Jennifer Ashley

Jennifer Ashley: Murder in Blackfriars

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Below Stairs #9

There are quite a few historical mysteries set in Victorian London, but what makes this series so memorable is that the main character, Kat Holloway, is not of the nobility, connected to nobility or even someone who aspires to nobility, but simply a humble cook. For a mystery reader, encountering the working-class side of the city makes the series more relatable and the stakes the characters deal with a bit more resonant. The other reason I loved this one is simply that Jennifer Ashley, with over 60 novels to her credit, is a truly polished storyteller with an unerring instinct for what makes a narrative move and connect with the reader. read more

Jennifer Ashley: A Silence in Belgrave Square

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Below Stairs #8

I was entranced by book 7 in this series, Speculations in Sin, and am now a hard core fan.  If you are a fan of the late, great Victoria Thompson, this might also be the series for you.  Set in Victorian London, the main character, Kat Holloway, is a cook for a wealthy family.  While I have read many Victorian mysteries, this is the rare series that focuses on the servants rather than the aristocrats upstairs.  They are the minor characters, while the downstairs characters – cooks, maids, delivery men, urchin boys – are the main feature. read more

Jennifer Ashley: Speculations in Sin

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Below Stairs #7

Why haven’t I heard of this series before? Though it’s the seventh book, I was completely taken in by it almost immediately, wanting to read the other six as soon as possible. Because it’s the seventh book there was a slight amount of catching up, but very slight. The main character, Mrs. Kat Holloway (the “Mrs” is an honorary title) is a cook for a wealthy London household in 1883. She has a 12 year old daughter her employers aren’t aware of, placed in a friend’s household. read more