Scandal Above Stairs by Jennifer Ashley

Scandal Above Stairs by Jennifer Ashley ISBN-13: 9780399585531 Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: July 3, 2018

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Priceless artwork has gone missing from the home of a wealthy baronet, and his wife stands to take the blame. When Kat's employer asks for help in clearing her friend's name, Kat trades her kitchen for the homes of Mayfair's wealthiest families.

Soon antiques are disappearing not only from the extravagant households of connoisseurs and collectors, but from the illustrious British Museum. As the thefts increase in frequency, Kat encounters her friend Daniel McAdam, who has set himself up in a pawnshop on the Strand as a seedy receiver of stolen goods. When a man is murdered in the shop, Kat must use all of her wits to see that the thieves are caught and justice is done.


My Review:
Scandal Above Stairs is a mystery set in May 1881 in England. This is the second book in the series. While the characters did refer to events that happened in the previous novel, they did not spoil whodunit. You do not need to read the previous novel to understand this one.

The mystery was a clue-based puzzle. The main characters did a good job of spotting things that were going on and coming to the correct conclusions based on the clues. The mystery had several layers--who was stealing things, who killed the first victim, and so on. They ended by uncovering who was behind the whole scheme.

The main characters were interesting and likable. Kat learned more about Daniel's mysterious past. The historical details, especially those about cooking, were woven into the story better this time. There was no sex. There was occasional use of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


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