A sweet story read out by a great narrator with a pleasant voice.
I quite liked the recipes interspersed into the story although they kind were a bit lost in the audio version.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for letting me review this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you love your cosy crime, there’s a new treat waiting for you to discover! Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency is a delightful new entry in the genre, blending golden-age charm with modern wit and a sprinkling of culinary nostalgia. If you’ve ever wondered what Mrs Beeton’s domestic wisdom might look like with a side of sleuthing, this is your answer.

Alice Beeton, a descendant of the famous Mrs Beeton of Household Management fame, and our fifty-something heroine, is a breath of fresh air. Her life may not have turned out as she planned, but her sharp mind and knack for organisation make her the perfect amateur detective. When one of her agency’s housekeepers turns up dead in suspicious circumstances, Alice steps into the breach, determined to uncover the truth amidst a cast of wealthy suspects.

The setting is another highlight. While contemporary, it has a distinctly Victorian atmosphere—from Alice’s meticulous domestic agency to the grandeur of the houses she visits. This blend of old and new gives the novel a unique and charming flavour. The inclusion of Mrs Beeton’s recipes, cleverly tied to the dishes Alice prepares, is also a particularly lovely touch. These snippets not only honour the legacy of the original Mrs Beeton but also add a delightful culinary thread to the story.

The narrative is a lovely hug of a cosy crime book, featuring just enough plot and intrigue to keep it interesting, but with a strong focus on character (including Alice’s adorable corgi/Jack Russell, Agatha). It’s cosy without being cloying, with a sharp eye for social commentary that elevates it above the purely whimsical. Alice’s relationship with her dog, Agatha (a scene-stealer in her own right), and her interactions with the rumpled yet intriguing Detective Rigby add warmth and humour. The Kensington setting is vividly drawn, and the story has a satisfying mix of red herrings and genuine surprises.

While the pacing occasionally lags—particularly in the midsection—the charm of the characters and the clever plotting keep the pages turning. Fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osman, and Nita Prose will feel right at home here, but there’s a unique flavour to this book that sets it apart.

If you’re looking for a cosy crime novel to curl up with this winter, Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency is a satisfying treat. Here’s hoping we see more of Alice, Agatha, and their unconventional crime-solving adventures in the future. I would especially welcome a sequel to this story, as I’d love to see the developing relationship between Alice and Rigby explored further.

I listened to this as an audiobook, which was wonderfully narrated by Emily Pennant-Rea. This narrator was a perfect choice for ‘Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency’ as her ability to put on an accent helped to differentiate between the characters and bring them all to life.

This novel made an absolutely perfect Christmas read!

This is wonderful, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Quite refreshing for a cosy, it was neither twee nor silly, and the narration was excellent. I also absolutely adored Agatha. You may have to suspend belief here and there, and it is a bit over the top in parts, but somehow the author pulls it off. Very much a Golden Age mystery, and a nice change from my usual more gritty mystery/murder.

Alice Beeton (50+), a distant relative of the famous Mrs. Beeton, runs a small but successful household management agency in London. When Enya, one of the girls she placed, is murdered, Alice gets roped into the investigation and goes undercover in the Messant household. There, she realizes that something more is afoot and together with her friends she works tirelessly to bring the criminals to justice.

This cosy crime story is a gem! While the plot starts out slow (and a little boring, because - as Alice Beeton would agree - her life is on the boring side), it gets better and better and the last 20% just kept me on the edge of my seat! Alice has such great relationships with her friends, relatives and employees and I loved all the people she holds dear. There is also a touch of romance that does not overwhelm or take over the main plot but happens naturally.

I was reminded several times of Agatha Christie's novels, especially the famous 4:50 from Paddington, where a housekeeper goes undercover to find a murderer. This book clearly took inspiration from there, but did not simply copy it! (And there is also Agatha, the Jack Russell - Corgi Mix.)

