Tag Archives: cosy crime

#BookReview ‘Death Comes to Marlow’ by Robert Thorogood #cosycrime

An ingenious closed room murder mystery is at the heart of Death Comes to Marlow, second in the Marlow Murder Club cosy crime series by Robert Thorogood. And no, although I had my suspicions about the murderer, I simply couldn’t work out how the crime was done. The friendship between the three ladies that we saw in the first book in the series, The Marlow Murder Club, is now firmly established. Crossword setter Judith Potts still goes for naked dips in the River Thames, vicar’s wife Becks is still quiet and afraid of offending anyone, and brash Suzie now has a regular spot as presenter on the local radio station. But each still has secrets and their own peculiar sensitivities, all of which figure in the solving of this crime. Sir Peter Bailey, a bigwig in Marlow, is getting married. Out of the blue, he telephones to invite Judith to the pre-wedding party. Judith, who has never met Sir Peter, is immediately on the alert that something is not right. He fears for his life and she suspects he wants her there as a witness to murder. So of course she takes her two friends with her. When there is an almighty crash of glass breaking, Sir Peter is found dead beneath an enormous wooden cabinet full of scientific equipment. Judith is immediately convinced it is murder, not an accident.
The twists and turns of this crime, the tangling of witness statements and the – decidedly inadmissible – tactics employed by the murder club enable Detective Sergeant Tanika Malik to piece together the truth. The three women are a formidable team, each bringing their own strengths to the problem-solving process. Judith looks for patterns, disruption to those patterns and glaring omissions in the vein of Sherlock Holmes’s ‘the curious incident of the dog in the night-time’, ie the dog that did not bark. Becks is attuned to social niceties, emotions and relationships. Suzie is pragmatic, with clarity she sees the nuts and bolts of the unappealing, the unattractive, and the low-life.
All the suspects have alibis. The key to the locked room was found in the victim’s pocket. There is a family feud, a missing will, secretive telephone calls and a resentful former wife. Tanika has been demoted from her acting detective role when her boss returns from sick leave and, although she believes Judith, Becks and Suzie when they shout murder, her boss doesn’t. So although the three ladies are free to snoop around and ask awkward questions, they do so without police back-up. There are plenty of red herrings, perhaps too many actually, and a secret being kept by Becks is ultimately shared.
Very clever, very entertaining. I gobbled it up.

Here are my reviews of other books in this series:-
THE MARLOW MURDER CLUB #1MARLOWMURDERCLUB
THE QUEEN OF POISONS #3MARLOWMURDERCLUB
MURDER ON THE MARLOW BELLE #4MARLOWMURDERCLUB

THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR OF JUDITH POTTS #5MARLOWMURDERCLUB

… and my reviews of the Death in Paradise series:-
A MEDITATION ON MURDER #1DEATHINPARADISE
THE KILLING OF POLLY CARTER #2DEATHINPARADISE

If you like this, try:-
‘Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley’ by MC Beaton #4AGATHARAISIN
‘Murder in the Snow’ by Verity Bright #4LADYELEANORSWIFT
‘Murder on the Dance Floor’ by Helena Dixon #4MISSUNDERHAY

And if you’d like to share a link, try:
#BookReview DEATH COMES TO MARLOW by Robert Thorogood https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-8FM via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘Death down the Aisle’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

16 Replies

Death down the Aisle is the most complicated plot so far in this wonderful series by Verity Bright. More red herrings, more danger, more mystery and more humour. I had my suspicions about the murderer and was only partly correct. First of all, the aisle in question is not the scene of Lady Eleanor Swift’s own wedding to a certain detective chief inspector. Instead Ellie is due to be bridesmaid at the wedding of her friends Constance and Peregrine, but with a lawsuit and a dead body in the week prior to the service, the wedding is in doubt.
The groom, Lord Peregrine Davenport, is being sued for breach of promise by a young woman he was once engaged to. In order to settle the claim he must sell the family estate. Now this first fiancé Daisy is dead, Constance doesn’t know she exists and both families are in uproar. The first few chapters move quite slowly, setting up the inter-linking stories. But as soon as the bride’s father is attacked on the golf course, the speed picks up and it is a race to the end. A variety of people are set to benefit from Daisy’s death including the bride, groom and their relatives. Eleanor’s policeman beau, Hugh Seldon, sensitive to the delicate emotions of the female witnesses he must question and not wanting to cause undue distress, asks her to accompany him to the interviews. Of course Ellie jumps at the chance. She is drawn into more serious investigations, leading her and ever-present multi-talented butler Clifford to the dodgy end of town. This highlights a serious theme about poverty, post-war building and unemployment after the Great War.
A sub-plot involving the Women’s Institute’s planned petition demanding women be admitted to the police force comes into its own towards the end. Seldon is struggling to manage two cases at once and the determination, bravery and cleverness of the WI members is key in the final fight scene. And of course Ellie’s determination to catch the murderer without thought to her own safety makes a point about female officers.
Once I start reading one of these books, I don’t want to stop until the end. They are addictive, thanks to the wonderful combination of characters. If you’re new to them, please start at book one to fully appreciate the long-running story arcs.

