Member Reviews

This is a cosy mystery that I read in no time flat. It was so easy to read and just what I heeded after a couple of full on and long books.

Lady Swift is the perfect character for this story and I loved her, She always made me smile with her ways and Gladstone her dog is a wonderful addition too. The era (1920's) is an era I love and fit perfectly in this book.

This is an entertaining, fun, easy to read and very much cosy and I enjoyed it immensely. The authors notes at the end added a bit of useful and interesting information which I love and having not read any other books in this series I am going to the library to see if I can find more.

Was this review helpful?

I was taken on a 1920’s luxury cruise headed to New York with this book and I loved it.

Lady Eleanor Swift is going to New York on her first cruise, a luxury cruise at that. Taking her trusty staff along, and Gladstone the Bull dog, ready to have fun. What can possibly go wrong?

I have to confess this is the first book in the series that I have read from the author Verity Bright. I really enjoyed reading it and will now happily read her previous books. So, I would say if like me it’s your first read too, it works as a stand alone.
I warmed to Lady Eleanor Swift, and her staff immediately. I very much enjoyed the titbits of the cruise, 1920’s life, and chatter.
It’s a cozy murder mystery book, thoroughly enjoyable.
My interest was captured from the first page to the last.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions of this book are entirely my own.

Was this review helpful?

If you haven't read all other 12 books don't worry - this is well explained. Sharp wit and glamorous setting. Reminded me of Miss Fisher's murder mysteries. Lots of fun, quick easy read, loved the cover!

Was this review helpful?

Ah, this was simply another great addition to one of my favourite series. It features all of our familiar friends - Clifford, and Gladstone, and the lovely ladies who work for Ellie - as they are all setting off on a trans-Atlantic cruise.

The settings were beautiful - I loved the opulent descriptions of life on board the first-class deck of a cruise ship. The characters were met were all rather shady, and that made it difficult to figure out who committed the murders. So it was a neat little twist at the reveal.

Oh, and the ending! What an ending! I cannot wait until the next instalment!

Was this review helpful?

I’ve always imagined a cruise would be sedate and relaxing, but in Death on Deck it’s the setting from some thrilling drama! The voyage takes place in the long shadow of the tragedy of the Titanic and then there’s the small matter of a murderer on board! Not quite the birthday treat Lady Eleanor Swift had been hoping for. It was great to have Ellie’s suitor, Hugh, deeply involved in the mystery – they make a good pair – and Ellie’s butler Clifford was a joy as usual. There are clues aplenty, bags of atmosphere and a fantastically gripping denouement. I think it’s my favourite yet. A great read!

Was this review helpful?

Death on Deck is a cozy mystery that centers around Lady Eleanor Swift on a transatlantic liner Celestiana set in the 1920s. This is the thirteen book in a series and while I have not read the other 12 books, this can be read as a standalone. The plot is interesting and I loved the 1920s settings aboard a luxury cruise liner. I really enjoyed the supporting characters, like her loyal butler Clifford. The mystery got a little slow in places, but the end picked up and I quickly read through the last few pages to find “who did it.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

Awesome! The pacing moved along at a fast clip and the dialogue was smart and witty. Right from the start it felt like I was being swept along and by Eleanor's side as she boarded the luxury cruise ship.

The author did a great job of making all the characters distinct and memorable which can be a challenge when a bunch of names are given to the reader. The climax ṭo catching up with the killer made my heart pound! Come on and hurry up, Ellie! Lol

The ending was one I never saw coming either so that made it an even better read too! Highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced reading copy.

Was this review helpful?

When Ellie's plans for her birthday change unexpectedly, she and her staff go on the maiden cruise of a luxury liner. All seems ruined when the first night, a man is shot & thrown overboard. When her beau's, Hugh's, gun is found by Ellie, she knows he is on board. Sprinkled with descriptions of the liner's decor and complete with a climax during a near-hurricane, the solution to this satisfying mystery had me guessing.

Was this review helpful?

Death on Deck is the 13th installment of the Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series. Lady Eleanor and her trusted Butler, take the opportunity to board a maiden voyage on the Celestina. It was her upcoming birthday and she was stood up from her plans with her beau, so she decided to treat herself and staff to a voyage for her birthday. However as on as she arrives she is witness to yet another murder. She sets out to find the culprits at large and has quite a bit of opposition along the way.
Great adventure, it was up and down, twists and turns as the story unravels with the chase to the killer. I love the character, lady Eleanor, she is so brave and a strong woman ahead of her time era. Her trusted butler, Clifford is always there as her sidekick prepared for whatever comes next. Verity Bright did a phenomenal job with the entrant details in creating such a development to her story. Bravo! Recommend the series is you love strong woman heroines and the 1920’s era.

