Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of "Murder in Manhattan" in exchange for my honest review.

This is book #14 in the Lady Eleanor Swift series and a wonderful addition to it. It continues where "Death on Deck" left off. Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon had proposed to Ellie on the ocean liner but had to return to England. Ellie now wears his engagement ring - which in true Ellie style she manages to lose sight of for awhile.

Everyone else is in New York with Ellie - Clifford, Master Gladstone, Mrs. Butters, Mrs. Trotman, Polly and Lizzie. As always Ellie seems to attract trouble like a magnet and is soon involved in several murders in New York. At first the police are rude and dismissive to Ellie but she soon wins over Officer Balowski. It seems that the criminal element know exactly where Ellie and Clifford are at all times and what they are doing. Soon they find themselves evicted from their apartment, along with Mrs. Morales and her son Earl, Officer Balowski is fired from the force. Who did Ellie manage to rattle so badly that they have the power to do these things.

There are many red herrings in the book. There are also many exciting sequences in the book where your heart is in your throat wondering if Ellie is going to get out of her latest mess alive. The book comes to a very exciting conclusion and I'm honestly very much looking forward to the next book in the series to see what Ellie does next.

This is the first Lady Eleanor Swift book that I have read, she is very charming, and kind to her entourage.
I would like to read the full series as her background sounds exciting.
A lovely light read, despite the violence.
Recommended.

Number 14 in the series. Still very chirpy, different, slightly eccentric and
definitely not in the common way.

This is a murder mystery and always Lady Eleanor gets roped in, dropped in call it
what you may in unusual circumstances, very often not of her seeking. The characters
are all out of the ordinary. From her butler Clifford, to her dog Gladstone whom she
takes to all events, even her household staff are full of character. It all adds to
the liveliness of the story which takes it from the gruesome viciousness of modern
murder stories, though murder is murder of course.

This one with the backdrop of Manhattan, gangs, upper class speak easies as well as
all the machinations behind high finance and high society in Manhattan. Murders too
and the detective work to solve them.

Very easy Reading.

With Lady Eleanor Swift, Clifford and her entourage (including Galahad) finally in New York, they were prepared for entertainment in the city that never sleeps. Eleanor's return to their apartment one night saw her witness the hit'n'run death of Marty, the doorman of their lavish apartment block, and the words he managed to Ellie before he breathed his last, puzzled her. But when the New York policeman determined it was case closed, an accident, Ellie and Clifford knew they couldn't let it go at that. It was murder, pure and simple.

But New York was different to England, and the gangsters, drug runners and those who did it for money, were everywhere. It wouldn't be long before Ellie was neck deep in trouble. And the NYPD policeman they enlisted to help them was fired for his trouble - the badness of New York went deep. Could Ellie, Clifford, Iver, their taxi driver, and Balowski, the cop, find who was behind it all, and beat them at their game?

What an episode!! Murder in Manhattan is the 14th in A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series by Verity Bright and I think it's the best so far in the series! Fast paced, electric, fun and entertaining, with everything we're used to from Eleanor, Clifford and Gladstone, and then some, I laughed out loud often, and wondered how on earth Ellie would get herself out of "it" this time! Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

I Adore this series and I love this book. I wad hooked right from the beginning and I could not stop til it was finished. This was the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy day! It has everything you need, suspense, drama, murder. Perfect, absolutely perfect.
I just reviewed Murder in Manhattan (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Book 14) by Verity Bright. #MurderinManhattan #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

cozy-mystery, murder-investigation, murder, local-law-enforcement, NYC, NYPD, pet-dog, 1920s, class-consciousness, amateur-sleuth, historical-research, friendship, relationships, series, friends, frustration, language-issues*****

This can't be an unbiased review because I love this series! It works as a stand alone, though.
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 she is in NYC along with her Butler, trusty staff, and her tiny French bulldog instead of her home in England. She gets stuck doing the pretty with the local snobs whether she wants to or not, but on getting home one night she witnesses the hit and run death of her own doorman. From then on it's a hard sleuth through some interesting parts of the city and trying to understand the argot of the town used by a local beat cop. Then a rich man with ties to the doorman has the same fate. 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!

