A Soupcon of Poison: (A Kat Holloway Victorian Mysteries Novella) by Jennifer Ashley

 

Publication Date:

December 15, 2015

Length:

 127 pages

Summary:

This is the prequel to a very interesting series I started in September called the Kat Holloway Victorian Mysteries. As I was reading book one in the series, Death Below Stairs, I ran across this novella that said it was the real first book. So I stopped the novel and read this novella first. It explains so much about the characters! You have to start here to enjoy the series. 

In 1880's London Kat Holloway is a superb cook who has landed a job in the home of Sir Lionel Leigh-Bradbury. No one likes him much and he has some dark secrets of which Kat tries to avoid. She is distraught when accused of poisoning him and must try to clear her name. Daniel McAdam, a handy man of sorts becomes involved helping her find the real killer. They seem to have eyes for each other though neither admits it and as Kat finds out more about Daniel she begins to wonder if she can trust him. He seems to be not at all who he claims to be and pops up in the most unexpected times and most unusual places, just when she needs him.

The staff at the estate are varied in their trust of Kat and her protestations of innocence. Some are allies, some not, but she works hard to win them over in trusting her and as things unfold she gains support and assistance. As she and Daniel draw nearer to solving the crime they will be shocked at the who and the why behind it all.

My Thoughts:

I know the summary sounds simplistic but this is actually a book with depth. The historical accuracy is excellent and it really does read like Downton Abbey set in the 1880's. I love the way the author sets up the characters as real, deeper personalities and each member of the staff has a quirk or interesting story to go with the main story arc. I didn't guess the murderer either. It was well done and had a surprising ending. I think the idea behind this novella was for the author to go back and create a way in which Kat and Daniel meet and honor her readers of the main series. When I started reading the first novel it was a little like being out of the loop of their lives until I finished this novella.

Another extra is that when Kat is cooking and baking the author skillfully weaves recipes and tidbits about the methods used (for the time period this made it historically interesting as well) and it made me hungry reading it. A little like those books now so popular in cozy mysteries where they give you the ingredients and such. But the way she does it, it works and doesn't feel forced and just added in. 

I can tell this will be a series I'll want to stick with. Kat and Daniel will play games with one another for awhile I'm sure, adding to the romantic tension, and the crimes in each novel along with the cooking will make it a fun series. If you are skeptical but enjoy historical mysteries, give this short one a try and then start the first novel. I'm betting you will be pleasantly surprised and hooked!