3,5 ⭐️

After being away on her travels for the last three installments, Lady Swift is finally back home at Henley Hall in Murder By Invitation, the 15th book in the series, in which the birthday celebrations for King George will be the perfect backdrop for another cozy mystery.

Lady Swift is part of the planning committee charged with preparations to toast the King’s birthday but, days before the event, Mr Prestwick-Peterson, the chairman of the committee is found dead, strangled with some bunting. Is someone sabotaging the celebrations? With the help of her trusted butler Clifford and her fiancé, Detective Hugh Seldon, Eleanor will delve into the lives and secrets of Little Buckford neighbors to try and catch the killer before celebrations are ruined.

It was so nice to be back home in Little Buckford and getting to know more about Ellie’s neighbors. One of the greatest things in this series are its characters and how they interact with each other. I love how at home Ellie feels with everyone, no matter their social standing, and how she always knows how to deal with everyone to bring out the best in them. The love the village has for her is more than evident, you only had to see how everyone congratulated her on her engagement.

Another of the novelties I enjoyed the most this time was how she and Hugh worked together as a team. It is the first time we see them so much time together and it offered a glimpse into what their new life as a married couple will be like.

I found the mystery to be a little bit darker than we’ve come used to. I suspected the culprit pretty early on, so it was a bit bittersweet when my suspicions were proven right. While chasing the killer, Ellie and Clifford will face greater dangers than usual and, although it was tense and nerve racking (especially if you’re a bit claustrophobic), I think it was a bit drawn out.

Another enjoyable historical cozy mystery that portrays vividly an interesting place and time, with a cast of fantastic characters that is always a pleasure to go back to.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lady Eleanor (Ellie) Swift is reunited with the love of her life Hugh Sheldon, upon her return from America, but is in a dilemma as to the wisdom of having become engaged. Hugh has some time owing and is spending it is Little Buckford, and enjoying Ellie’s company, which is and delight not just for Ellie, but also for the staff as they adore the handsome Detective who is to become part of their household.
Meanwhile the village of Little Buckford is getting very excited about the King’s birthday celebrations and its out to make a statement with the decorations and many planned events. Every household is involved in making Bunting, baking and growing impressive gardens to beatify the Village.
Ellie, reluctantly attending yet another emergency committee meeting, notes the atmosphere is very fraught. The Chairman Mr Prestwick-Peterson (PP), less than popular for his almost obsessive attention to detail, becomes very upset when the blacksmith Mr Dawkins interrupts the meeting.
Henley Hall is in a flurry of creativity and baking when the news PP has been found dead is delivered. Naturally Ellie, along with Hugh go to the scene, where they discover the many items created for the event scattered all over the halls, the body of PP, strangled with red and blue bunting.
And so begins Murder by Invitation from Verity Bright with an excellent plot line where anyone of the many people PP has upset over the time he has spent in Little Buckford, could be the murderer. The question that troubles Ellie is who, in the little village could hate PP so much that they were prepared to commit murder.
As Ellie and Hugh, assisted by the redoubtable Clifford begin to try find the murderer, they discover that Mr Prestwick-Peterson appears to have no recordable past; his lodging room is pristine and the only clue they can find is a faded picture of a beautiful woman.
Time races on and the King’s Birthday celebrations rapidly approach. When an idea occurs to Ellie, she and Clifford set off investigate the old Mines long closed. Will the remarkable team find the answers they need in time or will this be their last investigation?
Bunting, murder, love and mystery come together in this latest adventure, Murder by Invitation featuring Lady Eleanor Swift, her remarkable and unique Butler Clifford, Detective Hugh Sheldon, Gladstone and his new best friend Tompkins, in what is a page turning cozy murder of the most enjoyable style set, in the era of 1920.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher, but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Murder by Invitation is the fifteenth book in the now long running Lady Eleanor mystery series. After spending some time in New York, Eleanor, Clifford, and the rest of her household have returned from their holiday and are getting ready to celebrate the king's birthday. As one of the leading residents of Little Buckford, Eleanor is on the committee planning the events. Unfortunately, the chair of the committee is found murder and given his prickly disposition and talent in offending everyone there is no shortage of suspects. I really enjoyed the mystery in this one and think it might just be the best one of the entire series. There are enough twists and turns to make it enjoyable while the ultimate solution is not out of left field or leaves the reader feeling misled by the clues. I am looking forward to the next title in the series.

“‘Anti-royalism, Hugh? This is Little Buckford! It’s the most conservative and traditional village in all of England. It’s exactly everything this country, and King George, stand for personified.’”

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Murder by Invitation’ by Verity Bright. I also was invited to take part in their publication week blog tour.

This is Book 15 in the Lady Eleanor Swift series of historical cosy mysteries set in 1920s England. As usual, I complemented my reading with its unabridged audiobook edition, narrated by Karen Cass.

The residents of Little Buckford are busy making preparations for a huge royal celebration in honour of the King’s birthday. Lady Eleanor (Ellie) Swift and her loyal butler Clifford are lending a hand along with the Henley Hall staff. Gladstone the bulldog and his new friend Tomkins, the ginger cat, are observing from the sidelines always on the lookout for treats.

Then just days before the event the body of Mr Prestwick-Peterson, the chairman of the celebrations committee, is found in the vandalised village hall. He was strangled with a length of red, white and royal blue bunting!

Eleanor’s beau, Detective Hugh Seldon, is assigned to the case, and together they question locals. They discover that Prestwick-Peterson was considered a busybody and was not well liked by many in the village. Then another body is found and the murder weapon again links to the upcoming royal celebrations. In addition, a ‘calling card’ was found with both bodies bearing an unknown symbol.

When Whitehall determines that the symbol links to a London-based anarchist group, the investigation takes on a political angle as there is concern that anarchists and anti-monarchist activists are seeking to disrupt the royal celebrations throughout the country, including its bucolic villages.

The plot thickens and the suspect lists grows. Then an arrest is made and the suspect imprisoned in the Tower! Yet Ellie is convinced that the police have made a mistake. Can she uncover the real murderer before there is a serious miscarriage of justice?

I am quite familiar with the characters and previous events as I have been following this series since its inception. However, for new readers some background (without spoilers for previous cases) is provided.

I was quite amused by the lengths that Clifford and Hugh undertook to ensure there was no hint of impropriety in their interactions with Ellie. Of course, this is in keeping with the social etiquette of the period and I felt that it was an important detail to honour the authenticity of the historical setting.

I will note that there was a heightened level of threat in the closing chapters that I feel moved this story more into semi-cosy territory.

Overall, I found ‘Murder by Invitation’ another engaging mystery for Ellie and company with a well realised historical setting. After the main narrative Verity Bright includes notes that provide background on certain historical details that feature in the plot.

Highly recommended book and series.

his is without doubt my favourite of the series so far. It’s good to be back at Henley Hall and the village of Little Buckford. Eleanor and Clifford were their usual entertaining selves and with the addition of Gladstones furry friend, Tomkins and Eleanor’s fiance, Hugh, the investigative team just seem to get better and better. As much fun as these stories are there are also serious historical events running through them and it’s always a delight to get a taste and the handy accompanying notes at the end.

This time Eleanor is trying to track down person or persons unknown who have murdered the most hated man in the village. It seems that they are swamped with possible suspects and are finding it hard to see the wood for the trees. Before long another body is found and certain clues suggest that the murders are being conducted by an anti-royalist. Hugh is under increasing pressure to make an arrest before the King’s birthday. With tensions increasing, and Eleanor desperate to make sure an innocent man isn’t held accountable, events take an incredibly dangerous turn. I must admit I couldn’t quite see how she and Clifford would get themselves out of danger. Could book 15 be the final Eleanor Swift mystery? You’ll have to read to find out. I really enjoyed it and I love the way Verity builds her relationships between her characters. Each book has seen them grow and has made me feel even closer to them. With plenty of peril, laughter, adventure, and the odd reference to food thrown in (how does this woman stay so slim!), Murder by Invitation has been another welcome escape from the modern world.

Thank you so much to the lovely team at Bookouture for inviting me to join this book tour and for sending me the digital copy to read. This series is just crying out to be made into a television series.

‘Murder By Invitation’ is the fifteen book in this series and it was just as captivating a story and mystery as usual! How are we are book fifteen already?? It can definitely be read as a standalone though, although I do recommend this series wholeheartedly.

It is the King’s birthday and the whole village, including Lady Eleanor Swift and her staff are involved in arranging a street party and celebration! Everything was going swimmingly until the chair of the Planning Committee was found murdered, strangled with the celebration bunting! As if so happens, Eleanor's fiance, Detective Hugh Seldon is visiting and they dive straight into working out who the murderer is.

I thoroughly enjoyed this outing but then I know I always am going to when I pick any book from this series up! But there was a section in which there was a lot of tension and danger for Eleanor and Clifford, her trusty Butler’ and I was hooked. It was expertly written and it felt very real to the reader. I was right there next to them as they made every decision! High-octane stuff indeed!