Another great feature are the recipes scattered throughout the book. Whenever Alice cooks something, the recipe is given in the style of Mrs. Beeton with modern oven temperature. I'm sorely tempted to recreate the soda cake.

The audiobook was narrated beautifully by Emily Pennant-Real and I enjoyed listening immensely.

This book is a must for fans of cosy crime, Agatha Christie and cooking! 4.25 stars! In contrast to Alice Beeton, I sincerely hope there will be a next time!

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK Audio for the download of this audiobook!

Thanks to Netgalley.co.uk and HQ for an audio copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Narrated by Emily Pennant-Rea, this is my first review of an audiobook, and I found the narrator's various characterisations entertaining and very enjoyable.

The story is a cosy crime in the style of many afternoon tv series, and I loved this about it. It was so relaxing listening to the mystery unfold and piecing the clues together - rather like mixing the ingredients of one of Mrs. Beeton's cakes!
However, I did find the audio version, with the recipes not being visible, a little distracting. I think this element will work far better in the printed version.

The story brings a Jessica Fletcher style of character to a new audience, and placing Alice Beeton in a modern-day setting will make the mystery more appealing to another generation of readers (or in this case, listeners).
Alice is "single and childless, on the wrong side of fifty," and with her trusty sidekick "Agatha," a Corgi/Jack Russell cross, she unwittingly becomes embroiled in a murder mystery.
Being a more senior reader, I am so pleased to have discovered this author, as I feel this kind of cosy crime is important in our crazy world. It's a nostalgic look back to many enjoyable afternoons I have spent reading Miss Marple or watching 'Murder She Wrote', and in my opinion, there should be more of this kind of entertainment available. So I say, "Bring on the light entertainment," and well done, Josie Lloyd.

#lighthearted # mystery #cosy #humorous nostalgic

MISS BEETON'S MURDER AGENCY is a cosy mystery where an agency manager goes undercover as a housekeeper to solve her predecessor's murder - and finds herself in far deeper than she thought.

It is a very engaging mystery - I stayed up late in order to finish it. I really liked the housekeeper angle, how invisible Alice was in that role and also how her work as an agency director for staff meant she had so many talented people she could call on.

It is a nice cast of characters. Alice has built up a reliable network around her of people who trust and respect her because she's good at her job and a polite, considerate woman. It is a book that centres women and shows how influential they can be, welding a lot of soft power even in traditionally "service" roles.

Alice is a descendant of the famous Mrs Beeton of cookbook fame, and the novel is peppered with recipes. Some, I think, are from the original cookbook. It's a nice touch and makes for a scrumptious read.

For all that the cover has snow and a Christmas wreath on it, I would not call this a Christmassy book, not even a wintry one. Yes, Alice visits her brother for Christmas and yes the murder happens on New Year's Eve, but that's it. Most of the book happens in January , which is a dreary month and here just rain and grey skies, rather than any real seasonal vibes.

This book could happen at any time of year and it would feel exactly the same - in fact, Christmas could be swapped out for any other family gathering and New Year's Eve for a random charity's gala and there'd be no difference. It was honestly a bit disappointing as I was expecting something festive. Some snow at least would be nice.

This is the first book in a new series, which is nice news. I look forward to returning to this cast of talented housekeepers, chefs, chauffeurs, and more.

The name first drew me in but I knew it would be an instant winner from the get go. It really took absolutely no effort to get into and I quickly warmed to Alice and her character.

The story itself was compelling with a whodunnit plot that had me hooked. The writing was great, the audiobook was super well narrated and I really enjoyed it from start to finish.

It made a great companion for my train trip (one train cancelled, one delayed. It certainly took the sting out of the extra wait as I had the perfect excuse to listen to more of the audiobook!).

Alice runs a successful business and being a distant descendant of the famous Miss Beeton, she’ channels ‘a place for everything and everything in its place’ and decides to take the murder of one of her employees upon herself to solve the mystery. She was perfectly placed to solve the crime too.

