Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler Clifford have spent weeks planning the Christmas Eve lunch for the local villagers of Little Buckford, not helped by the antics of Gladstone, the bulldog she inherited from her late uncle, Lord Byron Henley.
What she had not planned for was the mysterious death of one of the runners in the fun-run race around Henley Hall. The dead man had delivered the coal that morning and was had seemed genuinely surprised to be invited to join in the village lunch and the entertainment.
Did he really die of a heart attack that day?
It soon becomes clear that several local citizens had good reason to dislike the dead man but when he vicar is taken ill with what looks like poison and Lady Eleanor is accused of having poisoned berries in her own kitchen, she knows speed is of the essence. She has to clear her name and get to the truth.
As the first snow falls on Henley Hall Eleanor and her crew have a lot of work to do to find the killer before it is too late.
This period detail of rural England in the 1920s really make this latest mystery from Verity Bright sparkle. The poverty, lack of education and strict class structure of the time are used to highlight social and financial injustice.

This is the fourth book in the Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, and even though I have not read the other books I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It's a really good cosy mystery, with the perfect amount of cosiness to put the reader in the Christmas spirit.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

This series is pure delight! The first page hadn’t been turned and I was already chuckling at Lady Eleanor Swift and Clifford’s jibes!

It was almost Christmas at Henley Hall and Lady Swift was continuing her uncle’s tradition of the townsfolk at the Hall enjoying the Christmas lunch, the activities and fun events. There was plenty of food and drink to be had by all, and gifts as well. Gladstone the bulldog wasn’t sure what was going on, but he was having a rollicking time. But when one of the guests dropped dead at the end of the fun run out in the snow, Ellie would stop at nothing to discover who murdered the man on her property.

With Clifford by her side, Lady Swift set to with her trusty notebook and pen, and the two bounced theories, questions and ideas off one another while travelling in the Rolls as well as drinking tea at the Hall. But was it too difficult this time around? Was the murderer too clever? After all, Lady Swift had been embroiled in three previous murders – she was slightly over the horrors of murder.

Murder in the Snow by Verity Bright is the 4th in A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, and I loved it! This series is getting better by the book. Fun, entertainment, mystery, murders, good looking detectives, food and drink – what more could you want? Plus, I adore Clifford – stiff upper lip with a dry wit; he and Lady Swift get along famously. Murder in the Snow is a well written historical mystery that I highly recommend. I’m already looking forward to #5.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Murder in the Snow is the fourth instalment in the Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in 1920s Little Buckford, Buckinghamshire. Amateur sleuth Lady Eleanor is about to experience her first Christmas as Lady of the Manor. Having inherited her late Uncle —Lord Byron Henley's— country estate along with his elderly bulldog, Master Gladstone, she decides to host a fabulous Christmas Eve party at Henley Hall to continue the traditions her uncle set. The whole village is invited to join in the festivities; there's the traditional fun run through the vast grounds of the Hall, delicious food, mulled wine, mince pies, gingerbread, mead and plenty of games. Everything is painstakingly prepared by butler Clifford and her other staff, all of whom are loyal to her. Everyone is excited as the fun run begins and entrants become incredibly competitive. Unfortunately, the fun doesn't last long as grumpy sailor turned coal merchant Conrad Canning seemingly suffers a heart attack and collapses and dies. Both Doctor Browning and DCI Seldon believe it to be a death by natural causes and put it down to a fatal heart attack brought about by the strenuous exercise, but Ellie isn't so sure.

Ellie and Clifford begin to investigate and when the local vicar, Reverend Gaskell, and his housekeeper, Mrs Fontaine, fall ill it surely can't be a coincidence... This is a compulsive and charming historical crime novel and a seasonal treat that immerses you in the joy of Christmas and lets you escape the current situation for a while. I get a lovely, warm, fuzzy feeling inside when reading Verity Bright's novels, and this one is no exception. In their efficient manner, Eleanor and Clifford team up to try to solve the case before it ruins Christmas. I loved that there was a touch of romance between Ellie and Seldon as it's been clear for a while that there's chemistry between them but only now have they both acknowledged it; it has me wondering how that will develop in future instalments. There are plenty of twists, a very festive feeling to proceedings and characters who are beautifully fleshed out and now feel as though they are friends. I adore this engaging and compelling series and the way each book just keeps getting better and better. A delightful, entertaining and atmospheric historical crime cosy. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

Murder in the Snow is the fourth book in A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series by Verity Bright.