It was also lovely to see Eleanor and Hugh spend a more sustained time together as it allowed for a glimpse into what married life will look for them! What I love about these books is that the characters do feel like friends and you care for every one of them, especially Gladstone!

Roll on the next book! Let me know if you pick this one up.

Lady Eleanor Swift with Clifford, too,
Are on another the case, with lots to do.
This time her fiancé, Detective Hugh Seldon, is here
Hoping to keep her from danger, that is clear!

Plans to celebrate the King's birthday - a party date -
Lady Swift has been asked to participate
Joining the committee to plan it all through
She's reticent but knows she needs to help, too.

With a chairman being meticulous in his plan
Not concerned about upsetting any lady or man
But who took umbrage and left him dead
Putting the bunting to a new use instead?

Another fascinating murder mystery
With snippets shared from this period in history.
There's death, danger and surprises, too,
Before the case is through!

This is a series I really enjoy reading
And I’m sure future books I’ll be needing.
The village, the community and mystery, too,
Make this a great read all the way through.

For my complementary copy of this book I say thank you
As I share with you this, my honest review.

Little Buckford is celebrating the birthday of King George. But soon someone will be found strangled and Eleanor's fiance Hugh Seldon is called in to help investigate the murder. But Eleanor will need to get involved and find out his background to connect the links.

This wasn’t your usual cosy crime narrative and took a slightly darker storyline. It was great to be back with these characters and I enjoyed how
Clifford was more involved in this book.

As always this novel can be read as a standalone and you won’t feel like you have missed out on anything; which is a bonus when reading books in a series.

Still a great read although I feel it didn’t flow with the rest of the series.

I have been an avid reader of the Lady Swift series and have recommended them widely. I read book 14 and this one and feel they have lost their cosiness. Spoilers below to explain so please skip if you’ve yet to read them and don’t want to know.

*Spoiler warning*
I struggled to connect again with Eleanor after her near-death escape in book 14 but hoped being back in the village she would be in her groove. The murder includes a calling card and that flagged for me this wouldn't be so cosy. Sure enough, there is a grim mining story with several deaths at the hands of the murderer. I found it upsetting. I skipped ahead to the end to see the resolution and was disappointed Eleanor is, once again, very nearly killed. They don’t actually catch the killer, rather he dies at his own hand. I’ll be taking a break from the series. I read cosy novels to relax and solve the whodunit, not for emotional upheaval and grimness.

You think it’s becoming very hard to review a series after having been an all the blog tour and you want to write something meaningful.
This book was the right one to write something meaningful because it’s a historical cosy but there’s also some poignant and moving moments and the plot is a good way to talk about social issues like those in this book.
Eleanor, Clifford, Gladstone, and the characters are as lovely and well-rounded as usual, there’s some very funny moments and I thoroughly enjoyed the story as I read in one sitting.
The mystery is twisty and solid. It kept me guessing and there’s plenty of surprises and secrets.
It may sound weird but I was also moved by some parts and sniffed a bit.
It can be read as a stand-alone but I recommend reading the rest of the series as the character’s arc is quite interesting.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks Bookouture for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I am pleased to be on the Books on Tour for the latest Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series. Thanks to Bookouture, NetGalley, and Verity Bright for the complimentary ebook. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

We’re up to volume 15 in the series, and I’ve read or listened to almost all of the books. The great thing about Lady Eleanor Swift Mysteries is that while each novel is part of a series, they can be read as standalone novels as well, so you need not have read them all to enjoy the books.

Prior to becoming Lady Eleanor Swift, Ellie led an adventurous life. But it seems that adventure, and murder, follow her as she becomes more comfortable in her role as lady of the manor. She’s inherited the title and several estates, and most importantly, her butler/body man, Clifford. He’s a wealth of information, has a mysterious past, and keeps the estate running like clockwork, anticipating Eleanor’s needs and the needs of those around her. He accompanies her almost everywhere, which comes in handy when she puts, or gets, her life in danger.

Lady Eleanor is recently engaged to Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon. However, they haven’t sat down and picked a date or discussed many things, even though they’re very much in love. Hugh seems to think at times that he can control what Ellie does, and then she goes ahead and does something, and he throws up his hands and realizes that he’ll never be able to control his future wife. It’s endearing. Hugh knows just how good she is at solving mysteries, and the two have collaborated in the past.

There’s a planned King’s Birthday celebration in the village, but when the chairman of the birthday committee is murdered, the villagers pick Eleanor to take over the arrangements. The man who was murdered, Mr Prestwick-Peterson, wasn’t well-liked at all. There are so many suspects, and all of them have a similar unprovable alibi. It could be anyone.

