Death Below Stairs: A Below Stairs Mystery (Below Stairs Mystery, #1)

by Jennifer Ashley

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.

• ISBN10: 0399585516
• ISBN13: 9780399585517
• Publish Date: 2 January 2018
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Berkley Publishing Corporation,U.S.
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 336
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780399585517

Reviews

[Berls]

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this historical mystery from Jennifer Ashley. This was my first time reading an historical mystery and I'm glad I started with Jennifer Ashley as she excels in every genre she writes. I don't think it's "my genre" - I like it well enough but I can't see myself binge reading the genre.

I think the element I liked most was that, unlike most historical romances, the main character wasn't a Lady but a servant - a cook. In fact, this had a very Downton Abbey like feel, in that we see how the servants and the family they support are so connected. Unlike Downton Abbey this doesn't spend as much time with the family and the story is told entirely form the point of view of Mrs. H (the cook).

The mystery was satisfying, in that there were several elements to throw you off and keep you guessing. Ultimately there ended up being more like 2 mysteries, both connected to the murder of Mrs. H's assistant (on Mrs. H's first night with the family). There's a larger mystery that I presume will be resolved over the course of the series.

I really enjoyed the characters and the varieties of lives we see throughout the book. Mrs. H is a mother, but her "husband" lied to her and was actually married to someone else, so things there are complicated. There's a bit of a romance, which I also enjoyed and hope to see come to something more complete by the end of the series. I do think I will eventually continue through the series -- maybe a book every month or so -- since I did enjoy it, but it's a slower read for me. I might see if the rest of the series is available for me to listen to on Scribd, since I can do that much faster.

[readingwithwrin]

“Simple explanations are usually the wisest ones - a person can complicate a straightforward situation with unnecessary dramatics and end up in a complete mess.”

Death Below Stairs follows Kat Holloway who is a young cook, that is one of the best in her field. She is now working for a new family and is getting used to the new house and other staff.

The new family she works for seems to have a rather strange dynamic with the couple hardly spending any time together (even less than normal for this time period). The Lady of the house is supposedly sickly, and the Lord is not the kindest man it seems and some shady stuff might be going on. Then we also have the Lady's sister (Lady Cynthia) who wears pants and is looked down on.

Downstairs we have a whole group of different characters. While we only get to know a few of them, I did like seeing the running of the house. This part really reminded me of Downton Abbey which is what I was looking for. Seeing Kat interact with the other staff and how she was kind to everyone, yet also had command over her kitchen was so nice to see.

Kat's kitchen assistant Sinead is the one that gets murdered the first night that Kat is in this house. Because of this, we don't really get to know anything about her besides some of her dreams. Despite having only known her for one day, this death really affects Kat, and how she works in the kitchen and views some of the other stuff.


"What I do know, Daniel, is what you are. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a gent in a posh suit who can purchase first-class railway tickets on the spur of the moment, or a deliveryman who talks like a South London villain. I’ve seen you.”


Besides the people in the house, we also get to meet Daniel who is Kat's friend and his son James. These two are very interesting characters. Daniel because he seems to be able to do anything and everything, and James who also has multiple jobs and is trying to find his place in the world.

For me, this book fell a little flat. I was expecting more upstairs/downstairs drama, and instead, we get sent on a chase around the country. While this was very interesting, it's just not what I was expecting or wanting from this book. I also found it a little hard to believe that Kat would be allowed to leave for days at a time in order to go and investigate this murder, and how it might be involved in a bigger plot.

Kat's relationship with Daniel also starts becoming more of the focus towards the end of the book. While I did find there relationship fascinating and I kept trying to figure out Daniel just like Kat was. Daniel also starts bringing in a few new people and helped Kat with the mystery and figuring out how everything connected.



"Me, marry? What man would have me? And even if he did ask me, he'd have to take me as I am. I refuse to squeeze myself into a frock and act as though I haven't got an opinion in my head except what my husband decides for me. No man is worth that."

My favorite character for this whole book though is Lady Cynthia. She not only cared about the staff, but she also hated the expectations that were put on her. While she was okay with certain things about her society, she also wasn't just going to bend to any man that came her way. I'm really hoping she's in the next book. Yes that means I do plan to continue on with this series. I know more about what to expect from Ashley's writing and I did like her writing style.

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[kimbacaffeinate]

First I must tell you there is a prequel to this story. A Soupçon of Poison and while it isn't necessary to read it, it does offer an intro to principal characters and is one I recommend. You will quickly learn that Kat has a habit of stumbling over dead bodies.

Mrs. Kat Holloway is one of the youngest cooks in London and comes highly recommended. In Death Below Stairs, she takes a position in the Mayfair district in the home of Lord Rankin. The household is quite odd, from the fragile Lady Rankin to her sister garbed in men's attire and the quirky help. None of this phases Kat, so long as they stay out of her kitchen.  On her second morning, she enters the pantry to discover that her young assistant has been bludgeoned to death. The tale that unfolds was a captivating one as Kat sets out to solve the murder undercovers a clever scheme.

Death Below Stairs, was an amusing tale, that takes us belowstairs in a Victorian household and enlists the help of an aloof mathematical genius, Daniel's son and Rankin's unique and resourceful sister-in-law. The characters were well developed, and the plot delightful paced allowing me to quickly devoured the story.

The murder-mystery soon gives way to a plot to harm the crown and Ashley made it all feel rather plausible. There is an overall arc to the series that presented questions. Who is Daniel McAdam? He is a jack of all trades and moves between the classes. What are his intentions towards Kat? We learn about Kat's past, and it further endeared me to this strong, capable cook.

Smart and captivating Death Below Stairs, is the perfect Victorian cozy to curl up with. All the sweet talk of scones, tea, and four-course meals might leave you a tad hungry. Fortunately, Ashley's engaging whodunit will keep you occupied.  I look forward to Scandal Above Stairs, releasing in July 2018. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer