3.5 stars

Death Below Stairs is the first book in a mystery series set in Victorian England. Main character Mrs. Kat Holloway is young (29) but already an established and well regarded Cook. Although, like all cooks of her station, she is called Mrs., she is in fact not only single but has a 10-year-old daughter born of a relationship that turned out not to be legitimate. Kat’s main reason for being is providing for her child, who lives with friends.

Being single, however, leaves Kat open to an undefined relationship with the mysterious Daniel McAdam, a master of disguises working as a detective? for the police? Kat doesn’t know and Daniel can’t tell her, but she trusts him all the same.

Death Below Stairs is competently written, with likable characters and room for growth. The characters are very modern in behavior, so this book may not be for those readers who want historically accurate historical fiction and characters who behave true to the times. Kat spends way too much time out of her kitchen – it is hard to imagine her keeping her position no matter how good a cook she is.

The language is very modern. For example, Kat thinks, “I next tackled Mr. Davis; metaphorically, of course.” The author skirted (ha) around two women who dress as men, one clearly a lesbian, but this never becomes important to the plot. One murder was resolved in a very unoriginal way, but the other plot line was interesting.

All the bits about the food Kat makes and serves did ring true and according to an author note were taken from Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management by Isabella Beeton, first published in 1861.

Although billed as a first in a series, I felt I was missing something as I read Death Below Stairs; it turns out there is a long short story/novella that introduced the main character. Unfortunately, A Soupçon of Poison is only available as an ebook and is not available for purchase by libraries.

If you enjoy historical fiction and don’t worry too much about historical accuracy, you may want to read Death Below Stairs. It’s a fun read and the series has a lot of potential.

I read an advance reader copy of Death Below Stairs. It will be published in January 2018 and will be available at the Galesburg Public Library in print and as an ebook.

A Victorian Era cozy mystery involving a cook. How could I resist? Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley is the first in the Kat Holloway series and offered a delightful, murder mystery with unexpected twists with a clever heroine. Full review to publish @ Caffeinated Reviewer on January 5th.

This was a fun Victorian cozy mystery to read in one sitting. The protagonist Kat is an excellent cook and an ad hoc detective. I look forward to the next in this series.

I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and review. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, Jennifer Ashley, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.

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.

Death Below Stairs is a slow-burning historical mystery. There is a prequel novella, A Soupcon of Poison, and it's highly recommended to read that first, since it sets up the background for this new series. Sadly, I didn't know there was a prequel novella, so I feel as though I missed out on a lot. Don't make that same mistake!

While there are strictly mystery historical novels, there is a romance subplot. However, the real stars of this book are the little details Ashley pens: we learn about each dish that's prepared, the quirks of individual servants in the manor, the clothes that are worn, the way the manor is decorated, and so much more. This really helped to fully engross me in the book. If you enjoy Victorian-era or historical mysteries, I recommend this one.

Pretty good, not my favorite read but I enjoyed it! Will try this author again. Thanks!

An enjoyable historical mystery - for fans of Downton Abbey and cozies.

*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review!

This book is a nice addition to the Victorian mystery genre. A fun, enjoyable story with Interesting characters. The mystery is a little on the light side but the original premise makes-up for that. The first In a new series, I'm looking forward to next installment.

Take a trip to the past… London in the 1880’s to be specific. Death Below Stairs is a historic, action packed mystery that combines the sleuthing abilities of The Avengers and an atmosphere resembling Downton Abbey. If you think the story is dragging a bit about a quarter of the way into the book, just keep reading! You will find characters in typical Jennifer Ashley style that will work their way into your heart and an adventure that will have that same heart racing. No cookie-cutter characters here!

Shortly after Mrs. Holloway accepts the position as Cook for the wealthy baron, Lord Rankin, her cook’s assistant is found murdered in the larder. Unlike a typical Victorian servant who might faint away at discovering the body, Kat Holloway delves right in to find the murderer. Questions soon sprout up from every angle. What was the mysterious Daniel McAdam doing, dressed in finery, and meeting with Lord Rankin? And where did the gentleman Lady Cynthia had hit with her cart earlier disappear to? And what was Sinead’s connection to the Fenian’s? All of this soon takes a backseat to an even bigger investigation that involves the Queen herself.

Although this can certainly be read as a stand-alone novel, reading the novella “A Soupcon of Poison” to get a bit of background of the main characters might be beneficial. Not totally necessary, but it could add to the understanding of these fabulous characters.

I can’t wait for the next book in this series! And it looks like that is already in the works.