This installment is Christmas related as the whole village gets to celebrate the holiday in Eleanor's manor. There is also a traditional fun race that ends up with a casualty. Not so beloved villager is found dead in the snow.
It's up to Verity and Clifford to solve the mysterious death, not heart attack as charming Detective Seldon thinks.
They race against the time before more accidental deaths occur.

As always truly charming, but so much more this time as it is especially festive.
I really enjoy the banter and the relationship between Ellie and Clifford, it is almost as if he has taken on a roll of her uncle rather than her butler.
Recurring characters are wonderful as always and bring so much to the whole story and it distinguishes this book from the similar ones.

I do find the books to be sometimes a bit slow going with unnecessary dialogue and lot of description that causes me to lose interest but I keep going as I know there is a good story waiting to happen.
I like Detective Seldon and wish she would choose him over Lancelot. I quite often behaves as an idiot and is not suitable for Ellie. I wish that this love triangle doesn't go on for too long.

Having tried to read - and abandoned - several modern takes on Golden Age crime recently, my hopes were not particularly high for Murder In The Snow. But to my surprise I found myself actually enjoying it quite a bit. It would make perfect reading for fans of Robin Stevens' Wells & Wong series: while this is aimed at adults, there's nothing in it that would particularly alarm younger readers, and Lady Eleanor - with her habit of making lists of suspects and pushing against the gender mores of 1920s society - reminded me of a delightful amalgam of Daisy and Hazel. While the period details may not always be wholly accurate, they are tackled significantly better than in other attempts at Golden Age pastiche I have read, and the festive touches make this the perfect book to curl up with by a fire this Christmas.

I am really enjoying this series and look forward to each new book as it comes out. They have such pretty covers too!

Lady Eleanor Swift is really growing into her role in society now and in Murder in the Snow she hosts a big Christmas event for the whole village. Of course someone dies in suspicious circumstances and Ellie and her faithful butler Clifford are obliged to investigate. The relationship between these two is wonderful and some of their dialogue is very funny indeed.

Great setting, interesting and fun characters and a good mystery all make this an excellent book. I was happy to see Ellie begin to sort out her love life although Detective Seldon is going to need to be a bit more proactive if their relationship is to go very far! At the moment he seems rather dull for the lively Lady Swift.

I am looking forward to the next book already!

“Everyone may not be good, but there’s always something good in everyone. Never judge anyone shortly because every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.” - Oscar Wilde

One of my favorite amateurs detective duo are back! This the 4th book in the series and it can be read as standalone. This is such a cozy mystery. It's a perfect #ChristmasRead 🎄🎁.

Lady Eleanor(Ellie) is excited to celebrate her first country Christmas and to host the entire village at her home, Henley Hall for games, gifts and good old Christmas cheer. But tragedy strikes when during the fun run one of the guests drops dead.

The handsome Det. Seldon is convinced it's a heart attack. But Eleanor and her butler and partner sleuth Clifford aren't so sure. Specially since it's similar to the way her Uncle died.

Soon after the vicar is poisoned and the cases might just be connected. To top it off one of her staff is accused to be the culprit. She is running out of time. And has a village full of suspects.

Reading this put me in such a good mood. I had a lovely cheerful and mysterious journey. Loved Ellie's character development. Not to mention the killer, I did guess who the killer was but couldn't guess the motive at all. When that was revealed it was so sad. I'm very excited to see how they deal with the revelation of her Uncle's death.

There was but a hint of romance. Ellie is a bit confused between her two suitors. She seems to be leaning more towards the Detective in this one. Oh Lancelot.

Reading the description of the decorations and the food has me determined to cook something special this Christmas.
I need to get my hands on book 2 and 3 as well.

