I leapt from book 1 (thanks mum) to book 6 (thanks Netgalley) and thoroughly enjoyed it! I’m looking forward to catching up on the ones between because the characters are delightful though you don’t need to have read the series to appreciate “Murder at the Fair”. Set in 1921, in the English countryside, our lead, Lady Swift, finds herself at the centre of the village fair. Whilst trying correctly attended to her duties, she uncovers the body of the local undertaker. Feeling instinctively that there is more afoot than an accident, she swiftly becomes involved in solving the case…much to the disgruntlement of the local constabulary and beau Detective Inspector Seldon.

As in all good cosy mysteries, the characters are delightful! These are people who the reader loves to return to again and again to see what they are doing and where they are. Clifford the butler is a favourite but is outshone by Gladstone, the bulldog, for me!

Romping across the countryside, ruffling feathers, Lady Swift finds herself in peril more than once making it a book that difficult to put down! I loved it start to finish! It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale!

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Bookouture through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Lady Eleanor Swift is not the average aristocrat found in 1921 England. She is kind, just and fair by all. She sees equality is something sadly missing from English society and wants to find a way to fit it into her own life and those who work for her. This makes her stand out, she is known for her quirky and independent views and it does not go down very well with some members of the aristocracy in her county.

Lady Eleanor also seems to be drawn into murders, like a magnet and these seem to follow her around. In this episode she is the chief guest at a summer fair, a position her uncle gladly held but when a raft race which was supposed to be fun (and was very competitive amongst the village turned deathly Lady Eleanor was drawn into the investigation despite the local cops marking it out as an accidental death.

The story is straight forward but all the characters were so interesting from the Lady herself, to her suitors to the butler, to her varied staff as well as the villagers themselves. It added heaps of interest to the story and made it seem so alive and vibrant. The book though part of a series can be read as a stand alone.

I like the series and only hope I will have the opportunity to read the others in this.

This series continues to delight.
Eleanor Swift investigates the murder of Solemn John and finds out more about the people and customs of the place she lives in.
I love the relationships that are developing in this series and want to find out more.

Thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture for this ARC. I'm sorry to say this book was very disappointing. i really loved this series when it started but i struggled with the last book but hope this one would be different - it wasn't. It had to put it down and three times and read other books in between before returning and persevering. Each books seems longer than the last but it is filled with repetitive themes, phases, conversations. The author also breaks the first rule of Knox' commandments! I will give this series one last try if there is another book but after three attempts if they don't improve i won't continue.

With a couple of mysterious "accidental" deaths and unkind obituaries appearing at the local paper, Lady Swift has her hands full in this cozy mystery. Full of eccentric characters and details about Buckinghamshire country events and speech, it's a winning addition to this series.

This is the sixth in the series of the Lady Eleanor Swift collection.

I have read the majority of these books, so was really pleased to read this one too.

It is May in the village and that means a May fair. A time when all the residents get together to celebrate the season.

Think of stalls, sunshine and celebration. Lady Eleanor is called upon to judge the raft race but when it turns into a search for a missing competitor the fair takes a dark turn.

Another excellent outing for Lady Eleanor and I can not wait for the next one.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Murder At The Fair' by Verity Bright.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Verity Bright, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 15th June 2021.

This is the third book I have read by this author. It is also the sixth book in her 'Lady Eleanor Smith Mystery' series but can be read as a standalone. I have previously read Verity's 'A Witness to Muder' (third book in the series) and 'Mystery By The Sea' (5th book in the series) which I would also recommend reading.

I was originally drawn to this book by its fantastic eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'Pure delight for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss.' I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Verity and if this is as good as 'A Witness To Murder' or 'Murder By The Sea' it is sure to be an epic read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 50 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited and had holidays in England on several occasions so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise anywhere that Verity has based the book on.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists is Lady Eleanor Smith. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

Another successful unputdownable cosy mystery by the very talented Verity Bright. I'm always a bit dubious with books based historically as I worry about not being able to 'deal' with the language used but I absolutely love how Verity has written her books. The language used is perfectly suited to the era whilst being easy to read and making it quite humorous on several occasions. The atmosphere and descriptions were perfect.

The storyline had me hooked immediately and I love the way that Eleanor and Clifford go about their detective work. There was so much going on that it kept me entertained thoroughly throughout with mystery after mystery and clue after clue. It was filled with suspense, mystery and suspense and is absolutely perfect to read either curled in front of the fire or lying on a beach which not many books can achieve. I never did work out who the killer was and was completely shocked when they were discovered. A great achievement as I am a huge crime fan and tend to work out who did what quite early on.

