A Very English Murder
(A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #1)
by Verity Bright
Move over Miss Marple, there’s a new sleuth in town! Meet Eleanor Swift: distinguished adventurer, dog lover, dignified lady… daring detective?
England, 1920. Eleanor Swift has spent the last few years traveling the world: taking tea in China, tasting alligators in Peru, escaping bandits in Persia and she has just arrived in England after a chaotic forty-five-day flight from South Africa. Chipstone is about the sleepiest town you could have the misfortune to meet. And to add to these indignities – she’s now a Lady.
Lady Eleanor, as she would prefer not to be known, reluctantly returns to her uncle’s home, Henley Hall. Now Lord Henley is gone, she is the owner of the cold and musty manor. What’s a girl to do? Well, befriend the household dog, Gladstone, for a start, and head straight out for a walk in the English countryside, even though a storm is brewing…
But then, from the edge of a quarry, through the driving rain, Eleanor is shocked to see a man shot and killed in the distance. Before she can climb down to the spot, the villain is gone and the body has vanished. With no victim and the local police convinced she’s stirring up trouble, Eleanor vows to solve this affair by herself. And when her brakes are mysteriously cut, one thing seems sure: someone in this quiet country town has Lady Eleanor Swift in their murderous sights…
If you enjoy witty dialogue, glamorous intrigue, and the very best of Golden Age mysteries, then you will adore Verity Bright’s unputdownable whodunnit, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T E Kinsey, and Downton Abbey!
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My Rating:
Favorite Quotes:
She was convinced that all butlers were born a certain age at which they stayed until they disappeared in a puff of discreet smoke. For a good servant would never die on his employer, that would be just too inconvenient.
The thought of childbirth made Eleanor shudder. Bringing a new life into this world might be the work of God, but the mechanics of childbirth were surely the work of the devil. And triplets! What had the poor woman done to deserve that?
I should have banished him to roam the fields with his favourite hunting gun, rather than pouring him into a morning suit and inflicting him on our guests…
Now he was standing in front of her, she couldn’t help thinking whoever had moulded this man’s features had done the bulk of it with a boxing glove. And finessed the edges with a heavy plank of wood.
Their eyes widened. ‘Are those meat pies, miss?’ … She’d guessed that some of the young lads’ families would rarely be able to afford such luxuries. ‘Whatever it is, we’re your men!’ Alfie cried. They stood to attention and saluted.
I say gang, what a wheeze!
My Review:
Though far from my usual fare, I adored this cleverly amusing cozy mystery set in the 1920s, it was an enjoyable and pleasantly entertaining read and good fun from beginning to end. I definitely need to add more such cozy tales into my reading rotation. I relished the author’s smooth and easy flow, colorfully quirky cast of characters, and delightfully detailed scenes with oddly curious observations and amusing descriptions.
I was particularly captivated by the enigmatic and sublimely complex character of the ever-efficient butler. Clifford was multi-layered and prone to imparting lesser-known facts, UBIs, and timely quotes from an unusual variety of sources ranging from Sir Isaac Newton to Oscar Wilde. Eleanor was also a treat and I reveled in her tendency to indulge, anthropomorphize, and talk things through with her departed uncle’s old bulldog, as I tend to behave in a similar manner with my precocious fur babies.
The crafty writing duo of Verity Bright was an instant addition to my favorites list. I was so taken by this one I already have their next missive locked and loaded on my beloved Kindle.
About the Author
Love that cover… and a 5 star review from you! need to check this out
The cover is gorgeous. Glad you enjoyed!
Pretty sure I would love this book!