In the winter of 1924, Lady Eleanor Swift, delighted to be invited as a guest at the manor of the reclusive Duke of Auldwyke, eagerly anticipates spending time with her fiancé, Detective Hugh Seldon. Their constant busyness has left them yearning for a moment of respite.

However, their plans are disrupted by the murder of the Duke’s secretary, Mr. Poritt. Hugh immediately takes charge. The inclement weather adds to the challenges of solving this unfortunate crime, making it difficult for Hugh to conduct his investigation. Eleanor, with her past experience in solving murders, offers her assistance as a second set of eyes.

Accompanying Eleanor is her ever-proper butler, Clifford, a loyal man who adheres strictly to the rules and propriety of his Lady. Always there for Eleanor, the quest to uncover the truth behind Mr. Poritt’s murder becomes a race against time.

The investigation is fraught with obstacles, and Eleanor’s sharp instincts and sharp tongue prove invaluable to Hugh’s efforts. As they delve deeper into the case, tension escalates, drawing them closer to the killer.

This delightful Lady Eleanor Swift series’ 20th book offers a unique bonus: an exploration of how a titled Lady and a policeman could plan to marry during the Golden Age. The author delves into the social conventions and expectations of the era, providing a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the characters.

The book also features the return of beloved characters such as Polly, Mrs. Butters, and the other ladies, adding depth and richness to the narrative. Clifford’s ever-protectiveness over Eleanor and his role as the male version of Mary Poppins, always knowing or having what is needed at any given moment, further enhances the charm of the story.

Beyond its captivating mystery, this celebratory 20th book in the series offers a delightful exploration of personal relationships and societal norms, making it a truly enjoyable reading experience.

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

About the story:
Lady Eleanor had originally planned to spend Christmas at her home together with her fiancé and finally discuss their wedding plans. But instead she got talked into attending a society party - an invitation by Duke she doesn’t even know and had already declined. And things get worse when she finds the Duke’s secretary lying dead in the storeroom only an hour after her arrival. Thankfully her fiancé is a detective and gets put in charge of the investigation but of course Ellie can’t help to do some sleuthing as well.

This is the 20th book in the Lady Eleanor Swift series which is set in the 1920s but it was my first one. This of course means that I will already know a few things about her future when I go back and read an earlier one. And going back I will as I totally enjoyed listening to this adventure and want to know how it all began.

I loved getting to know the characters a bit along the way. Not just Ellie and Hugh but also her trusted butler Clifford who seems to be a real hoot with his dry humour. There is a bit of romance in this mystery as well but it didn’t take over the plot and I rather enjoyed their little alone time to discuss their future.

The narration was also very engaging and kept me interested and guessing throughout. Overall I had an excellent listening experience and am looking forward to find out who all began.

A big thank you for giving me the opportunity to listen to the book on the NetGalley app. It had a great time!

The Lady Eleanor Swift books always catch my eye, but this is the first I’ve actually picked up. It worked fine as a stand alone for me. All of the characters were introduced well and I had a good understanding of the relationships. The mystery itself was self-contained with no threads lingering from previous books.

Lady Eleanor has to give up her plans for a holiday at home and has to attend the Duke of Auldwyke’s shooting party instead. At least everyone is invited, including her fiancé/detective chief inspector, Hugh, and her staff has use of a cottage on the estate. Of course, a body is found not long after Lady Eleanor arrives – the duke’s secretary, clearly murdered. A local policeman and Hugh end up investigating, but the duke, and the guests for that matter, are less than helpful.

I do love a good Christmas manor house party murder. Here we’ve all the decorations and food and sledding I could ask for. We’ve also got plenty of secrets, motives, suspects. The mystery itself was put together well. The plot moved along at a good pace and kept me guessing.

The narrator is easy to listen to and captures the tone of the book well. She gives each of the character’s their own voice and personality.

Overall, I enjoyed this one. It was a good December read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the digital copy of this book and audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series are written as standalone novels, meaning you don’t necessarily have to have read the previous volumes to understand the plot. However, I highly recommend you do because they are all so delightful! This holiday mystery is the 20th adventure for Eleanor and the gang, and I think it’s the best one yet.

Eleanor has plans to spend the holidays at home at Henley Hall this Christmas. However, she and her fiancé detective, Hugh Seldon, have been invited to a shooting competition at the mysterious Duke of Auldwyke’s estate. All seems to be going fine until Ellie finds the duke’s secretary, Mr. Porritt, dead. The duke doesn’t want to call Scotland Yard, but since Hugh works for them, he and Eleanor will have to figure out the murderer without any help. That should be no problem, right? After all, this is Ellie’s 20th murder mystery, right?

