Mystery | Adult
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Like a lot of teens I’m sure, I devoured the Agatha Christie mysteries. Interestingly, I preferred Miss Marple to Hercule Poirot – I recall particularly enjoying her dry and occasionally biting wit. In this first of a new series, Cambridge has offered a cosy mystery that crosses Miss Marple with Downton Abbey. Phyllida Bright is both friend and housekeeper to Agatha Christie (now Mrs. Mallowan), living in a “modest manor house” with fifteen guestrooms, eighteen staff, and, as Phyllida discovers one morning, a body in the library. (It serves as the fictional inspiration for a new Christie novel!) The dead man is Charles Waring, a reporter who arrived unexpectedly the day before, along with eight guests for a house party hosted by the Mallowans, and was charitably offered a place to stay until he could conduct his interview with the famous author. It soon turns out that Waring is not a Times reporter after all, and lacking confidence in the local constabulary, Phyllida is determined to find out why he showed up at the door, as well as who killed him. The guests are all suspects in Phyllida’s opinion, and she’s not sure about the new chauffeur, either. Cambridge does a great job of emulating the Christie writing style – lots of clues, plenty of suspects, and moments of humour mixed in to lighten the mood. Red-haired Phyllida is an appealing sleuth – she spars with the butler and the chauffeur as well as the Scotland Yard detective, and shows both fortitude and compassion as she deals with not one but two deaths, and subsequent grief and drama. The mystery is cleverly solved, and there are plenty of entertaining diversions, with hints of future plotting as this is the first in a historical mystery series featuring the indomitable housekeeper. I really enjoyed this one – the author includes a foreword explaining that while Agatha and Max Mallowan were a couple in real life, Mallowan Hall and its staff are entirely imagined. Still, the manor house setting is well researched, with appropriate references to the technology of the day, service protocols, and more. Readers will be eagerly awaiting more from this new series from an experienced writer. (Cambridge is a pen name.) My thanks to Kensington Books for the digital reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this novel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56916895

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This was such a fun read. Book one of a new historical mystery series with Agatha Christie as one of the main side characters. I really liked the twist of having the housekeeper Phyllida Bright be the chief detective, as apposed to Agatha herself. I also found it to be well written and well paced. The setting (Mallowan Hall) was lovely. The plot was engaging and kept me guessing right until the end. Phyllida is quite a likable main character (do I detect a little future bit of romance with the chauffeur?) And there are also plenty of intriguing and charming secondary characters. This was a solid start to this series and I can't wait to see what these characters get up to in the next book!

**ARC Via NetGalley**

I was initially drawn to this book by the cover and I'm glad I was. 1930's Mallowan Hall, home to Agatha christie and her second husband Max. Here we meet Phyllidia Bright, head housekeeper. Phyllidia is a brilliant character. She's She's wise, tough, observant, efficient and determined to solve the murder of a guest. This book is extremely well written with interesting characters and plenty of twists and turns. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

I wanted to love this one as I love all things Agatha Christie. I thought a mystery set in her fictional home would be awesome. However I couldn't get into the book. Though I think that if had been one of the main characters or even the one solving the mystery instead of a secondary character who's barely mentioned I would have enjoyed it more.

A housekeeper discovers a dead body in the library early one morning, rather a clichéd start to a mystery. But Phyllida Bright is no ordinary housekeeper. She is the head of household at her old friend’s stately country manor: her friend is Mrs. Max Mallowan aka Agatha Christie, the famous mystery novelist.

It’s the 1930s. A housekeeper is an essential cog in the smooth running of a grand English country house. Phyllida Bright is dependable, sensible, and terrifyingly capable. What about prudent? The butler, Mr. Dobble, privately wishes her flaming locks were obscured by a cap but Phyllida sees no need to cover her strawberry gold hair or tone down her all-seeing, inquisitive ways. Perhaps her long-standing friendship with Agatha Christie gives her more flexibility and independence than is unusual. The two women met during the Great War (Phyllida is a former army nurse), so it’s not surprising Phyllida doesn’t scream at the sight of a dead body.

