Wrapping presents and singing at midnight mass on a frosty night… Lady Swift is determined to enjoy Christmas at home this year, until another body turns up!
Winter 1925. Eleanor and Hugh are decking the halls for their first married Christmas together when butler Clifford arrives with a mysterious telegram. A lucrative case awaits their new detective agency… but in the most remote county in England. The note insists they must be there by midnight to accept the job.
After a snowy journey, they arrive at the tiny hamlet of Yorelow to find their client, Osmund Unwin, dead in the churchyard as midnight mass ends. They realise they are now in the absurd situation of having to solve the murder of their client, who they never met, to solve a case they know nothing about and officially never accepted!
There is very little festive goodwill to go around, as it seems half the village had a grudge against the rich man. Was it one of the Frisham sisters, owners of the tavern and rumoured to be in a love triangle with Unwin? Or perhaps his maid, who never had a nice thing to say about him?
When another body is found in the ruins of the castle overlooking the town, Eleanor is baffled. Clearly, there’s more to this nightmare before Christmas than the gang first thought…
A totally unputdownable historical murder mystery set in an English village at Christmas, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey, and Catherine Coles!
My Rating:
Favorite Quote:
You’re a rummy sort of fancy lady, if you don’t mind me saying.
‘Very, if infuriatingly, astute of you.’ ‘Thank you. Although, feel free to leave out the infuriating part next time.’
We chased that red herring for a long time before we realised it smelt just a little too fishy to be true.
My Review:
Team Verity Bright has gifted us with another enjoyably amusing yet brain-teasing cozy mystery. I will never tire of these lively and lovable characters. Their storylines and witty banter are engaging, fun, easy to follow, and smartly written in the vernacular of their time. I’ve devoured the entire series and found each Verity Bright mystery to be cleverly unpredictable, sharply honed, and pleasantly entertaining, leaving me primed for more of the same.
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