A Silence in Belgrave Square

A Below Stairs Mystery #8

by Jennifer Ashley

Valiant cook and amateur sleuth Kat Holloway must uncover the secrets of Victorian London’s most elite noblemen to save the man she loves, from the New York Times bestselling author of Speculations in Sin.


Kat Holloway knows that her beau and confidante Daniel McAdam has a talent for dangerous work as a Scotland Yard agent. At long last though, Daniel’s coldhearted boss has promised that after a final mission, his debt will be repaid, and he’ll finally be free. However, Daniel must risk his life one last time, masquerading as a secretary to an elderly viscount who could be the mastermind behind the recent plots against the Queen and her government.

Using her contacts throughout London, Kat discovers several of her friends and colleagues have been victims of vicious blackmail. They’ll do anything to protect their scandalous secrets, even conform to the blackmailer’s political agenda. If Kat and Daniel wish to save each other and the Crown, they must prove the blackmailer’s identity and evade those who will stop at nothing to eliminate them.

Genres: Mystery, Historical, Historical Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Romance, Historical Mystery, Audiobook

320 pages, Paperback

First published August 12, 2025

About the author

NY Times Bestselling author Jennifer Ashley writes historical, contemporary, and paranormal romance, historical mysteries, and urban fantasy as Jennifer Ashley, Allyson James, and Ashley Gardner.

Jennifer's novels have been translated into many different languages, and earned starred reviews from Booklist and Publisher's Weekly. More about her books at http://www.jenniferashley.com and http://gardnermysteries.com.

Reviews

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daniel is placed in danger’s way!

Daniel McAdam has called on Kat Holloway to tell her he’d be gone for some time investigating on the orders of the despicable Mr Monaghan. Monaghan blames Daniel for the death of a colleague and gives him the most dangerous assignments. Daniel is to enter the Belgrave household of Viscount Peyton to replace his secretary who has disappeared.
He gives Kat strict instructions to not look for him, try to contact him, or acknowledge him should they pass each other in the street.
Of course that’s not going to happen! Before Daniel’s even settled into his new position Kat has asked an old acquaintance, Hannah Dunnett, to install herself in the same household.
Concurrently Lady Cynthia has notified Kat that someone is blackmailing the women of the ton, including her aunt! What?
Strange and dangerous doings to do with the Irish Home Rule question, the Fenians, a newly formed secret Police Force investigating dangerous political groups with unquestionable powers, and Kat finds herself right in the middle.
The life of Daniel and Kat is moving to new heights.

A Berkley ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

[SarahO · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably my favorite one yet!!!!!

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy, mysterious, and enjoyable!

In this latest novel by Ashley, A Silence in Belgrave Square, we head back to 1884, and into the life of the dependable cook Kat Holloway as she now finds herself doing whatever she can to discover the identity of a blackmailer who seems to be targeting all her friends, while also constantly worrying about the man who owns her heart.

The writing is light and fluid. The characters are intelligent, multi-layered, and inquisitive. And the plot is a compelling whodunit full of twists, turns, friendship, suspects, tradition, danger, deduction, red herrings, and amateur sleuthing.

Overall, A Silence in Belgrave Square is an atmospheric, entertaining, highly satisfying tale by Ashley that I thoroughly enjoyed and which is undoubtedly another fantastic addition to the Below the Stairs Mystery series.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars - Reviewed for Wit and Sin

Amateur sleuth and professional cook Kat Holloway is back at it in A Silence in Belgrave Square . Between highborn women being blackmailed and her beau, Daniel McAdam, being sent on a life-threatening undercover mission, it’s all Kat can do to keep her wits about her and get the tea cakes out on time.

Jennifer Ashley brings to the forefront another Fenian plot that will endanger many. Daniel’s boss, who’d sooner seen the man dead than free of service, has sent him undercover in a way that prevents Kat from contacting him. Kat isn’t one to sit on the sidelines, so the ever-expanding network of her and Daniel’s contacts is activated. What I liked best about A Silence in Belgrave Square is all the connections Kat has formed. Her friendship with Hannah, a con artist she goes way back with, is engaging and interesting to see play out on the page. Said friendship gives the story a bit of extra energy it needs.

