Winter, 1923. It’s nearly Christmas and Lady Eleanor Swift is looking forward to spending the holidays with her fiancé Hugh Seldon but then a rather strange letter from an old friend of her uncle’s arrives. Mr Godfrey Cunliffe has asked her to stay in Cornwall for the holidays but only because he believes his gardener is trying to poison him! With not a moment to waste Eleanor hurries down to his picturesque manor house with her butler Clifford. They arrive too late to stop the crime but lying dead at the bottom of the steep cliffs, is not Mr Cunliffe, but the gardener himself. And his plans for restoring the gardens to their former glory are missing. Eleanor thinks the clue she needs is hiding out in the grounds.
The sixteenth book in the series & whilst each can be read on its own, together they chart not only Ellie’s romance with Hugh but also her delightful relationship with Clifford & the ladies who run her home. I love Ellie & how she never gives, always courts danger & always unravels the clues. I didn’t like any of the Cunliffe family, who were different! However I did love how tender Hugh & Ellie’s relationship was & I could finally see how in love they both were. As ever Ellie is aided by the redoubtable Clifford as well as Gladstone & Tompkins. There are twists & turns as well as danger & I didn’t guess who the villain was nor the reason behind the murders. Another engrossing cosy mystery, which I thoroughly enjoyed
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Verity Bright does it again, keeping me entertained and also constantly hungry with all this talk of food! (Like Gladstone, I get excited at the mention of food.)

Besides my hankering for food, I loved the story-telling, as I do every time I pick up one of these books. I had a feeling who might be behind the murders, but when it was all revealed, it was just a question of "Why?" and I never saw any of the reasons coming.
I was racking my brain and trying to focus so hard on some of the clues, but still, I did not think I would be correct.
Needless to say, this was another great ending for another great part in the series.

*I received an ARC from Bookotoure and Netgalley for my honest review. Thanks!*

4.5★s

Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler, Clifford, along with Gladstone and the cat, were going to be away from Henley Hall for Christmas, spending the time in Cornwall with a friend of Ellie's uncle Byron. The letter he'd sent with his request, also mentioned he was fearful for his life - someone was trying to kill him. The strange atmosphere in the manor house sent chills up and down Ellie and Clifford's spines. When the body of the gardener was discovered about the time they arrived, the confusion about why St Clair died filled all their minds. As Clifford and Ellie searched for clues, doing their usual investigations, they both realised they'd have to get Chief Inspector Seldon, Ellie's fiance and one of the best police officers around, to help them out. Arriving at the nearby village, undercover as it were, Hugh joined them and the three of them dug deeply, asking questions and searching for answers.

But when another person died, Ellie knew the clock was ticking. The ice and snow was thick, the conditions were freezing and danger laced everything around the manor house. Would they discover the killer on this cold, bleak Cornish Christmas?

Murder on the Cornish Cliffs is the 16th in A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series by Verity Bright and once again I thoroughly enjoyed it. The witty dialogue between Clifford and Ellie never ceases and always makes me smile. The clever deduction about almost non-existent clues continues to baffle and entertain. And Hugh working alongside the two of them made the story even better. Highly recommended.

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

Verity Bright’s Murder on the Cornish Cliffs is the 16th in the Lady Eleanor Swift series. An incredibly snobbish, misogynistic, friend of Ellie’s late Uncle Byron has reluctantly written to Clifford (a mere servant!) for help. Since the letter was dated 20th December, that means that Ellie and Clifford are travelling to Cornwall just before Christmas. Although they hope to return to Henley Hall for Christmas Day, we, dear reader, know that this is unlikely and that they’ll be celebrating Christmas in Cornwall. This book is another Christmas cracker (ha! See what I did there?), although Mr Cunliffe and his strange family and retainers are discomforting and give quite a dark tone to the novel. Does Cunliffe really want help or not? If he does, alienating Ellie and Clifford is not the best way to get it.

So let’s go through the usual Verity Bright checklist: very witty banter between Ellie and Clifford? Check. Clifford’s encyclopaedic knowledge surprises everyone? Check. Dead bodies? Check. Handsome Detective Chief Inspector? Check. Very well-paced writing with superb plot and characterisation? Check. Really, what more can you want from a book?! Despite this being the 16th in the series, everything about it is still fresh.