Was this review helpful?

This was an interesting read with some good characterisation. My favourite was the butler, super knowledgeable, highly competent but with a wry, sarcastic sense of humour. The main lead, Eleanor swift is great too, an independent, resourceful woman. The plot line held the attention most of the time although there were some implausibilities or coincidences. It seemed unrealistic that the chief inspector escaped from being knocked out and tied up so easily and conveniently. However, this remains an interesting read

Was this review helpful?

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley, Verity Bright, and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I had never read any of the Lady Swift series and I can say that this book can entirely work as a standalone. I do, however, believe that one would benefit greatly from reading the proceeding books. I think that I would have cared more for the other characters had I have had 12 other books to get to know them.

With that being said, I still really like this book! Although I will aua that no matter how much the Celestiana was described, I just kept picturing the Titanic in my head. However, I do think the author realized this because references to the Titanic were made multiple times.

I especially loved Clifford, the butler. His little bits of knowledge not only added to the storyline, but we're also fascinating. It really brought his character to life.

Lady Swift actually took me a while longer to be drawn to and care for. But, again, this may because it was my first Lady Swift book.

Overall, I loved the setting, the characters, and the plot.

I did think it started off a little slow, with pages worth of details on the boat that seem kind of wasted. However, by the last few chapters I was flying through it on a chase to find the murderer!

Was this review helpful?

5/5

Reading a Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery is like coming back to old friends. I recently discovered this series, delve into Murder in an Irish Castle and loved every second of it.
Death on Deck is not much different.

I was so excited to read about Gladstone and Clifford once again, and the shenanigans the gang get up to. I was even more intrigued by the mystery surrounding the Celestinia and how Hugh was involved in it.

Suffice it to say I thought badly of Hugh, thinking he was leading Eloanor on, but instead his intentions were so pure it melt my heart.

The banter between Eleanor and Clifford is also super funny.

And not to mention the murderer! I can honestly say I did not see that one coming.

Well done! This is by far my favourite book of the month.

Was this review helpful?

Lady Eleanor Swift had big plans for her birthday, all involving beau, Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon. Unfortunately, once again, police work has intervened, and she finds herself left high and dry and not at all happy about it. As her old boss has provided her with an invitation for the inaugural voyage of his luxury liner, the Celestiana, she decides, last minute, to accept for her and her very excited staff.

Surrounded by unrivalled opulence, Eleanor begins to relax and enjoy herself until, once again, crime crosses her path. Working with her butler to clear the name of an unlikely main suspect and only seven days to sort clues from red herrings, allies from enemies, and sample the luxuries aboard the Celestiana, could it be she has finally met her match?

Book thirteen in the wonderful Lady Swift Mystery Series once again takes place away from her ancestral home but the main protagonists are all, thankfully, present and correct! From the visit of an unwelcome house guest through the ocean based investigation and on to an eminently satisfying ending, I loved every word of this brilliant book. Add to that the fact that I didn't guess or even come close to guessing whodunnit, and this is easily one of my favourite reads so far this year.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the opinions expressed are my own. I loved this highly recommended book. More please!

Was this review helpful?

This was a really fun mystery! I was a bit worried seeing it was book 13, but was able to be read as a standalone with no problem! It was a fun mystery and I enjoyed jumping into this 1920 eras read!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity of reading "Death On Deck" in exchange for my honest review.

This was our 13th visit with Lady Eleanor Swift and it was most definitely one of my top favourites! The entire book was exciting and in some spots very suspenseful. It certainly keeps the reader turning the pages because while you don't want the wonderful story to end, you want to know if you have guessed the murderer correctly.

It's Ellie's birthday and her beau - Detective Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon has cancelled their plans at the last minute. Ellie had a previous invitation from her former employer Mr. Walker to sail on the Celestina from Southampton to New York City. Ellie accepts the offer and takes the entire gang along - Master Gladstone, Clifford, Mrs. Trotters, Mrs. Butters, Lizzie and Polly are all onboard and up to their usual mischief. Only Joseph and Silas decided to stay behind at Henley Hall.

Of course, where Ellie goes it seems trouble always follows. Practically within hours of boarding the Celestina, Ellie witnesses a murder. From clues she puts together, she realizes that an close friend is also onboard. There is no shortage of suspects - Marinelli, an opera singer; Mrs. Swalecourt who is onboard looking for a husband for her daughter Rosamund; Florentina González, who has been jilted by her fiancé; Sir Randolph, a hotelier and Count Balog. They all seem to be hiding truths and before Ellie can unravel the threads, there is another murder. All these people while denying knowing each other or the murder victims are somehow all linked to each other. With wonderful red herrings throughout the book, Ellie does finally figure out who the culprit is and why they did what they did.

