Mrs jeffries takes the stage (Little, Brown Book Group)

The corpse of an acerbic theatre critic is discovered in the canal, but on further examination, it turns out that he was first drowned in a bathtub. Inspector Witherspoon investigates at the theatre, but Mrs Jeffries concentrates on the critic's murky past - uncovering secrets that are more dramatic than any play. This charming series of Victorian murder mysteries features mild-mannered Inspector Witherspoon of Scotland Yard and, more importantly, Mrs Jeffries, his housekeeper. A policeman's widow herself, her quick wits allow her to nudge the Inspector in the right direction to solve the crime.