There are two different mysteries at the heart of the book and Kat is making the most of her resources to solve both. I liked watching her put the pieces together, knowing what questions to ask and who can help her get the information. The mysteries aren’t as compelling as watching Kat solve them, but that didn’t overly bother me because I look to the Below Stairs Mysteries more for the relationships than the puzzle of the day. And speaking of relationships, longtime fans of the series will be excited to see things finally progress somewhat for Daniel and Kat, though what happens I’ll leave readers to learn on their own. A Silence in Belgrave Square is an entertaining read and as always, I enjoy spending time with Kat and company and I’m sure fans of the series will feel the same.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[sabagrey · Rating 1 out of 5]

This has been one of my favourite series, and it's sad to see that it is being stretched beyond breaking point. It reads like a poorly cooked hotchpotch of leftover mystery elements. The ingredients are all there, from murder via blackmail to terrorism, including our familiar romance (2 steps forward, 1 step back - which, at least, is a kind of progress from the previous 1 step forward, 2 steps back pattern), including some action & rescue, including a crowd of secondary cast, including the villain's incongruous final lecture to construe a motive by hook or by crook, etc. - but not kneaded enough to produce a smooth, savoury pastry. Kat would never have sent such a dish up for dinner.

Let's see: Daniel is sent on another undercover mission, the last one, and we are told rather than shown how dangerous it is. Consequently, Kat is worried, and she does nothing but whine and worry - beside activating all kinds of helpers to intrude upon the mission. Then the suspense suddenly breaks, mission unaccomplished, and Kat and her army are thrown in to take the mystery to an explosive and wholly unmotivated end. The road that takes us there is bumpy, the carriage swerves and sways around the sudden corners, and the whole lacks logic. Once again we get Fenians, but beside that the silliest blackmail scheme I've ever seen, the most poorly motivated murder I have come across (it's only there to make the danger everyone talks about a bit more believable), and of course a villain who is so unsuspected that he has to give a lengthy talk to conjure up some motivation for his actions. Which is badly done, because the author mixes a spoonful of anarchism with half a cup of anti-imperialism, with a sprinkling of freedom talk on top - none of it makes sense.

I could go on with my rant, but if you don't spot the weaknesses of plot and structure yourself, you are probably among the lucky many who give this book high ratings.

And the worst of it is that the author is unable to let the curtain fall at last. She threatens to squeeze out another instalment. Out of sheer greed, I must assume. I would have loved to see the series come to a good, dignified end. Now I'm not sure whether I'll have the patience to read on.

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

While each of the novels and novellas in the Below the Stairs Mystery contains a fresh mystery, I recommend reading the series in order for the slow-burn romance, character relationships and familiarity one enjoys in a series like this.

Kat Holloway is the cook in a wealthy Victorian London home. She has a daughter named Grace, who lives with her best friend’s family. Kat is visited after dinner by her beau, Daniel McAdam. He visits to tell her he will go undercover locally in a viscount’s home. Kat is immediately worried since Monaghan had told Daniel previously he needed to complete one more mission to be free of the debt he feels Daniel owes for a mission that cost their friend’s life.

Daniel warns Kat not to get involved, and not to acknowledge him should they pass on the street. I knew immediately that our Kat wouldn’t be able to resist looking out for Daniel. Lady Cynthia is distressed when her aunt receives a nasty blackmail letter. She asks Kat to look into it, and soon they discover some of Cynthia’s friends are receiving letters as well.

This was another fantastic mystery with plenty of twists and turns, the Irish mob, political intrigue and danger. I loved meeting Kat’s friend, and seeing how her and Daniel’s friends rally around them to give aid and protection.

While we didn’t get as much page time on our slow-burning romance, the time we did offered movement in the relationship and has me both giddy and sad as I wonder if Ashley is winding down the series.

Even though the mysteries are a pleasure, I think the characters—from Kat’s workplace to Daniel, Lady Cynthia, and Kat’s circle—are what truly make this series. I laughed at Kat’s meddling and admired how clever she was, but not so clever that she didn’t seek help when needed.

For fans of historical mysteries, foodie novels and slow-burning romances highly recommend this series and all of its novellas, which I devour as soon as they publish. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this eighth Below Stairs mystery, Cook Kat Holloway investigates the suspicious circumstances of the death of an elderly viscount Her beau Daniel has been sent into the viscount's home as a personal secretary at the orders of his boss who wants Daniel in dangerous situations and wants him dead. Monaghan has promised that this will be Daniel's last mission for him if he successfully resolves it.