'We are in the tightest spot ever over these hideous murders, Clifford. We need our sharpest wits.'

Having finally made it to New York (after the drama of he voyage over in the previous book), Eli and her entourage (minus Hugh, who has returned home) are now enjoying the glitz and the glamour of the New York social scene. Cue murders, secrets and lies and all sorts of American shenanigans.

As ever, fans of the series will lap this up as the writing is as fresh as ever, and the characters continue to delight. It's always a joy to lose myself in these books, and they never fail to reward. As always, a very strong 4+ stars.

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

I love this 1920’s English series and perhaps that is why this installment was a bit of a miss. The dialog and language was a little too guys and dolls and mobsters to the nth degree. So 1920’s Manhattan and references to the gilded society but not a Vanderbilt or Belmont in sight. There were the obscure moneyed dilettantes and loads of questionable officials throwing their assets around and all over and it was just a bit much. There were several references and details that were so far out of the timeline that I had to wonder about who did the editing. Stereotypes abound and whether they are accurate became inconsequential as they disturbed the flow and were annoying.

All is not in shambles and disarray as many of the favorite characters had leading parts in solving the murder mystery, because there is always at least one murder in any Lady Eleanor Swift installment. This plot, as all of the others, was well thought out and tricky. Having visited and conquered Manhattan, it is my fervent hope that Lady Eleanor and her entourage return to England and tackle the crime wave that is sure to be just on the horizon.

Many thanks to Bookoutre and NetGalley for a copy of # 14.

Parties, sightseeing and murder has Lady Swift and her entourage once again found in the middle of murder and mystery after the doorman Marty is a victim of a hit-a-run which Lady Swift is a witness. She promises his family to track down the murderer and get justice for his family.

Another fun and exciting Lady Swift Mystery that you will not want to put down. Enjoy!!

A perfect tonic on a hot summer day. Manhattan’s “British Invasion” by Lady Eleanor Swift and her bulldog Gladstone, was a formidable romp through Prohibition-era New York.

This series is not for serious mystery readers, but it has wit, style and very high entertainment value for those of us who enjoy period novels .

My first experience with Lady Eleanor was great. Good mystery. Hilarious puns and foibles. I will be reading further Lady Eleanor Swift mysteries!

This book brings yet another exciting adventure for the formidable Eleanor Swift and her fabulous team of staff, and this time we are in New York.

While the setting of this book wasn't my favourite, it still brought all of the fun and mystery that I have come to expect from this series. Clifford is wonderfully loyal, and I myself love learning many things from the seemingly endless knowledge that he possesses.

A fun read that kept me engaged throughout, and looking forward to the next instalment.

3.5 stars rounding up to 4

I love this series.... this book not so much. This book felt like it was all over the place. I still love Verity, Clifford and the ladies, and the new friends they made were fantastic. The book had a nice ending, but it took a while to get us there.

I still love this series, and I still love this author.... and this book is still a satisfying read, just not the best book in the series.

Murder in Manhattan, #14 in the Lady Eleanor Swift Mysteries) begins where Death on Deck, #13, left off. It is a fun look at the 1920s society in New York City.

Lady Eleanor, her butler Clifford, the ladies of her household staff and her beloved Frenchie, Gladstone have arrived in New York. She has set her household up in apartment and begin to enjoy her time there seeing the sights. The friendly doorman of the building, Marty Morales is run down by a car in front of the building and only Eleanor tried to help him. The police determine it is a hit and run accident, but Eleanor believes it may be murder. She wants to have justice for Marty so she along with Clifford, the ladies and of course, Gladstone, set out to investigate and uncover the killer.

Murder in Manhattan introduced us to some great side characters with stories, a second murder, red herrings and a need to solve the murder before Eleanor becomes the next victim. It kept me reading and wanting more. I admit that I did lose some sleep before finishing it. Eleanor is a strong character who cares for her friends but also is determined to do the right thing. I enjoy the banter and droll humor between Eleanor and Clifford. Also, who doesn't love a Frenchie who likes to eat and take naps?

