Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Loved this book loved all the characters and the storyline, would highly recommend to other readers.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Definitely a book set up for a sequel or series. As any cozy mysteries like this go, it's glorifying readers who want to be in peace. Rather expectant interactions yet charming.

On the whole I enjoyed this book, with just a couple of reservations.

Miss Alice Beeton runs the Good Household Management Agency with her best friend Jinx, who she has known since boarding school, they run a very discreet agency placing staff when needed.

A few days before Christmas Alice is contacted by a personal assistant desperate to get a housekeeper in time for the Christmas period for a wealthy family consisting of art gallery owner father, chairty supporting mother and the archetypal goth daughter. Coincidentally at the same time, she is interviewing a lady called Enya Fischer who would be just perfect for the job.

All goes well until Alice receives a phone call on New Year's Eve stating that Enya has been found dead.

Definitely a cozy crime, a little wordy and drawn out in parts, also random recipes (Aice is a relative of the original Mrs Beeton) that aren't formatted properly at all and took ages to get past on the kindle, literally a word or two a page.

I would probably read another one just to give it a chance.

Loved this book. I own a Mrs Beetins cook book and loved this link! A well written story which I throughly enjoyed!

A cosy crime read.
Alice runs a household agency providing staff to well to do households, when one of her new staff Enya is found murdered. So Alice decides to investigate what happened to Enya by pretending to be a housekeeper in the house Enya was murdered.
Alice and her friends grow on you and are some good characters, but it did take a while to get into the story.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.

This is just a perfect, cosy mystery for christmas time (it’s definitely one I will be gifting to a couple of mystery lovers I know in their stockings)

Its slow and steady - which i really felt suited the whole tone of this read but definitely don’t go into this if you're wanting action packed, fast paced page turner. To me, the pacing and the atmosphere is perfectly curated to create a story that wraps you up.

The characters all felt nuanced and developed - such a rarity at the moment. Even smaller side characters felt ‘real’ and I loved seeing all the different friendship dynamics unfold. I’m not sure if further books are planned featuring Miss Beeton but I could absolutely see there being some follow up books and this becoming a series as there’s so much potential here!

In terms of the recipe inclusions - I have noticed this becoming a bit of a trend in cosy-themed books recently and honestly I don’t get it? When am I ever going to dig out a mystery book for a recipe? I end up entirely skipping over them as they add absolutely nothing but distraction. I’m desperately hoping this fad of randomly inserting recipes in novel dies off soon.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-ARC

I love finding a new author especially when the book is so enjoyable from the beginning. A cosy mystery type book in the style of Miss Marple I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next. I just loved Alice and Agatha and the bother they seemed to find themselves in unwittingly. I really hope there is some more in this great series. The only thing I would say is the recipes need a bit of an edit as they were impossible to read. Other than that a brilliant book.

Overall, I enjoyed it! A cosy mystery, a hint of romance, Agatha!, friendship, and quite an adventure for Alice Beeton of the Good Household Management Agency. It was hard to get into it for the first eighty-six pages because nothing was really happening in relation to the main storyline. Clearly, something suspicious was going on with the new housekeeper and her new employers, but then the reader is veered away from the mystery to Alice’s family dinner that only distracts from the main events. Jasper’s character was extremely obnoxious and how had he been running Hawthorne for decades? Had it always been Alice? I felt bad for her for having to put up with him.
Recipes - I could see what the author was doing but I didn’t really read them as they too distracted from the plot. There were a few scenes where it felt like they were written solely to include a recipe.
Gerda’s character - that revelation felt a little too surreal, but in the end I was glad she was who she said she was.
Also, look out for the typos like
P259: Thérèse addresses Alice as Alice, not Caroline.
P333: Alice thinks about how she left the detective a voice note for him to come over to Hawthorn, but on p331 she told him to come to Hawthorn in person.
Thank you, HQ and Netgalley for this arc!

Oh, how I loved this book! A first class cosy mystery where our leading lady Miss Alice Beeton and her cluster of lovable friends can’t help but involve themselves in trying to solve a murderous crime that happens a little too close to home. Alice must go undercover into the world of an affluent family who may not be all they appear to be.
The plot kept me very immersed in the book, it was very intriguing and definitely a page turner. We have strong women, friendship and found family, not to mention a handsome detective and a very special dog called Agatha!

I absolutely adored Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency! I am a huge cosy crime fan, and Josie Lloyd has managed to hit all the spots I look for from this genre. I loved the waves of nostalgia that are weaved within the plot and characters, and how Josue manages to be original and memorable.

