be a little slow, and I had a hard time connecting with the characters. There were so many characters, and not enough time spent in the details of their personalities. The only character that I found endearing was Jonas. The book has potential but needs some more details!

This is a light and light reading mystery about a married mother of twins, Ellie Haskell, who, hoping to get her house a jump on spring cleaning, relies on her cleaning woman, who takes a leave of absence for a family matter. Ellie then ends up going to the Chitterton Fells Charwomen's Association, stumbling into a murder mystery involving murders of the association murders. The story is fine, but I found it rather slow moving. The murder does not happen until you are way into the book, and the murder is not that difficult to figure out. I also found the characters, though somewhat interesting, were not appealing to me. I did enjoy reading about the theme of spring cleaning, and it was different. Ellie’s family were also interesting to read about in the story, especially her twins, who never ceased to amuse and enthrall me with their antics. I have not read any other books in the series, and, perhaps if I had read them, I may have come away with a different perspective, though this one did function well as a stand-alone. Nevertheless, the story is fun and easy reading and quite suitable for summer vacation or beach reading. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

I did not care for the writing style of another title by Cannell, so I am not going to try this one.

Ellie Haskell is in the throes of spring cleaning "fever" when her flamboyant charwoman, Mrs. Roxie Malloy, turns in her resignation. Mrs. Malloy is off to London to help out her son and his wife, Ellie's cousin Vanessa, with their new baby. Ellie must secure the services of a new charwoman from the Chitterton Fells Charwomen's Association (C.F.C.W.A), a tight group of women with more rules and regulations than your average large corporation. She hires Mrs. Gertrude Large (all the charwomen must be addressed as Mrs. or Miss) but for fewer hours per week than Mrs. Malloy. When Mrs. Large is killed in a fall from a ladder in the home of one of Chitterton Fells' several new residents, Ellie is in a tight spot again. Even worse, the charwomen are being murdered in quick succession, and Mrs. Malloy seems unreachable. Ellie, her husband Ben, and cousin Freddy go "undercover" as a new cleaning concern with the idea of searching the homes of their clients for clues.

The Ellie Haskell Mysteries have long been favorites of mine from The Thin Woman onward and I am delighted that Random House Alibi is bringing them out in new editions for new readers. It has been a very long time since I first read them and I find them charming as ever. They are full of good humor, village life and a cast of eccentrics that will keep you chuckling. I had forgotten much of the plot so it was almost a new experience with a nice twist at the end. I recommend them for traditional British cozy fans and for complete escape reading.

Thanks to Random House Alibi and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. The opinions above are my own.

RATING- 4 Stars

The Spring Cleaning Murders An Ellie Haskell Mystery by Dorothy Cannell

Another great Ellie Haskell Mystery by Author Dorothy Cannell. I really do enjoy these mystery's.
The Author's writing is suspenseful and the story intriguing. The characters are always fun and have great personality. In this story Ellie Haskell and her household helper Roxy Malloy get caught up in another murder mystery, they deduce the clues to find out who the killer is. A fun and touching read at times. I enjoyed the ending as well as the prologue, very touching. I'm looking forward to reading more Ellie Haskell mystery's.

I give The Spring Cleaning Murders 4 stars for its suspenseful story and fun characters.
I would recommend this story to everyone.

The Ellie Haskell series has always been a light romp, and this latest book, Book 7, set in the British countryside, gives us another look at the quirky, funny, lovable characters of Chitterton Falls. Add in some drama with housekeepers, and new comers to the village, and you have the perfect scenario for another great edition in this set! Once again Ellie comes to the rescue of family, and those she sees as family, and this book helps usher in a new step in the haskell family! If you love the series, you'll love this book!

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I am looking forward to reading the next book by this great author. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

This is the second Ellie Haskell mystery I've enjoyed; the first was set away from home so this one has opened up a whole new world to me - family, friends, neighbours and so much more!.
I have a real fondness for this type of novel, lots of characters, plenty of details and lots of possibilities giving my mind plenty of room to speculate as to who did what to whom! Add in the fact that this is a 'period' mystery and I'm in seventh heaven, absorbing all the little details which add to the entertainment. And, for me, the best bonus of all is that it is not until the final pages that all questions are answered and life slots into place once more.
An excellent read and one which I have no hesitation in recommending, especially to those who - like me - enjoy a more friendly type of murder mystery.

I received an arc via Net Galley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

I recently received an advance reader copy of the book from Net Galley, yet I had bought and read the book when it was first published. I am a longtime fan of Ellie Haskell and her adventures. This is a great continuation of the series with Ellie spring cleaning her castle without her long time cleaning lady (char), who's off to London to care for her new granddaughter. Her husband, Ben, owns a restaurant in town and there's the usual cast of quirky villagers both long and short time residents, before long there's a death, or is it murder? Ellie gets involved, of course. The local chars are highly organized, but Ellie is having a hard time getting one to continue cleaning for her. You might want to read this series in order, starting with "The Thin Woman". The series is light-hearted and an enjoyable time.

Ellie Haskell is cleaning house! Well, she's trying, anyway. It's not so easy with two 3-year-olds underfoot. But Ellie is determined to put her house through a good spring cleaning anyway. However, it's never quite that easy for the mom, wife, and professional interior decorator living in Chitterton Fells in England. 

Ellie is all ready to start her cleaning when her housekeeper announces that she's quitting, leaving to care for her grandchild. But she offers Ellie a recommendation for a replacement, a friend of hers from the C.F.C.W.A., the Chitterton Fells Charwomen's Association, Mrs. Large. But Mrs. Large is not long for this world, and Ellie takes it on herself to go to great lengths to discover the secrets behind her murder. 

Filled with quirky characters and a mild snarky humor, Dorothy Cannell's The Spring Cleaning Murders is a charming look at domestic life in Britain. Available in ebook format for the first time, this seventh novel in the Ellie Haskell series is a fun romp through domestic bliss and murder.

Although it may seem a little old-fashioned to some, it's the epitome of the English country house mystery and proves itself another fantastic Dorothy Cannell classic cozy. If you don't like starting a series in the middle, by all means, head back to the beginning with The Thin Woman, but follow through the series because you won't want to miss this fun look at the secrets that only our housekeepers know about us. 



Galleys for The Spring Cleaning Murders were provided by the publisher through NetGalley.com.

Our heroine's household is somewhat eccentric, including herself (an unemployed decorator), her husband (restaurateur), twin three-year olds, and Jonas who is presented as a gardener emeritus who lives upstairs as a guest but seems to have no familial ties. Add to this menage a char (housekeeper) who has to quit (now hold on, this gets complicated) because her son's wife, who is Ellie's (heroine's) cousin, is a model and really not up to the challenge of caring for her newborn daughter. And then there is Freddy (another cousin). And a host of other chars and neighbors who are up to their necks in . . . MURDER? Well, I mean, c'mon! Isn't that why you bought this book, because it is a murder mystery?

Unlike many large-cast mysteries, the characters are each sufficiently distinctly drawn that never once did I mix up the Brigadier with the Lord nor Mrs. Large with Mrs. Smalley, and although I was too busy enjoying myself to carefully check the clues, my instincts led me to the correct conclusion of this delightful story. I was also utterly charmed by the household hints which headed each chapter.

I am not sure when the current publisher (Random House) began reissuing these Ellie Haskell mysteries, but they are not necessarily coming out in order. In fact this is the second one I've read (the 7th in the series--and I previous read #9) and when I saw it listed in the Netgalley library I immediately requested a copy, looking forward (accurately!) to an entertaining few hours. And not that few. This is a "full" length novel, well paced, with room to explore but without grinding on tediously. Given my personal schedule, I frequently look for the novellas these days but often find them skimping on details to keep their shorter lengths. As Baby Bear would say, this was "Just right!"

A great plot!
We are transported to a small town in England, with magnificent houses filled with history and charm. The characters are unique, some eccentric to the extreme, some pompous and irritant and some just filled with insecurities.
In this installment, Mrs. H is set on spring cleaning her house, but her long time help Mrs. M puts her notice and moves to London to take care of her newborn granddaughter. Help is needed so in comes Mrs. Large, a formidable woman in every way. Suddenly strange things start to happen and not short of time so does murder, the question is who is the culprit and who maybe next.

Dorothy Cannell's The Spring Cleaning Murders is the 7th book in the Ellie Haskell Mystery series. This story is set in Chitterton Fells and Ellie decides to do a little spring cleaning. As so often happens when cleaning you end up making more of a mess before you can get it straightened out again. As if the mess isn't bad enough on it's own, Mrs. Malloy, Ellie's part time housekeeper quits to go take care of her new grandchild and Ellie's husband Ben's restaurant isn't doing well. Soon there seems to be a housekeeper shortage in Chitterton Fells and not because they are quitting, Who is murdering the housekeepers and why? Great cast of characters.

This is a delightful romp through the life's of some the best most welcoming people you'll ever meet!
Dorthy Cannell has made this a funny, family that loves each other and helps others, with a few crazy house cleaners in the mix! Who knew house cleaners were so dangerous to have around??!!
Dorthy Cannell knew! Fabulous book for relaxing!

Murdered Cleaning Ladies Haunt Ellie Haskell

Ellie Haskell is wrapped up in spring cleaning when her faithful cleaning lady, Roxie Malloy, leaves to go to London to care for her grandchild. Ellie is devastated, but the Chitterton Fells Charwomen’s Association (CFCWA) comes to the rescue. Mrs. Large arrives and promptly breaks a mirror precious to Jonah, the Haskell’s beloved gardener, but does a good job of cleaning.

Ellie next sees Mrs. Large at a neighbor’s house. She’s fallen from a step ladder and is quite dead. Her demise is followed by the death of other members of the CFCWA, but is it murder or a series of tragic accidents?

Although I have enjoyed Ellie Haskell mysteries, I found this one disappointing. The book starts slowly. The murder happens about a quarter of the way through, and the murderer is absurdly easy to guess. I couldn’t get interested in the adult characters, but Ellie’s twins were a delight. They saved the book for me.

If you’re an Ellie Haskell fan, you may enjoy this book, but I can’t recommend it as a standalone cozy mystery.

I received this book from Alibi for this review.