As if I don’t have enough to manage today, she thought as her battlefield nurse’s training kicked in and she knelt to ascertain whether the man was, in fact, actually dead.



He was quite dead—not to mention being significantly bloodied due to the fountain pen protruding from the side of his neck. The stains in the library’s rug would require an extra two hours of work, and then time to dry, before it could be replaced. And she didn’t even want to contemplate how long it would take to get the blood splatters off the books and wallpaper.



Nonetheless, Phyllida closed her eyes and wished a sincere Godspeed to the poor man’s soul—then added a note of gratitude that she’d been the one to discover Mr. Waring instead of Ginny, the high-pitched parlourmaid who saw to the library each morning. That would have been just the icing on the cake.

Mr. Waring, a journalist, had arrived unexpectedly the previous night. He was given a bed for the night but he was not asked to join the Mallowans’ weekend house party. Phyllida calls the local constabulary as soon as she ascertains that Waring is dead but they aren’t very helpful.

“Yer sayin’ there’s a dead body in the library at Agatha Christie’s house?



“I am in fact saying precisely that, Constable. And I expect you’ll attend to this posthaste. Mr. and Mrs. Mallowan have a houseful of guests.” She wasn’t certain he heard her over his guffaws of laughter.



“It’s a good jest, it is, ma’am,” he managed to say between heavy chuckles. “A dead body there at—”

What the police investigators soon ruefully realize is that Phyllida’s formidable skillset equips her to be an excellent observer. She determines that Waring arrived at Mallowan Hall under false pretenses. Readers may be surprised that Phyllida, not Agatha Christie, is the in-house investigator, but Christie is a hard-working author who doesn’t particularly want to be disturbed. Admittedly, over private cups of tea, she and Phyllida discuss the progress of the case. Murder at Mallowan Hall is rather meta, in that all the household servants have an inkling of the rules of evidence, which proves to be very useful. Everyone is proud to work for the undisputed Queen of Crime. It’s amusing that Phyllida is inspired not by Agatha but by the “little grey cells” of her beau ideal, fictional Belgian detective M. Hercule Poirot.

Like Agatha, Phyllida has a past and secrets that she is not prepared to divulge. Perhaps during a future book, the truth behind the break-up of Agatha’s first marriage will emerge (since Phyllida is privy to that secret). During the investigation, it becomes evident that the housekeeper is skilled at dissimulation. Consider what she’s juggling on a day-to-day basis—demanding guests, not all of whom have personal valets and maids, inquiring journalists, and nervous servants. Phyllida must make time to investigate while making sure the wheels don’t come off the bus: baths must be drawn and meals served on time. After a housemaid is murdered, Phyllida doubles down on finding a connection between the housemaid’s former posts, the guests at the house party, and the dead journalist.

The accuracy of the upstairs and downstairs relationship and the turf battles between the upper servants take me back to Upstairs, Downstairs. Mallowan Hall is more modern than some country estates because the stables are empty of horses with cars taking their place. The new chauffeur, Joshua Bradford, initially irks Phyllida—she finds him “uncivil”—but Mr. Dobble (who is also daunted by a man who is a “law unto himself”) shares that the independent chauffeur is an old friend of Mr. Max’s brother and is very skilled with engines. Bradford, surly outlook notwithstanding, becomes an ally and friend to Phyllida. As does the handsome physician, Dr. Bhatt. No doubt Bradford and Bhatt will be continuing characters in any upcoming Phyllida Bright mysteries.

The premise of a crime-solving housekeeper to the one and only Agatha Christie is full of promise and portent. It’s such a pleasure when the first book in a new mystery series is well-crafted and I look forward to reading more of Phyllida Bright’s adventures in detection.

Upon entering the library at Mallowan Hall, housekeeper Mrs. Bright never expected for find a dead body on the floor! However, she uses her logic and observation skills to get to the heart of the matter. The murder takes place in the library at the home of Agatha Christie and Max Mallowan, featuring their very own instance of a 'body in the library." The very proper Mrs. Bright, housekeeper to Agatha and Max, plays the role of the primary sleuth. Mrs. Bright not only has a houseful of guests to attend to and a bevy of servants to supervise, but now involves herself in solving the crime that has bloodied the library carpet and books.

