Edwina and Beryl are back at it, solving a mystery as partners in their newly formed private inquiry agency. Formed after an unexpected silent partner, Edwina's gardener, kindly provided the financial backing to allow them to investigate freely. They are hired to look into a series of daytime burglaries around the village that has the residents on edge, the most serious theft being a bag of completed census forms. Their inquiry into the stolen census forms gives them a legitimate excuse to investigate a more serious crime that occurs shortly after, the murder of a local magistrate. The two set off in search of clues, questioning the locals in their rather unorthodox method and making plenty of enemies along the way. Constable Gibbs is convinced the culprit is the newest transplant to the village, an Irish man by the name of Declan who also happens to be the girls' newest gardener. However they are sure the series of crimes are connected somehow and are determined to get to the bottom of it.
Murder Comes to Call is the forth in a series of historical cozy mysteries featuring Edwina and Beryl. Edwina is a bit on the reserved side, an avid knitter who has spent her entire life in the small village of Walmsley Parva. Her old schoolmate Beryl is in many ways the exact opposite as she is a bit of a daredevil and has little regard for rules or public opinions regarding herself or Edwina. However the pair get along famously and balance each other out nicely and have decided to bless us with further adventures by forming a private inquiry agency. The opulent small town of Walmsley Parva is reminiscent of Downton Abbey and is the perfect backdrop for this historical mystery. There are plenty of clues for readers to follow as well as twists and turns along the way, culminating in a shocking turn of events at the end. I highly recommend this series for those looking for a well written historical cozy to get lost in.

While this is the fourth book in this series, it is the second one that I have read. I recently finished the third and jumped right into reading this book afterwards. It is a story which can be read stand-alone without any problems. While there is an overall progression of plot and characters, all of the whodunnits are self-contained in each novel.

Edwina Davenport is an English spinster in her forties. Beryl Helliwell is an American who is well known for her for her adventures. They became friends at school and Beryl is now living at Edwina’s home in a small and sleepy village called Walmsley Parva. They have started a private enquiry agent business to investigate various crimes that occur.

When the two ladies happen upon the body of the local magistrate, their sleuthing begins. There are multiple burglaries in the little village, not the least of which is the census schedules which contain much personal information about the citizens of their small town.

It’s interesting to see that Beryl is becoming somewhat more domesticated while Edwina becomes more bold. The two ladies and their business are having a very telling effect on their personalities and actions.

I really like that the the author puts us into the heads of the two ladies as they see life through very different visions. I enjoyed reading the book and will look for new books in the future.

I will also go back and read the first two books to find out how the ladies got together again in the aftermath of the Great War.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Kensington Books for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review “Murder Comes to Call.” All opinions are my own.

Our intrepid heroines Beryl Helliwell and Edwina Davenport operate a “private enquiry” agency in the village of Walmsley Parva in this entertaining series, written by Jessica Ellicott. The year is 1921. Things are a bit better for the duo, as Simpkins the gardener is a silent partner with an infusion of cash in the business. Beryl’s also hired help – a good-looking Irishman to help Simpkins. Things are going well; well, except for the burglaries in the village, the dead magistrate, and horrors of horrors, the stolen census paperwork.

What’s great about these books is the characterization of Beryl and “Ed.” Both are full, complete people, Edwina possibly the best of the two. She’s the one who is indecisive over this new life of hers, not sure if she’s up to the task of being a “detective,” not sure if being a modern woman is what she wants to be. Readers get to agonize right along with her – testimony to the author’s skill at showing how hard it must have been for women to understand their changing role after the war, after such a cataclysmic event changed so much.

Anyway, back to our plot. Are the cases connected? Shouldn’t we think so? Probably. And their under-gardener is accused, and so Beryl and Edwina have even more reason to get involved in everything. This is also a study in racial profiling, 1920's style. Their interaction with Constable Gibbs is worth the price of admission, believe me, but they have to work together to solve all the cases, so, off we go, in a spirit of cooperation, and a bunch of suspects for everybody to work on.

And everything comes down to wicked deeds done during wartime, to relationships forged at a time when the world was turned upside down – and to telling the truth on a census report. Well, Edwina can tell you all about “that.”

It’s all resolved of course, to everyone’s satisfaction. And our Ed takes on a new challenge, to her amazement – but not so much to our own, I think, as we have been following her growth through four books now. And I hope we’ll see many more.