I also loved the recipes scattered throughout the book and it really added to the whole feel of the book. A great audiobook mystery!

A cozy crime with recipes!
A fun concept and well written. The narrator is great. The characters are fully fleshed out and the lead, Alice, very likeable and relatable.
The only trouble is that so much is beyond unlikely, which detracts from the good stuff.
I'd definitely be interested in the next one, however, so not a deal breaker!

If you like a cosy mystery along the lines of the Richard Osman books then look no further. Well written and very enjoyable

When I started reading this book I wasn't quite sure when it was set. It had retro vibes and Alice seemed like the perfect 50's housewife type. Then I read on and found references to Pringles, mobile phones and all sorts of modern bits and found my footing.

I can honestly say that this book delighted me on so many levels. I found Alice charming, and her mates at the agency were fabulous femme fatales with a solid sisterhood charm. Agatha was the star of the show and the many references to Agatha Christie had me grinning like a loon. I can definitely relate to Alice Beeton on so many things.

I loved the writing and found myself unable to stop reading on way past my bedtime. I actually listened to the narrator and loved her audio. I was astonished at how male her male voices sounded. Her accents were spot on and I think she did the most perfect Alice that really brought out her character.

As the story went on, I found myself liking some characters more and more while actively despising others and what they had done to the people around them. It takes a good writer to truly make you loathe a character or to feel so many emotions throughout one book.

The storyline grew and grew on me and Alice found herself deeper than she could possibly be in so many things. I found the ending clever and not too predictable, especially in the grand unmasking and Poirot style spill all at the end. I like the way we weren't told everything until we got to that point for added drama.

All in all 4.5 stars for a thrilling and investing read and I am certain to search out more Josie Lloyd in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley, Harpercollins UK Audio and Josie Lloyd for a fabulous ARC read. All opinions expressed are my own.

A good old fashioned who done it. Alice Breton runs an agency supplying high quality domestic staff to wealthy patrons but when a housekeeper is murdered she takes a more hands on approach. An entertaining read.

Alice Beeton never meant to wind up single and childless on the wrong side of fifty. Like her distant relative Mrs Beeton – yes, that Mrs Beeton – she had hoped to have her own spic-and-span household by now. In reality, she lives in an immaculate but dingy basement flat in a rather shabby block in Kensington with Agatha, her fiercely intelligent, if rather over-territorial, corgi-Jack Russell cross. Now Alice runs the Good Household Management Agency, providing discreet domestic staff to extravagant townhouses and sprawling country piles. So when Camille Messant calls in urgent need of a new housekeeper, Miss Beeton sends out new hire Enya. But in the early hours of New Year’s Day, Alice is rudely awakened with the news that Enya has been found dead.
A new author to me & a new series. I thoroughly enjoyed it & look forward to more in the series. I really liked Alice & the adorable Agatha. A well written cosy mystery, which I read in two sittings, the pace is good, the characters have depth & I was kept guessing as to who the villain was. There was the added bonus of recipes. There were of course twists, turns & red herrings as would be expected in a cosy mystery. I also listened to the audiobook & the narrator brought it to life
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

A fun cosy murder mystery with a witty smart woman. I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook while I was relaxing at home on a rainy day. It was intriguing and fun at the same time. A great story

A cosy murder mystery for fans of the Miss Marple series. There was an interesting set of side characters. Miss Beeton is very likeable. However, the narrator makes her sound a lot older than she actually is. I read she's just over 50 but the narrator makes her sound in her late 60s or older!

The narrator does a wonderful job of narrating all the different characters and there are a lot of them!

The first 20% was quite slow for me and not much happens until 1/4 of the book. However, I think it was to set the base for this book and possibly future books.

I love all the recipes in the book and can't wait to see if there is a book two!

This was a really cute, gentle, lovely story.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was perfect.
I loved all the references to cooking and it kept me engaged and feeling sweet!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.