I was excited to see a new addition and thank NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read it and give my honest review.

Eleanor and her staff have stayed in New York City in a very nice apartment after she and Hugh have become engaged, and he goes back to England. Eleanor is invited to parties with the rich and powerful. One night when they get back late, there are some horses in the middle of the street and Eleanor climbs on one to lead them back to their fenced area. Then, as their taxi leaves, a speeding car hits a man in the middle of the street. Eleanor recognizes the man as Marty, the door man of their building, and she runs to try to help him. His last word was Mary. Eleanor strongly believes it was murder and not an accident, especially since the car did not stop. Instead it speeded away very quickly.

Of course, Eleanor must help find who killed Marty. She goes to visit Marty's elderly mother and his brother in their apartment downstairs. She finds out he used to be the chauffeur for Mr. Dellaney, the wealthy man whose party she had been at. Marty had been fired a short time before. She goes to call at Dellaney's again, but he didn't want to talk about it. Then Dellaney is killed by what looks like the same car. Now she has two cases to solve. She has some help from policeman Bolowski, but she isn't too sure of which side he's on.

Soon, Eleanor is scorned by the rich and famous and evicted from her apartment, and Bolowski is laid off as a policeman. After that, things become very dangerous. Will Eleanor live, let alone be able to solve the murders before she returns to England?

This series gets better and better. I thank Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review has my own opinions.

It was so good to be back with Ellie, Clifford, Gladstone the bulldog and Ellie’s household staff. I loved the classic 1920s New York setting, the atmosphere and the characters. The mystery kept me turning the pages and as ever, the denouement was edge-of-your-seat stuff. Ellie doesn’t do things by halves! The book also has a lovely feel-good ending, with some humour thrown in to stop it getting too saccharine. Another wonderfully executed, rip-roaring adventure!

If you’ve seen my previous reviews, then you’ll know I’m a big fan of the Lady Eleanor Swift Mysteries. And here we are for the 14th instalment, in which Eleanor & Co are finally in New York (after their rather adventurous trip from England).

What a joy to be back reading about Lady Eleanor Swift and her slightly eccentric household again. They are some of my favourite characters, and they are written with a frivolity, but also a depth of character, that is just perfect.

The sense of place was good. With surprisingly few words, the very different feel of New York is conveyed. I relished seeing the different areas of the 1920s version of the city through Eleanor’s eyes.

The mystery was an involving one, and although I guessed the culprit before the big reveal, it was entirely on gut feeling, so I couldn’t be at all sure! I thoroughly enjoyed going along for the ride as Eleanor and Clifford figured out who among the multiple villains was the one to commit this particular crime.

In conclusion, although I didn’t think it could be done, this book is somehow even better than the previous 13 in the series. The combination of humour and mystery is perfect every time. Although you could enjoy this book on its own, I recommend starting with A Very English Murder, the first in the series.

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

I’m a big fan of the Lady Eleanor series but found this latest entry hard to get into. It took me a bit to figure out why—the setting—New York City in the 1920s. The plot was fine, but it became harder and harder to remain interested. And Ellie wasn’t the only one who needed Clifford to translate all of the colloquialisms.

That being said, I continue to enjoy Ellie and the other core characters (Clifford, Polly, Mrs. Trotman, etc.), but I’m definitely looking forward to their return to Henley Hall.

This wasn't my favorite entry in the series. It's VERY 1920s New Yawk if you know what I mean. It crams in every single stereotype about New York in the 20th-century into one story. I kept waiting for Al Capone to show up even though I knew he was in Chicago at that time. I guessed quickly and easily what it was about, but the whole puzzle eluded me. There was a last minute twist I didn't see coming! At least in this book I can tell the difference between which character is speaking but there was way too much slang for me. Some of the slang isn't even accurate to the time period and took me right out of the story. "Dude" and "That sucks" are both far more recent slang words than the 1920s. (I had to stop and look them up). The period details were OK. Sometimes it felt like looking at modern Manhattan with the traffic jams and rude people.

