Jessica Ellicott
Author of Murder in an English Village
About the Author
Series
Works by Jessica Ellicott
No title 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Everett, Jessica
- Other names
- Estevao, Jessica (pseudonym)
Crockett, Jessie (pseudonym) - Gender
- female
- Agent
- Jane Rotrosen Agency
- Short biography
- [from author's website]
Agatha award nominee Jessica Ellicott loves fountain pens, Mini Coopers and throwing parties. She lives in northern New England with her dark and mysterious husband, exuberant children and a precocious poodle named Sam. When away from her desk, she obsessively knits wool socks and enthusiastically speaks Portuguese with a shocking disregard for the rules of grammar. She indulges her passion for historical fiction and all things British by writing the Beryl and Edwina Mysteries.
Jessica's books have twice received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly as well as one from Library Journal. Her first novel won the Daphne du Maurier award for mystery.
As Jessica Estevao she wrote the Change of Fortune Mysteries. When inspiration strikes she writes contemporary mysteries as Jessie Crockett. - Places of residence
- New Hampshire, USA
Maine, USA - Associated Place (for map)
- USA
Members
Reviews
Well, the cover made me crave pancakes! Although my capacity is two, one in the morning and one in the afternoon with plenty of sugar-free maple syrup and close to butter substitute.
The main character, Dani Greene who is starting a green maple sugar business does not seem very interested in who killed the victim at the beginning. Of course, everyone hated the victim, Alanza Speedwell, a contestant at a pancake-eating contest. She flops face-first into a stack of pancakes. Well, the show more contaminated syrup was the murder weapon.
A wonderful romantic interest, Graham (like the cracker) Paterson shows up when panicked Dani sees a panther outside the window. He teases her about seeing a panther and teases her a lot throughout the book but with affectionate teases.
A goofy thing happened. some exotic animals got out and this New Hampshire, so people are worried about their survival-both animal and human survival. There is a wonderful scene with the main character and a sloth that had me laughing and picturing it. As the book when on the story develop and Dani tries to figure out who the murderer is. She cannot resume her green business until the contaminated syrup mystery is solved.
But all through the book, there are wonderful scenes with Dani or another local person and an escapee of the exotic animal collection. Last night, I was convulsed with laughter that my pet bird was worried about me. There is an excellent mystery too but I want to continue this series mainly for the gut-busting laughter. show less
The main character, Dani Greene who is starting a green maple sugar business does not seem very interested in who killed the victim at the beginning. Of course, everyone hated the victim, Alanza Speedwell, a contestant at a pancake-eating contest. She flops face-first into a stack of pancakes. Well, the show more contaminated syrup was the murder weapon.
A wonderful romantic interest, Graham (like the cracker) Paterson shows up when panicked Dani sees a panther outside the window. He teases her about seeing a panther and teases her a lot throughout the book but with affectionate teases.
A goofy thing happened. some exotic animals got out and this New Hampshire, so people are worried about their survival-both animal and human survival. There is a wonderful scene with the main character and a sloth that had me laughing and picturing it. As the book when on the story develop and Dani tries to figure out who the murderer is. She cannot resume her green business until the contaminated syrup mystery is solved.
But all through the book, there are wonderful scenes with Dani or another local person and an escapee of the exotic animal collection. Last night, I was convulsed with laughter that my pet bird was worried about me. There is an excellent mystery too but I want to continue this series mainly for the gut-busting laughter. show less
I bumped up Murder at a London Finishing School in my TBR, the second runner up in August's poll, and am so happy I did. Although this was the 7th book in the series, it was my first introduction to Edwina and Beryl. Set just after World War I, the enquiry agent team of the prim and proper British Edwina Davenport and the American adventuress Beryl Halliwell, are hired by the headmistress of their former alma mater to uncover who is behind the mysterious happenings at Miss Dupont's Finishing show more School. Neither women really want to return to their old stomping grounds of the school, but they do not feel like they can refuse.
Someone appears to be sabotaging the school--there have been strange sounds at night and items are being misplaced, if not outright stolen. And in the midst of all that a former classmate of Edwina and Beryl's is found dead on the school's property. A murder at the school would be ruinous to its reputation.
The school has already been suffering business-wise, from having had to shut down during the war and then with the changing climate after as interest in schools like Dupont's Finishing School diminish all over. Author Jessica Ellicott adeptly weaves the shifting culture of the times within her story. Not to mention she has created a cast of characters with interesting backgrounds and possible motives, and a mystery that kept me guessing right up to the end.
Coming into the series late can be risky, but this was a great way to get to know the characters and their backgrounds, getting to see where they met and glimpsing some of their childhood memories. Edwina and Beryl are very capable and intelligent women, each with their own strengths. They work well together and make a great team. This was an easygoing mystery with plenty of intrigue. I hope to read more of this series in the future. show less
Someone appears to be sabotaging the school--there have been strange sounds at night and items are being misplaced, if not outright stolen. And in the midst of all that a former classmate of Edwina and Beryl's is found dead on the school's property. A murder at the school would be ruinous to its reputation.
