Product Description

The award-winning author of The Thin Woman sends her heroine, Ellie Haskell, fresh from the diet wars, on a rollicking hunt for the killer of a fellow member of the Chitterton Fells Charwomen's Association. Reprint. Tour.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #389436 in Books
• Published on: 1999-05-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Ellie Haskell dons an apron for cover in her latest adventure (following How to Murder the Man of Your Dreams, 1996). Ellie's stalwart helper, Mrs. Malloy, now a relative since her son married Ellie's cousin, gives notice before she leaves the village of Chitterton Fells for London to look after her granddaughter. As a replacement, Ellie enlists Mrs. Large, a fellow member of C.F.C.W.A. (Chitterton Fells Charwomen's Association), who appears distracted and upset on her first day. The following week, Ellie and a neighbor find the charwoman dead from a fall in the neighbor's library. Ellie lines up the help of another C.F.C.W.A. member, but then this woman and, later, another member of the group are found murdered. Mrs. Malloy, now back from London, and Ellie have to do some sleuthing to stop the rampage. Going undercover as a charwoman, Ellie discovers some secrets among the dust bunnies while searching for clues in their neighbors' homes. The house of Haskell, usually at sixes and sevens with each member skittering off on her own agenda, pulls together so that the team of intrepid amateur detectives, led by the redoubtable Mrs. Malloy, can solve the case. Cannell's lively wit and acute insights into marriage, motherhood and murderous inclinations will delight fans as well as readers new to her high-spirited tales. Mystery Guild main selection; author tour.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Ellie Haskell and husband Ben live in Chitterton Fells, where he runs a restaurant and she keeps house, tends their three-year-old twins, and occasionally investigates local murder (see, e.g., How To Murder the Man of Your Dreams, LJ 9/1/95). While attending a club meeting, Ellie discovers the fallen body of her new chairwoman, immediately suspects murder, and begins some insistent interrogating. Ben, meanwhile, suffers from picketers at the restaurant. Domestic chit-chat, nifty British surrounds, and a plausible if somewhat hyped-up plot make this a safe bet.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
Housekeepers are dropping like flies in Chitterdon Fells, where designer and sleuth Ellie Haskell (God Save the Queen!, 1997, etc.) lives with restaurant-owner husband Ben and three-year-old twins. Roxie Malloy, the familys longtime domestic, is moving to London to care for the newborn daughter of her son George and daughter-in-law Vanessaa cousin of Ellies and a famous model with no talent for mothering. Mrs. Malloy has appointed Gertrude Large, a fellow member of the Charwomens Association, to take over her job. After only one unsatisfactory workday at Ellies, Mrs. Large is found dead, fallen from a ladder, at Tall Chimneys, home of sister newcomers Vienna and Madrid Miller, during a meeting of the Hearthside Guild. Ellie was there, as were Clarice Whitcombe, also a newcomer, Brigadier Lester-Smith, and Sir Robert and Lady Pomeroy, among others. Mrs. Larges assignments are now undertaken by Trina McKinley, heiress to Larges considerable assets and girlfriend of neer-do-well Joe Tollings. Joe and his wife Marilyn become leading suspects when Trina is found stabbed to death in Mrs. Malloys kitchen. Theres yet another victim in this absurd scenario as Ellies tireless snooping finally brings her face to face with the killer. Over-the-top plotting that gets no help from a torrent of domestic activities, dull dialogues, and an unrelenting air of chirpiness. Strictly for the authors devoted fans. (Mystery Guild main selection; author tour) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

Mom Needs a Break
Maybe Ellie needs a break from the twins. This book plods rather than waltzes. Cannell's usual sparkle is missing, and Ellie's character is somewhat anemic, showing little of her usual goofy charm. The ending is Victorian mush, which may appeal to some, but seemed overdone to me. Spring tonic? Vacation in Mazatlan? Let's hope that the next Cannell outing shows more spunk. In this one, Roxie rules.

Another winner in the Ellie Haskell series
The opening of this entry is as funny as the opening to *The Thin Woman* [first in the series], which I recently reread. The rest of the book is delightful. One of the things that I like about this series is that Ellie is among the handful of female mystery solvers who is permitted to be happily married. I'm so glad that Ms. Cannell hasn't broken up said marriage or bumped off Ben. The end of the book made me wonder if Mrs. Cannell was thinking of Louisa May Alcott when she wrote it. The atmosphere reminded me of *Little Women*, the book that taught me that book friends are never lost. (You just turn the pages back to the beginning and your friend is alive again.) Then again, perhaps I felt that way because Vanessa's daughter, Rose, made me think of Ms. Alcott's Rose in *Eight Cousins* and *Rose in Bloom*. I look forward to my next stay at Merlin's Court. Ann E. Nichols

Simply terrific
It is Spring and Ellie Haskell's nesting instincts are in full bloom. She cannot wait to get started, along with the help of her trusted cleaning woman Mrs. Malloy, to whip Merlin's Court into tip top shape. There is only one problem with her plan. Mrs. Malloy is leaving her to become a full time nanny to her newborn grandchild. However, she has arranged for Mrs. Large to replace her as the cleaning woman on the staff.

Ellie feels that her new employee will work out until she is found dead, a victim of an accident, in the home of the Miller sisters. When her next helper is also found dead in her own home and a third corpse is found inside her missing car, Ellie finds herself working another murder mystery. She intends to solve the case so she can keep her help a little bit longer.

Dorothy Cannell, author of the classic THE THIN WOMAN is in fine form with another extraordinary Ellie Haskell mystery. The cast of eccentric characters that readers have loved for years are all present in THE SPRING CLEANING MURDERS, which is one of Ms. Cannell's most humorous novels to date. Anyone who needs an uplifting experience should try this series that hopefully will have another entry soon.

Harriet Klausner