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The name Jane Jeffry refers to a series of detective novels written Jill Churchill. Jane Jeffry is also the name of the series protagonist.
Order of Jane Jeffry Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grime and Punishment | 1989 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | A Farewell to Yarns | 1991 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | A Quiche Before Dying | 1993 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | The Class Menagerie | 1994 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | A Knife to Remember | 1994 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | From Here to Paternity | 1995 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | Silence of the Hams | 1996 | Description / Buy | |
| 8 | War and Peas | 1996 | Description / Buy | |
| 9 | Fear of Frying | 1997 | Description / Buy | |
| 10 | The Merchant of Menace | 1998 | Description / Buy | |
| 11 | A Groom with a View | 1999 | Description / Buy | |
| 12 | Mulch Ado About Nothing | 2000 | Description / Buy | |
| 13 | The House of Seven Mabels | 2002 | Description / Buy | |
| 14 | Bell, Book, and Scandal | 2003 | Description / Buy | |
| 15 | A Midsummer Night's Scream | 2004 | Description / Buy | |
| 16 | The Accidental Florist | 2007 | Description / Buy |
Jane Jeffry is new to her community. The single mother has three children that she must raise on her own. Jane lost her husband in an accident. However, she quickly finds that her close-knit community is exactly what she needs to maintain her sanity.
This is despite the fact that Jane’s life is so hectic. She spends her days cooking, cleaning, and attending her children’s many events and school meetings. Jane’s life takes an interesting turn when the community’s cleaner dies.
Everyone in the community knew the victim in question because they all employed her. And while some thought she was wonderful, others couldn’t say enough about her incompetence and lazy attitude.
When the woman turns up dead in Grime and Punishment’, the first novel in the Jane Jeffry series, Jane makes it her mission to find her killer. Life as a single mother doesn’t give Jane much time to go out collecting clues and solving crimes.
However, she realizes that her daily routine brings her into contact with so many of her community’s residents that she has plenty of opportunities to investigate them and identify the killer.
Jane embarks on the journey in the company of her friend Shelley, and she succeeds in her endeavors because Jane understands people. She knows what makes them tick and that allows her to masterfully maneuver through their lies and excuses to get to the truth.
Most of the Jane Jeffry series is spent following Jane around as she lives her busy life. Readers are provided a glimpse into her routine as she organizes parties and participates in bazaars.
A number of readers have complained that the author spends so much time exploring the minutiae of Jane’s simple life in her simple town that the mystery suffers. However, Jill Churchhill’s fans appreciate the effort she injects into immersing her readers into the cozy little community her heroine inhabits, not to mention giving them intriguing insight into Jane’s close friends and neighbors.
The Jane Jeffry novels are safe to read for most age groups because they are devoid of coarse language or sexual content. Even the murders are not so gruesome as to turn anyone off.
Best Jane Jeffry Books
The Jane Jeffry novels tell simple straightforward mysteries that will appeal to fans of the cozy mystery genre; these are some of the best titles on offer:
A Farewell to Yarns: Jane Jeffry is a single mother who isn’t necessarily looking forward to Christmas, not because she doesn’t like the festivities but, rather, the holiday tends to make her schedule all the more complicated.
This time, Jane has to worry about the Bazaar that her church is organizing and she doesn’t know if she can successfully maneuver the politics at play. This is on top of all the knitting she still has to do to get everything ready.
Jane has little patience for Phyllis , an old acquaintance who comes calling with her son. Jane is willing to put up with Phylis’ presence. She isn’t quite as inviting with the murder mystery that develops when Phyllis ends up dead.
Even with all the problems she has on her plate, Jane cannot help but investigate the mystery, especially when a second corpse is discovered.
The Class Menagerie: Shelley’s high school club is holding a gathering that will run for two days, and Jane Jeffry has agreed to help her friend get everything ready. This is despite her busy schedule as a single mother with three children.
But Jane doesn’t mind. The event gives her plenty of chances to pick up on interesting gossip. Though, the fun quickly ends when a body turns up. Jane must determine whether the murder has anything to do with a scandal from Shelley’s high school days.
Other Books You May Like
Many readers have enjoyed the “Chocolate Covered” Series by Kathy Aarons. Erica Russell and Michelle Serrano are best friends who run a shop that combines a bookstore with a chocolate store. When they are not busy reaping the rewards of their brilliant business operation, they can be found solving murders.
Be sure to check out the “Meg Langslow” series by Donna Andrews as well. Meg Langslow is a decorative blacksmith in Virginia who doesn’t let her success stop her from solving the mysteries and murders that manifest in her community.
What Is The Next Book in The Jane Jeffry Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Jane Jeffry Series. The newest book is The Accidental Florist and was released on January, 1st 2007.