The viscount is suspected of being part of the Irish war for self-rule. The Fenians don't mind some terrorism in the form of bombs in various places if it will help their cause. Managhan wants Daniel to find some proof of the viscount's involvement.

Meanwhile, Lady Cynthia brings Kat's attention to some blackmail letters that have been sent to various ladies with prominent husbands including Lady Cynthia's deceased sister and some of Lady Cynthia's friends. At first, the letters don't seem to have a connection with Daniel's investigation, but ties are found, and the danger ramps up. The second letters demand a payment of the woman using her influence to convince her influential husband or relative to the writer's viewpoint.

Kat isn't going to let Daniel investigate alone despite his orders for her to keep out of it. In fact, none of Daniel's friends are going to let him investigate on his own. Among other things, Kat inserts a friend of hers as a maid in the house and Daniel's foster brother inserts a groom into service for a neighboring household.

This story was an exciting entry into the series. I especially liked that Kat finally comes to realize what she really feels for Daniel. I also like the setting, and the pride Kat takes in her work as a cook.

[Mara Pemberton · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, the book was great. Since I listened to it as an audiobook, my one complaint is how low the narrator conveys Daniel McAdam's voice. It is hard to understand what he is saying, and if I don't catch it, I have to go back and listen to it again. I would be wonderful if the narrator could give Daniel a louder voice.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was entranced by book 7 in this series, Speculations in Sin, and am now a hard core fan. If you are a fan of the late, great Victoria Thompson, this might also be the series for you. Set in Victorian London, the main character, Kat Holloway, is a cook for a wealthy family. While I have read many Victorian mysteries, this is the rare series that focuses on the servants rather than the aristocrats upstairs. They are the minor characters, the downstairs characters – cooks, maids, delivery men, urchin boys – are the main feature.

Kat is the single mother of a daughter, Grace, who lives with a good friend of hers while she works. She’s only able to see Grace once a week on her day out. As a reader, you feel the hard pull every time she leaves her daughter to go back to work. The rest of her heart is occupied by one Daniel McAdam, an undercover policeman who is paying off a dangerous debt. As the book opens, Daniel tells her he’ll be on an assignment for an unspecified period, and they can have absolutely no contact while it’s going on.

Kat is not putting up with this situation, however, and leverages her network of street urchins, Daniel’s son, and other friends to keep a light watch on the house in Belgrave Square where he’s to be working. The wheels are frequently greased by the pastries she prepares and shares out judiciously. She also recruits an old friend, Hannah, to get a job in the household as a maid and keep an eye on things. The two women are able to meet up fairly often, so Kat is able to get a proof of life report, at least.

The case Daniel is working on seems to be following up on the activities of the Fenians, who were using a dynamite bombing campaign to try and secure Home Rule for Ireland. The house where Daniel is working is apparently a nexus of the organization.

To me the strength of this book was the renewed friendship between Hannah and Kat – Hannah is a con artist, basically, but she’s worked as a maid in fancy houses. When she and Kat meet, she’s in deep disguise, sometimes so deep Kat doesn’t recognize her at first. The way the two women illustrate the way society operated in 1880s London from the point of view of the “regular” person is very well done.

There’s also a subplot involving some poison pen letters, giving Kat a legitimate excuse to snoop around, especially as the letters seem to have originated in the very block where Daniel is undercover. To me, the mystery part of the story, which was fine, was the least of it. What is so great about these books are the characters, all of them fully and memorably delineated, the time period, and the snappy pace Ashley keeps up throughout the book. These are brisk, fun, satisfying reads.

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara’s Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Series: A Below Stairs Mystery #8
Publication Date: August 12, 2025
Setting: Victorian London
Pages: 320

One of my favorite aspects of this series is its focus on characters from below stairs. While aristocrats appear, they remain secondary—allowing the real spotlight to shine on the clever, resilient, and resourceful Kat Holloway, a cook with a sharp mind and keen eye for detail. Alongside her is the ever-enigmatic Daniel McAdam—a charming and wily operative with a hidden connection to a secretive branch of Scotland Yard.