The characters were all larger than life, realistic and a complete breathe of fresh air. Eleanor is an amazing character, very bubbly and certainly not your typical 'Lady' she is absolutely unique as well as a very strong female lead which is a great bonus for myself being female. Clifford is absolutely fantastic and I really enjoy how he makes me laugh with his diplomatic skills. I loved meeting them again along with Butters, Trotters and Polly who are all larger than life with their own exceptional personalities. I cannot wait to meet them all again and see what they get up to in the next "episode".

A huge congratulations on another fantastic success Verity!!! Here's to looking forward to your next book 🥂

Overall a fun and easy to read cozy murder mystery with just the tight amount of humour that will keep you turning the pages.

Genres covered in this novel include Cozy Mystery, Murder and Crime amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Agatha Christie and anyone looking for a very easy and enjoyable read.


338 pages.

This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

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A tricky case is afoot for Lady Swift!”


After reading Murder at the Fair, my second dip into this excellent Golden Age Murder Mystery series, I can safely say, move over ‘Jeeves and Wooster’ and make space for ‘Swift and Clifford’. I really do think this would make a wonderfully colourful BBC drama series, or at least a one off, made for television film.

There has been some excellent and detailed research undertaken by the authors, to ensure the authenticity of both the characters, setting and the social mores of the time. They have also included an interesting and comprehensive ‘historical facts’ section at the end of the book, which reflects some of the more quirky customs and colloquialisms you might encounter in your reading.

Whilst this episode is very much part of an ongoing series, the individual books do work rather well as stand alone stories. There is obviously a little backstory going on with some of the characters, however any need to know facts are expertly and seamlessly woven into the narrative and dialogue, so that I never felt left out of any gossip or history. In fact this story seemed to give away some lovely extra little snippets of information that hadn’t been revealed in previous books, so everything is kept fresh and relevant.

The story hit the ground running right from the time I opened the first page; the action was continuous throughout which left me little time to draw breath and take stock of the situation as it unfolded and developed; culminating in an ending which was neatly packaged and never rushed; although that extra fourth criteria for keeping me turning the pages, that the main protagonist should always make it out alive, seems to be getting a closer call each time!

This well structured, multi-faceted, traditional mystery, is beautifully textured and puts the reader right at ease. The authors wrote with total authority, consummate ease, complete confidence and some lovely heart and humour moments, as they led me completely in the direction of their choosing and at a pace of their setting, and all without me even noticing.

Once Eleanor had really got the bit between her teeth and begun work on this case in earnest, the suspects began to multiply exponentially, until even she needed to take a break, re-evaluate the situation and work her way through things methodically, which is where the ever steadfast and calming influence of her loyal butler and partner in crime busting, Clifford, once again came into its own. As it transpires, no one suspect was guilty of all the crimes, although the many twists and turns in the tale needed to be unravelled before that became clear. Lies and deception, guilty little secrets, jealousy and revenge, all mean different things to so many vindictive people with an axe to grind and retribution on their minds. Needless to say, I never got close to working this one out and that final devastating and unexpected blow, dealt right at the eleventh hour, was vindication come too late for some, whilst also being something of a cloud with the proverbial silver lining for someone I had been rooting for all the way along.

The chapters were nice and short and well signposted, which kept the action fluid and current. This together with well assured, observational and period descriptive narrative and some excellent, conversational, cultural dialogue, offered a genuine sense of time and place, which made this a particularly enjoyable journey for me.

The authors have gone to great lengths to ensure that the well drawn and highly engaging and relatable characters, all have a voice of their own, making this their own story for their times. After being rather thrust into the role of Lady of the Manor, following the death of her uncle, Eleanor had been used to a much more bohemian upbringing in South Africa, so adapting to her new position is proving to be quite a challenge. She is very much a person ahead of her times, who whilst recognising that her staff do work for her, would much rather they work with her, towards the common goal of keeping the estate in good standing as a tribute to Uncle Byron. She is generous with both her time and money, always putting others before herself and in all fairness, even the rather dyed-in-the-wool Clifford, enjoys more moments of levity, impropriety and equality at Eleanor’s side, than he would ever have envisaged.

