One of the joys of a good cosy murder mystery series is the ease with which you can slip into them. There is a comfort in knowing the cast and being off on the next adventure with them! In Death on a Winter’s day, Verity Bright whisks Lady Eleanor and her staff off to a Scottish castle for an unusual Christmas. Determined to make the best of what transpires is a challenging situation, they all pull together to create a festive atmosphere…until the person liked least by everyone the dies!

On the case, Lady Eleanor and Clifford are swiftly ahead of the police in working out what’s going on. In the process, we learn a little more of the family’s history. With Scottish folklore and tradition woven throughout, it’s an enjoyable journey from start to finish!

I do look forward to the next one and hope to see more of Detective Hugh Seldon and Gladstone! It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale and highly recommended!

I've read others by this author and she is a safe bet if you like cozy mysteries. She's got the good thing going with this series. It has fun characters, a nice plot, and good writing. Recommended.

Thanks very much for the free review copy!!

cosy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, family, family-business, family-dynamics, friendship, friction, murder, murder-investigation, greed, relationships, religious-differences, superstitions, supernatural, suspense, suspicion, law-enforcement, Scotland, island-life, rural*****

Lady Eleanor thought it sounded interesting when her friend phoned on a bad connection and asked her to come up to Scotland for Christmas despite the local servants having gone on strike. Her household staff wanted to support her and her friend in the hour of need, most especially their Butler, Mr. Clifford. But reality was quite different! The staffing problem had more to do with religious schisms, the place is on an island, the food is truly awful, it is incredibly cold INSIDE, the other guests are basically unfriendly, AND THEN there is a murder while everyone is at table DURING A POWER OUTAGE!
The series began as a farce: presumed orphan from South Africa (and world traveler on the cheap) comes to rural England and finds that she has inherited the title and all that from uncle who is recently deceased. She has little idea of how people are expected to behave in this milieu and is a klutz, to boot. The best part of it all is The Butler Who Knows Everything who helps her with anything, and never treats her like a ninny.
The publisher's blurb is a really good hook and I loved this read!
I requested and received a temporary digital ARC of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

I was so looking forward to reading the next instalment in the series and was not disappointed. An odd but fun Christmas-themed plot with some surprises and a fair share of misunderstandings. The impulsive and good-hearted Eleanor Swift is off to save the Christmas celebration for a friend, only to find Christmas is not celebrated in Presbyterian Scotland. Along with the domestic tension this creates, there's a murderer afoot and unsurprisingly both she and her trusty butler, Clifford, are soon in the thick of solving the mystery. even Detective Hugh Seldon puts in an appearance later in the story (which after the end of the last novel I found just a little frustrating).

Once again the storyline incorporates a little of her family history and event the legend of the selkies.

I really enjoy this series and this latest one certainly kept my attention. I'm hoping we spend some time in the village in the next one and that perhaps the romance moves along just a little swifter. I also think Gladstone needs a bigger role.

My thanks to Bookouture, #Netgalley and the author for my Advance Reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This kind of quaint mystery just isn't really my type of thing but it's one that would be a lot of fun for the right audience. I haven't read the others in the series so it took me a little while to get my head around everyone (that's my own fault though!). If you're a fan of an Agatha Christie type novel or even a Downton Abbey type of setting, this could be one for you. It's cosy and fun and I'm sure a real treat for fans of the series. Mysteries can take themselves very seriously and this is one for the people who want one that's just a bit more lighthearted.

Favorite Quotes:

The truth was, she had still yet to hold so much as a formal tea at Henley Hall, even though she’d inherited it well over a year ago. Not that she was antisocial; she often attended events at other estates, after all. It was just that having spent a lifetime abroad, she may have been perfectly comfortable tackling dangerous animals, and equally dangerous locals in far-flung places, but tackling the social niceties of England in her own home was a far more daunting prospect.

I hope sleep manages to creep under yer door before the dawn…

‘I did bring the ultimate make-everything-bearable-if-only-for-a-few-delicious-moments medicine.’ She tipped the tray, making the plate bearing an impressive display of chocolates nestled on an ivory napkin clink against the bottle of sherry and the two crystal glasses.

Exhaustion is fatigue’s elder brother, sickness be their parents.


My Review:

I continue in my dabbling of holiday-themed tales and have combined that with my adoration of Verity Bright, as I can proudly state I have read every book in this delightful cozy mystery series set in the 1920s. The engaging and amusing storylines are original and easy to follow yet unpredictable with a nuanced network of twists and turns while the gentle pair of an adventurous titled lady and her every prepared and brilliantly acquitted butler make their observations, ponder the possible suspects, and fine-tune their theories. This tale took the pair to the land of my forebearers in the clear and frosty air of Scotland during the holidays – oh, I do loves me a Scottish burr. The narrative also included a spot of whimsy with the inclusion of a selkie, a mythical creature I was compelled to consult Mr. Google for further edification. What fun!

While I had a bit of a slow start to this book, I think it VERY quickly became worth it! When I requested this book, I didn’t realize it was part of a series, so it took me a bit to be able to keep the characters straight but once I could it was INCREDIBLE! I think that you could read and enjoy it without having read the rest of the series, but it is more difficult. Highly recommend this as a mystery, even with the slow beginning and a few confusing spots in the plot during the middle. 3 stars!

In this 8th book of a delightful cozy mystery series, Lady Swift and her household staff travel to Scotland for Christmas. Hoping for a fairy tale yuletide with Baron and Baroness Ashley and their guests, things take a dark turn almost immediately. During Christmas Eve dinner, Eugene Randall, a wealthy businessman from America, is murdered. Since Castle Ranburgh is isolated and reachable only by crossing the loch, Eleanor is faced with the fact that someone on the island is responsible.

I've followed Eleanor Swift since the beginning and it is best if you read the books in order to fully appreciate all the relationships, but I enjoy the period details of the 1920s era. Sometimes I laugh out loud at the interaction between Lady Swift and her butler and right hand man, Clifford. Although I had already pegged the killer in this locked-room type mystery, the setting and the narrative kept me interested. The bit of supernatural or mythological selkie stuff didn't appeal and was a bit unusual for this series, but the book did seem quite right for the season. Eleanor certainly has some mad skills in many areas, but she is a fun character.

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

‘Death On A Winter’s Day’ is a festive, joyous cosy crime story that just makes me feel all fuzzy. Yes, it's about crime but it's the main characters we have grown to love that makes this series. Although, I have to say I loved that the setting moved to Scotland! This is the 8th book in the Lady Swift series but you can pick this up as a standalone very easily. I do urge you to read the whole series as they are a complete riot! They have that balance of dark and light balanced to perfection - murder and humour with great characterisation!

I adored this book - such a shocker that I am going to wax lyrical about this series again! I lucked out by reading this when I was on holiday in Appin last week and it felt as if I had actually stepped into the locus of this book!

I could actually see this view from my window! How appropriate is that? Although Verity might not have taken inspiration from this location it felt so authentic to me.

In this outing, Eleanor and the gang find themselves in Scotland for Christmas. But alas, the host's staff have refused to work Christmas day as they are Presbyterian’s and think that celebrating it is a sin. So Eleanor offers her staff’s services and off they all trot to the back of beyond. Whilst playing the after-dinner game of ‘wink’ one of the guests is murdered and it's up to Eleanor and Clifford to work out who the murderer was as the local police staff are useless! Where is Hugh when you need him?!

The one bit of this book I was jumping up and down with joy is the ending! Let's just say many fans are going to be very happy. As usual, the character’s were great and I liked the addition of Lizzie.

I really hope you pick this one up as it's a great series!

Cosy mystery fans rejoice – there’s a new Lady Swift thriller this Christmas and it is the perfect festive treat: Death on a Winter’s Day.

Lady Eleanor Swift is looking forward to a quiet Christmas with friends. Having been invited up to Scotland, Eleanor cannot wait to see her old chums Baron and Baroness Ashley and to spend the holidays with them. With her beloved sidekick Gladstone the bulldog tagging along, Eleanor is sure that she is going to have a Christmas she will not forget in a hurry – and her Scottish holiday will certainly be that, but it’s just a shame that it will be for all the wrong reasons!