The first full length novel in this new Victorian mystery series with cook Kat Holloway was everything I'd hoped it'd be after reading the teaser of a prequel novella. We learn a little bit more about the mysterious Daniel McAdams, and lot more about Kat herself, and they do not disappoint. The character development was every bit as good as the prequel novella promised, including the new characters. The plot takes us around London and into the countryside, keeping you hooked till the end, as things escalate to royal proportions.

I loved the delicious descriptions of food throughout the story too - they made me hungry. It was interesting to see the author's note mention Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management as a main source of her food descriptions. This book is available for free from several venues, if anyone is curious.

I do think Jennifer Ashley has set herself quite the challenge in making the main character a cook. By Kat's own accounts, she rarely has time for anything other than cooking. She is pretty much constantly cooking or buying food for the next meal she has to prepare. She managed to take a break from it to stay in the midst of the action this time, but going forward, whenever will she have the time for amateur sleuthing? I can't wait to find out.

I recommend reading the prequel novella first. Although I'm sure this could be read on it's own, the prequel is a better introduction to Kat and Daniel's relationship.

Kat and her friend Daniel work to solve the mystery of Kat's kitchen assistant. This mystery is entertaining and keeps you guessing. The side characters are interesting as well. I look forward to more in this series

This book picks up after A Soupcon of Poison ends by a couple of months, and Kat is starting a new post in a new home. Kat Holloway is a cook, one of the best in England, and for some reason, tragedy follows her. Her assistant in the new home is murdered.

Kat does the only thing she can think of. She sends for Daniel.

Daniel is, well, we don't quite know what Daniel is yet. My money is on some form of spy or PI. It's the 1880s after all, and I think a PI would be an interesting hero. Daniel is a master of blending in, yet he also seems to be a peer. She can't quite pinpoint him. But he can help, and she knows it.

Daniel is there in a flash, and he is as mysterious as ever. But it's coincidence that he's looking into the man who owns the house she works in...or is it?

I enjoy the tone of this series. Kat is no Urban Fantasy heroine who kicks butt and has powers.
She's a cook. She's normal. And she's able to figure out angles that the authorities maybe haven't thought of. In short, I love her.

Kat is still reeling over the murder, but she knows that there won't be any justice for the girl if she doesn't push for it. She and Daniel make a great team, and together they figure out that this is much more than a servant girl being murdered, but that the killer leads all the way up to a possible attack on the queen!

I finished this book and immediately wanted more. This series has more to come, don't you worry, but it's not here yet, so I've discovered Jennifer Ashley's Captain Lacey series written under the name Ashley Gardner. It's a similar vibe, except it's set during the Regency and Captain Lacey is a man. But if you're looking for a good Historical Mystery series, the first book is free right now.

The Hanover Square Affair 

Jennifer Ashley has such a way with words, and I love reading the lush and descriptive world she's created.

***ARC courtesy of Berkley Prime Crime

A fascinating story of life 'below the stairs' in Victorian England. A good mystery, too.

I found this to be both an interesting and intriguing cozy murder mystery. I enjoyed the manner in which the story unfolded and was investigated and narrated by a servant and not the Lord or Lady of the house. I will admit to being let astray, by some well laid red herrings, and surprised as to who actually committed the murder. There was just the right amount of treasonous action to keep my interest from flagging. I do suspect a budding romance between the principal characters and look forward to seeing how it turns out.

I have rated this book 4.25 stars and look forward to reading other offerings in this series.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

Full review to be published online in mid December.

DEATH BELOW STAIRS is the first full length book in Jennifer Ashley's "Kat Holloway" Victorian era series, which began with a short story prequel. I've become quite taken with Kat Holloway; a master cook who rules the kitchen in Society digs. Downton Abbey in London, as it were. Kat seems to get herself mixed up in murder and mayhem on a regular basis, however, and relies on the mysterious Daniel McAdam for assistance when she begins poking her nose into these crimes.

Daniel is only to willing to become involved in Kat's dilemmas, as he is growing quite enamored with her. This time around, the storyline is murder, family secrets, and a plot by Irish terrorists to kill Queen Victora. I still haven't figured out quite who or what Daniel really is, only that he is deep undercover investigating someone or something in the High Society world.

The book is character driven, and is a bit sluggish compared to the prequel; but picked up speed as the criminal activities came to a head. I have already grown intrigued by the major players in the series, and look forward to their next adventure.