Mrs. Bright uses skills that would please Hercule Poirot and Mrs. Marple, as she gathers information and clues that seem to be missed by the local constabulary. The final scene that wraps up the events will remind readers of the final revealing events in the best of Mrs. Christie's novels. This novel is unique in its frequent "tongue in cheek" references. The characters bear names that bring to mind the game of "Clue," such as Eugene Mustard and Phyllida Bright. The irony of finding a "body in the library" adds interest to the story as well. This book is recommended for those readers who enjoy Agatha Christie and other authors of the Golden Age of Mystery, with a bite of humor added.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Phyllida Bright is the housekeeper at Mallowan Hall, the home of Agatha Christie, and she proves to be very able detective when a dead man is discovered in the library. And yes, one of the suspects is a man with the last name of Mustard, but the murder was done with a fountain pen not a candlestick holder. The home is filled with guests and their servant for a weekend so there are plenty of suspects to consider. The characters are quite well developed. There are a number of layers to the storyline and the reader will enjoy solving the mystery along with Phyllida.

Agatha Christie has been my favorite author since I was 9 years old and discovered Hercule Poirot. As a Christie lover, the concept of this novel made me jump at the chance to read it - what a fun idea for a series! The main character, Phyllida Bright, is the head housekeeper for Christie and her husband, Max Mallowan. Mallowan Hall is a large country manor and Phyllida runs the household efficiently. She is very protective of her employers and wants things to be just right at all times. A dead body in the library does tend to get things in an uproar, however.....

I love the 1930's setting for this novel, and although completely fictionalized the house, staff and setting sucked me into the story immediately. Can you imagine?? A cold blooded murder....in the library....at AGATHA CHRISTIE's house??? :) Perfect!!

The story moves at a nice pace. There is plenty of sleuthing and lots of suspects. It was like being in a Christie novel featuring her own household staff. Fun!

I read a digital review copy of this book, and also listened to the audiobook. Narrated by Jennifer M. Dixon, the audio is just short of 9.5 hours. Dixon has the perfect voice to narrate this book! Her voice acting performance was wonderful. A fun, interesting listening experience!

I am definitely, 100%, no doubt whatsoever completely on board for more stories in this series! Can't wait!!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Kensington and listened to audio from HighBridge Audio. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Those who enjoy mysteries will most likely recognize the name Mallowan in this book’s title. For those who don’t know, Mallowan was the name of Agatha Christie’s second husband. Two facts…He was younger than Agatha and was an archaeologist.

This book is delightful and clever. The Mallowans are characters in the novel but do not dominate the story. It is a take on the English country house murder and is told with warmth and a nod to those who know their mysteries. For example, readers will observe Agatha getting the brainstorm that later results in The Body in the Library.

The book’s conceit is that Agatha’s housekeeper, Phyllida, is an old friend. Because of this, they chat often and do not maintain a strict employer/employee relationship. Phyllida is the amateur detective for the case. She is an astute observer even as she ends up in some trying situations.

The Mallowans host a house party. The murder victim does not appear to be whom he said he was. Photos that he possessed are found and these include all of the guests at the party. What was the victim after? Who murdered him? Why? Read the story to find out.

Both this book and Murder at Greenway were recently published. Each has some connection to Agatha Christie. I preferred this novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This first installment in a new cozy mystery series, is a good beginning. Set in Devon, England in 1930, the mystery takes place at Mallowan Hall, a fictional residence of the famous Agatha Christie and her second husband Max Mallowan. Agatha takes a back seat in this series to her housekeeper Phyllida Bright. Phyllida's favorite detective it Hercule Poirot of the "little grey cells". When Phyllida stumbles across a dead body, stabbed in the neck with a fountain pen in Mallowan Hall's library, she decides to investigate on her own. With a house full of suspects, both upstairs and down, she is soon following clues that the bumbling local police have missed.

No-nonsense Phyllida with a mysterious past (hopefully to be revealed in subsequent installments), is a dogged detective, using her position and her sharp intellect to uncover the murderer and see justice done.

