I have mixed feelings about this one. Most of it, especially the first 100 pages, reads like a tourist guidebook to Venice. Finally, Ellie gets to (briefly) explore places tourists don't usually go (but apparently can if they book a private tour, something my family has never done). I really liked those parts and the scenes in the Jewish quarter with the introduction of a Jewish character. I was a little disappointed Venice of the 1920s is pretty much the same as Venice of the 1990s and not much different from today. Now you get around by water taxi and gondolas are for tourists. You can even find gondolas in my city in America. The politics of 1920s Venice centers around the age old debate of progress vs. tradition. I think Venice has done a pretty good job of balancing both but it would be nice to bring back wooden gondolas and have less motor boats. The descriptions will make you feel like you're there. If you haven't been, that's great to have but it slows down the pace of the novel and since I've been there once in person and many times through family photos (dating back to before I was even born), I skimmed for descriptions of how Venice may have appeared different in the 1920s. I did like the Carnival setting and wanted more of it. The silly Englishman's subplot was superfluous.

The mystery is either about politics or about family. I did not like the stereotype of the fiery, passionate, stubborn Italians feuding. I thought vengeance and blood feuds were more of a southern thing but I looked it up and there was a famous feud that inspired the events of this novel. I forgot to ask my parents about it. I must ask them to ask their friends in the Venezia region to tell me about it. The romance got lost in the family drama. The identity of the murderer was a surprise. I had forgotten that person and dismissed them. I was left confused by the thief's story. Is he the dark side of Clifford? The body count is too high for a fluffy cozy mystery like this series. One nitpick - the Italian word for pasta is macaroni. Pasta literally means paste and there are many different shapes and sauces and dishes. Each is regional and you'll only find the freshest ingredients used. Gelato flavors are seasonal as well and pistachio is a traditional flavor but not a spring flavor but I'm not sure about pistachio salted caramel! I'd be surprised if that flavor existed in the 1920s.

Speaking of Clifford, he is getting younger by the book! He's so agile and in fighting condition for an older man. I loved seeing him light up in the clock tower though and it was sweet of Ellie to arrange that tour for him because she knew he would love it. He's always looking out for her and doing things she wants to do as well as keeping her safe. I love how in tune they are with each other's thoughts. Ellie is a sweetheart of a woman but shockingly naïve at times even after all those dead bodies. She's growing though and learning, listening to Clifford and trusting her instincts. I worry about her relationship with Hugh though. It's just not going to work out if she goes gallivanting off to places hobnobbing with people who don't respect marriage vows and who enjoy a good party. Ellie isn't like that and Hugh knows it but it sounds like he's jealous and worried anyway. I hope he can take time off so they can go on vacation together (with Clifford and the ladies to chaperone). The ladies are a riot as always. It's funny to think of how shocking the site of underwear was given what underwear looked like! Shy Polly is coming out of her shell a bit and growing up. Lizzie is learning to relax and enjoy the more informal atmosphere of the Henley House family. While Gladstone doesn't have much to do, Tomkins gets his due, as Venetians love cats. There was a little too much Tomkins worship and not enough Gladstone for me.

The first victim is Signor Benetto Vedelini, an important Venetian businessman and on the city council. He was always demanding progress and ignoring how that progress would harm the artisans and gondoliers and even the locals who don't make money in the tourism industry. He sounds like he was arrogant. He argued with his gondolier, a stranger! The Vedelinis have been importance in Venice forever so I guess he came by his ego honestly. The Vedelinis were once engaged in a centuries-long feud with the Marcellos. The gondolier, Gaspo Secco, was related to the Marcellos. Gaspo is known for his hot temper but arguing with a customer is a new one. Gaspo is arrested without evidence but Angelo assumes the feud may be starting again! If Gaso murdered Benetto, the Vedelinis will seek vengeance and perhaps kill one of the Marcellos in return. Indeed, when a second body turns up in the canal, everyone assumes the crime was like for like. But what if it wasn't? Who else could have killed these men and why?

Ellie has a personal gondolier, Angelo. He speaks excellent English and is happy to show Ellie around but he isn't necessarily bound by loyalty to HER the way her staff is. He doesn't know her. He works for a living and she's just another wealthy client. He seems nice and trustworthy though. Another new friend I don't quite trust is Vincenzo Vedellini. He's a member of the Venetian Council like the man who was murdered but he doesn't seem to mind that a family member was killed. He barely knew the guy he says. He seems more interested in charming Ellie, possibly with seduction in mind. Ellie trusts him though and feels she can share what she's learned her investigation. I'm not sure her instincts are sound on this one. I don't trust him and I'm certain at the very least, Hugh would like to knock the lights out of this guy and at best, check up on Vincenzo to make sure he's a good person.