Daniel longs to escape the grip of his manipulative superior, Monaghan, who’s had it out for him for years. Monaghan finally offers Daniel a deal: complete this one last mission—his most dangerous yet—and he’ll be free. The case? Infiltrate the household of Viscount Peyton, suspected of conspiring with the Fenians, a radical group willing to commit mass murder in the name of Irish independence.

Meanwhile, Kat takes on a troubling mystery of her own. Several of Lady Cynthia’s friends have received vile blackmail letters, with promises of further instructions to come. When the second letter arrives, the demands take an unexpected turn—leading Kat down a much darker and more complex path.

Although working separately, both Kat and Daniel find themselves navigating escalating dangers. The risks they face also serve to deepen their personal bond, hinting at exciting developments to come in their relationship and lives.

The pacing is tight, the stakes are high, and the dual investigations are expertly interwoven. I especially appreciate how the author continues to build on the characters’ growth while laying intriguing groundwork for future installments.

Will Kat finally open her long-dreamed-of tea shop? Will Daniel uncover the truth about his past—and break free from Monaghan’s grasp? So many tantalizing threads left to explore!

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Barb Lie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Silence in Belgrave Square by Jennifer Ashley is the 8th book in her Below Stairs Mystery series. Refresher: This series takes place in Victorian, England, centered around our heroine Kat Holloway, who is a cook extraordinaire, as well as a great detective. Kat is smart, savvy, independent, loyal and is very protective of her below the stairs staff. As I have noted previously, this series has a wonderful feel of a historical Downton Abbey.

Kat knows that her beau and confidante Daniell McAdam works at Scotland Yard. His mean coldhearted boss pushes him to do one final case, which Daniel puts himself at risk. Daniel is assigned to find the recent plots against the Queen and government. Daniel tells Kat that he will be out of touch for a while; but Kat finds ways to keep an eye on him.

In between, Kat works hard making wonderful dinners for the family in the house that she resides in; Tess is a wonderful assistant to Kat, and Cynthia is a good friend to Kat. Kat’s daughter, Grace lives with a couple, who watch over her, with their own children. Kat and Daniel’s relationship strengthens in this book, and he is determined for them to marry, when his case is done. Kat and her group of friends try to help in any way they can to help protect Daniel. I really loved Kat how she continues to gather information, among her allies and spies. This was an exciting story line.

What follows is another wonderful suspenseful mystery, with Kat having to discover who was the person behind the violent attempts on who was plotting damage in London. A Silence in Bellgrave Square was a well-written and entertaining mystery with its interesting and likeable characters. Once again, Jennifer Ashley gives us a fun story revolving around our heroine, Kat Holloway. A Silence in Bellgrave Square was very well written by Jennifer Ashley. If you enjoy Victorian stories, with a mystery theme, a Downton Abbey background, two very good leading characters and great secondary characters, you should be reading this series.

Barb

[Ariana Ochoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read a few books from the Below Stairs Mystery series, I was very eager to read Jennifer Ashley's new book to see what all Kat Holloway has been up to in her newest mystery.

Kat Holloway is a cook for a wealthy Victorian family living in London. One night, she is visited by her boyfriend Daniel McAdam who is an agent for Scotland Yard. In an attempt to keep Kat out of danger, he tells her that his contentious boss has sent him on one final mission where he must pose as a secretary to a wealthy viscount. This operation will send him away for several months and she is not to interfere. Their parting is bittersweet, but Kat is too clever to stay away and manages to reach out to an old friend (Hannah) to keep an eye on Daniel while he assumes his role as the viscount's secretary. Meanwhile, Lady Cynthia's aunt is being blackmailed and Cynthia sends Kat to investigate. This particular subplot where various aristocrats were sent poison-pen letters was reminiscent of Agatha Christie's book The Moving Finger.

This twisty book was such a delight. There is a sense of danger, dealings with Irish mobsters, and several political issues of the time, all wrapped up into one thrilling mystery! One thing I love about each book in this series is that they work well as standalone books, but it's nice to read them all in sequence to see the progression of Daniel and Kat's relationship. If you are going to pick up this book, at least read the first book so that you grasp the gravity of Kat's past. This book is filled with a wonderful cast of characters, as we see many of Kat and Daniel's friends rally together to pull them out of scrapes. Kat is meddlesome but so very clever. I had forgotten how much I loved reading this series!