#MurderontheCornishCliffs #NetGalley

Another fun adventure!

It's nearly Christmas in 1923 when Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler, Clifford, are called immediately to Cornwall. It seems that an old friend of her uncle, Godfrey Cunliffe, is convinced that the man he hired to restore the gardens is trying to kill him. Although she hates to leave her fiance, Hugh Seldon, behind, they hurry off arriving in time to find the snow falling and the gardener, Jerome St Clair, lying dead at the bottom of a cliff near the manor house.

This was fast and fun, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Love the details about that time period including the vivid descriptions of Cornwall, the customs, food, dress, and culture. The characters are all great friends by now and I always like catching up with them on their latest mystery. This is a really good historical cozy mystery series, and any fan will not want to miss this latest installment.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. I urge that you start at the beginning of this series for maximum entertainment.

Book Review: Murder on the Cornish Cliffs

Rating: ★★★★★/5 Stars

If you're in need of a delightful and engaging mystery to cozy up with this holiday season, look no further than Verity Bright's "Murder on the Cornish Cliffs." Set in picturesque Cornwall, this book transports readers to a festive world filled with intriguing characters, a twisty plot, and a charming bulldog named Gladstone.

Lady Eleanor Swift, our witty and intelligent protagonist, receives an unusual invitation from an old family friend. Mr. Godfrey Cunliffe fears for his life, suspecting his gardener of foul play. Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, Eleanor embarks on a journey to Cornwall, accompanied by her loyal butler Clifford and her bulldog Gladstone. However, when they arrive at Mr. Cunliffe's manor house, they find not the intended victim, but the gardener himself dead at the bottom of the cliffs.

As snow blankets the Cornish coast, Eleanor takes it upon herself to investigate the murder. She soon discovers that everyone in the household has something to hide, and she becomes convinced that Mr. Cunliffe is still in grave danger. With the help of Gladstone, who uncovers a vital clue in the form of charred garden plans, Eleanor races against time to solve the case before her own life is threatened.

Verity Bright has crafted another enchanting addition to her historical cozy mystery series. The festive setting adds an extra layer of warmth and charm to this already captivating tale. The plot is intricately woven with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end. Just when you think you've figured it out, Bright surprises you with another clever red herring.

The characters in "Murder on the Cornish Cliffs" are a delight to follow. Lady Eleanor Swift is a formidable and relatable heroine, with her sharp wit and unwavering determination. Clifford, her trusty butler, provides a touch of comic relief and unwavering loyalty. And let's not forget Gladstone the bulldog, whose antics bring a smile to your face.

As a fan of this cozy mystery series, I can't help but fall in love with each new installment. Verity Bright's writing style is engaging and immersive, making it difficult to put the book down. Her attention to detail brings the 1920s era to life, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the story.

In conclusion, "Murder on the Cornish Cliffs" is a delightful and satisfying read that will transport you to a bygone era filled with mystery and holiday cheer. Verity Bright's ability to create a captivating plot, coupled with her endearing characters, makes this book a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries. I eagerly anticipate the next installment in this enchanting series.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

This is a fun 1920's cozy mystery. Lady Eleanor Swift is invited by Mr. Cunliffe, a friend of her Uncle Byron, to go to Cornwall for the Christmas holiday because he believes someone is trying to kill him.
When they arrive, there are police cars there. At first Eleanor is afraid that Mr. Cunliffe has been killed, but it turns out that the dead man is Mr. St. Clair, who had been hired to redesign the gardens. It appears that he has fallen or been pushed over the cliff down to the beach.

Ellie and her butler, Clifford, begin detecting, but soon find themselves themselves in danger, especially when they find another dead body. There are several characters who are not killers, but are definitely doing illegal things. When Ellie and Clifford finally solve the case, I was definitely surprised to find who the culprit was!

I thank Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

This latest book in the series is pure entertainment from start to finish. I love the period setting, this time enhanced by the story moving to Cornwall. The writing is witty and, at times, hilarious. The relationship between Eleanor and her butler is often reminiscent of Jeeves and Wooster. I love this series and can’t wait for the next book! Although part of a series this book could also be read as a stand alone novel.