Besides the normal, lovely drawn characters, I really enjoyed the interplay between Eleanor and Hugh. I didn’t like Hugh much when he first came on the scene, and I thought their engagement was rushed, but he’s really grown on me. And for this volume, the two characters actually discuss their future together!

This mystery was a bit darker than previous volumes in the series but having Clifford and Gladstone the bulldog present relieved some of the tension amongst the guests at Auldwyke Hall. Overall, I found this a very enjoyable read/listen. The incomparable Karen Cass is always a delight to listen to when bring the characters in the story to life.

This was my first Lady Eleanor Swift mystery and it will not be my last! It is perfect for fans of Downton Abbey and Clue.

The mystery was a good one, it felt like an Agatha Christie novel. Where everyone is a suspect and you need to make your own diagram to figure it out! At times I was little confused because of the number of side characters but I think in the end it wrapped up the mystery nicely.

I also loved the romance between Eleanor and Hugh. They are so cute and I need a wedding as soon as possible!

Overall, a fun wintery mystery!

A Midwinter Murder: A gripping and addictive historical cozy murder mystery by Verity Bright

adventurous mysterious slow-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75

Thank you to Verity Bright, the publisher, & NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for a fair & honest review.
Personally I don’t think there’s anything better than reading a murder mystery over the festive season. A Midwinter Murder, a 1920s Christmas mystery, Lady Eleanor Swift’s 20th murder case to be exact. This 1920s heroine is helping her fiance solve the murder of Mr Porritt - whom was found dead in the storeroom clasping a golden pendant in the shape of a 🌹rose.

I personally missed the traditional sleuth detective and actually authority tension. In this book Lady Eleanor Swift is working with her policeman fiancé.

Narrator:
Karen Cass give this murder mystery a very British twist. Cass is easy to listen to and captures a range of character tones which makes for engaging listening.

Ideal Reader:
Someone who likes a ‘murder she wrote’ or a ‘miss marple’ mystery set against a historical backdrop.
Fans of a classic murder mystery - set inside the home, filled with town gossip, and a civic problem-solver. A reader who’s looking for a couple detective duo.

Keywords: Civic Sleuth, Classic British Murder Mystery, 1920s Detective,Murder mystery audiobook, Christmas murder mystery

Lady Eleanor Swift and her detective fiancé Hugh Sheldon are invited to a house party at the home of the Duke of Auldwyke. Shortly after arriving, she discovers a body, and she and her fiancé and her staff (which she has brought along with her, including her cook) are left to discover who the murderer is.
I went into this expecting a light, cozy mystery, and that is what I got. There isn’t a lot of depth here. For being a detective with the Scotland Yard, Hugh seems a little dim, which allows Eleanor to shine.
What I liked: I was in the mood for something easy that wouldn’t wrap me up in deep emotion, and this fulfilled that requirement. I enjoyed the relationship between Lady Eleanor and her butler, and I liked that she had a good relationship with the rest of her staff as well.

What didn’t work: frequently characters used phrasing that was far too modern for 1924. She calls her housekeeping staff “her ladies,“ a term generally reserved for those of the upper classes in England in that time and nobody seems to notice. She describes her butler as a “closet softy” and someone else is referred to as a “drama queen.” These are all very modern usages and did not fit in the era. It pulled me out of the story every time I heard one of these. Also, I felt that the mystery plot and solution was lacking. I can’t go into it more without spoilers, but I really didn’t care for the denouement.
Thank you you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this free advanced reader copy. This is my unbiased review.

This most enjoyable high quality audiobook is the perfect cozy mystery to enjoy over the festive month. It's my first st outing with this lady sleuth and her ontarage of colourful characters . I loved the innocence and the side romance to give a bit more depth to the character. I do love a mystery where you can discover along with the characters the identity of the killer. It was full if action. The plot was a tad predictable as I gueesed the identity. It was a short enjoyable listen. The language and use of ascents was true to tgat eta which made it all so interesting. The narration was good and clear. Thank you netgallery and publisher and author and narrator fir his highly recommended listen.

Winter 1924. When Lady Eleanor Swift unexpectedly finds herself a guest of the reclusive Duke of Auldwyke, she’s determined to enjoy Christmas with all the trimmings at his sprawling manor house. And that includes kisses under the mistletoe and cozying up by the fire with her fiancé, dashing detective Hugh Seldon.