This will be the perfect title to get cosy with this autumn and winter.

My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own.
A bit of a mixed bag here. I like a cosy mystery, and the writing was decent enough, certainly better than a good share of the contemporary efforts. But I hate lack of logic in a mystery, I mean, that's kind of the whole point, so in this one I found it rather irritating that Miss Beeton, who is allegedly rigid in her checking of references and details, fails to do so at two major plot points (in fairness, her first dereliction is the one that draws her into the whole murder thing). I'm prepared to suspend a certain amount of belief, but that pushed the boundaries.
That said, it is a cosy mystery, after all, and the interaction between the characters was well done, and the prose flowed quite nicely. The overall trope of the agency owner being distantly related to the original Mrs. Beeton was good, and Miss Beeton's use of her staffing agency to unmask the perpetrators was clever, and something that could almost be replicated in real life, so points for that.
However, and I'm a keen baker, I found the inclusion of recipes unnecessary. A crime novel is not the place for them, and I think it will narrow the readership. But I'm sure people can skip over them, as I did. And possibly the story is a tad overwritten, and could have benefitted from a decent edit, but - not to depress the author or anything - sometimes readers will tolerate this because the story is something light to relax with, and judgement is parked, with all the other trials of life, outside the book covers.
Miss Beeton is a teensy bit of a square, a bit out of touch for someone living in present-day London, but her friends make up for it, and I'm quite interested to see how/if she gets it on with her potential love-interest, so obviously the characters (a major part of any mystery) are reasonably well-drawn; the murderer, I'm sorry to say, was very obvious, even for a reader like me, who refuses to do any detective work, and leaves it all to the protagonist. Overall, though, a good cosy read for when the days get shorter, and the weather miserable.

Alice Beeton runs a household management recruitment agency, providing the best staff to the most exclusive households. When a new member of staff arrives for an interview, she charms everyone and is rapidly slotted into a wealthy family where she seems to fit perfectly, right up until she is murdered. Alice is determined to work out what happened to her and with her extensive network of friends to help, she starts investigating.

I liked the premise of this, a middle-aged, childless woman who is also a talented cook, with a delightful dog, who could easily be over-looked but actually has a full life and many friends who are able to help. For me it lacked spark, there were several things which just didn't work for me in plot terms and it was a little too slow paced to be able to overlook them properly. It's not a genre I usually go for, and perhaps that's why it didn't work for me.

Like an Agatha Christie but funnier. Alice runs an employment agency specialising in staff for big houses. Then there’s a disaster: one newly appointed girl is murdered. Alice is determined to solve the crime. A fun read with twists and strange coincidences helping to solve the crime.

I really enjoyed this from Josie Lloyd and do hope it will be part of a series. I was sad not to be able to see the recipes as would have enjoyed that! Recommend this and would happily read more! Many thanks

It’s probably fair to start with some clarity over what the reader can expect from this ‘cosy crime’ novel. Cosy crime seems to be one of those genres that suddenly are the focus of lots of attention in reviews and online discussions. Whilst there are some definitions that share common features it’s also a genre where there appears to be considerable scope for flexibility and individuality. So, for readers looking for a quirky approach to crime fiction, with a bunch of characters who might appear to exist principally to provide some scaffolding for the developing plot, and a requirement on the part of the reader for a quite tolerant approach to a plot that from time to time tests the boundaries of credulity, Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency could be just up their street..
Don’t get me wrong, though, in its own terms the book entertains, teases and puzzles the reader, generally in a good way, and is unlikely to lead to sleepless nights. Frustratingly, for this reader at least though, there was a definite sense of a better novel being within the gift of the author if it hadn’t been decided to aim for the popular ‘cosy crime’ category.
Despite these minor reservations, it is likely that readers attracted to the genre will find it an entirely satisfying read.

A fabulous start to a new series!

Alice Beeton runs a domestic agency, supplying 'staff' to those who, even in the present day, have need of help in the home. When one of her clients demands a housekeeper immediately, it is fortuitous that the ideal candidate is sitting opposite Alice, being interviewed about her suitability to join the agency. Speedily following up on her references, Enya is placed immediately - the fastest the agency has ever seen. Then, in the early hours of New Year's Day, Enya is found dead in the client's home, much to the distress of Alice. She meets with Detective Rigby, investigating the death but when she approaches him again, she finds the case is out of his hands and has been 'kicked upstairs' - so there's nothing else for it; Alice will need to invesigate herself!

This is a superb beginning of a series I look forward to following; whilst Alice is single with no family, she dotes on Agatha Christie - the little dog who accompanies her everywhere. With a fine cast of characters, there is lot going on in this one, and I relished all the details. A thoroughly enjoyable cosy mystery, and easily meriting 4.5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

When I first started this, I wasn't sure which era I was in as Alice was so old-fashioned. She runs a housekeeping agency with Helly and Jinx.
Alice is soon embroiled in a murder mystery when one of her employees is murdered.
While this is a cosy read, for me, it lost its way when Gerda took Alice's dog Agatha hostage. It just became unbelievable.
Also, the recipes weren't formatting properly, although hopefully that will be sorted before publication along with Alice being called Alice twice instead of Caroline.
I was invited to read this by the publisher HQ in return for an honest review. Thank you to them and Netgalley.

What a great read. Thoroughly enjoyed this. It was filled with such interesting characters; their personas made so much more colourful by the fact that they all seemed so unlikely in their roles.
The idea of making our protagonist a relative of someone so well known to us, was a clever move. It added a real depth to the story and made her so much more believable and charismatic.
From the first page, the plot had me hooked. I couldn’t put it down.
It became even more exciting as we were led through this murder mystery, towards the end, and all the threads were finally being drawn into place to ensnare the guilty parties.
This is one of those books that leaves the reader sad that it’s over, although maybe Alice will reappear on another case and bring her Detective with her!!! I have to say, the very last line of the Epilogue was just perfect.

Alice Beeton is related to the famous Isabelle Beeton of the famous Victorian Book of Household Management and tries to live up to her exacting standards especially in home baking. She runs The Good Household Management Agency to which Enya Fischer arrives with excellent references seeking a position. She’s placed with the wealthy Messent family although Alice has some misgivings. Shortly after Christmas she’s called by Met Officer Detective Rigby to inform her that Enya has died. Obviously Alice is now on the case, I do hope Detective Rigby doesn’t object. As for the Messents there’s something distinctly fishy, if not whiffy, there.

The start of this I find really slow as it’s too wordy and prevaricates and I just want to get on with the plot, so I guess I don’t get off on the right foot with this one. However, I do like the varied settings and the author creates a good atmosphere. The characters are likeable, there’s a good friendship between several of them which gives a nice feel to the storytelling. Alice has a dog called Agatha (after guess who) and she steals the show on occasions as she’s very cute

If you like cozy mysteries then this one is probably right up your street but I’m more in favour of more grit with my mystery. It’s set in the present day but does have the vibe of a Golden Age mystery. Obviously, it’s vital to suspend your disbelief as the plot unfurls but then you have to in the company of Hercule or Miss Marple. The plot is quite busy but parts are fun.

I think the author overplays the inclusion of recipes linking the protagonist back to her ancestor. There are way too many and some are very unnecessary- even I can rustle up a crumble without looking up the recipe. They become an irritating distraction from the storyline. The formatting makes it hard to read them anyway so it’s a good excuse to skim.

Overall, a mixed bag read for me, parts are entertaining and others less so. It seems as if it’s the first in a new series but I don’t feel inclined to continue. Please check other reviews especially if you are a fan of this genre as I may be on outlier island with this one.

The cover is very attractive though Christmas only plays a small part.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

A very readable cosy crime set primarily in Miss Beeton's Good Household Management Agency. The main character is Alice Beeton, distantly related to the famous cookery writer, Mrs Beeton. Alice runs a very discreet household agency, placing staff with well heeled families around the world. When a new recruit comes into the office looking for work as a housekeeper, Alice is very taken with her and even misses some of her usual scrupulous checking of a recruit's references and backgrounds, especially as it is just before Christmas and she has a frantic phone call from a client needing a housekeeper immediately. When the new housekeeper is found dead a few days later, Alice is pulled into trying to find out how she died.
Alice has strong group of friends to support her in her investigations. Helly and Jinx work in the office with her, and she has various (conveniently talented) people whom she has placed in jobs whom she can call on for help when she needs it. Alice loves reading mysteries and watching crime dramas on television as well as cooking and these all factor heavily in the book. She comes across as a well rounded character but reassuringly unprepared for her role in this adventure.
The book is well set up for a sequel, no doubt featuring Detective Rigby, with whom Alice has begun a working/romantic relationship.
With thanks to Netgalley and Rachel Quinn marketing for a chance to read an arc copy.