If the murder was premeditated and/or if the second murder was part of the blood feud, who ordered the killing? Ellie is invited to a party at the home of Contessa Contarinia. Eugenia is friendly enough but a little cold. She, and everyone else in the family, all seem cowed by the family patriarch, Nonno. Nonno is stubborn, opinionated and always thinks he's right. Yup. That sounds right for the Nonno I know (ha ha he agreed when I shared the story of this Nonno with him) but this Nonno does not have the generous and loving qualities of my family's Nonno! This one is more like my Italian-born great-uncle who was a boy when this story takes place and grew into a very cranky, mean old man. This Nonno doesn't hesitate to tell everyone what to do, even other people's servants. He doesn't like to be contradicted and Ellie, as a modern woman, nearly gives him apoplexy when she speaks up. She was only being herself and since she is not a member of the family, she can say what she wants to Nonno. Did Nonno order a vengeance killing and reignite the blood feud? I would expect he would go do the deed himself if he could. He believes business is the lifeblood of Venice but doesn't say if he's for progress or tradition? I think he must be for progress because it's made him rich.

The Contessa's daughter, Regina, is very cold and unromantic for a young woman. She wants to marry for money and not love, unlike her cousin Caterina. Caterina is the romantic in the family, a star-crossed lover. Caterina is Nonno's ward and she knows he won't approve of her marrying someone from another family- the family they've been at odds with forever! Her secret fiancé, Leonardo seems weak and silly. He's young and timid, afraid to approach Nonno and ask permission to marry Caterina.

Signor Friedman, art restorer, is enthusiastic about showing off his museum but not so enthusiastic about the glass figurines Ellie brings him to look at. She doesn't want to sell them, she wants to know if they are valuable enough to want to steal. She has to trust Sgr. F to tell the truth but he seems a little squirrely. Doctor Pinsky, a Jewish man, is a mysterious figure. At first he's friendly and engages in sharing his history with Ellie but then he seems a little shady in other scenes. He's seen lurking and consorting with a thief who steals Ellie's bag and ransacks her room. Is Doctor Pinsky in league with the thief of his own free will or is he being paid to assist? Maybe it's a misunderstanding and Ellie didn't see what she thought she saw? Alas, a third body turns up and Doctor Pinsky is seen nearby. Wrong place, wrong time or a cold-blooded murderer?

Casper Theodore Allegro Fitzmorton Kipling aka Kip is a young, nitwitted, Englishman attempting to help his father live out his dream of recreating Lord Byron's trip to Venice. That was 100 years earlier and Byron had a reputation. This is modern times we live in and Kip is just plain silly and stupid to do the things he's doing. He seems harmless enough. Ellie mothers him and helps him evade arrest, as if she doesn't have enough on her plate.

Three people are dead, two in the canal and one elsewhere. A mysterious thief keeps dogging Ellie and steals her bag. A talented but mute artist has given her a second drawing she didn't pay for and has disappeared. Could he be the key witness to the first murder? Is he trying to tell her something with his picture? Is he dead or disappeared? Now there's another mystery to solve!

This story didn't appeal to me as much as some of the others. Even though Clifford, the ladies and pets are all here, I miss the village. I much prefer the stories set in and around Henley Hall.

I usually find Lady Swift books interesting however, this one just didn't do it for me. It's a mystery that takes place in Venice, specifically beginning while Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler are out viewing the city on a gondola. They witness a murder, a person stabbed and thrown into the water. She later finds out those involved are part of long-time feuding families.The book sort of picked up at this point, however not the way I liked. Everything before that however, was mostly descriptions. There's quite a bit of unnecessary description and filler in this book, which I honestly couldn't appreciate. The book was good, but could have been better.

I received this book on behalf of NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for my honest review.