Gladstone is upto his usual antics as the only master dog of a manor should.🐶
I missed Clifford's witty and sarcastic humor & quotes. And Ellie, we see her protecting her staff like a lioness and treat them like family.

It is Eleanor Swift's first Christmas as Lady of the Manor and she is determined to continue all the traditions put in place by her late uncle. The most popular is the Christmas Eve get together for the entire village of Little Buckford. After partaking of the beautiful food and extra special festive mead, all prepared by her loyal and willing staff, the highlight of the day is the traditional Christmas fun run through the grounds of Henley Hall.

When one of the runners collapses and dies Eleanor and her indomitable butler, Clifford, are convinced the man was murdered. Unfortunately the police disagree and as the victim was universally disliked no one else is too worried about why or how he died. After more victims are struck down and a link to Eleanor’s family and staff is discovered it becomes clear time is of the the essence if they are to prevent more deaths occurring before the new year is rung in.

Once again Verity Bright has written a fun, atmospheric, cosy historic crime this time with a festive theme. This is a series which gets better with each new book and was a pleasure to read. Eleanor’s relationship with her staff, close neighbours, and the local constabulary is once again pivotal to the storyline with scenes involving far more of the running of the household than usual which I loved.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a brilliant Christmas tale of murder set in very different time which is a great read.

What a fun mystery with characters you will enjoy! Lady Eleanor throws a Christmas party for the local villagers in the style of her uncle, but unfortunately one of them dies during it. Will this mar future festivities at her home? Was this a murder or natural death? Eleanor and her butler Clifford join forces to sort out the situation and get back to normal on her estate.

This was my first Eleanor Swift mystery, but you don't need to read the rest to be able to follow along with this story. It's a quick read perfect for this time of year!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my review!

A fun cozy read, perfect for the holidays. This book was my introduction to the Lady Eleanor Swift mystery series. A fast paced, easy read; very entertaining. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am really enjoying this series and can't wait to recommend it to my library for purchase. The characters are interesting and I love the village setting. The mystery keeps me guessing and I really like the butler.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another great read by Verity Bright. Lady Eleanor Swift is ushering in her first Christmas and New Years at the Hall. Naturally, since Ellie is involved, things don't go as planed and the local coal seller falls dead. Everyone in the town quickly becomes a suspect and the mans past comes back to haunt him. Unfortunately, Ellie's cook becomes a suspect so Ellie and her trusted butler must take on the case and figure out who killed the man and why.

Verity Bright does a wonderful job bringing the reader into the hall. Her descriptions of all the holiday decorations and food makes the reader feel like they are really there eating and dancing along with the rest of the town. I loved all the Christmas feelings and merriment this book brought out. It was a perfect winter cozy to pass the long winter days. The plot was well thought out, no gaping holes or pieces that don't quite fit. I'm looking forward to the next in the series. I only hope one of these novels might jump back to Ellie's travels. That would be a fun read too!

I loved this book! I have already read two books from this series and I was so happy to meet again with Eleanor and her butler Clifford. I love their realtionship and sassiness, I chuckled quite a few times during their dialogues. I also enjoyed the secondary characters (everyone living at Henley Hall with Eleanor) and how the relationship between Eleanor and Inspector Seldon is evolving (I couldn't understand what she found in Lancelot anyway). The story was very well written. I did have some suspicions about the murderer at some point but without guessing the motive. So far I think it's the strongest story and I cannot wait for the next book!

I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Agatha Christie and Downton Abbey.

Thank you to the publisher who provided me with an e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I missed the intermediate story between this one and the last I read. I seemed to have missed a significant change of heart. Eleanor is now reconsidering who her heart belongs to because of something that happens in the third adventure. Since I did not get a chance to pick it up, I can only speculate. This time we arrive at Henley Hall amidst the first Christmas Celebrations with Ellie at the helm. She is concerned about keeping up with traditions but intends to be herself and do her best. The biggest hurdle comes when one of the least liked people in town drops dead. I guessed who the culprit was ( but not the reason) halfway into the investigation, but it did not bother me as it could have.<br>The formula remains the same, a list of suspects followed by verification of alibis. There is a bit of misdirection thrown into the mix, and Eleanor is thrown right into it all. The narrative style stays snappy and kept me involved throughout. Once again, this was a single sitting read. Especially since Eleanor is the one who identifies the root cause which cracks the case, something that is not as evident in the previous instalments
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. Murder is the Snow is a cute cozy title in the Lady Eleanor Swift series. I enjoyed this seasonal title that finds Lady Eleanor in the thick of a murder despite her plans to just enjoy the holiday season. Following in her uncle's footsteps of hosting the local village at a holiday celebration that includes food and games. During a foot race, one of the runners, Mr. Canning, collapses before finishing and dies. Eleanor and her trusty butler Clifford determine that Canning was murder and not just died of a bad heart. The more they learn about Canning, the more suspects they have. Can they figure which of the many suspects did Canning in?

As always with this series, my favorite part is the characters. Eleanor is charming as always, and I love Clifford and his unflappableness when it comes to Eleanor and the situations she finds herself in. I think overall the mystery in this book is the strongest in the series with a few twists I didn't see coming. On the romantic front, Eleanor finds herself drawn to Detective Chief Inspector Seldon, but they seem to always find themselves at some odds with all the murders she keeps investigating; what about Lancelot and her feelings for him? Readers looking for a nice cozy will love this book and series. I look forward to many more titles.

Enjoyed each chapter til the very end.
A cozy historical mystery set in 1920’s England, with great characters and intelligent plot.
This is the first book I have read from this author, and definitely would not be the last. Can’t wait to read the next instalment

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Murder in the Snow, the fourth novel set in Buckinghamshire to feature 1920s amateur sleuth Lady Eleanor Swift.

When Conrad Canning drops dead during the fun run, part of the festivities at Lady Eleanor’s Christmas Eve party for the villagers, she isn’t so sure that it’s the heart attack both the doctor and DCI Seldon think it is and is determined to investigate. When the vicar and his housekeeper are also taken ill her suspicions are fully aroused.

I thoroughly enjoyed Murder in the Snow which is a fun read with a good mystery attached, i.e. I had no idea of the perpetrator’s identity. This is the first novel in the series that I have read but it won’t be the last. I loved that it is told entirely from Lady Eleanor’s point of view as it means that there are no distractions and the reader knows what she knows, nothing more and nothing less. There are plenty of suspects as Canning was not a nice man and plenty of motives as he’s a man with a past. The solution comes out of left field although the clues are maybe there if the reader looks hard enough.

The real pleasure in the novel comes from Lady Eleanor’s character and her relationship with her butler, Clifford as he’s more minder and mentor than butler. It is a fun relationship with amusing dialogue and situations.

Murder in the Snow is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Put your feet up, take a sip of parsnip perry or chestnut liqueur, a slice of Christmas cake, a mince pie or a morsel of Stilton and transport yourself back to Christmas 1920 at Henley Hall, Buckinghamshire to the home of Lady Eleanor Swift. During the Christmas festivities at the Hall, Conrad Canning, the coal merchant dies .... Lady E and Clifford the butler investigate.

Oh the sheer joy of escaping these dark, Groundhog Day times in the company of these wonderful characters (especially Eleanor) and of course Gladstone the bulldog, who frankly steals the show ... and baubles.... and slippers .....! They all feel so vibrantly alive, they’re colourful and the storytelling is lively and entertaining. The period of time is captured well in these above and below stairs times (not that Eleanor places much store in that) and the language used is spot on, what! Oh it certainly is my old fruit. This is very much in the spirit of the mysteries of the era as the great teamwork of the intuition of Lady Eleanor and the knowledge of Clifford solves a twisty mystery.

Overall, a delightful, fun and entertaining read but try not to read when you’re hungry as I guarantee you’ll want to reach for the cake tin! If you like Christie or Dorothy Sayers then I think it’s well worth giving this novel a go. I love the cover too.

With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the arc.