Oh, how I love a good British cozy, especially a historical one, and Beryl and Edwina are two of my favorite characters. I always love spending time with them and seeing what kind of trouble they cook up. This series always delivers a few good laughs, an adventurous spirit, and a challenging mystery; this book is no different. (Note: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

I love Edwina and Beryl as their stories are always engaging and highly entertaining.
This was one of the best installment in this series: a fast paced novel full of twists and turns.
I was happy to catch up with the characters and read about their life and what's happeing.
The historical background is well researched and vivid as usual.
The mystery is solid and the solution came as a surprise.
I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
I strongly recommend this highly enjoyable novel.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This series just gets better and better! Murder Comes to Call is the fourth book in this very engaging small English village mystery series. It is post World War One and times are very difficult all over England as money is often scarce and there has been so much upheaval in the familiar way of life. Two amateur sleuths, friends from long ago boarding school days, one American, one English set up a private enquiry agency. I have really enjoyed watching as Beryl and Edwina grow as characters. They try new things, make mistakes, learn from them and move on. They are often times out of their comfort zones. The historical descriptions of the times makes this series stand out from other cozy novels. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Murder Comes To Call is the fourth book in the Beryl and Edwina Mystery series by Jessica Ellicott.

The Beryl and Edwina series is my favorite historical cozy mystery series. I love the main characters, Beryl and Edwina. They have known each other since finishing school, but that is where the similarities end. Beryl is an adventuress but has decided it’s time to settle down to a calmer life; on the other hand, Edwina has returned to Walmsley Parva to help out her parents and be a prim, proper English lady. Although their lifestyles were different, they work amazingly well together. With their Private Inquiragency, Beryl is more suited to interviewing people, whereas Edwina is better at putting the puzzle pieces together.

This story will be looking into a series of petty burglaries that have been happening in Walmsley Parva. They will also be investigating the death of the local magistrate. Beryl recently appeared before the magistrate on a reckless driving charge, and after having been found innocent, Beryl had offered to take the magistrate for a ride in the motorcar. When Beryl and Edwina arrive at the magistrate’s house, they find the front door ajar and find him dead at the staircase’s foot. The district registrar has also asked Edwina and Beryl to look into the theft of census reports stolen from the taker’s bike while visiting the local pub. Once they get into their investigation, they begin to sense that the three are related.

This story is well-plotted and written with plenty of red herrings that kept me guessing until the end. The characters are all well-developed and believable. I would love to visit Walmsley Parva and its’ residents.

I’m anxiously awaiting the next book in this exciting series.

This evocative historical mystery sweeps up back to rural England in the dark years following the Great War when social and class structures had been swept away but the old mindsets and social prejudices are very much still in place.
This is a time when the Irish population was fighting for independence and anti-Irish sentiment was high.
Our two lady private investigators have to fight through layers of fear and prejudice to find out if the magistrate really did die in an accidental fall.

If you are looking for a charming, humorous and light-hearted mystery series, Beryl and Edwina fit the bill. Set in post-World War I England in a small village, there is plenty of period detail. Beryl and Edwina were schoolmates, and represent two very different sensibilities. Beryl is a celebrity adventure seeker: explorer, pilot, and daredevil. She is a bit flamboyant and isn't much bothered by rules. Edwina, on the other hand, is the product of a small village upbringing. She is more buttoned up and more aware of public opinion. But both women are smart and good at figuring things out and have formed a sort of detective agency partnership.

There are several crimes happening in the village. A series of daytime burglaries has residents perturbed. Then a bag of completed census forms disappears. And finally, a universally disliked local magistrate is found dead after a fall. Suspicion falls immediately on a village newcomer who is Irish, and there is some sadly accurate historical context about the contempt and distrust that the Irish were viewed with.

It is a pleasure to accompany Beryl & Edwina as they probe their neighbors about the crimes. With their pooled skills they are remarkably effective at coming up with the truth. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Burglaries, stolen census reports and murder have villagers suspicious and on edge. They learn that their sleepy village is not impervious to crime and the domineering local police officer doesn't exactly instill confidence.

Beryl, a fashionable and carefree American and Edwina, an outdoorsy and uptight English woman, are friends, housemates and crime-solving business partners. While their personalities differ greatly, they complement each other and make an entertaining and successful team. They are asked to locate the missing census reports and discover the not so beloved magistrate at the bottom of a grand staircase, as dead as can be. The investigation leads them into and through all sorts of angles and secrets..