Instead, the season of goodwill turns frosty as she finds the Duke’s studious secretary, Mr Porritt, dead in the storeroom. Clasped in his chilly hand is a golden pendant in the shape of a rose. The Duke denies ever having seen the necklace before. But Eleanor can see the lies in his eyes… Did it belong to his mysteriously absent wife?

Delightful audiobook full of twists, turns and red herrings. Sort of like Scooby-Doo for sophisticated people. Narrator pitches the perkiness perfectly. Ends with a recipe and short history on clay pigeon shooting. Book 20 in the series, I will definitely be looking out the earlier books.

1920s, amateur-sleuth, attempted-murder, class-consciousness, closed-circle-mystery, country-estate, cozy-mystery, fiancé, friends, friendship, golden-age-mysteries, historical-novel, historical-research, investigation, local-law-enforcement, murder, pet-cat, pet-dog, poisons, read, recluse, relationships, series, servants, situational-humor, snow, suspense, unpleasant-guests, unputdownable, verbal-humor, winter, witty, Yorkshire*****

Definitely a Feel-Good cozy murder mystery!
Lady Eleanor, DCI Seldon, Clifford, the pets, and all The Aprons wind up at a Christmas shooting party at the country home of an excessively reclusive duke where Eleanor is introduced to a young man whom she finds murdered less than a half hour later. Nice read to balance out whatever reality might be.
Narrator Karen Cass adds good things to the story with her abilities to differentiate characters as well as exhibit whatever emotions are there.
I requested and received a temporary digital file of this book from Bookouture Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
#AMidwinterMurder by Verity Bright #LadyEleanorSwiftMysteriesBk20 @BookoutureAudio #KarenCassNarrator #NetGalley #Yorkshire @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble @waterstones ***** #Review @booksamillion @bookshop_org @bookshop_org_uk

This was a cozy historical murder mystery. This was book 20 in the Verity Bright series but works fine as a stand alone. I’ve not read the other books and was able to follow along just fine.

This book is for lovers of Clue, Downtown Abbey and/or Miss Fischer’s Modern Murder Mysteries.

I loved the characters, especially Hugh and Eleanor. Their relationship was charming. I also enjoyed the story of why all of these people had been brought to this estate. The clues and investigating held my attention and was rather interesting.

I disliked how long this story and felt there was a bit of fluff. (SPOILER)I really disliked a character being introduced at the very end that changes all theories of the “whodunnit”.

Overall lovely book though not super festive besides a blizzard.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital review copy of "A Midwinter Murder" in exchange for my honest and voluntary

A common criticism of the 'cosy crime' genre is that crime can never be cosy. But if you want proof that a book with crimes in it can be cosy, even if murder itself obviously cannot be, 'A Midwinter Murder' is an excellent example. It's as though the concept of 'hygge' has manifested as a crime novel, It isn't going to be shortlisted for literary prizes (which maybe says more about what we reward in a book than the quality of the novel) but I certainly enjoyed it more than any prizewinner I've read this year.

It's the 20th in the series of Lady Eleanor Swift mysteries, but it's not essential to read them all in order, or even to have read any of them as the set up is not hard to grasp. Lady Swift - Ellie - is young 1920s aristocrat with some fairly 21st century views about decorum and equality, and an unfortunate habit of being caught up in murder cases. Her fiance, Hugh, is a senior policeman. As crime fiction fans know, it's impossible for a protagonist to enjoy a holiday, Christmas, or even a cup of tea without it ending in a funeral. Sure enough, after being invited to spend Christmas at a stately house in Yorkshire, it doesn't even take half an hour before she's tripped over a corpse. And before long, the house is snowed in too.

The novel reads like the authors (Verity Bright is the pen name of a husband and wife team) have carefully considered all the factors that make a book pleasant and fun to read, and then worked in as many as possible. Much page time is given to descriptions of all the lovely food they eat (it's not a good choice if you're on a diet!), Ellie is a likeable heroine, the characters around her are really loveable, there's a bit of humour and more Christmassy nostalgia than a card shop in December. The mystery itself is also pretty decent and kept me guessing. It's all implausible and idealistic, but that really doesn't matter because that is entirely the point. You suspend your disbelief and get on with enjoying the ride.

I'd highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something cheerful and enjoyable to read over winter (or any time). It'll get you in the festive mood for sure. It also works well as an audiobook as it's easy to follow and I've enjoyed listening to it while wrapping presents and doing chores. Great fun.