If you enjoy historical mysteries in the Victorian era, you will love this book!

Many thanks to the the author and NetGalley for the ARC. This review is voluntary, and all thoughts are my own.

[Minna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley, and Ms. Ashley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

Honestly this series just keeps getting better and better. Ms. Ashley is a master of keeping that plot moving forward at a jump while ever-so-slowly moving things along between the female main character and her slowest-of-all-slow-burns love interest. In fact in book #8 things make (for this series, anyway) HUGE jumps forward in all areas. Kat is finally seriously considering taking a step towards her dream of owning a stall or tea shop, bringing Grace back under her roof, and making things official with Daniel; Daniel too is finally able to contemplate a career move. At least twice Kat mentions that Tess will be on her own soon too - either striking out as a cook in her own right, or marrying, which I feel is some major foreshadowing. This is such a natural growth progression for the series, though. And don't worry, there's still plenty of cooking from our talented Kat. Even better, there's less Bywaters in this book, which was just fine by me.

The mystery this time had to do with Fenians, which is a portion of history I'm not too familiar with, and plots for and against Irish Home Rule. Meanwhile there's simultaneously blackmail letters going around to society ladies, and Kat gets involved in that mystery because Lady Cynthia's deceased sister "receives" one. I flew through this book at top speed. I don't think Ms. Ashley has ever written a book I disliked but I'm happy to say this one was GREAT. I really really enjoyed seeing Kat (finally) make steps forward in her personal and professional life. CANNOT WAIT for book #9.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Patsyann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This could be the last book in the series - some statements from the hero in the last chapters leads me to believe it may not be - but if it is I am satisfied in the ending.
In this book, Daniel gets a dangerous job, tells Kat not to interfere and Kat figures out a way to - interfere.
It is a book about secrets. Daniel's secret job, the secret police, people telling secrets to other people, people keeping secrets - so everyone either has a secret or knows a secret. And in the middle of all this there is a blackmailer sending letters threatening the reveal of secrets .
Lots of evil men, police and royalty.
Kat helps Daniel get information and one way that she does this is by having a seance to try to find out the secret of the death of a Viscount.
But the best part of this book is that Kat expresses her love for Daniel and Daniel proposes and Kat accepts.
Maybe the reason he proposes is that Kat's life is put in mortal danger twice!! They don't want to lose one another- so now they plan a wedding!!
One of my favorite Kat Halloway books!!
BEST USE OF: pretending to be someone else to get into a house, dynamite, map in wheelchair
ALPHA MALE: 10
SPUNKY HEROINE: 10
CUTE CHILDREN: Only Grace and another teen boy, no James.
SEX: 2 - embraces, forehead to forehead action
HEA: Yes!! Big HEA
PROLOGUE/EPILOGUE: neither - but there will be another book
Rating:
10 - keeper forever and money will be spent on next book that comes out next summer
Heat:
2 - not very hot - the stove was hotter then the sex.
COVER COVERS IT: Just doesn't cover the story - if the woman on the front was dressed in a brown dress - it would
HOLLYWOOD CALLING: This series should be a TV series

[Lynn Latimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kat Holloway’s job as head cook to a family in 1877 Victorian London comes with a lot of responsibilities including working for a very fussy lady of the house, shepherding those who work under her, and long hours of toil. Her second secret job in each story is working with Daniel MacAdams, who is her beau and partner in solving and averting crimes usually to do with the wealthy ton. Daniel has long a held job under duress working in secret for Scotland Yard.

In this installment, Daniel is once again forced to take a very dangerous job posing as a secretary to a viscount, who though is in precarious health, appears to be part of a conspiracy against the government as well as for Ireland Home Rule in a violent way. Ancillary to Daniel’s assignment which keeps him away from for a good portion of the story, Kat hears that several wealthy women, who are friends of Kat despite the class differences, are being blackmailed for a political agenda as well.

Though given strict instructions from Daniel and his boss to not interfere, Kat finds several work arounds through her and Daniel’s various backstreet contacts and allies; they help ferret out the felons and save many lives. Kat puts herself at quite a serious risk to protect the man she has come to care for deeply as well as endangering their friends. This book is number eight in the Below Stairs Mystery series. Readers will be pleased to see a progression in Kat and Daniel’s relationship and a possible new direction in Daniel’s work.

