First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt becomes embroiled in a murder mystery when one of her staff members, Pamela Rush-Hodgeborne, is accused of murder. Pamela's boyfriend, Phillip Garber (son of a powerful congressman), died soon after drinking a few sips of a cocktail mixed by Pamela. Somehow, the bottle of bitters was laced with cyanide and Pamela is immediately arrested. Although she protests her innocence, no one but Mrs. Roosevelt believes her. When it later comes to light that Pamela and Phillip are also suspected of a large jewel heist in England things begin to look very dark for pretty Pamela. Mrs. Roosevelt works closely with a Washington DC police detective, an incognito Scotland Yard inspector, and, against her will, the odious J. Edgar Hoover, to clear Pamela's name. Together they travel to some of the seamier gambling clubs in the area where they deal with gangsters, strippers and jewel thieves all in the name of justice.
For the most part this was a pleasant little cozy mystery and it was rather fun to have Eleanor Roosevelt cast as an amateur detective. The number of characters became a bit overwhelming towards the end but the eventual reveal of the culprit was clever. ( )

Listened to NLS Talking Book version for the library's book club. I'm not a fan of cozy mysteries, but the story was intriguing involving two mysteries: Who killed Philip Garber? and, Who stole the Earl's diamonds? If you're interested in the historical of the Roosevelts and the war era, you'll enjoy it. ( )