Ellie is shockingly naïve. She's solved more than 13 murder cases by now and given that one involved a royal, she should understand the way the world works. She should also know by now when a sleazy man is hitting on her and that Society women are as catty as they come. Given the fact she couldn't trust the police in her first murder, she should be aware that the police are human and therefore not immune to bribery and corruption. America may have been seen as the land of opportunity but it wasn't the land of equality. Money talked and I suspect this investigation has to do with someone with money and lots of it. I kept hoping Ellie wouldn't cross Al Capone! Her danger was even more perilous than ever before.

Ellie's naivety is what makes her likable and charming though. She's more comfortable with her so-called servants than her own class. She's very sweet and kind. Ellie sees the best in everyone even when they don't deserve it. As always she has Clifford by her side to make sure she acts like a Lady and to keep her safe. He should also know better and should have guessed what was going on. Clifford is like a superhero at this point! Gladstone is along for the sausages.

New York is populated by the rudest people on the planet! The nicest person Ellie meets is Marty, the doorman. He's friendly, always sunny and happy to help. Marty is a wonderful person and a true friend to Ellie for the time she has been in New York. He's a sweet and devoted son and in spite of differences, a loving brother as well. His death is absolutely heartbreaking! Everyone knows it was murder but no one saw anything, no one will say anything and everyone will turn a blind eye. Not Ellie!

Marty's brother Earl becomes a co-sleuth. He wants to know who killed his brother and to see justice done. Marty and Earl's mother, Mrs. Morales, is a lovely woman. She must use a wheelchair to get around but it doesn't stop her from having a sunny outlook on life and being friendly. She's touched by Ellie's caring and generosity and firmly of the opinion that she should be involved in the investigation into her son's death. Yes it's upsetting to discover he was murdered but she wants to know the truth. Mrs. Morales bonds with Ellie's staff and their afternoon together sounds like a hoot. Mrs. Morales teaches them about her native Filipino fruit, the calamansi, which she claims Marty planted in Central Park for her. There's absolutely no way. Tropical fruit literally can not grow in New York!

I am eager to return home to Henley Hall and England! I hope Ellie stays put for awhile. Plus I am dying for a reunion with Hugh!

Verity Bright’s Murder in Manhattan – the 14th Lady Eleanor Swift mystery – follows on immediately from the 13th, Death on Deck. As we learned in the previous book, Ellie decided to take her staff on a posh cruise to New York. This book sees them all settled in an apartment, with a friendly doorman, Marty, and an equally friendly taxi driver, Iver Driver. Sadly, Marty doesn’t make it through the book and Ellie, to the cynical astonishment of every New Yorker she meets, determines to find his killer.

This is not the usual comfortable read that we expect with a Verity Bright novel, where almost everyone is deferential to Lady Swift and those who are not are won over eventually, thus confirming the societal norm by the end of the book. Highly understandably, New Yorkers do not see a titled lady as anyone special and Officer Balowski, very reluctantly dragged into the murder investigation, is downright rude.

As always, my suspicions about whodunnit fell upon most of the characters – always a sign of a good mystery – and so, yes, I guessed the guilty party at some point, but then I changed my mind, convinced it was another character. So, is the book well-written? Yes, definitely. Did I enjoy it – hmmm…. Not as much as I expected, but I am emphatically to blame for that, not Verity Bright at all. I felt the setting was too alien for Ellie, even though it’s a perfectly reasonable place for a young rich woman to go during the inter-war period. Bright draws a very realistic picture of the city and has done the research well. The characters are believable straight-talking New Yorkers, not Bright’s usual British characters in a different place – and that applies to the rich socialites that Ellie meets as well as the doormen, taxi-drivers, diner staff, etc..

Anyway, read it and decide for yourself.

#MurderinManhattan #NetGalley