Title: A Midwinter Murder
Series: A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #20
Author: Verity Bright
Narrator: Karen Cass
Publisher: Bookouture Audio
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Historical Fiction
Audiobook Pub Date December 3, 2024
My Rating: 4.2 Stars
Pages: 407


Series stared back in 1920 England when Eleanor Swift become Lady Swift upon the death of her uncle, Lord Henley; additionally inherited his estate.

Now winter of 1924~ Lady Eleanor Swift has a romantic Christmas planned at her home Henley Hall with fiancé, the Detective Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon,
However, her plans change when Duke of Auldwyke ask for both of them to attend his Christmas festivities in Yorkshire!

Lady Eleanor Swift is there no more than fifteen minute when she finds the Duke’s secretary, Mr. Porritt, dead!

Thus the adventure finding out whodunit has begun.

This audiobook is delightful. The narrator Karen Cass always does a great job performing all the characters.

I always enjoyed the Author’s Notes which doesn’t always appear in audiobooks. However in this case it did. I enjoy the clarification of this Historical Fiction as to what actually happened and what is Fictional and a product of the author’s imagination!
All in all it was great!

About the author ~ Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century.
Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humor, before embarking on
their first historical mystery.

Want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for this audiobook..
Publishing Release Date December 3. 2024.

A Midwinter Murder (#20 Lady Eleanor Mysteries) was my first introduction to Lady Eleanor and the author duo Verity Bright. Being a big fan of the time period the book is set in early twenties England, so this book was a joy to read. Eleanor Swift reminded me of a younger Miss Fisher from Kerry Greenwood. Elanor is smart, witty, funny, brave and inquisitive. I find that most of those attributes are a result of her nontraditional and difficult upbringing, based on what this book provided. The narrator Karen Cass was a great fit for this book and it made listening and enjoying the book even better.

A Midwinter Murder, pulls readers into a Christmas vacation for Eleanor and most of her staff at a renowned and secluded manor of Duke of Auldwyk. After arriving at the manor and getting lost among the halls, Eleanor unfortunately stumbles upon the body of the Duke's secretary. However, she and her butler Clifford quickly surmise that his untimely death is no accident and there's a murder among the Duke Auldwyk esteemed guests. Things become even more awkward when local police plead with Eleanor to pull her fiance Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon of Scotland Yard in on the case. The blistering cold and recluse Duke along with the secretive and suspicious guests on vacation at the manor prove to be just the beginning of Eleanor and Huge worries when an attack on the Duke's life proves the perpetrator will not be easy to stop.

A 1920s Christmas is tainted by murder.

Lady Eleanor Swift and her entourage are bound to the wild Yorkshire Moors to spend Christmas at Auldwyke Hall as guests of the Duke. The only saving grace making this venture pleasant is that Eleanor’s fiancé, Hugh Seldon, is actually going to attend with them. They hope to find some quiet time alone to discuss their future plans. Alas, almost immediately after arrival, Eleanor stumbles upon the dead body of the Duke’s secretary. Mr. Porritt has been strangled and left for dead in a storeroom.
Their holiday is near ruined now as Eleanor, Hugh, and butler Clifford spend their time trying to suss out a killer.

As always, the characters make this such a fun and satisfying cozy mystery. It’s definitely a series that should be read in order from the beginning in order to develop a relationship with each of them. Eleanor is definitely unconventional, compassionate, and clever as she helps investigate nasty crimes and find justice. I enjoy all the period details and a particularly interesting aspect is that the book includes a recipe for genuine Yorkshire Christmas Pie (circa 1747) and some historical notes on rural policing, clay pigeon shooting, Prussic acid, inheritance laws, miniature books, and Edwardian Christmas trees. All of which feature in the story.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC — both provided by the publisher. The narrator, Karen Cass, did a fabulous job of voicing all the different characters and bringing them to life with appropriate dramatic flair. This excellent production definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

If you are looking for a great cozy mystery series set in the UK in the 1920s, I can highly recommend this one. I’m already looking forward to the next installment.

Vivid descriptions of country manors and expensive clothing, furniture, and décor helps to immerse you into this lavish locale in 1920’s England, with its variety of characters in the upper class and working class worlds of that era, with the tantalizing addition of twists and turns as you try to solve the truly shocking murder..
Another highlight is the inclusion at the end of the book with a recipe for Yorkshire pie and “Historical Notes” that include a description of the life of an Edwardian era police officer in a small town.
I usually prefer to watch historical cozy mysteries as movies or series, but this book was a delightful surprise, transporting me into it’s deliciously vivid world of wealth, glamor, and murder.

