The first in an exciting new historical mystery series set in the home of Agatha Christie! Phyllida Bright, housekeeper and amateur sleuth, discovers a body in the library—and a mystery to baffle even her famous employer...
Tucked away among
Devon's rolling green hills, Mallowan Hall combines the best of English
tradition with the modern conveniences of 1930. Housekeeper Phyllida
Bright, as efficient as she is personable, manages the large household
with an iron fist in her very elegant glove. In one respect, however,
Mallowan Hall stands far apart from other picturesque country houses...
The
manor is home to archaeologist Max Mallowan and his famous wife, Agatha
Christie. Phyllida is both loyal to and protective of the crime writer,
who is as much friend as employer. An aficionado of detective fiction,
Phyllida has yet to find a gentleman in real life half as fascinating as
Mrs. Agatha's Belgian hero, Hercule Poirot. But though accustomed to
murder and its methods as frequent topics of conversation, Phyllida is
unprepared for the sight of a very real, very dead body on the library
floor...
A former Army nurse, Phyllida reacts with practical
common sense--and a great deal of curiosity. It soon becomes clear that
the victim arrived at Mallowan Hall under false pretenses during a
weekend party. Now, Phyllida not only has a houseful of demanding guests
on her hands--along with a distracted, anxious staff--but hordes of
reporters camping outside. When another dead body is discovered--this
time, one of her housemaids--Phyllida decides to follow in M. Poirot's
footsteps to determine which of the Mallowans' guests is the killer.
With help from the village's handsome physician, Dr. Bhatt, Mr. Dobble,
the butler, along with other household staff, Phyllida assembles the
clues. Yet, she is all too aware that the killer must still be close at
hand and poised to strike again. And only Phyllida's wits will prevent
her own story from coming to an abrupt end...
Praise for Colleen Cambridge
“Cambridge pens a thoroughly
intriguing mystery, told in a unique manner from the perspective of the
staff belowstairs rather than the upper class above, in this splendid
first installment in a new series. Her heroine, Phyllida Bright, is the
confident, shrewd, and eminently capable housekeeper for none other than
the grand dame of mystery herself—Agatha Christie—and a great admirer
of Christie’s fictional detective Poirot, whose methods she seeks to
emulate. Fans of Tessa Arlen and Jennifer Ashley will be delighted.”—Anna Lee Huber, bestselling author of the Verity Kent Mysteries
"Marple
and Poirot have nothing on Agatha Christie's housekeeper, Phyllida
Bright. Details and diligence being the tools of her trade, Phyllida
puts them to good use whether she's arranging a country house party for
her employers, or determining which of the guests is a crazed killer.
You'll love this new Christie-inspired series!" —Alyssa Maxwell, author of A Lady & Lady's Maid Mysteries and The Gilded Newport Mysteries
“What
if Agatha Christie’s housekeeper was the best detective of all? In this
delightful book, she is! You will love watching Phyllida spot the clues
the authorities miss when a dead body shows up in Agatha’s library. An
outstanding start to what promises to be a winning new series.” —Victoria Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of Murder on Wall Street
“Agatha
Christie’s indomitable and mysterious housekeeper Phyllida Bright takes
on a killer in this exciting new series from Colleen Cambridge. Fans of
historical mysteries—and Christie herself—will love this well-imagined
homage, and the clever twists and numerous suspects will keep readers on
their toes. I’m already looking forward to Phyllida’s next adventure!” —Erica Ruth Neubauer, author of the Jane Wunderly mystery series
Colleen Cambridge
Colleen Cambridge is a pseudonym for a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author whose books have been translated into more than eight languages. She lives in the Midwest and is hard at work on her next novel. Visit her at ColleenCambridge.com.
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