No sooner has Eleanor settled in by the fire with a mince pie and an invigorating tipple that a dead body is found in the castle. A business associate of Baron Ashley, Mr Eugene Randall, was not exactly the life and soul of the party. A man who could effortlessly put other people’s backs up, Eugene had hardly endeared himself to the other guests, but could someone hate him enough to murder him in cold blood?

Never one to resist doing her own investigating, Eleanor dons her sleuthing hat yet again, however, this case gets even more disturbing and twisted when another dead body is found. A dangerous murderer is hiding in plain sight in the castle and Eleanor needs to discovers who the killer is – even if all the evidence she uncovers is pointing squarely in the direction of the most unlikely of suspects.

Can Eleanor crack the case yet again? Or will a ruthless criminal end up evading justice and spoiling everyone’s Christmas?

I just love Verity Bright’s Lady Swift mysteries and Death on a Winter’s Day certainly does not disappoint. Full of exquisite period detail and atmosphere, humour, high society mischief and suspense. Death on a Winter’s Day is a stellar cosy mystery with a sleuth who is at her most stylish and ingenious: Lady Eleanor Swift.

A fun read that ticks all the right boxes, Verity Bright’s latest installment in her Lady Swift mystery series, Death on a Winter’s Day, is another must-read I thoroughly enjoyed.

I am SO fond of this series and the characters in it. In fact, the characters are what really make this a wonderful set of tales!

In this instalment, Ellie and Clifford are again faced with the puzzle of solving another murder, and they manage to show just how adept they are at this as they have ventured outside of Buckinghamshire and into the freezing Scottish Highlands.

I was so glad that Hugh made an appearance, and I cannot wait to read more about their story.

Lady Eleanor (Ellie) Swift is dismayed when Christmas is about to be cancelled. Over a bad telephone connection, she learns from her friend Baron Ashley in Scotland that his wife's plans are in disarray due to staffing difficulties. Rather than have Baroness Ashley disappointed, Ellie jumps in to offer the services of the Henley Hall staff, unwittingly placing them in a difficult situation. So for the festive season, Ellie heads north to a freezing Scottish castle on an island, accompanied by Clifford, the butler; Mrs. Butters, the housekeeper; Mrs. Trotters, the cook; Polly, the maid; and Gladstone, the bulldog.

Apart from Ellie, the other guests include the local laird, his son, an American businessman, the local doctor and two self-invited relatives of the baron: a very disparate group. When Ellie arrives there is already a strained atmosphere. Christmas is not shaping up to be the happy celebration Ellie expected and worsens when a party game on Christmas Eve ends in Eugene Randall's murder.

The inspector sent over from the mainland performs a perfunctory investigation, which leaves Ellie and Clifford no choice but to investigate the murder themselves. With everyone a suspect, Ellie and Clifford discover they all have a motive to kill Eugene Randall. Even Baron Ashley, who is under arrest for the murder. They decide they need help and who better to turn to than Detective Inspector Hugh Seldon.

Throughout, Mrs. Trotters, ably assisted by Mrs. Butters and Polly, continues to serve up mouthwatering Christmas fare, much to the satisfaction of Ellie's insatiable appetite. Clifford ensures everything runs like clockwork. As usual, he anticipates Ellie's every move and whim while protecting her from her impatience, the weather and the dangers of the investigation. Gladstone is content to spend as much time as possible in the warm kitchen, but when he does appear is as mischievous and endearing as ever.

On a more personal note, Ellie learns more about her parents. In particular that an exploit of her mother has since become part of the area's folklore. While visiting the atmospheric location, Ellie has an uncanny experience that touches her deeply. Her romance with Hugh, slow-burning as it is, reaches another phase, much to the delight of the Henley Hall staff.

Death on a Winter's Day is another entertaining instalment of a series I enjoy. The smiles and chuckles begin from the very first page and, despite the body count rising, the dramatic confrontation with the killer and a mad dash to save a life, ends in the same way. Catching up with Ellie and her staff is always a pleasure. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

If historical cosy murder mystery is what you read,
I'm sure this is one that's just what you need!
When Lady Eleanor Swift's plans nearly get changed
Her staff travelling with her to help is then arranged.
They'll spend the festive season in a Scottish castle
Where the present servants are causing hassle!