A very easy flowing read, there is so much to enjoy about the story from the characters to the plot and sub plots. I appreciate the future references! This is one of my favourite eras to read and the details and speech of the time are well researched and believable.

Cozy mystery and historical mystery readers will have fun zipping along through this!

My sincere thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this charming book in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated.

Fourth installment in the series and my first in the series, I enjoyed it immensely. The story was well written and the characters were charming. I will pick up the first three books in the series and I have recommended them to friends and family.

Walmsley Parva SEEMS like a nice village but Beryl and Edwina know otherwise! They're hired to find out who has been committing burglaries in the village but much to their dismay, they also find Gordon Faraday, the cranky magistrate, dead. Of course, they do! These two, who are so different in approach met at school and have bonded over the series= but this is fine as a standalone. Beryl, an American, tends to go more on intuition (but not really) while Edwina is more logical0 making them excellent partners in an investigation that includes the theft of census documents (why would someone steal them?). This is a lovely cozy and readers of the genre know that there was more than one person who wished Faraday ill, that the pair will joust with the constable, and that there will be a resolution. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun read.

This is a pleasant series. It treats the reader as an intelligent person instead of having the protagonists doing unrealistic things to solve a case. Beryl and Edwina make a dynamic pair of investigators in this installment of the series. Census reports go missing and the local magistrate is killed. Two cases for the ladies to solve. Yum!

I am reviewing this title for Mystery Scene magazine for their November edition please see my full review there

I just loved this book. I haven't read the previous ones in the series, but plan to look out for them as the entire ensemble of characters is just delightful.

The central friendship of Beryl and Edwina is so endearing. The two have such different perspectives yet they work as a team and the author has done a great job of helping the reader understand this dynamic. Their unusual home and financial arrangements add to the charm.

There are the usual twists and turns of a cozy, murder mystery. Some clues I followed, others I missed. Whilst the outcome wasn't too surprising, the journey was most enjoyable.

I'm sure there will be more to look forward to from these professional investigators, and I will be watching for the next instalment. Well done indeed. Jessica Elliott.

With thanks to #netgalley, Kensington Books and the author for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was the first book I have read by this author so needless to say it was read for me as a stand alone. I would have loved to read the other books in the series first. But, the characters were so relatable I wish I knew them in my own life.. Beryl and Edwina were strong characters and complimented each other’s personalities so well. This was such an enjoyable historical fiction cozy mystery set in the English countryside. This is just my favorite genre and this book did not disappoint at all. I can’t wait to complete the first three books. Thank you to Kensington books and NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

When former celebrity adventuress Beryl Helliwell and local budding novelist Edwina Davenport are hired to investigate a series of burglaries, one with implications of national importance, they find local magistrate’s home burgled and the man himself dead at the bottom of the grand staircase.

Murder Comes to Call is installment 4 out of 4 in A Beryl and Edwina Mystery series by Jessica Ellicott. The story is set in post WW1 English village Walmsley Parva where inquiry agents Beryl and Edwina are hired to investigate the theft of village census reports when they find the local magistrate dead in his home. Under cover of working on the census case, Beryl and Edwina take it upon themselves to investigate all cases of criminal activity in the village. They suspect all are somehow connected and do not shy away from using slightly unorthodox sleuthing methods to find the culprits.

Main character former celebrity adventuress Beryl Helliwell tends to make somewhat rash decisions. She is a people person and relies on her glamorous and charming appearance to get her out of trouble whenever she colors a bit outside the lines. I find her an amusing character who is my favorite of the story.

Second main character is solicitor’s daughter Edwina Davenport who tries to keep secret that she writes a book in-between investigating cases. She is very concerned with her reputation, but I like her reserved and very proper personality. She seems a very good sleuth which makes me wish she would have better self-confidence.

I read it as a standalone and a first by this author, but I found the main characters so well crafted and relatable, I could have wished them to be my friends in real life. I was drawn in by the amusing parts describing Beryl and Edwina’s thought process as they were investigating. It highlighted their unique strengths and friendship which altogether seems to make them such a strong team. These elements I find make this story memorable.
The writing and dialogue conveyed a slightly old- fashioned vibe. The opulent English countryside setting felt reminiscent of Agatha Christie with a bit of Downton Abbey environments thrown in. The best part of this story was the amusing description of when Beryl and Edwina visited the village gossip lady to get information without revealing anything themselves.

