ARC Review: Murder at Blackfriars by Jennifer Ashley

Murder in Blackfriars
Author: Jennifer Ashley
Series: A Below Stairs Mystery
Publication: Berkley (August 11, 2026)

Description: In Victorian London, valiant cook and amateur sleuth Kat Holloway must help the man she loves solve the murder that will finally uncover his mysterious past, from the New York Times bestselling author of A Silence in Belgrave Square.

Kat Holloway’s beau, Daniel McAdam, has always had a past shrouded in mystery. He knows nothing about his origins, only that he was rescued from the streets many years ago. So when someone claiming to know where Daniel came from turns up dead moments before meeting with him, Daniel goes on the hunt for the killer. It soon becomes clear that to see justice served, Daniel will have to figure out who he truly is. When he asks Kat for her assistance, she readily complies, knowing she’ll do whatever she must to protect the man she’s come to love.

The quest takes Kat and Daniel deep into the East End, where they face dangerous foes from Daniel’s rugged past who will stop at nothing to keep Kat and Daniel from uncovering their secrets. As Kat begins to learn things about Daniel’s history, she fears that the darkest secret—his true name and lineage—will tear apart the tender bonds they’ve begun to form.

My Thoughts: This episode of the Below Stairs mysteries is filled with changes for the main characters and two different mysteries to solve. 

Kat Holloway's fiancé Daniel McAdam has received a message from a man who might be able to shed some light on Daniel's past. However, the man is murdered while on his way to a meeting with Daniel and Kat. It is not at all clear if he was killed because of the information he had for Daniel or for some other reason. 

As Kat investigates the man's lodgings, she meets a friend who tells her that the murdered man had a lead to a house that took in abandoned children but was dissolved when the woman who ran it died with the children sent to a workhouse.

Kat calls on her friends and resources to investigate further while Daniel is concentrating his investigation on finding the man's killer. He is reluctant to hope that the mystery of his past can have a solution.

Kat also receives a blow when she learns that the family that has been caring for her daughter since she was born will be moving away for a job opportunity. Her twice weekly visits with her daughter won't be possible because of the distance to the family's new home. She and Daniel need to save up funds before they can marry and provide a home for her daughter. 

Kat has also begun a new business selling baked goods at a local market as a first step in starting her own business when she marries. 

A lot of things happen in this episode. It is certainly one of changes for both Kat and Daniel. I enjoyed the mysteries. I love the Victorian detail that permeates the story. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.