This was just as much of a pleasure to read as the first one. It was a fun and light hearted (despite the murder) read. I loved the characters and the mystery. It had a great twist ending that I didn't see coming. I also loved all the mystery writers that were included. I can't wait for the next book!

Another cozy mystery romp. I was hoping a bit more of Phyllida's mysterious past would come to light this outing. Nevertheless I enjoyed the tale.

Very good murder plot. Very Christie-esque.

Just okay. The character work was probably the most interesting part of the book, and the murder club setup and historical context was interesting. The murder was interesting at first, but ended up feeling overly complicated and intricate. I had no idea who did it, but I feel like too much information was withheld for it to really be a fair contest. Even the final reveal took pages of explanation and exposition, because it was so complicated! If it had followed a more logical track, that would have been enjoyable, but the connections seemed loose. All that being said, I’ll likely read another one, because Mrs. Bright (and the driver!) were interesting characters. I also didn’t read the first book, which could have contributed to some confusion, but things were explained well enough I never felt like I was missing anything major.

Colleen Cambridge writes interesting historical mysteries, featuring famous people as auxiliary characters. Phyllida Bright is the housekeeper and friend of Agatha Christie and her husband Max, and this book also has other literary giants, such as G.K. Chesterton, Dorothy L. Sayers and Anthony Berkeley.

The village of Listleigh is hosting a Murder Fete, with all proceeds going to fund a local orphanage that needs a new roof. Members of the Detection Club (Christie, Chesterton, Sayers and Berkeley) will be there, signing their books and talking to fans. There's also a writing contest, and the local writing group, the Listleigh Murder Club, have all entered their best short stories. The winner gets an agent and a contract to publish their work in England and the United States.

Phyllida Bright, housekeeper and friend of Agatha Christie, is working hard to make sure the event goes off without a hitch. She overhears two people talking about poisoning someone, but assumes that they are just writers, talking about their characters. But she realizes it was something much more sinister when Father Tooley collapses and dies at the opening night event, evidently poisoned.

It seems at first that he was not the intended victim, as what was poisoned were the bitters that go into the favorite drink of Mr. Whittlesby, president of the local writer's club. Mr. Whittlesby is not well liked - he is a great writer, but he is also boastful and arrogant. But when his cat is found dead in the rectory, also poisoned, Phyllida must figure out if there are two poisoners or just one, and who was really the intended victim.

This was a fun read. I really enjoyed the characters and the setting of a Murder Fete in an English village. It sounds like a lovely way to spend a weekend (if you don't count the dead bodies and the fact that someone is a murderer). Thanks to Kensington for sending me a copy of this wonderful book!

I really like this series. I like the Agatha Cristie connection in each of these.

I got this in a publisher giveaway and I was both interested (prior to winning) and nervous. I have had bad luck with mysteries using real people as detectives. In this case, Agatha Christie is detective adjacent. The real amateur sleuth is her nurse friend from the war turned housekeeper, Phyllida Bright.

I was dubious at first because we meet Phyllida being tiresome about the chauffer's little dog and her anti-dog (or is it just this dog) stance was a bit off-putting. Phyllida is also rather sure she is right about everything and no one else is so it took me a little while to warm up to her. However, in the end I did like her and this book a lot.

Agatha and the Detection Club (which was real, a group for all the famous mystery authors of the time) are hosting a murder fete with the local Murder Club of authors competing for a publishing prize (Phyllida is sure an author would kill to be published and as one, I have to agree) . So we have all kinds of suspects, Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha, G.K. Chesterton to just name a few real ones and then the murder club where we have a priest writing a Father Brown type, an antique dealer, a woman writing about a talking cat (that everyone laughs at her) another woman writing a Poirot-like character in Italy, an Indian doctor who is an expert in poisons and Alaistaire Whittlesby, the local lawyer who everyone thinks is a shoe in to win.

Naturally Whittlesby is an obnoxious jackass and when the first victim falls at the club cocktail party, everyone assumes Allie is the intended victim. The novel moves at a fast pace and tosses out the clues well (I did figure out how and why). Having not seen book one, I wasn't sure why Phyllida is convinced Inspector Cork wasn't competent enough to solve this but naturally she knows better.

I was also curious at a few of her comments as I think Phyllida is ACE or at least demisexual (and she does have a few probably interested men) In many ways her superior attitude reminds me of Sherlock or Agatha's own Poirot and it's a little grating with her as it is with them but it seems to be a mystery trope of long standing. I will definitely read more in this series.

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I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A Trace of Poison is actually the second book in a series, but I didn’t realize that going in. However, you do not need to read the first book, Murder at Mallowan Hall, to understand everything (although I did go back and read it after finishing this and thoroughly enjoyed it.) There’s mention of Phyllida previously solving a case, but nothing that makes you feel like you missed out by not reading the first book in the series.

Instead of just writing an Agatha Christie-type mystery, Colleen Cambridge has put Agatha in a murder mystery as a character. This historical cozy mystery has Christie’s housemaid, Phyllida, solving a murder that happens at a mystery writers weekend gathering called The Detection Club. It really was a club, and in real life and in this mystery, the writers help each other with their stories. Real-life authors Dorothy L. Sayers and G.K. Chesterton are just some of the familiar writers written into the story.

There’s a Murder Fete, where money is being raised for an orphanage, when the murder occurs. Agatha asks Phyllida to help investigate the murder, and she’s got her work cut out for her. After all, all the suspects are mystery writers, who are constantly devising ways of murdering people on the page. Phyllida is bright and clever, using her “little gray cells” the way Poirot does. She does come off a bit as unlikeable because she’s so exacting, but that’s what you need in this type of mystery.

The pacing of the story is good. I never felt bored, the narrative moved along nicely. There are many references to Christie’s and the other authors’ works, which was lovely. There are clues and red herrings and even another murder along the way. One of the most satisfying things is that Phyllida actually figures out the murderer with her wits, instead of just stumbling upon the murderer in action.

Delightful.