Wow what a great, little cozy murder mystery I was able to enjoy in one sitting. As Lady Eleanor Swift begins her holiday in Italy with her uptight but devoted butler, Clifford, her staff of ladies and her lovable yet mischievous dog and cat, I found myself enjoying this story from Verity Bright. While Eleanor is enjoying the beauty and the history of Venice, I found myself walking right alongside her as she explored St. Mark’s Square, The Bridge of Sighs, Doge’s Palace, all places I visited a few years ago. The story begins a few days before Carnivale Season, as Lady Eleanor and Butler Clifford witness a murder one night while they are experiencing a gondola ride. The setting was rich with descriptions of Venice, and well-researched in the art of the gondola, which figured into the murder mystery beautifully.

As these two well-developed and comical characters become inadvertently drawn into a murder investigation the local policeman didn’t seem very interested in solving, Eleanor and Clifford find themselves being stalked by a mysterious man, who not only robs Eleanor one night but also ransacks her hotel room, drawing the pair deeper into a series of murders involving two feuding families and a dispute which goes back generations.

The story begins when a beautiful young girl drops a piece of Murano glass near Eleanor as she sight-sees, shops, and dines in St. Mark’s Square. The story is filled with shopping, engaging characters, two adorable pets, and a butler that every woman wishes she had looking out for her in a foreign city. As family obligations between two long-time warring families collide with romance, danger finds Eleanor every step of her journey through Venice. I found myself wondering how this woman could get into so much trouble in a matter of weeks. Since I had never read a book in the series before this one, I was enamored by the author’s characterizations, vivid setting details and comedic conversations. But a few things seemed odd to me. Eleanor is engaged to a cop back in England named Hugh who is mentioned almost as an afterthought leaving a reader begging for a better explanation of who the character is and why the author simply dusts the story with so few details about him. For an engaged woman who is traveling alone with only her household staff, Eleanor seems overly trusting of the locals she meets, as her intrigue about the murder escalates and pulls her deeper into a web of family feuding. Although I loved the shopping scenes and the parties, the beach day and the element of mystery surrounding the girl who dropped the glass bauble, I could never quite place the era of the story beyond a few references to her ankle-length dresses. I thoroughly enjoyed the book because of the endearing characters, the highlights of the City of Venice and the ‘who-dun-its’ that unfold throughout the tale, but something seemed forced and out of kilter as Lady Eleanor, an amateur sleuth worked to solve the murders. At times I became confused as to which character was which and I felt Hugh, the fiancé and the hilarious ladies on her staff got short changed and required greater development so I could understand why they were mentioned in the first place. The characters may very well be staples in other books in the series, but I felt as if they were dangled in front of me without much information beyond a casual mention here and there. But I can say I enjoyed the book and will read a few more in the Lady Swift series. Four stars for making me laugh out loud a few times and order a few more books in the series for a rainy weekend. I want to thank Net Galley and the Publisher, Bookouture for the advanced copy. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Lady Eleanor Swift is prepared to enjoy her Italian vacation. Eleanor is accompanied by her ever-faithful butler Clifford, and as always, her very dear bulldog Gladstone. While enjoying a gondola ride, when a passenger falls into a canal, there is no doubt that foul play is involved. The victim had a knife sticking out of his back. As always, our inquisitive and talented amateur sleuth Eleanor sets out to solve the crime.

With an existing feud that has gone on for centuries, and with an argument that was made public, it seems clear from the beginning who could have been responsible for the man's murder. However, things are not as clear cut as they seem, and it soon proves that there could have been more than one person that could indeed be the murderer. Things get even more murky when an elaborate plot to steal something rather precious is discovered.

If I had a real bucket list, traveling to Venice would be #1 on that list. Therefore, watching Eleanor and Clifford working hard on solving the murder. with the beautiful and charming setting in Venice, this 17th book in the Lady Eleanor Swift series was a true delight. Not only was the setting exquisite, but Eleanor and Clifford are fabulous characters. I love Eleanor's quiet intelligence and Clifford's proper manner, all while never missing a beat. I also enjoy when Eleanor takes many of her trips, not only is Clifford always there, but the rest of her staff get to go along and enjoy the trips as well. This series could continue indefinitely and I would devour every book.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

A delightfully complicated mystery set in Venice, coming to a climax at Carnival time. Bright does an excellent job of weaving Venetian sights and history with the story. It's one of her best.