[KelseyreadsHR · Rating 4 out of 5]

A historical mystery told in the first person point-of-view by Kat, a downstairs cook in Mayfair.

I’ve only read one other Jennifer Ashley book and it was a historical romance. And while that’s usually the main sub-genre I stick to, I enjoy HR with mystery side plots and been enjoying Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock series as well. This one grabbed my attention even though I jumped into this series pretty late in the game.

I knew going in that this world was already well established. As a whole, I had no problem reading this as a standalone. There’s enough backstory given of Kat and Daniel’s history and side characters that I was able to follow and immerse myself in the story. I felt Kat’s struggles as a single parent and depth of her connection with Daniel.

The story centers on a blackmail plot that involves Lady Cynthia and her friends and also a political plot that Daniel finds himself embroiled in.

Filled with intrigue, found family, and working class people enriching their lives with loved ones and trying to achieve their dreams. I was captivated and entertained all the way through.

It was written as if it could be a series finale, tying up several loose ends with side characters. And with Kat and Daniel with what could be their HEA but the author left it open that it could continue on if wanted.

A Silence in Belgrave Square is the eighth book in A Below Stairs Mystery series.

I received an advance reader copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kat Holloway, a talented cook in this Victorian era series, also dabbles in amateur sleuthing and has proven herself adept at solving murders. However, her current situation is quite different. Her beau, Daniel, has been assigned a dangerous mission in his role as an agent for Scotland Yard, and Kat is deeply concerned about his safety, especially since he will be out of touch for several weeks.

Daniel’s assignment is to pose as a secretary to an older viscount, as a dangerous plot against the Queen is suspected. This in a way parallels to what Kat is currently working on. More than one of the people in her close circle have fallen victim to blackmailing, so Kat juggles her cooking responsibilities with investigating whoever it is that could be behind the blackmail scheme.

Kat’s worries for Daniel’s well-being are justified as those close to Daniel make every effort to keep her informed. Hopefully, Kat and Daniel’s inquiries will converge before any threat to their lives escalates.

This Below Stairs cozy mystery series has been a delight book after book. With Kat’s intelligence, likability, and diverse roles as a loving mother, Daniel’s perfect partner, an exceptional cook, and an amateur sleuth, she has been captivating readers Daniel might be done with Scotland Yard, and with the exciting conclusion to this book in mind, I can’t wait to see where Jennifer Ashley goes next with this series.

Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this book for review. This is my honest opinion.

[No Apology Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Profuse thanks to Jennifer Ashley, Berkley, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I adore this series. That's the crux of it. There's always an exciting, well-paced mystery to solve, though I admittedly do not prefer the ones that involve politics. But Kat's just a cook, not a detective or inspector, so Ashley has to get creative about how Kat manages to sleuth and figure things out, since she's not often directly involved. She's got a lot of useful friends and a good brain.

Speaking of her friends, I think we managed to check in with just about everyone, and even met a couple new ones! I loved Hannah and Sean and look forward to seeing them again. Rough on the outside, perhaps, but hearts of gold, like all of Kat's friends. I wish we'd seen more of James, not entirely sure why. He's just a bright, charming lad. I'm also strangely disappointed his and Grace's ship isn't intended, but I suppose that's for the best. I think the tidyness of them together appealed to me more than the reality of it.

I really hope Berkley allows Ashley to continue this series. I can't wait to dig into Daniel's past, see how Kat's stall goes, and watch them figure out how to blend their lives and navigate marriage. I'll mark that as a spoiler, but is it, really? It's been intended from the start.

My only complaints are how hungry for pastries this book made me and the many typos. But the latter are expected in an ARC, hopefully they were corrected for the final.

Can't wait for the next one!

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Silence in Belgrave Square" is a mystery set in 1884 in London, England. This is the 8th book in the series. You don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the mysteries of the previous books.

