Ghost and Mrs Jeffries (Little, Brown Book Group)

This charming series of Victorian murder mysteries features mild-mannered Inspector Witherspoon of Scotland Yard and, more importantly, Mrs Jeffries, his housekeeper. A policeman's widow herself, her quick wits allow her to nudge the Inspector in the right direction to solve the crime. Early in the new year, Mrs. Hodges attends her first seance and the medium foresees her death. That same night, the prediction comes true, and Scotland Yard's Inspector Witherspoon, is on the case. As ever, his housekeeper Mrs Jeffries is observing and coming to her conclusions. "Witherspoon sighed. He'd so hoped that 1887 would be a good year, one that wouldn't have people murdering one another every time one turned around."