Another great mystery in the beautiful setting of Venice. As usual our eclectic cast of character's appear to add fun to what otherwise is a serious murder investigation. Despite the books following a similar pattern each time it never gets old and is always fresh and interesting. The mystery is as satisfying as ever but I would like to see Hugh more involved in the goings on. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Lady Eleanor Swift is on a vacation in Venice with her whole household. When walking she bumps into a young women and helps woman pick up somethings that dropped out of her purse. However, after the woman has left Ellie sees a glass heart which she picks up, but can't find the girl. Later, when she and Clifford are riding in a gondola, a passing gondola has two men arguing, and then a speed boat comes by and bumps the other gondola. One man falls into the canal. He is pulled into their gondola dead with a knife in his back. Ellie soon finds out that the dead man is an important man in Venice and the head of one of the two most important Venice families. The two families have always been fighting for power in Venice.

Of course, Ellie gets involved trying to solve the murder. There appear to be folks who don't want her interventions, and she has her purse stollen and comes upon a dead man and others who appear to know what's going on won't talk with her. Ellie meets a Contessa from one of the important families and attends a big party at her home and then spends a day with the Contessa and her children.

Gradually, Ellie learns a little more about what is going on; it seems that there are two glass statues which are linked together by a heart which are supposed to be the symbol of friendship between the two families. Each family is supposed to pass the statues to the other at a special meeting once a year. But now, no one seems to know where the statues are. Things get pretty exciting as the deadline for the families to meet comes closer, and Ellie still hasn't found the statues.

I thank Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC so I could read the book before publication.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher; all thoughts expressed are my own. A Death in Venice finds Lady Eleanor, Clifford, and the ladies of her staff on holiday in Venice during Carnivale. Eleanor and Clifford are touring Venice via a gondola when Eleanor views a murder! Soon, she finds herself in a race to prove that the death was murder and not an accident, decipher a motive for the death, and prevent further deaths. Add into that mix, the murder victim is a member of one of two leading Venice families who have a history of feuding even though there has been a fragile truce in place for several years. Venice features as a character in the book and the author does a good job of giving the reader the feeling of being in Venice. The mystery in this one is enjoyable as always and the change in setting provides a breath of freshness. I am looking forward to many more titles in the series.

The latest in Verity Bright’s Lady Eleanor Swift series, A Death in Venice, has our heroine outside the UK again. (No prizes for guessing where, given the title!) The setting works well, as the Italians understand the concept of a Baroness, which happens to be one of Ellie’s titles. That means the narrative takes place within an ordered and hierarchical society, just like the novels in the series that are set in the UK.

As always, there is a death – in Chapter Three this time – and Ellie decides to investigate when it is obvious that the police regard it as an open and shut case. On page two, a character states “Everyone wears a mask in this city whether it is carnival time or not.” As the plot unfolds, we see the truth of that statement and start to wonder whether the people that Ellie befriends are genuinely friendly or just acting. I thought the ambiguity was handled very well and we identify with Ellie’s uncertainty and discomfort about how to behave with people and how much she can trust them.

It would not be unreasonable to describe the series as somewhat formulaic: someone dies when Ellie is around; the official police investigation yields little or nothing; Ellie feels the murderer may get away with it and decides to investigate; she and her butler, Clifford, uncover the murderer while being in a fair amount of jeopardy; Ellie’s female staff provide a comic counterpoint to the action. This novel is the seventeenth in the series, yet I still enjoyed it. The dialogue is pitch-perfect and there is enough tension to keep me interested throughout. I really resented having to put the book down before finishing it – Bright’s books are of a length and pace that makes it feasible to read in one long sitting.

I dislike the adjective “cosy” when applied to murder mysteries because murder is not a cosy act. In real life, it is brutal, cruel and devastating for the family left behind. However, I recognise the convention that a novel like this shows a well-ordered, peaceful, fictional situation where society is structured; and the existing order is understood and acknowledged by everyone, whether they agree with it or not. The crime (nearly always murder) upsets that harmony and sows antagonism, jeopardising friendships and threatening anarchy. The heroine acts as detective, unmasking the anarchist; and restoring harmony and friendships. Order is restored and everyone settles back to the old ways. Verity Bright’s books exemplify this “cosy” convention and are a joy to read, if that is the type of book you want. There are many occasions where escapism like that precisely suits my mood – and Verity Bright is one of the first authors I turn to, with this novel being perfect.

#ADeathinVenice #NetGalley.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read "A Death in Venice" in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the 17th book in the wonderful Lady Eleanor Swift series and the stories just get better and better. This is a complex case of two families who are descendants of a long-standing feud that is threatening to erupt again, unless Ellie and Clifford help.