Eleanor’s affairs of the heart also seem to be on the up, with DCI Hugh Seldon, after a few false starts and having a veritable bombshell dropped on her about his past. Now all Hugh needs to do is work out how to stop Eleanor almost getting herself killed every time she decides to try and solve a crime for herself and all should be good, as I think he has already come to the conclusion that he is never really going to tame her into becoming ‘the little woman at home’!

As with so many fictional amateur sleuths, Eleanor has also been bequeathed ownership of and responsibility for, a four-legged canine partner, who in this particular case, very much thinks he rules the roost, without having to work too hard for it. In fact the only time he really stirs himself from his dozing and napping, is when he gets the scent or sight of food, no matter what it might be, and then he is suddenly all action!

No matter which genre I read from, I do so to fulfil the four ‘E’s’: Enjoyment, Entertainment, Escapism and Emotion and this lovely series hits the sweet spot on all fronts and is definitely one to escape into!

Anyone whose read any or all of the previous books in this series knows that Eleanor is like a magnet when it comes to murder. She’s been back at Henley Hall for around a year now and there’s been so many murders that the area is going to become as famous as Jessica Fletcher’s Cabot Cove, or DCI Barnaby’s Midsomer, for the number of deaths. Anyway, this story is a little different in that the deaths, at least initially, appear to be accidents and most people believe this to be the case. Only a few, including Eleanor, believe otherwise. Unsurprisingly she finds herself investigating again, and at risk of becoming the victim of what are being portrayed as accidental deaths.

I enjoyed this book, though it took a little longer for me to get into it than it usually does. I’ve come to the conclusion that this is because the deaths are initially ruled as accidents so Eleanor is conflicted and struggling to investigate and I feel that confusion came across in the writing, hence my initial taking a little longer to get into it. However, as Eleanor perseveres more information comes to light and she becomes more sure of her investigation, even though her list of suspects grows as a result.

It was lovely to spend time with Eleanor, Clifford and Gladstone again. This story felt more solemn than the previous ones and I found myself missing Lancelot, but it helped to have Lord Rankin to be irritated at. I know it’s the 1920’s and women aren’t seen as capable but people like Rankin still rankle me. I feel this is one of the few things I have in common with Eleanor because if I’d live in that time I’d no doubt be hired help or similar, like most people.

This felt a more convoluted mystery than previous ones, mainly because many people appeared to be lying more than usual and the question of accident or murder impacted the investigation as well. However, as usual Eleanor and Clifford found their way through the confusion and were able to start seeing daylight through the fog, in their usual but unusual, investigative ways.

If you’ve enjoyed the other books in this series I believe you’ll enjoy this one too. If you’re new to the series, you can read this as a stand alone but it may be better to start at the beginning, to get a better understanding of the characters and their relationships with each other. I, for one, look forward to seeing where Eleanor and Clifford’s adventures take them next.

Whether you are relaxing on your front porch or taking a trip to the beach, this cozy mystery is the perfect accompaniment. It is a quick, fun read that I finished in just a couple of days - great for a lazy weekend of reading.

It is May 1st and the village is all excited about the May Day Fair. Eleanor, being her first time at the village's annual fair, isn't quite sure what to expect. She is the judge of the raft race which her late uncle had started and as tradition must be observed she gamely joins in - though not quite in the expected "Lady of the Manor" way. All are having a gay time until the last raft to arrive at the finish line crosses without its one-man crew. Of course, Eleanor forms a search party and of course, she discovers a body. It's tradition!

So Eleanor, Mr. Clifford, and the reader set off to discover who caused what is presumed an accidental death in Verity Bright's latest mystery Murder at the Fair.

Many of the characters from previous books who reside in the village make an appearance, but don't worry if you haven't read any of the previous books in this series as they can all be read separately with only a little mention of the previous books - mostly to give background on the possibly growing romantic relationship between Eleanor and Chief Inspector Seldon who in the last book asked her to call him Hugh.

I love the setting and characters of this series. Eleanor is the perfect example of an independent woman in 1920s England. It was a time when more and more women were deciding the traditional roles weren't all they wanted in life, yet society wasn't quite ready for the change- especially in a country village.

But what I really like about the Eleanor Swift mysteries is that the clues are all laid out for the reader (if you are looking for them) so that you feel like you are solving the mystery right alongside her and her butler. Like Eleanor, I could see all the pieces but couldn't quite put them all together until the very end. Those are the mysteries I like best.

I know some people don't read past the last page of the story, but after you turn the last page there are historical tidbits about places and things mentioned in the story that is quite interesting.

