A Soupçon of Poison

A Soupçon of Poison (2015) Ashley Gardener

Set in London in 1880

Kat Holloway is a cook for Sir Lionel Leigh-Bradbury, and although the position isn’t ideal in pay, he agreed to her request for an unusual number of days out, so she stays, even when he begins to make unusual and ridiculous demands.

But she is a very good cook.

Late one night, after the other staff had gone to bed, I sat in the kitchen at the wide wooden table, sharpening my knives.  

A cook’s knives are her greatest asset, and if they go dull, they are no use at all and should be replaced. As decent knives are hideously expensive, I kept mine in good repair.

When she needs help, Daniel McAdam, a man of all work goes out of her way to assist, gaining her gratitude, but she knows little about him, and he does nothing to allay her suspicions.

I knew Daniel wasn’t married because I’d asked him that, point blank. When a man flirts with a woman, she ought to know where things stand.

Daniel had dark hair and dark eyes and a tall, attractive body. He spoke with a fairly neutral accent— he hadn’t been brought up on the streets, I could tell. He could read and write and was quite clever, though he never admitted to any schooling.

I concluded that he must be the son of a middle-class gentleman, possibly illegitimate, but he never spoke of his family.

I’ve been trying to read the first Captain Lacey mystery for about two years now. I just can’t get into it. So I decided to try a novella, for a different taste of her writing.

I really liked this story, and very much want to read more about Kat Halloway. She firmly knows her place, and doesn’t seek to rise above it.

I jumped to my feet, annoyed. The kitchen was my demesne. The master might own the house, but a good employer understood that not interfering in the kitchen made for a tranquil domestic situation. Sir Lionel had his rooms above stairs where I did not trespass, and he had no reason to trespass on me.

She wants to do her job, the best she can, but she’s also smart and no-nonsense–delightful to spend time with.

Unfortunately, there are currently not any Kat Halloway books out, so I have to wait. Perhaps I’ll try a different Captain Lacey book, because there are several series I love, where if I’d started with book one, I probably wouldn’t have picked up another book, and that would have been a terrible loss.

And I’ll keep my eye out for more Kat Halloway stories.
Rating: 8.5/10

Published by JA / AG Publishing

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