Ellie, Clifford, Master Gladstone, Master Tomkins, Mrs. Butters, Mrs. Trotman, Lizzie and Polly are all in Venice on a holiday but readers know that a Lady Swift holiday is never complete without danger and dead bodies. It all starts with Ellie bumping into a young lady in the crowd and after her purse spills Ellie finds a glass heart that she's unable to return because the young lady has disappeared.

While in a gondola Ellie and Clifford witness an argument and then a speeding barge throws the two men together and one of them falls overboard into the canal. This could be the beginning of a centuries old feud between the Vendelini's and the Marcello's reigniting. Benetto Vendelini was a government official on the Venice Council and he was pushing for progress which was not popular. Was that the reason he was killed or the feud?

Ellie feels that someone is always watching her from the shadows - a man with close-cropped hark hair. Ellie is invited to a ball at Contessa Contarini's home. The gondolier that was arrested is related to her. Everyone is related to one side or the other, with a few exceptions. One really fun character is Casper Theodore Allegro Fitzmorton Kipling or simply Kip. He's in Venice emulating Lord Byron.

Catarina - the young lady who owned the heart - wants to marry Leonardo but they are from opposite families in this feud and someone is trying to stop their marriage.

Ellie's room is broken into and searched, as always she puts herself in danger to help others. The story concludes with a thrilling race to get stolen figurines back to the families and what promises to be a very happy ending.

As always I'm looking forward to seeing where Ellie and her staff end up next for another one of their exciting adventures.

Lady Eleanor Swift has been holidaying in Italy with her butler, staff and pets. Finally, after a month, they have arrived in Venice. Eleanor is entranced by the spellbinding architecture and historic canals but the trip takes a disturbing turn when she and Clifford witness a fatal attack as they enjoy a gondola ride.

Finding themselves being drawn into an investigation they want no part of, in a city they don't know, Eleanor and Clifford find their every move being closely followed or anticipated. When Eleanor discovers that a recent theft could be linked to the death at the canal as well as threatening a city wide truce relating to long held family traditions she knows she has to call on all her experience to prevent the unthinkable happening.

Book 18 in this wonderful series takes the Swift household into the heart of Venetian aristocracy where she mixes sightseeing, shopping, and socialising at the highest level with murder! Unfortunately, although I love the Lady Swift books this one just didn't do it for me. There was far too much description and unnecessary scenes including a stereotypical Romeo and Juliet romance which I don't think added to the investigation or the secondary storyline but realise these could well be the reason other readers love it. I will be on the lookout for book 19, as this is still a must read series for me.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Bookouture, but the opinions expressed are my own. As part of a great series I'm glad I read it but it probably won't stay long in the memory.

Another fun read in the series. This one has Eleanor heading to Venice with her trusty butler, her dog and her household staff. Enjoyed this one, with a side Romeo and Juliet story line between two feuding families. Must admit to getting confused at times on who is who, but this was minor. Good read and one I would highly recommend. Sadly very little with her fiance Hugh is this one, but otherwise a good read.

witty, situational-humor, thriller, relationships, fiancé, friendship, friends, pets, unputdownable, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, Italian-customs, Venice, class-consciousness, 1920s, amateur-sleuth, cozy-mystery, relatives, series, servants, inheritance, investigations, relationship-issues, murder, verbal-humor, rivalry*****

Venice is beautiful any time of year and so very different from England. Eleanor holidays there with all of her staff and pets but not with her police detective fiancé. She really could have used his help this time (in addition to Clifford's) because she starts finding bodies and an artifact at the very beginning. While there is fun to be had, there is danger and mor murder as well. Excellent mystery with a very detailed investigation (and a lot of laughs, too!).
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 was 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), her trusty household staff, her tiny French bulldog, the family kitty, and her recent fiancé DCI Hugh Seldon of the Met who has been mightily tolerant of her sleuthing (but not of her wealth). I really enjoy all the ongoing (as well as new) characters, and the mysteries are so well done!
I requested and received a temporary EARC of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Stunning views across the Grand Canal and a hotel suite fit for royalty… Lady Eleanor Swift is having a jolly good time on her Italian vacation, until a gondola ride is cut murderously short!
A rattling good tale with twists and turns aplenty. If you enjoy a well plotted murder procedural with realistic characters and thrills galore then this is for you!