My review is published at Girl Who Reads -

Another fun installment in this historical mystery series. Even though it's hot outside right now, everyone can still use a little cozy charm.

It's summertime, 1921, and the whole village of Little Buckford has turned out for the May Day celebrations. Lady Eleanor is the guest of honor and presides over the festivities. Little did she imagine that she would discover a dead man at the end of the raft race. Solemn Jon was the local undertaker and, though everyone thought well of him, an obituary in the next day's newspaper suggested that he was murdered. Soon, Lady Eleanor and Clifford, her butler in her amateur sleuthing adventures, are involved in an investigation. And her erstwhile beau, Detective Hugh Seldon, is none to happy about it.

I enjoy this series and have read all of them, in order, from the beginning. I always look forward to seeing what Lady Eleanor and the staff at Henley Hall get involved in next. The details about place, time, customs, etc. are so interesting as I love this era.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.

This is a fun cosy read.

Lady Eleanor and her Butler Clifford make an unusual but very effective investigating duo.

This book I felt demanded a little more attention than the previous stories and this affected my enjoyment of it a little.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

3

This is my third Lady Eleanor Swift mystery and actually the 6th book in the series. I do so enjoy these delightfully cosy crime novels. They are filled with humour and clever plots that allow you to engage those ‘little grey cells’ and attempt a little sleuthing of your own.

In this latest case Lady Swift is guest of honour at the local village summer fair but things turn rather grim when a body is discovered. At first glance the death appears tragic but accidental and the village mourns the well liked undertaker Solemn Jon. However, events soon take a turn after a spiteful obituary appears (rather too quickly) in the local paper and Solemn Jon’s wife talks to Eleanor of his ‘strange behaviour’ in the weeks leading up to his death.

The police have concluded it an accidental death but Eleanor has that ‘feeling’ that just won’t go away and feels that she must help his widow discover the truth. She’s soon knee deep in investigating and events begin to take an even darker turn leaving her in grave danger. She does however have her most trusted of side kicks, butler Clifford by her side which stands her in good stead for solving the crime in the nick of time.

Another super story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Summer. 1921. Lady Eleanor Swift is the guest of honour at the village’s annual May Day Fair. But a fun day out soon turns into tragedy when the local undertaker is found dead in the reeds. What at first appears to be an accident, soon takes a more sinister turn after a snide obituary is published in the local paper. Sure that his death was no accident, Solemn Jon’s widow asks Eleanor to find the culprit and bring them to justice.

When another ‘accidental’ death occurs and is followed by another venomous obituary, Eleanor is sure the same person is responsible. But the police refuse to listen, leaving Eleanor and her butler Clifford with another mystery that needs to be solved.

Witty and compelling, Murder at the Fair is another delightful and entertaining escapade that transports us back to what feels like a simpler time. As soon as I began reading I felt like I was enveloped in the warm and cosy atmosphere of the author’s prose. While this is only my second foray into the series, I look forward to reading them and immersing myself in the warm glow that they emanate.

Eleanor Swift is a wonderful character. The ametur sleuth is funny, feisty, intelligent and vibrant. I love how she goes against the grain of what is expected of both women and her class at the time, giving the story a modern edge while also feeling authentically historic. I absolutely adore her and Clifford together. They are such an entertaining duo who I would love to solve a mystery with.

A quick and readable cosy mystery that you can enjoy as either a standalone or part of the series, I loved this fun, sharp and uplifting tale.

Murder at the Fair is the 6th instalment in the Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s. Amateur sleuth Lady Eleanor is overjoyed when she is invited to be the guest of honour at the 1921 Little Buckford May Fair. Her duties include starting the raft race and announcing the winner of the best-dressed raft. She is delighting over the various stalls and attractions - the coconut shy, the hook-a-duck, the hoopla and the welly wangling with great enthusiasm, but Solemn Jon, a popular man and the local undertaker, fails to finish the raft race. After a search is mounted, an empty raft is located and he is found by the side of the river, having suffered a hit to his head. The verdict is accidental death but Jon's obituary is published in the County Herald and Lady Eleanor has doubts and sets about investigating, along with her trusty butler and sleuthing sidekick, Clifford, despite Detective Seldon asking her not to interfere. When another obituary is published, then a third, Lady Eleanor knows she needs to raise her game.

