The Butler by Clare Mackintosh:

5 stars

Baxter left his previous position under less-than-perfect circumstances and desperately needs this post… even if it means compromising his ethics. Burglary and murder, however, are more than he bargained for.

If you want to know whether the butler did it in The Butler, you’ll have to read it yourself. I will say that the setting is magnificent. Clare Mackintosh brings the sun, sea, and luxury to life — a little window into the lives of the ultra-rich and the resilient souls who cater to their whims and moods.

This crowd — Alec, Damian, Sylvie, Francesca, Kaitlyn, Carter, and Jade — has the entitlement, self-indulgence, and misogyny well-covered…yet, some of them are almost endearing. When one of their number is thinned out, two actually mourn the loss.

Baxter, the butler, Thierry, the chef, Miriam, the housekeeper, and Red, a pickpocket turned maid, live in another world — one filled with personal failings, quiet heartbreak, opportunistic predation, and financial stress. Theirs is the heart of this story — where compassion, love, loyalty, and diligence mingle with suspicion.

Mackintosh’s style is sharp and elegant; the mystery, brazen. In hindsight, the solution feels obvious — the clues were always there. I just got caught up in the contrasts, the private dramas, and the amateur sleuthing. They were worthy distractions — a soap opera on the Riviera.

The Butler is as well-furnished, textured, and rich in detail as any luxury villa. If you enjoy the finer things in life — a good puzzle, a grisly murder, maybe some wine or chocolate, and a view, this is for you!

Thank you, Podium Entertainment, for the opportunity to read The Butler. I received a complimentary copy through NetGalley, and I am writing this review voluntarily.