Book 9 of the series but works well as a standalone. I loved these characters. Set in 1920s England, Eleanor has developed a reputation for solving murders, but when a friend drags her to a sporting event, dead bodies aren't supposed to be a distraction. That changes when a minor member of the royal family drops dead in front of her. I'm looking forward to reading the others in the series.

ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

cosy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, law-enforcement, family-dynamics, friendship, friction, red-herrings, relationships, murder, murder-investigation, dog, England*****

Being very diligent in sleuthing out the murderer is always a good thing, but this series has the very best and interesting characters (good, bad, and absolutely silly). The one murdered is poisoned in full view of a crowd (poison), but his personal life proves to be appalling and the list of suspects keeps growing. Great read for a snowy afternoon!
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!

Light, period mysteries do not get any more beguiling than the Eleanor Swift series. The characters are vibrant and fun, the protagonists are brilliantly paired, and the liberated Lady Eleanor is bright and entertaining. I have read several other books in this series and they all promise a few charming hours of comfortable sleuthing and armchair adventure.

Netgalley provided me a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a candid review.

I enjoyed this book once I got into it, being the 9th book in the series, I probably would have benefited from reading some of her other books (although I did read her first one and enjoyed it very much). Having said that the book was fun to read, well told and never without a touch of humor or banter. It depicts the era well and settles nicely in the cosy style

Knee Deep In Murder And Mayhem…
The ninth outing for Lady Eleanor Swift and this cosy, fun and frothy tale finds our delightful protagonist attending an annual regatta with new chum Tipsy. Needless to say, it’s not too long before bodies begin to come out of the woodwork and Lady Eleanor finds herself knee deep in murder and mayhem. Enjoyable, escapist reading and a fitting addition to the series.

"At the royal boat race there are beautiful barges, plenty of bunting, a handsome prince and...is that a body in the water? Lady Swift is on the case!

Spring, 1923. One-time adventurer and now amateur sleuth Lady Eleanor Swift is attending the annual royal regatta with her new pal Tipsy Fitzroy. Tipsy has Eleanor trussed up like a debutante in a new dress, determined to turn her into a proper society lady. Even Eleanor’s favourite companion, Gladstone the bulldog, has a new outfit for the occasion.

But the sparkling prize-giving ceremony is interrupted when the devilishly handsome host gulps his glass of champagne on stage and collapses to the floor. The victim is none other than the king’s cousin, Lord Xander Taylor-Howard. He was rumoured to be entangled in a rather dubious gambling ring, but did someone kill him instead of collecting his debt? Or was this simply an ill-timed tragic accident? Either way, a right royal scandal is afoot...

Sir Percival, the head of the royal police, asks Eleanor for her help investigating. He’d do anything to keep the story under wraps. She knows it will get her into hot water with a certain dapper Detective Seldon, but she’s determined to see justice done. However, as she digs deeper, she learns Lord Taylor-Howard was hiding more than one murky secret. It isn’t until she takes a closer look at the unfortunate royal’s shattered champagne flute that she stumbles upon just the clue she needs. But can she reel in the killer before her ship is sunk too?

A warm and witty 1920s mystery that cozy fans will just adore. Addictive reading for fans of T.E. Kinsey, Lee Strauss and Agatha Christie.

Readers cannot get enough of Verity Bright!"

1920s AND a boat race? Yeah, might be niche, but it's just perfect for me!

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 9th installment on the Lady Eleanor Swift series and I have to say it is a fun read. This is a series that wonderful to lose yourself in. I love all the characters, but def my favorite is the Butler/Bodyguard/sounding board Clifford. You can't help but love him and all the main characters in this series.

Lady Eleanor has a new friend, Tipsy who has taken it upon herself to make Lady Eleanor her new pet project. While at the regatta, a low-ranking royal is murdered and Eleanor is deputized by Sir Percival and the Royal Police to help solve the mystery. Our handsome detective, Seldon is off the case, but still manages to help Eleanor solve the case, along with Clifford. Tipsy, who turns out to be a fair-weather friend, makes a beeline for Seldon, but fear not, Seldon only has eyes for Eleanor.

This book was a nice read, although I did figure out who the culprit was pretty quickly in the story., it did not deter from an enjoyable read.. I recommend this book for lovers of all things cozy, or readers who are in the mood for something light and feel good.

Witty and entertaining. An historical cozy with just the right amount of romance. A convincing twist at the end.

Spring, 1923. One-time adventurer and now amateur sleuth Lady Eleanor Swift is attending the annual royal regatta with her new pal Tipsy Fitzroy. Tipsy has Eleanor trussed up like a debutante in a new dress, determined to turn her into a proper society lady. Even Eleanor’s favourite companion, Gladstone the bulldog, has a new outfit for the occasion.



But the sparkling prize-giving ceremony is interrupted when the devilishly handsome host gulps his glass of champagne on stage and collapses to the floor. The victim is none other than the king’s cousin, Lord Xander Taylor-Howard. He was rumoured to be entangled in a rather dubious gambling ring, but did someone kill him instead of collecting his debt? Or was this simply an ill-timed tragic accident? Either way, a right royal scandal is afoot…

Fabulous series which just keeps getting better and better! Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. The word building was phenomenal in this book. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the mystery world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

Verity Bright is one of my two favourite contemporary authors, alongside TE Kinsey. The latest book, A Royal Murder, is the ninth in the series featuring Lady Eleanor Smith and her butler and bodyguard Clifford. Ellie is accompanying her new friend, Tipsy Fitzroy, to watch a rowing regatta on the Thames. Tipsy is very keen that Ellie should meet Lord Xander Taylor-Howard, a minor royal who is eighteenth in line to the throne, and the two ladies go to watch Xander present the regatta’s awards. Unfortunately, Xander drops dead in the middle of the ceremony. Ellie is summoned by the head of the royal police, Sir Percival Westlake, to investigate the death – or is it murder?

The scenes at the regatta really do evoke an early twentieth century atmosphere but I felt some aspects of this book were more crudely drawn than previous ones. Tipsy is not a sympathetic character and I felt myself getting impatient whenever she was talking. And, as Ellie realises, when Tipsy is present, she IS talking. We do not see a silent Tipsy. Westlake is also brusque and aggressive – whilst that’s appropriate for his character, the combination of Tipsy and Westlake and some similar minor characters is wearing! I’ve said elsewhere that Verity Bright has the astonishing ability to make me feel I’m actually there with the characters and the dialogue thus has a more visceral effect than it would if written by someone else.

We get the usual banter between Ellie and Clifford that make these books such a delight. We also get a Russian spy and an Irish villain who add more fun and colour. I’d definitely recommend this book but perhaps not as wholeheartedly as I would others in the series – four stars rather than the six or seven I wanted to award some others.

#ARoyalMurderALadyEleanorSwiftMysteryBook9 #NetGalley

Another hit in the Lady Swift series. Struggled a bit in the beginning, as I really didn't like Tipsy, and also the seemingly brush off by her detective. Picked up though, and liked the flow afterwards. Really enjoy the banter of Lady Swift and her butler Clifford. Great series and one I highly recommend.