Anyone who enjoys a well written historical cozy mystery set in post WW1 rural England would enjoy this story. As will fans of Jessica Ellicott. I am curious what comes next from this author, and will be on the look-out for any other releases from Jessica Ellicott. Similar authors to explore might be Alyssa Maxwell or Andrea Penrose.

Thank you to publisher Kensington Books and NetGalley for this eARC which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions in this review are completely my own.

Conclusion: Murder Comes to Call is the captivating, charming and amusing cozy mystery about Beryl and Edwina as they solve murder and theft in post WW1 English countryside.

This is a delightful, thoughtful, fun series featuring two odd friends of a certain age - Beryl and Edwina - who find themselves living together to make ends meet in a small English village, post WWI. Edwina is the prim and proper spinster who dutifully stayed at home after her schooling and took care of her parents. She is left with a good reputation, a crumbling house, and no money. Her school friend Beryl is the exact opposite - a free spirit who has roamed the world and had all kinds of adventures and men. Both are broke and stumble upon a few mysteries that they are able to solve together. This story is the third in the series. The women are finding their strengths, making a bit of money, and uncovering another mystery. Readers who enjoy a cozy mystery with wit, well drawn characters, and a charming, homely setting, as well as a puzzling mystery, will adore this series! Every new story is a real treat! More Beryl and Edwina, please!

Wow! This book is so good! It is entertaining, adventurous, fun, witty, and cozy-mysterious! Whenever I picked up "Murder Comes to Call", I found myself engrossed in quite a few intriguing mysteries, and did not want to put the book down!

This is the fourth book in Ms. Ellicott's "A Beryl and Edwina Mystery" series, but the first I have read. While I believe reading the others in the series would help to deepen one's understanding of the characters' history and relationships to one another, I definitely think this book can be read as a stand-alone as well. The author does a great job of filling the reader in (without it ever feeling like too much at once), and I now can't wait to go back and read the first three books. She mixes history with historical fiction quite well throughout the book. Ms. Ellicott's story-telling is just spectacular, and she also really brings her characters to life brilliantly. Their personalities are so distinct, and from Edwina, to Beryl, to Crumpet (oh the puppy is just so precious!), etc., so many of them are just delightful!

I adore how much Beryl and Edwina bring out the best in each other. It is so fun to watch them solve these cases, and they always have one another's back. Their dialogue is so witty, and they really balance one another out beautifully. They take their jobs seriously, truly want to help those in need, and do what is right!

I don't want to say too much about the mysteries in the book, as it would spoil too much of the plot! From the various burglaries, to the censuses being stolen, to the death of the Magistrate, Beryl and Edwina use their sleuthing skills to see if there is anything in common between the crimes, and, if so...what is it? There are definitely clues all along the way, and you will just have to pick up a copy of the book to see!

If you enjoy historical cozy mysteries, I highly recommend this book! It had me reading late into the night to see what was going to happen next! Ms. Ellicott brilliantly weaves the puzzle pieces of the various mysteries together, and I was guessing up until the very end. There were quite a few twists and turns that made my mouth drop. I would love to see many of these characters in future books, and I hope there will be many more novels in this incredible series! Can we please have more of Crumpet in the next novels too? He made me smile so much!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC of this novel, and to Kensington Books for sending me a physical ARC as well, I so enjoyed it! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Kensington Books, in return for an honest review. While the fourth book in this series, it is easily read as a standalone. Edwina and Beryl are back and in their usual fine form. Former classmates, the longtime friends now share both a home and a private investigation business in the small town of Walmsley Parva. In the post WWI era, meeting each other and sharing expenses helps them both stay afloat. In their latest investigation, they both discover the body of the local magistrate and are engaged to, most quietly, find the town’s census records that were stolen. The latter allows them to work with the town constable with whom they’ve long had an adversarial relationship. The constable is also investigating a rash of local burglaries and they agree to join forces on all three cases. So, did the new, handsome Irishman do it? What about the not-so-grieving widow or any of the people brought before the magistrate and given a harsh sentence? Or, the recently returned estranged brother? There are lots of suspects and possibilities in this case to keep the investigators on their toes!
This is a fun series that combines Edwina’s British reserve and Beryl’s American forthrightness to provide countering viewpoints and opportunities in their investigations. The characters are well written and describe the challenges of post-WWI austerity challenges well in the cozy genre format. I look forward to their next adventure.