Murder at the Fair had me so engrossed from the first chapter until the final page. It was a treat that saw me very much immersed in the era and I really enjoyed all the detail and description Verity Bright provided as a backdrop to the plot and storyline. The author's portrayal of Ellie delights me with every book and I love that Ellie's strong-willed, down-to-earth, intelligent, and possesses a wicked sense of humour. Her relationship with Clifford really complements the story and they make a great team. The mystery itself was pretty good and the perpetrator was kept under wraps, aided by the clever twists. Murder at the Fair was a comfortably paced, compulsive and charming historical crime novel and once again, Verity Bright's highly addictive storytelling really worked for me. I am eager to read the next book in the series and I highly recommend this one as a super, breezy tale.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

Once again it’s time to enter the world of Lady Swift and her faithful butler Clifford. This is a series I am sure you know I adore and this book was no different. It was as fun as usual, the pacing was terrific, and it was a great read!

Lady Swift is tasked with judging the raft river race of part of the village’s local May Fair celebrations. Local teams compete by building elaborate rafts in order to reach the finish line first. However, as they are waiting for the last raft to appear Eleanor gets a sinking feeling that something is wrong and organises a search party. Unfortunately, they find the body of Solemn Joe, the local undertaker, in the rushes further up the river. It seems like an accident until there is an obituary in the paper that hints that Solemn Jon had secrets and it was actually murder! His widow tasks Eleanor to find out what happened. However, she also has had strict instructions not look into things by DI Seldon. She is torn but she owes to his wife to find out the truth! With Clifford and Gladstone the bulldog at her side.

First of all I spent the whole of the book reading the words Solemn Jon as Solomon Joe! Do you ever get word blindness like that?!

Once again this is a great outing for this series - lots of nods to classic crime fiction of the time (local fair, big house mysteries and a loyal servant) which I loved! The scenes I enjoy the most are when Clifford and Eleanor are sitting together to try and work out who committed the deeds. I also really enjoyed how much Eleanor’s character is starting to develop and mature slightly. Especially, when it comes to affairs of the heart and understanding how life really is for the people who live round her. There are a few nods to modernity as well what with Victor!

If you are a fan of this series you are not going to be disappointed. If you aren’t - what’s wrong with you?!!

Lady Eleanor, the star of Verity Bright’s 1920s mysteries, is an energetic woman. And that’s just as well because this new title comes just three months after the last. Murder at the Fair is a tale as fluffy and digestible as one of Mrs Trotman’s delightful beef and stilton tarts.
Each of these books is different in the way in which it approaches the 1920s, and in the way in which it brings the whimsy. We’ve seen issues of women’s freedom and class distinction, and in the last novel a night out in which Lady Eleanor joins her downstairs staff for high jinks. For this title, we’re strictly domestic. The B-plot is all about how to spring clean a stately home. It involves the appearance of a vacuum cleaner called Victor, some scrapes that Victor gets into, and a heated discussion about what to call the new washing machine with its built-in mangle. You’ll probably want to know how that particular matter is resolved: I can assure you that disaster is averted and an apt name is found. This is more satisfying than it has any right to be.
The A-plot? Someone dies, then someone else. There’s an attempt on a third life too. If I’m to be honest, though, I’m completely diverted by a dramatic horse ride and an attempt at blackmail. The young Lord Rankin is a character whom every reader will love to hate: he’s less than two dimensional but we really don’t mind. Sir Gordon, he’s bad too. We hiss and we boo and settle back as Eleanor and Clifford wander round the country remembering half-comments and twine. A lot of twine, wielded by a filthy swine. Somehow they solve the case from that.
It is traditional for the part of Lady Eleanor, in my head anyway, to be played by Liza Goddard from her Bergerac period. The character of Clifford is more of an ensemble affair, if that even makes sense. The horse race between Rankin and Ellie reminded me of the similar chase in A View to a Kill. Rankin gets to be played by Christopher Walken, which is great if we can get him. (The late Roger Moore has declined to play the part of Ellie.) Anyway, I am delighted to announce that Clifford is played this time out by Patrick Macnee, who is marvellous in the role.
What I like about Macnee’s performance is that he does the butler-as-special-agent shtick so well. The sleight of hand depositing a treat for a rabbit in Ellie’s pocket. Identifying a woman based only on her name badge. That kind of thing. The charm of the novel stands or falls on Clifford’s screen presence, and with Macnee in the role we’re golden.
I may have made the whole thing seem a bit ludicrous and silly. I don’t care. This series is full-on entertainment. Lew Grade would approve.

LMy thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Murder at the Fair’ by Verity Bright in exchange for an honest review.