Kat started off investigating a series of blackmail letters based off of dated information while Daniel went undercover to investigate a suspected bombing plot. Kat couldn't stand the danger Daniel was in and so did things that drew attention to herself (along with the danger). In the end, she basically dropped her investigation in favor of solving the bombing plot and the murder of several people in the household that Daniel was intended to investigate. The mystery was clue-based. Kat asked questions and followed up on leads. She again charged off to confront a murderer (this time to save someone and assuming help was on the way), creating a suspenseful ending.

The main characters were interesting and likable. Historical details were woven into the story. There was no sex. There was occasional use of of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful mystery.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Sarah Abelson Eelkema · Rating 4 out of 5]

For fans of: Deanna Raybourn, Anna Lee Huber
Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕
Genre: Historical Mystery
Violence: 🪓
Spice: 🔥

Premise: Book 8 in Below Stairs series. Kat faces 2 quandaries. Has her beau’s unscrupulous Met boss endangered Daniel by placing him undercover in a Mayfair home? And who is blackmailing upper-class woman across London?

Thoughts: Writing an amateur detective story challenges the writer to generate feasible scenarios for why & how their sleuth investigates a crime. Ashley compounds things with her protagonist, Kat, a cook in 1880s London, to whom many doors are closed & whose time is accountable to her mistress. The author surmounts these obstacles by providing Kat a found family of aristocrats, servants, even denizens of the underworld. This cast adds color to every story while helping crack the mystery. Add Kat’s talent for organization, attention to detail, & prodigious memory, & she’s well-suited to solve the twisty puzzle presented in A Silence in Belgrave Square. I 💖 how the novel marries danger from Irish sympathizers, threats to free-thinking women, & the importance of family, making it both plot-driven & strong on character development. As always, Ashley transports me to Victorian London & leaves me salivating for Kat’s cooking.

Thank you to Berkley & NetGalley for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Tracy Emro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cook Kat Holloway learns from Daniel McAdam, the man she is romantically involved with, that he will be on a mission for Scotland Yard and will not be around. Kat being the industrious and clever woman that she is, figures out pretty quickly where he is and keeps an eye on him, something that is made easier when she has her own mystery to solve.

I made a mistake by jumping into this series blind, I was lost from page one, not knowing anything about the characters and the fact that it is written in the first person made it hard to get into the story. I have read all of Ms. Ashley’s previous books and loved them, so when the opportunity for me to read one of her mysteries came my way, I jumped at the chance. But unfortunately, I was not able to appreciate this book to the fullest because I have not read the previous books. I think if you have been reading this series from the start, you will love it, but not having done so, this book just didn’t hit right for me.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

[Homerun2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series featuring cook Kat Holloway is a favorite. It's 19th century London, and Kat's gentleman friend Daniel is on a dangerous assignment which stems from Scotland Yard. We find out later this is the beginning of the Special Branch, originally created to deal with Irish terrorists.

Kat hasn't had the easiest life and she is independent and strong-willed. Her daughter is lodged with a friend's family and Kat guards her time with her carefully. When Daniel tells her he will be out of touch for a while, Kat figures out where he will be and finds ways to keep an eye on him.

We see their relationship strengthen in this outing, and Daniel, while often exasperated by her sometimes reckless behavior, accepts her for who she is. Meanwhile the plot unrolls, featuring Fenians, bombings, and murder.

Kat is brave and occasionally foolhardy but she has an eye for solving crimes. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[JoAn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The eighth book in this series starts with Daniel leaving for a new undercover assignment that may keep him from seeing Kat for some time. Kat herself becomes embroiled in a blackmail mystery brought to her by Lady Cynthia. Now the fun begins.

With Ms. Ashley's usual attention to detail and tightly woven plot, I was pulled into the story from the first. These characters have become old friends now since I started this series from the beginning. There were many threads for Kat to follow to unravel the blackmailing scheme but many of them lead her to the house on Belgrave Square where Daniel is undercover. Twists and red herrings expertly scattered throughout the story kept me guessing until the dramatic reveal. I was completely caught off guard by this ending which I loved.

I voluntarily reviewed a digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from Berkley Publishing via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
 

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Kat Holloway series is one of my favorites in the historical mystery genre.  We're well into the series now and I would read these books in order.   Daniel is working for Mongahan on a new dangerous case which may be his most dangerous and hopefully, last one.