This is a promising new series and I look forward to reading more about Phyllida, and hopefully a little more involvement of Agatha herself.

Murder at Mallowan Hall is the first of a new series featuring Phyllida Bright. Mallowan Hall is where the new Mrs. Mallowan, aka Agatha Christie, and her husband Max now reside. Phyllida and Agatha met during the war, when circumstances took away the societal norms between gentry and common folk, so their relationship is more relaxed than the normal lady of the house and housekeeper. Phyllida is the biggest fan of Agatha's novels, and admires Hercule Peroit particularly. She is probably over qualified for her job, smart, and a keen observer of human nature, which makes her the perfect detective when a murder is committed at Mallowan Hall in the opening pages of the novel.

A body of a supposed journalist is found in the library with a pen protruding from his neck. There is a house party going on at Mallowan Hall, so there are plenty of suspects. Lovers of Golden Age mysteries, and of Mrs. Christie's stories in particular, will find much to admire here. The author seems to have a firm grasp of the way things were run in large manor houses of the era, and describes it with assuredness. We have the locked room premise, although it is more of a locked house.

Phyllida proves herself more than capable of solving this mystery, with little help from the local constables. The author does a good job of fleshing out Phyllida's character, but doesn't shirk on the surrounding characters either. I enjoyed seeing Phyllida's interactions with the admiring Dr. Bhatt, and crossing swords with the chauffeur, Mr. Bradford. I think we will be seeing a conflict of suiters for Phyllida in the future! The only two characters who are not spoken of much and remain in a hazy state are Agatha Christie and her husband, Max. I am sure the author did this purposely, to make Phyllida the star of this series.

I am giving this book five stars. I would rate it 4.5 if possible, since I reserve five stars for more "important" books, usually. But I think the author did a great job of introducing this new character and new series, and her writing is very flowing and assured.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Colleen Cambridge, and Kensington Books for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

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.

TO BE PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 15, 2021

I knew it!

When I reviewed Tomes Scones and Crones, I knew Colleen Cambridge (Colleen Gleason), based on her The Clockwork Scarab, was a good and decent writer. I enjoyed The Clockwork Scarab muchly and was slightly disappointed by Tomes Scones and Crones. It felt half-assed and rushed. Plus the goddamned librarian stereotype even down to the cardigan.

So we’re 1-1 and while I knew I would pick up Stoker & Holmes series again, I wasn’t quite sure with Tomes Scones and Crones. Nevertheless, based upon description alone, I knew I was going to read Murder at Mallowan Hall.

Enjoyed it muchly, I did!

But to be honest, I’m a sucker for pastiches and anything that happens in English country homes. A vague closed room mystery, I had no idea who the killer was until the very end when Phyllida breaks it on down in the vein of Poirot (someone much admired by our detective heroine). A non-traditional cozy mystery, Cambridge (Gleason) lays down a breadcrumb of a story that at times twists unnaturally but not unnecessarily. This book forces you to pay attention to follow along. But at the same time, it’s a very quick engrossing read. While I don’t think you’ll come back to this book, you will be eager to read the follow-ups.

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This new series begins with Phyllida Bright discovering a body in the library of Mallowan Hall, where Max Mallowan lives with his wife, famous author Agatha Christie. Bright is the Housekeeper for Mallowan Hall, but becomes a sleuth as well, trying to solve the murder mystery. She is also in the middle of managing a huge house party.

This is an intriguing mystery with plenty of twists and red herrings. Phyllida is the star of the show, and the life below stairs is described in interesting detail. Phyllida is a strong and accomplished main character. I am looking forward to reading her further adventures.