With the Baron and Baroness Ashley is where they'll stay
Working together to save their Christmas Day.
The party there should really be fun
But with arguments and ill feelings what will be done?
Playing a game to help them all get along
What could spoil things by going wrong?

A guest is stabbed when the lights went out.
Ellie needs to find out by whom, there is no doubt
With her butler there to help her in her quest
Whilst trying to protect her, he'll do his best.
Together this intrepid duo the killer will seek
Despite the conditions there turning bleak.

This is a fabulous series in which this is book eight
With a heroine whose new role was caused by fate.
She's an independent and feisty lady who
Doesn't always do as others expect her to!
It is great to catch up on her and others I've got to know
I highly recommend you give them a go!

For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
I throughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review.

Another excellent addition to this highly entertaining historical cozy series. Each book is better than the previous and this one is the best so far.
Even if it can be read as a stand-alone, I strongly advise to read the entire series in order to better understand the characters and their evolution.
I had a lot of fun and I couldn’t put it down, turning pages and being on the edge because there were plenty of possible culprits and I wanted to know who-did-it and why.
Ellie is as lovely as usual, and her uncommon upbringing makes her a perfect cultural observer of the 20s high class vices and virtues. I like her non-conformism and independence and was glad to learn more about her parents.
Clifford is a perfect mix of Wimsey’s Bunter and Jeeves, a well read and clever man that know how to act as the perfect butler and when to act as a friend and mentor.
The plot is well developed and gripping, there’s a lot of twists and I appreciated the right level of suspense and tension.
I learned something new about Christmas in Scotland and appreciated how the author’s Christmas description reminded me of the Golden Age Christmas stories.
It was a lot of fun; I laughed and was moved by some parts of the story.
I can’t wait to read the next story as I want to know what will happen as the highly satisfying last pages left me craving for more.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

'Well, it's going to be a lot of fun. Up in Scotland. All of us together.'
Clifford gave his customary bow from the shoulders. 'My lady, at the risk of offering a contrary opinion, no - it is going to be woefully disagreeable.'

This time, Eleanor is invited to a big Christmas party in a remote castle in Scotland by her friends Lord and Lady Ashley. Unfortunately for the Ashleys, their castle is in the Presbyterian heartlands where Christmas celebrations are frowned upon and so her staff refuse to work. So Ellie, Clifford and the whole staff are brought up to Scotland to save the day. Hurrah. Of course, this being Ellie Swift, murder is never far away and when the lights go out during dinner and a guest is stabbed in the back she, once again, must set out to find the truth when the local plods arrest the wrong person. And when Clifford invites Hugh Seldon, on rest leave from his detective job, up to help them things get even more complicated as the pair are left having to finally confront their will-they-won't-they romance.

I love this series, which never takes itself too seriously and isn't afraid to be, well let's be honest, more than slightly preposterous. Oddball characters, idiot local policemen, scandalous secrets and, because we are in Scotland, some dodgy Scottish vernacular - everything is here! At its heart, though, is just a sense of fun and warmth, as Ellie - having lost her parents and uncle - now finds a family in her wonderful staff. Perfect reading for a dark winter's night. 4 stars and a mince pie!

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

After all the excitement and drama with the last book being set in a girl's school, this one is much calmer, though no less dramatic when it comes to the murder methods. This time we see Eleanor, Clifford and the rest of the staff in a castle on an island in Scotland, at Christmas. The story is a bit more bleak this time with financial woes, winter in the Highlands, the trouble of heating a castle (never easy!) and staffing clashes. However, despite this, Eleanor and Clifford shine through with their unusual relationship, unorthodox methods and unspoken conversations that say everything. After being in the UK and at Henley Hall for a year or so now, I do feel Eleanor should be a bit better at dealing with societal niceties and etiquette, or at least understand it better than she does, but at least in this book it seems a little less important than usual.