Kat, being a cook, means there are lots of food references which I love.  There are her co-workers in the household.  Her daughter, Grace is a teen now and she gets a visit just twice a week with her.  It's a difficult time in history for women with limited choices.  Kat is starting to ponder these options for Grace. 

She wants a life with Daniel and is frustrated with being unable to work with him on this case.  He is posing as secretary to a man in a wheelchair who seems favorable to Irish Home Rule  and possibly the Fenians.  She has a friend of sorts who is a con artist who goes in to pose as a maid.   Mr. Fielding has his "men" placed next door in the stables to watch out for him.

Lady Cynthia and her friends are concerned about blackmail letters.  They seem to be all to women who have men they can pressure.  The one that came to the house was for her sister though, who died 3 years ago.  They ponder who would want to pressure officials and who would be privy to the various gossip but can't come up with anyone or even one couple who would have both aspects.

Things get dire before they resolve and of course, Kat is right in the middle of it.   Her views on Daniel, his work, and her own work seem to be updated at the end.  I've thought that before though, and the next book seems back to the status quo.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kat Holloway’s beau Daniel McAdam has a talent for dangerous work as a Scotland Yard agent. When his boss puts him on a dangerous case and promises that this will be his last one if he can solve it. On an investigation of her own, Kat discovers some of her friends and colleagues have been victims of blackmail. If Kat and Daniel wish to save each other and the crown they must prove the blackmailer’s identity and stop the ones who are trying to eliminate them.

This novel really had a sense of urgency because Kat spent a good majority of her time worrying over Daniel’s safety. Of course, being an investigator herself, she couldn’t stand by with Daniel in possible danger, she was going to do everything possible to keep him safe. When her own investigation begins to parallel Daniel’s the reader realizes that Kat too, may be in danger. The pace and tension in the story build until I was literally on the edge of my seat.

With Daniel’s life in possible danger, Kat must face her feelings for him, and there are some very tender scenes (finally!). I was afraid this meant the series was over, but low and behold, a 9th book is on pre-order already so never fear, or intrepid amateur sleuth and her beau will be back in action solving mysteries again in the near future. I can’t wait!

[Brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

***SPOILERS!!!***

YAY!!! Finally, Daniel and Kat got things together and are engaged! I'm so happy! I loved the many-layered plot with the blackmail letters, all the stuff surrounding Ireland, and trying to figure out just what was going on with it all. I definitely didn't guess the villain, and was even surprised at some of the revelations. But honestly, I read these for the characters, the Victorian setting, and the theme of family. Yes, I love the mysteries and I ¬ink Kat is exceedingly brave but also intelligent about it, but this series sticks with me more because of what I mentioned above. I can't believe I have to wait for the next one. I need to see the wedding, but something tells me that's a few books away.

[Salina Gangle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional!

I didn't realize that anew book was coming until Amazon emailed about the release. I bought it immediately. This is not my usual genre for reading. I leaned more toward supernatural and fantasy But Once I read the 1st book I was hooked. The characters are well developed The stories are engaging And I just love cat she's awesome I look forward to each new book if it comes out in this series and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good read. Thank you to Jennifer Ashley for bringing these stories to life

[Kathleen Freeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am fan of the historical fiction mystery genre and this series is a great one. Kat works as a cook in great house, however she always seems to have some sort of mystery to solve. In this book when Daniel (her male friend) says he is going to be away for awhile on an assignment in a home in London, Kat can’t help herself but to find a way to help Daniel. I like the range of characters in this series and particularly like the scenes with Kat and her daughter and Kat and Daniel. This book had a very satisfying ending giving us hope that there will be more books to come in the series.

[Sam Andriese · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Silence in Belgrade Square was by far the best book in Jennifer Ashley's Below Stairs Mystery Series. When Daniel has to go undercover to stop a treasonous plot, Kat and her group of friends try to help in any way they can. Kat and Daniel's relationship also solidifies into something more permanent. While this book put an end to Daniel's service to Monaghan, the ending left the door open for more books in the future.

[Greyland Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
e-arc provided by Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley for honest review
The beginning did start a little slow but the later half made up. I just enjoy reading Kat's adventures and her cooking and how nefarious she can get. Crossing fingers there's one more book (possibly another novella also) to wrap up this wonderful series.
Trigger Warnings: murder, misogyny, xenophobia mentioned, and bombing attempts