Eleanor and Hugh, with Clifford along, interview villagers. They’re a little wary of an outsider like Hugh, so Ellie smooths the way and introduces his as her fiancé, then happens to mention he’s an inspector with Scotland Yard. It’s a pretty effective strategy.

Before the trio can get too far with Mr Prestwick-Peterson’s death, there’s another murder, and that’s when things get a bit strained between Hugh and Eleanor. Joseph, her head gardener, becomes the main suspect. Ellie and Clifford vouch for him, but Hugh has to go with the evidence at hand. What will this mean for Eleanor and Hugh’s relationship? Is Joseph the murderer? You’ll just have to check out this excellent Golden Age mystery to find out!

It is the interactions between the ensemble of lovely characters in each of the cozy mysteries that I've come to look forward to, and in this one, they certainly had their moments! but sadly I struggled with the storyline finding it a little dark for a cozy. I don't want to spoil your read by sharing the plot but it jarred for me.It felt quite sad. I'm also struggling with the relationship between Hugh and Eli. He's coming across as insecure and just a little too old-fashioned for such an independent adventuress, Are they really suited? Hmm!!

Hoping that book 16 will resonate more. I'm confident that this one will be enjoyed by many

It's 3 out of 5 for me! With thanks to Bookouture, Netgalley and the author for my advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review

Another fun addition to the Lady Eleanor Swift mystery series. I am happy to see Lady Eleanor and her staff back in their home village after a trip to New York. The villagers are great as we get to spend time with people we know and some we don't know very well, such as the president of the committee in charge of the celebration for the King's birthday. The man has not made many friends with his insistence on following all the rules but no one expected him to be murdered. Now, Lady Eleanor has to step in and take over all the planning for the celebration and to find a murderer. Of course, she has plenty of help from her fiancee, Detective Hugh Seldon, her butler, her staff and the fun bull dog, Gladstone and the new addition of the kitten.

The final confrontation with the murderer is very harrowing with lots of twists and turns on the way to keep you guessing. Seldon is not always the most romantic man with words but his toast to Eleanor at their engagement party was so sweet and heartfelt. This book is definitely one of the highlights of the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

The town of Little Buckford is having a big celebration for the birthday of King George. There is a committee to plan it chaired by Mr Prestwick-Peterson, and includes the rather unconventional Lady Eleanor. Mr. Prestwick-Peterson is not very well liked by many of the residents. When he is found strangled in the Town Hall, Eleanor's fiance Hugh Seldon is called in to help investigate the murder, and of course Eleanor and Clifford want to help him. Eleanor also becomes Chair of the Birthday Committee.

Soon it's realized that there is very little known about Mr Prestwick-Peterson, including where he used to live and what he did for a career. Then the blacksmith Jimmie Dawkins is found Murdered out in the woods. When Clifford and Eleanor realize Joseph, their yard man has disappeared, they decide they need to find him. Clifford and Eleanor make a long trip to Wales to try to find information about a couple of people, and then go on a very dangerous hunt for Joseph.

The plot is fun and I enjoy the main characters. I thank Netgally and Bookouture for the ARC.

I love this series and the characters. The mystery kept me guessing again.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really look forward to Verity Bright’s Lady Eleanor Swift novels. The fifteenth in the series is Murder by Invitation, opening amidst preparations for George V’s birthday. The chairman of the birthday committee is a martinet, whose views of “Health & Safety” as we would call it today, are rather extreme and mean that there is no shortage of suspects when he is murdered.

The banter between Eleanor and her butler, Clifford, is on top form and I did like the way Eleanor’s fiancé, Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon, and Clifford form an alliance. In previous books, Seldon has often played a smaller part. I felt his much larger role in this book worked well – for propriety’s sake, he stayed at a local pub and so was still able to disappear off stage when the plot required.

Bright is skilful at nudging Eleanor (and us) down various rabbit holes. We are shown that a character has something to hide and from there, it’s a short step to “And so they must be the murderer.” However, that is driven by emotion, not logic and is obviously not always true. Bright’s investigators – Ellie and Clifford – respectively personify emotion and logic and I think that’s the core strength of the books. The witty banter; the historic research; and yes, the romance with Seldon, overlay that.

However, despite my enthusiasm for the series, I have to confess my disappointment in this book’s conclusion. Although we have surmised what’s happened, Bright resorts to Ellie and Seldon telling each other what they both already know in the last chapter, just before the king’s birthday parade starts off. Not only is it unlikely that they’d spend time doing this, it’s even more unlikely they would do so at the time Ellie (as Chair of the celebration committee) should be rushing round encouraging and thanking volunteers.

In summary, well worth reading, but an almost amateur ending, unlike Bright’s normally top quality writing.

#MurderbyInvitation #NetGalley

Little Buckford is all in a dither as preparations are underway to celebrate the King’s birthday but then the body of the committee’s chairman Mr Prestwick-Peterson is found in the village hall, strangled by bunting. Eleanor teams up with her handsome beau Detective Hugh Seldon to question the local butcher, baker, and pub landlord it becomes clear that the meddlesome busybody Mr Prestwick-Peterson was not universally liked & a prime suspect has also gone missing.
The fifteen book in the series & whilst it could be read on its own I’ve enjoyed getting to know the characters & how they interact. Another well written engrossing read. There’s plenty of suspects as well as twists, turns & of course red herrings Ellie & Clifford nearly bite off more than they can chew in an edge of the seat episode. I absolutely loved it when the reserved Hugh declared his love for Ellie to the whole village. An engrossing page turner, which I highly recommend
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I have to start this review with a disclaimer: I did not read the 14 preceding Lady Eleanor Swift mysteries. Fortunately, I can also state that this did not leave me confused and that it didn’t affect my enjoyment of this story at all.

Quite the opposite in fact. There’s a lot to enjoy in this charming story. The characters and the interactions between them are vivid, interesting, and at times chuckle-worthy. The exchanges between Lady Eleanor and Clifford, her butler, are especially delightful. Just as those between Eleanor and her fiancé Detective Hugh Seldon often made me smile. Overall, I can honestly say there wasn’t a boring or superfluous character in this story, and that includes Gladstone the bulldog and Tomkins, the cat.

The mystery in this book was intriguing and well-plotted. The murder of a man universally disliked is always a great set-up and the fact that every possible suspect had the same, impossible to disprove, alibi, added greatly to the intrigue. When a second murder victim is discovered, the urgency of the investigation increases, especially since it is only days until the festivities to celebrate the King’s birthday are to take place. The solution surprised me, although I realised after I had it all spelled out for me that the clues I needed to figure it out for myself were all there. 😊

The one thing I found less charming was the thriller aspect near the end of the story. I don’t object to it being there, it just felt a bit (too) long in what was otherwise a delightful cozy mystery. Having said that, I can’t say it bothered me enough to put me off Lady Eleanor and I can definitely see myself reading other books in this series in the future.

To summarize: Murder by Invitation is a smoothly written, captivating cozy mystery featuring delightful characters and a well-plotted mystery.

The King's birthday and the whole village of Little Buckford is excited for the celebration if only the chairman wouldn't be piling on more jobs on top of the long to-do lists the committee already has to contend with. When the chairman turns up dead is it personal or anti-royalist? Lady Eleanor Swift has her work cut out for her in discovering the murderer. Thankfully she has the ever-present help of her impeccable butler Clifford but also her very handsome fiance Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon has been tasked to lead the investigation.

Murder by Invitation is book 15 in Verity Bright's Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series. But you don't need to read the previous books to enjoy this one.

If you have been a long-time reader of this series, then you are in for a real treat particularly if you have been wanting to see more of Hugh. I think this is the most we have seen of Hugh and Eleanor together (I didn't read the first few books in the series, so I'm not sure if he had a bigger role in them or not) and it is absolutely wonderful.

Hugh, Eleanor, and Clifford work really well together. Since Hugh has decided to stop fighting Eleanor on her sleuthing, there are some really fun scenes with them. Of course, we still get the great banter between Clifford and Eleanor. Hugh also seems more relaxed than usual.

We get hints of what their future married life will be like, but we also see that there is a lot they need to discuss about the future. Now that they aren't butting heads about criminal investigations, I foresee some aggravation around blending their lives together. One thing they won't have to worry about - the village has readily accepted Hugh as Eleanor's future husband - despite him suspecting them all of murder!

If you are looking for a fun read, then pick up this book.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Wednesday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2023/09/murder-by-invitation-by-verity-bright.html

Book 15 in the continuing story of Lady Swift her household and the handsome Inspector where trouble and murder seem to follow.

The kings birthday celebrations are on the agenda when the chairman is found murdered in the village

Follow along at Lady Swift, Clifford and Inspector Seldon uncover the secrets of the mysterious Mr Prestwick-Peterson.

I enjoy every book in this series and can not wait for number 16!