I enjoyed the story though I did get a little confused in the middle somewhere as there was a part where there were a lot of ideas but few being ruled out. However, aside from this we had the usual mystery, people refusing to talk or hiding something, and Eleanor and Clifford investigating in their own unique way. The ending of the book was definitely unexpected but very fitting given what had been mentioned previously in the story. I'm very much looking forward tot he next book in the series and finding out where Eleanor's adventures take her next.

Death on a Winter's Day is the 8th instalment in the Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s. 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. Again, a real draw of these tales book for me is the wonderful relationship between Ellie and Clifford and their delightful repartée. After seven books, (I missed book 2 for some reason) the characters are like friends and it is a real pleasure to spend time with them. The mystery itself was pretty good and the perpetrator was kept under wraps aided by the clever twists. Death on a Winter's Day was comfortably paced, compulsive 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. A super, refreshing tale.

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

Lady Eleanor Swift saves Christmas and solves a murder in the latest installment of this cosy mystery series. Eleanor is in Scotland with her friends Baron and Baroness Ashley to celebrate the holidays when what should have been a fun game of Wink turns deadly. It seems there is a murder in the castle; the ameutur sleuth has another mystery to solve.

This was another fun cosy mystery that I sped through quickly. It was my first festive read this year and had all the perfect ingredients for the ideal Christmassy book to read by the fire. This series has become a real comfort read for me and always evokes a warm glow when reading. Verity Bright never disappoints, creating an atmospheric and compelling story every time.

I loved being back with the familiar characters, particularly Lady Eleanor and her butler Clifford, who can always be counted on to be by her side every step of the way as she investigates. I love their witty banter, black humour and the overall dynamic of their relationship. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of reading their exploits and could enjoy them even if a murder wasn’t invovled as their characters are so entertaining.

So if you’re looking for a lively and lighthearted whodunnit this winter, then this is for you. You don’t have to have read the previous books to enjoy it, but I do recommend them.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Death On A Winter's Day' by Verity Bright.

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

Publication date 24th November 2021.

This is the fifth book I have read by this author. It is also the eighth 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), 'Mystery By The Sea' (5th book in the series), 'Murder At The Fair' (6th book in the series) and 'A Lesson In Murder' (7th book I'm 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', 'Mystery By The Sea', 'Murder At The Fair' and 'A Lesson In Murder' 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 40 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.

🎶 It's beginning to look a lot like murder 🎶

Another successful unputdownable cosy mystery by the very talented Verity Bright. This one has a festive feeling that comes with it. 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. This one comes with a festive feeling, well a lack of one until Eleanor, Clifford and the gang saved their own day. 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.

Although this is the eighth book in the series I had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.

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.


330 pages.

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

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Christmas in Scotland. In a castle. It should be rather enjoyable. Well, when Lady Eleanor Swift finds that her friends' staff refuse to prepare for Christmas, her staff willingly agrees to accompany her to perform duties that should make Christmas enjoyable. As always, Eleanor's closest comrade is her butler Clifford. He was her uncle's erstwhile butler, and now he is proving to be quite loyal to her. Of course, her bulldog Gladstone is along for the trip.

At what starts off as a boring dinner early after they arrive, they decide on a party game. However, things go terribly wrong when a visiting American, Mr. Eugene Randall, is found dead with a dirk in his back. Of course, Eleanor not only wants answers, but with the rather inept officers who barely begin the investigation, she relies on her finely honed skills as an amateur detective. With Clifford by her side, along with his keen sense of observation, Eleanor begins to dig for answers. Oh do they need answers, because the killer soon strikes again.

The facts are fairly clear. There was a dinner party at the castle. The baron and his wife, along with their guests, are all suspects. Eleanor begins looking for clues, and is determined to unmask the killer so that Christmas dinner can take place.

What an enjoyable addition to a series that is close to my heart. I love Eleanor as she has recently stepped into the role of a Lady, and how she defies convention repeatedly, all while Clifford strives to keep her in line. The time period, 1920s England, is terrific for this lovely series. Not only does Eleanor prove to be the perfect protagonist for these stories, but I love the slow brewing romance between her and detective chief inspector Seldon and how he makes an appearance in this novel. I am already looking forward to reading the next book in this series, A Royal Murder, set for release in March.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.