This was the first in the series for me to listen to the audiobook and I really enjoyed it. I loved the witty back and fourth. I enjoyed the characters progression through the story.

The 20th instalment (how is it 20 already!) sees Verity Bright send Lady Eleanor Swift up to Yorkshire for a Christmas shooting party at a country mansion, hosted by the reclusive Duke of Auldwyke.
20 minutes after arriving (well, 18 minutes by the reliable butler Clifford’s exact timing), the Duke’s secretary is found dead, and Ellie has agreed to ask her Scotland Yard Detective Chief Inspector fiancé Hugh to head the investigation, putting paid to her plans for a romantic Christmas getaway. Faced with being trapped in a rural mansion, cut off by snow, with limited resources, Ellie and Hugh must get to the bottom of the murder. Their fellow house guests are all strangers, behaving suitably suspiciously, the Duke himself remains hidden away in his third floor suite, and there is only one local police officer on hand.
I love the warmth of this series, even in the very cold setting. Eleanor Swift is an unconventional “Lady”, with a familial closeness to her staff of housekeeper, cook and maids, all of whom have joined her on her trip up to Yorkshire. Her butler/confidante Clifford’s attempts to modify her behaviours to that expected of the aristocracy are a regular source of amusement.
A Midwinter Murder is a perfect book for cosy reading on cold winter days, the audio edition is once again perfectly read by Karen Cass, with a warmth that perfectly matches the material she’s reading.
Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for an advance copy of the novel, out on December 5th

This was quite a story! Apparently it is #20 in the series, but it is the first for me!
Lady Eleanor Swift is quite the catch! In addition to being a Titled Lady, she is smart, beautiful, and pretty much…unstoppable!

It starts with an exclusive invite from the Duke of Aldwyke, which Eleanor declines. She does NOT want to spend her holidays with a stuffy Duke. Instead she plans on being home with her handsome fiancé, Detective Hugh Seldon…and of course, her staff!

BUT, when she receives word that she is expected at a certain time and place, she realizes that her reply must’ve been lost in transit. And so, she…and her staff…head to the mansion. Her fiancé will arrive shortly after them.

And then, upon arrival, she stumble upon a dead man. One she’d been speaking to only moments earlier…

Did I mention there’s a huge storm brewing?
Did I also mention that the Duke is a recluse who is barely EVER seen?

And so, instead of sending the police to the home/mansion, Eleanor is basically told that her fiancé is to head up the investigation…once he arrives. And, no outside help will be permitted…by the Duke!
Wait! What???

I should also note that the Main Highlight of the stay is the Shooting Competition that is going to take place. And the winner receives a private meeting with the reclusive Duke!

There were so many intricate layers woven in this story! It’s a treasure! And when you finally get to the whodunnit? Well, safe to say for me, mind blown!🤯

4 solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

#AMidwinterMurder (Lady Eleanor Swift #20) by #VerityBright and narrated nicely by #KarenCass.
Of note: Apparently there are several books by this name, so please note the author as Verity Bright!!

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #BookoutureAudio for an ARC of the audiobook.
***** RELEASE DATE IS SET FOR 12/4/24, so look 👀 for it on shelves then! *****

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4.5 Stars
Winter 1924 & Lady Eleanor Swift is looking forward to a romantic Christmas at Henley Hall with fiancé Hugh but unexpectedly finds herself a guest of the reclusive Duke of Auldwyke, she’s determined to enjoy Christmas with all the trimmings at his sprawling manor house. Instead, the season of goodwill turns frosty as she finds the Duke’s studious secretary, Mr Porritt, dead in the storeroom. Clasped in his chilly hand is a golden pendant in the shape of a rose. As the blizzard outside rages, Auldwyke Hall becomes cut off. Trapped by the snow, Eleanor and Hugh must skate around to unwrap the identity of the killer as well as taking part in a shooting competition with the other guests. Then an attempt is made on the Duke’s life too, they realise the killer is closer than they think
The twentieth book in the series & another absolute delight, I also listened to the audio book & loved how the narrator brought the story to life, I loved going between reading & listening. I love Ellie & Hugh & whilst this book could be read on its own I’ve loved how relationships have developed throughout the series not only Elli’s with Hugh & Clifford but also ‘the Aprons’, who are an absolute joy. I was drawn into this cost mystery from the start & loved the twists & turns, the rest of the Duke’s guests were an unlikeable bunch. I loved how gradually clues were dropped but I wasn’t expecting the outcome. I loved the ending & look forward to more in the series
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own