The school has already been suffering business-wise, from having had to shut down during the war and then with the changing climate after as interest in schools like Dupont's Finishing School diminish all over. Author Jessica Ellicott adeptly weaves the shifting culture of the times within her story. Not to mention she has created a cast of characters with interesting backgrounds and possible motives, and a mystery that kept me guessing right up to the end.
Coming into the series late can be risky, but this was a great way to get to know the characters and their backgrounds, getting to see where they met and glimpsing some of their childhood memories. Edwina and Beryl are very capable and intelligent women, each with their own strengths. They work well together and make a great team. This was an easygoing mystery with plenty of intrigue. I hope to read more of this series in the future. show less
Wilhelmina Harkness, with both her vicar father and brother off doing their part for the war effort, wants to do something as well. Her mother is very against Wilhelmina taking on a role other that helping minster to those left behind. A family tragedy leaves Wilhelmina temporarily homeless. Enter Hull, England and cousin Lydia. Thank goodness for Lydia's quick work of turning Wilhelmina into Billie. I was able to truly enjoy Billie's entry into the police force (only one of two women thus show more far) and how she helps uncover the answer to a dead body found after an air raid. show less
I loved Jessica Estavao’s first book in this series, Whispers Beyond the Veil, and I have been anxiously awaiting her next one. As soon as I was approved for it by the publisher, I stopped reading my current read and started Whispers of Warning. Thankfully, Estavao’s second book did not disappoint, and I enjoyed it every bit as much as I did Whispers Beyond the Veil. To top it all off, the ending is spectacular; I could not have been more pleased with the last paragraphs. Kudos to show more Estevao for writing such a magnificent second installment in her series.
Estevao has created the perfect series with Ruby Proulx- a likeable protagonist hiding a dubious past, an entertaining and inventive cast of supporting characters, a delightful Maine coastal town, and an interesting time period - the turn of the twentieth century. To top it all off, the books have the most gorgeous covers. I find myself frequently judging actual books by their covers; to me the cover can make the difference in whether I read a book or not if it is an author with whom I am not familiar. Moreover, I hate reading a book with a cover that bears no relation to the story within. The covers for this series are simply outstanding and very relevant to the story line.
The suffrage movement dominates the story line in Whispers of Warning. A prominent suffragette, Sophronia Foster Eldridge, has decided to visit Old Orchard, Maine for a month-long stay. Just as Ruby begins to believe that Sophronia may have ulterior motives in addition to promoting the suffrage movement, Sophronia is found floating in a pool at a local bathhouse. Ruby decides she must help solve the murder, and in the process, she works to uncover Sophronia’s secrets and hidden agenda.
My favorite part of the book was the portion relating to the suffrage movement. While women today take the right to vote for granted, Estevao effectively describes the massive resistance the brave suffragettes (and their supporters) faced and the lengths to which people will go to protect their own power and standing. Her descriptions of the suffrage rallies and the behavior of the detractors remind me of current events in the U.S. where other groups are facing similarly close-minded people behaving in an equally ugly manner trying to defend against change. I found the story line a helpful reminder that change is frequently met with resistance. I also like the metaphysical aspects of the book. Ruby is a medium who occasionally uses her powers to encourage others in certain directions. That part of the book is very entertaining.
I highly, highly recommend Whispers of Warning. If you have not read the first book in the series, now is the time to go read it in anticipation of Whispers of Warning’s publication in September. Thanks to Berkley Books and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. show less
Estevao has created the perfect series with Ruby Proulx- a likeable protagonist hiding a dubious past, an entertaining and inventive cast of supporting characters, a delightful Maine coastal town, and an interesting time period - the turn of the twentieth century. To top it all off, the books have the most gorgeous covers. I find myself frequently judging actual books by their covers; to me the cover can make the difference in whether I read a book or not if it is an author with whom I am not familiar. Moreover, I hate reading a book with a cover that bears no relation to the story within. The covers for this series are simply outstanding and very relevant to the story line.
The suffrage movement dominates the story line in Whispers of Warning. A prominent suffragette, Sophronia Foster Eldridge, has decided to visit Old Orchard, Maine for a month-long stay. Just as Ruby begins to believe that Sophronia may have ulterior motives in addition to promoting the suffrage movement, Sophronia is found floating in a pool at a local bathhouse. Ruby decides she must help solve the murder, and in the process, she works to uncover Sophronia’s secrets and hidden agenda.
My favorite part of the book was the portion relating to the suffrage movement. While women today take the right to vote for granted, Estevao effectively describes the massive resistance the brave suffragettes (and their supporters) faced and the lengths to which people will go to protect their own power and standing. Her descriptions of the suffrage rallies and the behavior of the detractors remind me of current events in the U.S. where other groups are facing similarly close-minded people behaving in an equally ugly manner trying to defend against change. I found the story line a helpful reminder that change is frequently met with resistance. I also like the metaphysical aspects of the book. Ruby is a medium who occasionally uses her powers to encourage others in certain directions. That part of the book is very entertaining.
I highly, highly recommend Whispers of Warning. If you have not read the first book in the series, now is the time to go read it in anticipation of Whispers of Warning’s publication in September. Thanks to Berkley Books and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 18
- Members
- 1,005
- Popularity
- #25,666
- Rating
- 3.6
- Reviews
- 70
- ISBNs
- 86
- Languages
- 1