This is a fabulous edition to the Lady Swift series and I'm very much looking forward to the next book because we had a lovely surprise at the end of the book. I also enjoy the historical notes that the author writes at the end of the story because I very much enjoy learning more of the backstory to some of the terms and references that are used in the book.

Was this review helpful?

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Death on Deck, the thirteenth novel to feature Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler, Clifford set in 1923 on the transatlantic liner Celestiana.

When Ellie is let down again by her beau, Detective Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon, she isn’t going to wallow in self pity, instead she whisks her staff off on a transatlantic cruise. The Celestiana is opulent and the cruise is going well until she witnesses a man being shot and thrown overboard. To her horror she recognises the gun used as belonging to Hugh Seldon, who, unknown to her, is on an undercover mission. Now it is up to her to save him by solving the murder.

I thoroughly enjoyed Murder on Deck, which is another light, humorous romp through 1920s society with the added bonus of a genuine whodunnit. It is told entirely from Ellie’s point of view, so, technically, the reader should be able to put the clues together as she does. I failed miserably so the reveal was a surprise to me.

I really like Ellie, as she calls herself, and it’s always a pleasure to spend time with her. She is, on the whole, a happy person with a zest for life, although her love life and its erratic path can cast her down. Still, she’s open, loyal, smart and full of fun. Her interchanges with Clifford make me laugh and now the author is lining Hugh up as Clifford’s wingman in these exchanges, double the fun and double the laughter.

The plot is interesting with plenty of suspects and motives. Ellie spends a fair amount of time trying to winkle out alibis, motives and connections with the dead man without much success until it all comes together in a burst of inspiration. She and Hugh collaborate, when his seasickness allows, but she is the one doing the interviewing as she and the suspects are in first class. Along the way they uncover more crimes and solve a cold case.

Death on Deck is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Was this review helpful?

I’ve been a fan of the Lady Eleanor Swift series since the very first book, so I was pleased to get my hands on Death on Deck.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The huge ship made a big change in setting, and certainly added some drama to the story!

As always, I loved spending more time with this collection of characters, who feel like old friends. Gladstone (as usual) added some much needed moments of comedy.

The plot was an interesting one. There was more going on than first meets the eye, which made it more complicated for Eleanor (and therefore the reader) to figure out the culprit(s). I do so enjoy it when I don’t have everything worked out before the end.

Overall, this was another exciting and fun episode in a favourite series. And the ending is the absolute best (can’t say more because of spoilers)! I can’t wait to see what Eleanor and friends get up to next!

I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Knee Deep In Death..
A first luxury cruise is on the cards for Lady Eleanor Swift, reluctant amateur sleuth. She’s bound for New York! She has all sorts of glorious imaginings- but murder is definitely not one of them. On board the Celestiana, despite the glamour and glitz of the cruise ship, things immediately begin to go awry. Once again, our intrepid sleuth finds herself knee deep in death. Enjoyable cosy mystery with a likeable protagonist, some enjoyable descriptions and populated with a colourful cast of supporting characters. Another entertaining addition to this long running series.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC.

I really enjoyed this mystery, I was definitely entertained! I loved the 1920s era for this book and the story was so fun. I also liked that I was able to read this pretty easily as a standalone.

Was this review helpful?

1920s, amateur-sleuth, class-consciousness, cozy-mystery, friends, friendship, frustration, historical-research, law-enforcement, liner, maiden-voyage, misconceptions, murder, murder-investigation, mysteries, pet-dog, read, relationships, series, theft, transatlantic,*****

Can easily be read as a stand-alone.
This series has the very best and interesting characters (good, bad, and absolutely silly). The series began as a farce: Eleanor is widowed and is a presumed orphan and world traveler on the cheap who comes to rural England and finds that she has inherited the title and all that from uncle who is recently deceased. The best part of it all is The Butler Who Knows Everything who helps her with anything, and never treats her like a ninny.
This time her Scotland Yard Detective cancels plans for her birthday celebration, so she accepts an invitation for herself and all of her staff to sail on the maiden voyage of a fantastic liner from London to NYC. But then, she witnesses (in the dark) a man being shot then pushed overboard!
Lots of sleuthing, plot twists, red herrings and more.
I really enjoy all the ongoing (as well as new) characters, and the mysteries are so well done!
I requested and received a digital ARC of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Was this review helpful?