Another day, another ARC read. This was the last of January which makes it the thirteenth book I’ve read. This one is by the amazing Clare MacKintosh and is the first in a new series if I’m not mistaken, the book is called ‘The Butler’ and is expected to be released on the 16^th of June.

It’s your typical murder mystery but posh and the murder mystery bit happens in the second half of the book, the first half is filled with drama and that all of the deceased’s company had reason to be the one that did it.

Baxter had been a butler for quite some time, he stopped freelancing when he got a job offer to be a permanent butler with a family; but when his affair with the man of the household came to light the woman kicked him out which is fair. It’s a good thing that in the private sector and freelance you can go all around the world on short jobs. His new one was a week in Cannes at Villa Sérénité, the couple that looked after the house weren’t really good at their job because when he arrived the place was in disarray. Empty bottles, broken window, ashtrays filled to the brim, overturned rooms etc etc.
He dismissed the couple on the spot and hired his favorite couple to help this week.

Miriam is a very good housekeeper and her husband Thierry is a chef that can make the best food there is. The villa is just in order when the guests arrive. First to arrive is Alec Prescott; the one who rented the villa with a girl that could’ve been his daughter age-wise but is actually his girlfriend Kaitlyn. Then Sylvie arrives; Alec’s ex wife and mother of Carter who is the reason they are at this villa. To celebrate his birthday. When Baxter picks up some groceries and the last things, they need for the day in town he spots a pick-pocked. A girl that has only just reached adulthood. Hard to miss her with that Red hair.

In the first half of the book you’ll read about how Sylvie is cheating with a married man, how Alec gives Carter one last month of financial aid, how Damian the producer is trying to get Alec to finance a new movie, How Francesca tries to keep everyone on good terms and how Kaitlyn wants to convince everyone that she’s on love with Alec and so on and so forth. There’s an attempted break-in where sleeping gas seems to have been used to keep people under wraps. Baxter has his hands full this week, not only are these people non appreciative of their privileged live they seem to lack respect.

When a body has been found in the morning halfway through the week the police is being called but they seem to not be bothered by the death of a tourist. When Baxter goes to town to pick the car up that Alec left horizontally on the streets at night, he spots Red again. This time after hearing her confess she had to dumpster dive to eat, he takes her back to the villa where they come up with the idea to help the police with their investigation since they haven’t done a thing yet.
Baxter, Red and Miriam form a good team – the pickpocket has the best skills to pick things without anyone noticing and Miriam can search the rooms. When Baxter fits all the little pieces of the puzzle together, he calls everyone to the drawing room and outs the murderer.


I’m giving this book ⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars – it was a very good and easy read.