I really love Victorian era mystery books and have read a lot of them. This one was very good, but I wish I had read the novella prior to this. Since I saw that it is book one in a series, I didn't realize the main characters had been introduced prior to this book. I recommend that you read the novella first because I kind of felt like I had missed something while I was reading. But putting that fact aside, this was a very good book. I loved the mystery and the characters. I love all the details the author puts into this book. It is a fast-paced book, but it doesn't feel rushed. If you're a cozy mystery fan, you'll enjoy it too. It isn't really labeled that genre, but it feels like a Victorian cozy mystery. I highly recommend it, but unless you don't care about not knowing how the two main characters are acquainted, read the novella first.

Kat Holloway accepts a position as the head cook in the London townhouse of a rich family. She cooks dinner. She goes to bed. Then she wakes up in the morning to find her kitchen assistant dead in the pantry.

A fashionable lady in Victorian society would probably have fainted right about then. But Kat Holloway is not a fashionable society lady, instead, she's a young, no-nonsense cook who has no intention of fainting. In fact, she plans on finding the poor girl's murderer.

Of course, if Daniel, the handsome, man of mystery that has helped Kat out before, wants to aid her investigation, she's not going to complain.

Colorful characters and mystery fill Jennifer Ashley's Death Below Stairs. It marries the female Victorian investigator factor of the Lady Emily series by Tasha Alexander (not to mention the inclusion of a mysterious, handsome detective sidekick) and the up-stairs-downstairs drama of Downton Abbey. Death Below Stairs kept me turning pages while wondering who really killed the kitchen maid--and if Kat and Daniel will ever declare their love for each other.

Yet, Death Below Stairs had as many idiosyncrasies as the characters did. Kat's position as head cook, of course, means that she cooks. Usually, in novels, a character's less than thrilling work happens off stage. Yet in Death Below Stairs, we get whole paragraphs that describe her scrubbing potatoes and making pudding. Cooking even invades Kat's thoughts, even at the oddest of times. For example, she starts thinking about kneading dough while in the midst of mourning the possible death of someone she loves.

Not only that, but this book claims to be the first in a series. Yet, it reads like a sequel. Much of Kat's and Daniel's relationship seems to have developed in a prequel and we get just bits and pieces of it to puzzle together as we read.

Meanwhile, the book ends with the mystery solved (as a mystery novel should). However, I wish it would have given us more closure on Kat's romantic relationship. I understand the author intends the story to be a series, but a book still needs some finality on its own. It would make me feel better to leave the book knowing that the characters at least know where they stand with regard to each other for the time being.

The writing itself was adequate. The first few pages made my writing tutor alter ego come out and had me highlighting parts that needed to be revised. Yet, eventually, I gave that up and decided to just enjoy the story. After doing so, I found the book quite entertaining.

Recommendation: Do you like cooking, Victorian sleuthing and handsome men of mystery? Then Death Below Stairs is for you.

Title: Death Below Stairs
Author: Jennifer Ashley
Series: Kat Holloway, #1 (also called A Below Stairs Mystery)
Pages: 336
Publisher: Berkley
Date: January 2, 2018

Summary:

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.

Review:

First, read the prequel to this book - A Soupcon of Poison. It’s less than a hundred pages, but really sets up the background for Death Below Stairs. The prequel is wonderful and I was anxious for the first actual novel in the series. What do you mean I have to wait two years before it is published?!?

Guess what? Not only did I score an early reviewer’s copy, I got it almost five months before the publication date. And this book was so worth the wait.

Jennifer Ashley is a wonderful author. Some authors write really well in one genre, but lose me when they write something different. She is definitely not one of those authors. I discovered her years ago as a science fiction/romance author writing as Allyson James. I don’t know if I found her historical or paranormal books next, but it doesn’t matter. I love them both. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie will always be one of my favorite books in any genre.

Anyway, Death Below Stairs is set in Victorian London and focuses on a cook for the upper classes name Kat Holloway. She is an excellent cook and has little trouble obtaining a new position when it becomes necessary. She also has the unfortunate habit of finding dead bodies.

And that is the true focus of this series.

These are historical novels. Yes, there is a developing romance, but it is strictly a subplot. The heart of these books is a mystery. It’s not necessarily just one mystery either. There is a murder, of course, but the why is just as interesting as the who.

Speaking of interesting, to me, it is not the mystery or the romance that makes these books so engrossing. It is the details. Kat talks about the dishes she prepares for the family in the house as well as the servants. It’s not tedious at all. It adds flavor (and yes, that pun is intentional) to the story. And while the family is integral to the plot, it is the characters below stairs and their lives that I find fascinating.

I am not normally a fan of historicals, but the author makes the events so compelling that I am tempted to delve into a little nonfiction reading just to get more of the background. It’s not needed, but my interest has been piqued. Just who were the finnegans?

I highly recommend anything by Jennifer Ashley, but if your taste runs to historicals, you will love this book.

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.