This is an entertaining and engaging murder mystery set in Cornwall in the 1920s. Lady Eleanor Swift has inherited her uncles fortune and has had to switch from her previous bohemian lifestyle to one that has many rules on etiquette and expected behaviours. There is lots of amusing dialogue around these expectations with her butler, Clifford, as the two of them embark on investigating the death of a landscape gardener. They are accompanied by Gladstone, her bulldog, and Tomkins her tom cat who provide plenty of amusement throughout.

The story combines intrigue, romance and old fashioned views of women with colourful Cornish characters, traditions and food. The descriptions of the coast and the gardens are beautifully detailed as it that of the lighthouse.

This is the 16th book in the Lady Eleanor Swift series. It is however, the first one that I have read but it won’t be the last. Highly recommended for a light hearted read with great characters and a good plot.

This series just keeps getting better and better (which ought not to be possible, as this is book sixteen and I thought the first was excellent!) Murder on the Cornish Cliffs is packed with atmosphere. I loved the settings, from the unnerving Gwel an Mor and its gardens, owned by an irascible man, apparently in fear of his life, to the local village of Lostenev, which is full of Christmas cheer. The contrast worked so well. The book is crammed with intriguing characters (including a pair of delightfully eccentric aunts). The wonderful mainstays – the irrepressible Ellie, stoical Clifford and romantic hero Hugh – are the stars of the show, but every player comes to life just as beautifully. A wonderfully exciting and entertaining read, perfect for a day snuggled up close to the fire while the weather outside does its worst.

It is nearly Christmas Day so why are Clifford and Eleanor heading off to Cornwall, leaving Hugh behind? Will they be back in time to celebrate Christmas with all their friends at home? There is a threat of murder, then an actual murder and then another one!

This is a very dangerous book for our intrepid duo and Hugh does eventually make it a trio. As usual a lot of fun is enjoyed by all, especially the reader. Clifford and Eleanor are in top form as they throw witty lines at each other, and Hugh is particularly romantic.

Sixteen books into the series and the authors are still keeping it fresh and entertaining. I am sure they are also spending sleepless nights working out what excitement will occur at the wedding when it eventually occurs. I can't wait!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read "Murder on the Cornish Cliffs" in exchange for my honest review.

This book is number 16 in the excellent Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series. Ellie and her butler Clifford have been summoned to help Godfrey Cunliffe in Cornwall. He insists that someone is planning to kill him. Our wonderful duo travel to Cornwall along with my favourite character Master Gladstone, the willful bulldog and his best friend Tompkins the cat.

Ellie inherited Henley Hall when her uncle Lord Byron Henley passed away. Clifford and Ellie have a fun relationship and it's always a treat to have them bickering on the pages. They are a fantastic crime solving duo because we have learned in previous books - Ellie has a way of attracting deceased persons.

When they arrive they find a suspicious death but it's not who they were expecting. Jerome Withenhall St. Clair was the gardener, hired to bring the neglected gardens back to their former glory. Mr. Cunliffe is convinced that the gardener was killed in a case of mistaken identity. Ellie and Clifford meet probably the most interesting cast of characters they have ever come across including Aunt Flora and Clara who are equal parts charming and confusing. There are many bizarre conversations.

As always there are several attempts made on Ellie's life, Clifford is inquired and joining them to help out undercover (as he is far out of his jurisdiction) is Ellie's fiancé CI Hugh Seldon. When another body turns up Ellie feels that there is more going on here than someone trying to kill Mr. Cunliffe. There is smuggling going on, some shady household staff, a police inspector who is happy arresting the wrong person on several occasions.

The description of the gardens is so lush and detailed that the reader will feel that they are making each discovery with Ellie and Clifford. The writing in this book is absolutely brilliant as you can feel that you are standing on the Cornish Cliffs and looking at the lighthouse. This story is set during Christmas and New Year's - as they are away from Henley Hall - all the ladies are missing from this story but the dialogue between Ellie and Clifford in this story has never been better! The historical notes at the end of the book are always appreciated as they are informative and add background to the story. This was definitely a more than 5 star story!

Ellie and her favorite butler, along with her bulldog and cat, head to Cornwall to help an old friend of her uncle's. The day they arrive a body was found, and the hunt for clues begins. Such a fun series. This is book 16, and although I've read almost all of them they can easily be read out of order. Highly recommend this book and series.

Another fun read with Lady Swift. This was a great, fast mystery. Loved the setting. This series is a favorite of mine.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Murder on the Cornish Cliffs, the sixteenth novel to feature Lady Eleanor Swift, set in 1923.