Historical mystery set in Agatha Christie's household. I liked the mystery, with lots of characters I would love to find out about the housekeeper's past. However, I felt it did get bogged down in details when describing characters.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

As a huge fan of Golden Age mysteries I was looking forward to reading this book that features Agatha Christie's housekeeper.
There's a lot to love in this book and there're also some small issue.
The positive side:
- I like Phyllida: she's shrewd, organised, non conformist and a bit too judgemental at time. I like her strength
- The mystery was solid and kept me guessing
- The author is able to recreate the atmosphere of a golden age mystery and I loved how she describes the downstair relationships
Cons:
- The author is very good at reproducing Agatha Christie's style of writing but somehow I felt like her own voice was missing.
I had a lot of fun and liked this debut, can't wait to read the next novel.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Pretty good read but it moved really slowly. I liked the premise of a story focused on the housekeeper instead of Agatha Christie. I thought the characters were interesting & the mystery well thought out. I didn't care for the over description of each person & room. It made the story really slow. Other than that I enjoyed this book.

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This was a fun, cozy historical fiction/mystery set in England during the 1930s. Phyllida Bright is the housekeeper of a great manor owned by Max Mallowan and his wife, Agatha Christie. She is smart, elegant, efficient and runs the house with an iron fist. When a guest is killed during a dinner party, Phyllida determines she must solve the mystery herself when she sees how inept the local police are in investigating the case.

It's quickly determined that the unanticipated guest arrived under false pretenses. Phyllida must try to solve the crime, while also dealing with demanding guests with secrets of their own, an upset staff, and a hoard of photographers at the gate. Luckily Phyllida is well versed in the tactics of Christie's hero Hercule Poirot, and she's on the scent of the killer.

This is a well written, interesting and fun historical fiction mystery. I really liked Phyllida and her strong, no-nonsense manner. She has secrets of her own, and I look forward to finding out what they are in future books. Agatha Christie plays only a small part in the book, and her husband an even smaller one. I am glad, because the staff have more than enough depth and personality to sustain the book. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books. All opinions are my own.

Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge is a first ever novel and what a good book it is. It was difficult to put down this interesting mystery with the housekeeper of Agatha Christie and her husband, Max Mallowan, as the sleuth. Having little or no faith in the local constable and the investigator sent down from Scotland Yard, Phyllida Bright was all about the details. She was far too young to be a housekeeper, the butler thought, and had some strange connection with the mistress. It is true they worked together in an army hospital, but the rest of the relationship is yet to be uncovered. Someone who stabbed him with a fountain pen taken from the desk had killed this man and she wanted to know why. He had arrived the previous evening claiming to be a reporter from the Times with an appointment to interview Mrs. Christie. Then, he was dead.

Phyllida Bright is a wonderful character: very smart, very efficient, and with a back-story every reader will want to discover. The murder was an interesting one and it took some serious sleuthing to uncover the murderer. The setting was very reflective of the times, which made it more interesting. Christie and Mallowan really didn't play a part, they were simply background, but it made for interesting background. All the servants in the house that were able to read were aficionados of Mrs. Christie's work. Phyllida's favorite was Poirot and she made every attempt to emulate him as she investigated. It was a delightful book and a decent mystery. I am looking forward to more from Cambridge.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Murder at Mallowan Hall by Kensington Books, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #kensington #colleencambridge #murderatmallowanhall

Phillida Bright is the housekeeper at Mallowan Hall, home of Mr. and Mrs. Max Mallowan. Mrs. Mallowan is Agatha Christie, prolific and well-known mystery author.

Up early to check on the rooms, Phillida finds a dead body in the library. He is Mr. Waring, a man who said he was a reporter and wanted to interview Agatha. This is especially distressing because the Mallowans are currently having a house party for a number of guests. Therefore, it is imperative that Phillida inform Mr. Dobble, the butler, and call the constable. Hopefully, the body will be removed soon so the blood can be quickly cleaned up.

Phillida was a nurse during the war and is also a good friend to Christie. The Hall is a very large home and Phillida works hard to see that all of the servants keep it in pristine condition. She is a great admirer of Hercule Poirot, a popular character in Christie’s books. As such, Phillida decides she will undertake her own investigation and try to find the killer.

This is a delightful mystery and the characters are perfectly created. There are a lot of chuckles in the story as Phillida tries to solve the murder that soon becomes two murders. I also learned a lot by the descriptions of the hard work undertaken by all of the employees in the Hall. They worked very long hours which was very enlightening. A clever story that I thing readers will truly enjoy. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Copy provided by the NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.