This is the sixth in the Lady Eleanor Swift series of historical cosy mysteries set in Buckinghamshire, England in the early 1920s. I have followed this series from the start and they have each been a delight. I again treated myself to its audiobook edition, narrated by Karen Cass, for an immersive reading experience.

It’s May Day, 1921 and Lady Eleanor is fulfilling her duties as lady of the manor at her village’s May Day fair. She isn’t quite sure what this involves but Clifford, her late uncle’s butler, is happy to guide her. Then there is what appears to be a tragic accident during the homemade raft race.

When a spiteful obituary appears in the local paper, Eleanor realises there may be more to the death than was first thought. Oxford Police Detective Seldon naturally warns her off any sleuthing but Lady Eleanor feels an obligation to the man’s widow to uncover the truth.

Then there is another local death that appears to be an accident. The local police don’t believe that either case was a murder, yet when a second vindictive obituary is printed, Lady Eleanor is convinced that they are.

Assisted by the stoic Clifford, she draws up a suspects list and then seeks to eliminate them one-by-one. Of course, Gladstone the bulldog is helping her dig up clues and also doing a bit of aquatic matchmaking.

I am so in love with this delightful series of cosy mysteries and have become very invested in following Lady Eleanor’s adventures. It sparkles with wit and fun from start to finish along with good old-fashioned amateur sleuthing with plenty of red herrings. Book 7 cannot come soon enough!

Favorite Quotes:

She wracked her brain for a more charitable description, but all she could think of was an underfed ferret. With his sharp dark eyes set in hollow sockets, protruding jaw and barely-there upper lip, his face seemed permanently set in a scowl.

We have to invite her, old friend of the family and all that. Personally, she constantly reminds me of the native Scottish thistle she is so fiercely proud of. Prickly year round and thoroughly invasive.

Out of the blue he simply hurled the offer of marriage at me like I was a giddy, aged spinster who would bite his arm off to accept.

‘Have, er, Polly or Gladstone, met the vacuum cleaner yet?’… He sighed. ‘Polly is still terrified of the machine after Mrs Trotman told her it would suck her eyeballs out if she stared down the hose while it was on.’

Folk say she’s about as handsome as a three-legged horse born backwards, which is why she doesn’t have any young gentleman courting her.

Guilt’s a bad enough bedfellow without grief stealing in and hogging the quilt.

My Review:

I continue in my love fest with Verity Bright, as I am evermore enamored with this delightfully amusing cozy mystery series. I have enjoyed every installment, which only improves with each new entry. The books could be read as standalones although a quicker connection and deeper understanding could be had by reading the earlier publications as frequent mentions of her previous exploits were sprinkled throughout. I adore the kind and gentle Lady Eleanor (Ellie), who has a tendency to become embroiled and entangled in various schemes and becomes determined to solve the surrounding mystery and ferret out the culprits. This time, despite being admonished by her would-be suitor and police inspector to keep her nose clean, Ellie has stepped into several oddly mysterious deaths she suspects were murders, which led back to blackmail, family secrets of her own, and a few nefarious scams.

Generous helpings of wit, amusing humor, and entertaining side stories occur along the way as she and her ever-attentive butler apply their skills and attention towards unraveling the villainous schemes. Verity Bright’s engaging writing style was refreshingly breezy and smoothly enticing in addition to being brain and rib-tickling as the cleverly plotted storylines and clues were a curious conundrum. I am already rubbing my hands together with glee contemplating her next adventure.

Another triumph for Lady Eleanor Swift, her fabulous butler Clifford and also for the fantastic author Verity Bright.

This is the 6th outing for the sleuthing pair and we see them investigating again as the local undertaker Solemn John is found dead after the annual May Day raft race. As usual Clifford is a key assisting in their amazing amateur sleuthing and things become more urgent as another body is found and an attempt is made on Lady Eleanor’s life.

The characters in this series are absolutely adorable. Eleanor is what all ladies of the time (and indeed any time!) would aspire to be; outgoing, likeable, keen to help others and be a part of the local community. We see in this book how the relationship between Lady Eleanor and butler Clifford has become more like friends, as he was when butler to her late uncle and although we see and hear little about her love interest policeman Hugh, we see enough to want more.

This is a fabulous and enjoyable book, which is lovely as a standalone but much better read as part of the series as the reader learns the story of all the characters and becomes more involved with them with each one. I can’t wait for the next instalment!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. Highly recommended.