A family friend, Godfrey Cunliffe, has written to Eleanor’s butler, Clifford, asking for help. When they get to Cornwall they learn that Cunliffe thinks his landscaper is trying to kill him, except it’s the landscaper lying dead at the foot of the cliffs.

I thoroughly enjoyed Murder on the Cornish Cliffs, which is another fun read with a good mystery attached. I’ll confess that I was smiling and laughing too much at the dialogue and oohing at the danger to make any effort at solving the murder. As a result the murderer’s identity came as a complete surprise to me, with the karma in the motive an added bonus.

The novel follows the standard format of this series with a murder, plenty of suspects and motives, a bit of misdirection, lots of laughs, another murder, some dicing with death for Eleanor and Clifford and a furtherance of Eleanor’s relationship with Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon. Throughout it all there is lots of fun in the banter between Eleanor and Clifford. It has a strong enough plot to hold the reader’s attention throughout.

The novel is told entirely from Eleanor’s point of view so the reader gets to live the adventure with her. She’s smart and has a great joie de vivre that pulls the reader along in her wake.

Murder on the Cornish Cliffs is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

A thoroughly meaty Cozy Mystery and truly riveting. I try to be stingy with my 5th star but think the five star reviews are honest for this one too. Maybe it’s a style thing, but I did find the amount of dialogue distracting, what I would cal talking-the-plot. If that’s not a repeated criticism then it’s probably a style thing.

Just before Christmas, Ellie and Clifford are summoned to Cornwall to help a friend of the late Uncle Byron who. seems paranoid. The summoner and his family, including elderly twin aunts, are eccentric, to say the least. Cornwall and its rich history and traditions provide a lovely backdrop to a mystery that kept me guessing.

Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a DRC of "Murder on the Cornish Cliffs" (Released December 2023) in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

The Lady Eleanor Swift set of books is probably my favourite golden age style historical murder mystery series and this latest instalment is no different in that it gives us yet again an intriguing, fun read with a great mystery, lively cast of characters and wonderfully atmospheric setting.

This time we see Eleanor and Clifford (accompanied by the terrible twosome of Gladstone and Tompkins) heading to Cornwall just before Christmas at the behest of an old friend of Eleanor's late Uncle Byron - Mr Cunliffe. Believing he might become a murder victim at the hands of his gardener he has asked them to join him over the Christmas holidays to stop whatever nefarious plot is underway. Unfortunately they arrive too late and there is already a body - that of the gardener himself found at the bottom of the cliffs. What follows is a classic case of murder, intrigue, red herrings and as always, plenty of food and drink for our motley crew to enjoy whilst mulling over the clues.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story with it's gothic setting and characters, and plenty of classic adventure plot points which all end up reading very Daphne du Maurieresque. The assorted supporting cast make for a wide and varied suspect list giving the reader plenty of opportunities to follow dead ends in an effort to solve the case ourselves.

I loved that I had an inkling of who the murderer may be but that I had no clue for the motive or for the very touching final conclusions. There is peril, and mayhem and it's all pretty perfectly plotted and paced to keep the action and the case moving. I enjoyed the historical aspects of the story that were intertwined into the story as well as the introduction of Cornish traditions which made for lively additions to the plot.

As always, when they're not around I did miss the presence of the Henley Hall ladies but I think the more gothic and darker tone of this story meant that they may have actually been a distraction rather than adding to the book. I'm glad we found a way for Hugh to be involved and I love the balance we're seeing now between him and Eleanor as, book by book, they get more comfortable with each other.

This has been one of my favourites in the series for while and you won't be disappointed whether you're new to the series of an old hand like me.

Another great addition to this series in a new setting. There were several twists and turns to this mystery I did not see coming and I never once suspected the murderer or the motive which is pretty unusual so very well done. I did love the slightly eccentric aunts and would love to see more of them although I can't see how. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The latest in the Lady Eleanor Swift series has Elly and Clifford answering a plea for help from an old family friend in Cornwall. Her plans for a quick visit and a return home in time for the holidays fall by the wayside as they get drawn into another murder mystery. The writing is good as always, with an interesting mystery and some of the favorite characters from the series. These are always good, light entertainment, and the Cornish setting and holiday theme are nice touches. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion.