I am a huge fan of this series and this one was no exception. This is another fun and cosy historical crime novel.
It has great characters as always

A little frenetic but overall very enjoyable. Clifford and Eleanor are two of my favorite crime-solving characters.

I wanted the cozy mystery to have alot more going for it and sadly, A Royal Murder wasn't it. It was my first introduction to Lady Eleanor and I really wanted to root for. I love sleuths! But the mystery was lackluster and couldn’t really like any of the characters

A Royal Murder is the 9th Lady Eleanor Swift cozy mystery by pseudonymous writing duo Verity Bright. Released 28th Feb 2022, it's 290 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book (and the rest of the series) are currently included in the KU library to borrow and read for free.

This is such a fun historical cozy series, set in the roaring 20s and featuring amateur society sleuth Lady Eleanor, her faithful manservant Clifford, and elderly (only slightly smelly) bulldog Gladstone. This time sees an untimely death at the royal regatta, lots of murky goings-on, some international espionage, and high (and low) society. The plotting is well rendered and moves along at a good clip. The dialogue is entertaining (if not really period accurate) and the characters are well written and witty.

It's a fast and undemanding read; the language is clean, the crimes are not written violently or explicitly and the denouement is satisfying and well written. For readers looking for verisimilitude in dialogue and action, be warned, this series is full of modern vernacular and sensibilities. Eleanor fraternizes with the servants and runs a shockingly lax estate. However, fans of classic golden age interwar British mysteries will find a lot to appeal here.

Four stars, a decidedly exuberant and whimsical romp. There are now 12 books in the series. This is a prime candidate for a long weekend binge read. Although each of the books is self contained, I recommend reading them in order (though it's not absolutely necessary).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Lady Eleanor Swift visits Henley Regatta with her friend Tipsy who is determined to find Ellie and herself a husband. Ellie is still enchanted by detective Hugh Seldon but their rocky relationship is under pressure, especially when the head of royal police calls on Ellie not Hugh to investigate the murder of a minor royal...
A Royal Murder is the 9th book to feature intrepid Lady Eleanor Swift and her indefatigable butler Clifford.
We are straight into the actions and main character plotlines. Eleanor and Tipsy are at the regatta and Tipsy is trying to find them both a husband, the richer the better. A royal steps up to give a speech, swigs his champagne and collapses. Ellie is asked by the royal police to investigate the murder and find a whole host of motives and suspects. This puts her at odds with her beau Hugh who is not welcomed into the investigation by the royal police.
There are plenty of red herrings as Ellie explore the potential culprits. She is ably assisted by her butler Clifford who is as resourceful as ever. Their unconventional friendship is the real highlight of this whole series for me. I particularly enjoy their dialogue together throughout all the books.
I liked the addition of Ellie's friend which reinforces the gender stereotypes of the era, and the royal status of the victim which shows the class system. Eleanor provides a delightful contrast to the social norms described in the book. She subverts and defies the expectations of society based on her status and sex.
A Royal Murder is an entertaining historical cosy murder mystery.

It's spring which means time for the annual royal regetta and a perfect excuse for Eleanor's new friend Tipsy Fitzroy to work her skills on finally turning Eleanor (much to her reluctance) into a proper society lady and finding her a 'royal beau'. The merriment soon turns into a murder investigation when a minor royal, Lord Xander Taylor Howard dies on stage during the prize giving ceremony and the head of the Royal police, Sir Percival is hell bent on making the investigation process a difficult one for Chief Inspector Seldon as his main aim is to protect the Royal family from any scandal at any cost!

Even after nine books, the series is still witty and entertaining even if the danger quotient keeps gradually increasing with each passing book. The Henley Hall entourage is an absolute hoot and it is fun to see even the serious Chief Inspector Seldon loosening up in their presence. Clifford is a genius as always and it seems Gladstone has found a new victim to pounce his friendly, dirty paws on 😂.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and the author Verity Bright for the e-Arc of the book.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Nine books in, this continues to be my favorite historical mystery series.

Eleanor, Clifford, and the rest of the gang from Henley Hall are at it again, this time after a semi-minor Royal meets an untimely end at the local regatta.

This installment of the Lady Swift series had less in the way of unique historical context, but what was there is still fun, and the mystery was satisfying as usual.

In terms of atmosphere and ancillary content, Bright hasn’t lost a step, and the immaculate buddy comedy vibe remains strong and is still the best aspect of the series.

I love this series. This is book 9 in the Lady Eleanor Swift series. It’s spring of 1923 and Eleanor has a new friend who is trying to move her into society. They go to the Royal regatta and watch as Lord Xander drops dead from poison. Lots of suspects from all areas of society. Of course Detective Sheldon is on the case to keep Eleanor in check but the police chief seems to be unhelpful. All the main cast is returning but you can read this as a stand alone. Continuing to learn more British history. Enjoy.

A Royal Murder is the ninth installment in the Eleanor Swift mysteries! I really love these series because they are light and fun! Eleanor is an engaging female protagonist! I did think the mystery was very weak and predictable. Still, I am invested in these series because of the protagonist! I recommend this for fans of the Lily Adler series, Counterfeit Lady series, and the 1920s Mystery series!

Continuing the adventures of Lady Eleanor Swift in Verity Bright's ninth book, A Royal Murder, the reader is introduced to Lady Tiffany Persephone Fitzroy, a new friend of Eleanor's who's self-proclaimed mission is to help Lady Eleanor fit in with polite society and snag an "appropriate" beau. Unfortunately, while they are attending the Henley Regatta, the guest of honor, a minor member of the royal family, drops dead just as he is about to make the awards presentation. The Royal Guard takes over the case from Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon but requests (orders) Lady Eleanor to be involved.

As with the other books in this series, it is set in a small town in Buckinghamshire, England in the 1920s. The author has done an impressive job of developing a cast of unconventional characters that continue to grow and connect with the reader. The descriptive setting also allows the reader to envision the area and events even if they've never travelled to the English countryside. Nestled within this story are threads that ring true across the ages for both the entitled and common classes showing that no one is truly exempt from giving in to the negative influences in their lives.

As the story unfolds, the author presents a multitude of suspects and motives that keep the reader guessing until the end as to not only the identity of the killer but also the reasons behind the murder and a very unexpected accomplice after the fact. I look forward to seeing what future installments hold in store for Lady Eleanor and Chief Inspector Seldon, both in terms of investigations and romantically.

I received a copy of this book free from NetGalley and Bookouture and am leaving this review voluntarily.

A cute cozy mystery, but definitely not my favorite. The dialogue took a while to get used to and I kept getting jumbled up with what time period we were in. It very much felt like the book was set in the late 1800's oftentimes, but is actually set in the 1920's. I didn't get fun 1920's vibes at all. This is the 9th book in a series that i've never read, but it's a series that you can jump in at any time and not actually be confused.

The mystery was okay, but it was laid out in a really simple format and sometimes got boring. I guessed the murderer towards the beginning of the book but didn't really know why or the reasoning till the end. The pace picked up at the end and the story felt more engaging, but it sometimes moved too fast and I felt like I was missing plot points. Overall a cozy mystery, if you're looking for one, but there's other cozies that I enjoy more.

Another intriguing mystery in the Lady Swift series, begins at the Henley Regatta. When a minor royal is murdered before a crowd of spectators, Lay Swift is seconded into helping find the murderer by the head of the Royal Police. With some very eccentric characters, the mystery is fun.

I really love jelly beans - almost as much as I love reading one of Verity Bright’s installments of her 1920’s cozy murders. Despite people falling over dead, this is still a bright, sparkling, slightly hilarious romp at the royal boat race. All of Bright’s great characters make an appearance and the addition of a few new questionable as well as curmudgeonly characters add to the mystery and fun.

Imagine having a Butler who leaves hot Ovaltine with a note written in Latin and who is willing to plunge “into the first of Dante’s Nine Circles of Hell.” Bright has drawn all of her characters with a full box of crayons, but has paid very special attention to her protagonist, Lady Eleanor Swift. She is defined with the greatest care to encompass, grit, determination, an incredible moral compass, a dry wit and false comeback and a most extraordinary sense of humor. She finds herself in the most outlandish situations and mostly hurdles the social constraints with intelligence - truly a woman who manages to outthink and outmaneuver any number of idiots and chauvinists. Such fun. And about that’s bulldog, Gladstone - he really needs a bigger part.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookoutre for another great installment in The Lady Eleanor Swift Cozy Murders.

This is the first book by this author that I have read and I think that reading others in the series would be beneficial, but it can be read stand-alone.

Tipsy Fitzroy has made it her mission to turn Lady Eleanor Swift into a “proper society lady”, much to Eleanor’s disgust, and is delighting in parading a frilly-dressed Eleanor round to a host of eligible bachelors at Henley Regatta. When the guest of honour, a distant cousin of the King, collapses and dies, Eleanor is yet again drawn into a murder investigation.
Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon is on hand, but he is firmly told to step aside & leave the investigation to Sir Percival and the royal police. Eleanor is engaged by Sir Percival in order to keep things discrete, and initially her investigation is very slow but as the book progresses and she collaborates with Chief Inspector Seldon things pick up a pace! I didn’t find the “distant heir to the throne” storyline believable, but there are enough surprises to keep it interesting, and the book is a quick and fairly predictable read.

The star of the show is undoubtedly Clifford the always-prepared butler who is always one step ahead of Eleanor, pre-empting her moves and producing a picnic at the most opportune moment!

I will read more from Lady Elanor Swift and I can see this being a fun TV mini series, and can picture the settings/costumes!

This series does not disappoint
Eleanor does not fit into ‘high society’ but she ends up at Henley and needs to find out why the minor member of the royal family has been poisoned.
Her romance is progressing and Clifford is his usual suave butler excellent ness.

Perhaps the best praise is that fact that I eagerly await each new book in the series, and they never disappoint. Perfectly crafted, the books are wonderfully and unashamedly light in tone, Ellie and her entourage always allow me to escape the real world for a while.

This time a minor royal is poisoned at Henley Regatta, and whilst Hugh Seldon is caught in a minor battle for authority with the Royal Police, Ellie is recruited to work undercover to solve the case. Needless to say, there are lots of swipes at male chauvinism, high society and the rest, as Ellie, Clifford and Seldon try to catch the killer.

If you haven't found this series yet you should try it. The easiest 4 stars to give.

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

I say it every time I review a book in this series but is it a great addition. If anything the series get better and I am so familiar with the characters now, reading about their latest adventure is like catching up with old friends.

Kitty finds herself helping the police again when a body is found in the the first class compartment of a train. It worthy of Agatha Christie as we essentially have a locked room who dunnit. The victim could only have been killed by one of the other travellers in the compartment.

An excellent read.

I have also reviewed:

Murder at the Dolphin Hotel

Murder at Enderley Hall

Murder on the Dancefloor

Murder at Elm House

Murder at the Wedding

It is a delight to return to such a beautifully crafted world! Verity Bright has, in the Lady Eleanor Swift mystery book series, wonderful characters and they are all back in “A Royal Murder”. A royal boat race is the scene of both the murder and of a conflict between our lady investigator and our favourite Detective Seldon! Despite his best efforts to keep Eleanor out of it, when she is asked by the royal police to find the culprit, Detective Seldon realises there are people and places where she can obtain key information easy than he. Soon they are embroiled in more than just murder but perhaps a conspiracy or a crime ring…

I enjoy the banter and repartee between everyone but especially our loyal and multi-skilled retainer, Clifford! Eleanor’s friend is, intentionally, exasperating! Gladstone, the bull dog, is just perfect!

If you enjoy historical cosy mysteries, pick this one up now, and then be sure to enjoy the rest of the series too! It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale!

A day at the Henley Regatta on the River Thames results in Lady Eleanor Swift (Ellie) witnessing the murder of a royal cousin, Lord Xander Taylor-Howard, and being asked to investigate covertly to avoid a scandal, reporting back to Sir Percival of the royal police, with whom her late uncle had clashed. Although Detective Inspector Hugh Seldon is overseeing security at the week-long event, he is disparaged and sidelined from the investigation. Through his mistrust of Sir Percival and due to Ellie's involvement, Hugh continues his own investigation while concealing from Sir Percival that he and Ellie are acquainted. At times this is difficult as Ellie's canine companion, Gladstone, could easily give the game away by his boisterous greeting of the detective whenever they meet in public.

Not a fan of etiquette and high society rules, poor Ellie is awkward and embarrassed when she is coerced by her exuberant new friend, Tiffany Persephone Fitzroy (Tipsy), into dressing and behaving in a manner completely alien to Ellie; behaviour designed to attract a suitable partner from amongst 'the bright young things' and other wealthy and aristocratic guests at the regatta. This causes problems for Ellie and Hugh, whose romance had progressed to another level after their escapades in Death on a Winter's Day. Tipsy doesn't feel Hugh is worthy of Ellie, given his status and that they hardly ever meet as his job always comes first. However, Hugh's determination to remain involved in the case means he has to meet up with Ellie more often - through clandestine meetings and frequent visits to Henley Hall, much to the delight of 'the girls' (Mrs Trotters, Mrs Butters and Polly).

Clifford, the butler and a man of many talents, is also recruited into the case against Sir Percival's wishes. He proves to be a formidable foe while still catering to Ellie's needs and safety, in particular providing picnic hampers for her insatiable and most unladylike appetite. There are more hints about the nature of the work he did with Ellie's uncle, revealing a more dangerous side to his usual staid persona.

As the murder investigation progresses, our sleuthing trio uncovers a number of suspects from the ranks of jealous husbands, jilted lovers, envious relatives, loan sharks, gamblers and spies; inadvertently place themselves in great danger and are involved in an exciting car chase before the killer is unmasked.

The mystery is complex with lots of red herrings and suspects to sift through. Early on I had my suspicions as to who the murderer was but could not work out a motive.

This cosy mystery series remains one of my favourites and, once again, it has been lots of fun spending time with Ellie, Clifford and Hugh – and, of course, Gladstone. I'm looking forward to the next instalment, wondering what Ellie will get mixed up in and the next phase of her romance with the dishy detective.

A fab cozy mystery. Kept me guessing until the end.

Many thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.