If you like this, try:-
‘Murder at Catmmando Mountain’ by Anna Celeste Burke #1GEORGIESHAW
‘A Cornish Recipe for Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #5NOSEYPARKER
‘Murder at the Wedding’ by Helena Dixon #7MISSUNDERHAY

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview DEATH DOWN THE AISLE by Verity Bright @BrightVerity https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-8qv via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘The French for Murder’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

11 Replies

A glamorous movie set and an even more glamorous it-crowd are not what Lady Eleanor Swift expects to find in the South of France. But from day one of their holiday at an exclusive rented villa, amateur detective Ellie and her butler sidekick find themselves embroiled in murder once again. The French for Murder by Verity Bright includes a new cast of glamorous Americans, mysterious Frenchmen and the gorgeous Mediterranean coast. The tenth book in the 1920s cosy mystery series revolves around a film about Napoleon being shot at a nearby chateau, a dead body in Ellie’s wine cellar, a deliciously flamboyant police detective and a variety of arrogant, talented, partying movie stars, artists and hangers-on. But although the villas – and the casino at Monte Carlo – are top notch luxury, there is something rotten beneath the beauty.
The murder is hushed up by the local mayor who fears damage done to the reputation of the Côte d’Azur as a budding movie location. If the truth about murder gets out, the new American tourists will holiday elsewhere. So Ellie agrees to gather clues. But after successive all-night parties involving over-the-top extravagance, alcohol and illegal substances, and beachfront sunbathing soirees with the briefest of swimwear, she is at a loss. Love, jealousy, betrayal, blackmail, money; can Ellie discover the real reason for the death of the leading man before the murderer kills again. Does the answer lay with the cast of Napoleon or is that too obvious. The two most suspicious people clearly have something to hide but lack an obvious motivation for murder and everyone else, being actors, are talented dissemblers.
The French for Murder is another delicious helping of the talented detecting duo. Ellie and Clifford are as indefatigable, brave and curious as ever, Ellie’s gowns and beach attire are impressively glamorous and the descriptions of Mrs Trottman’s pastries made me feel hungry. And as always, in each book in the series we learn more information about the backgrounds of Eleanor and Clifford.
Excellent, again.

If you like this, try:-
‘The Marlow Murder Club’ by Robert Thorogood #1MARLOWMURDERCLUB
‘A Cornish Seaside Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #6NOSEYPARKER
‘The Secret Detective Agency’ by Helena Dixon #1SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview THE FRENCH FOR MURDER by Verity Bright @BrightVerity https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-8pL via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘A Cornish Seaside Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #crime #cosycrime

11 Replies

I charged through A Cornish Seaside Murder by Fiona Leitch, finishing it in two afternoons. After reading some difficult emotional novels, this was like drinking a long glass of water on a hot day. Familiarity helps. This is the sixth in the Nosey Parker cosy mystery series. The story starts and ends during events at Penstowan’s Merrymaid Week celebrating the legend of the Penstowan Siren, the seaside village’s very own mermaid. Part-time caterer Jodie Parker is now an auxiliary detective sergeant reporting to her partner DCI Nathan Withers. When a fisherman is found dead, and the church’s mermaid statue disappears, the police are at a loss to explain what is happening. The mystery is somehow connected with the village’s fishing businesses, the boats are now spending more time taking tourists on sightseeing trips than fishing. As always Jodie either directly knows the people involved, went to school with their sister or knows someone who knows them. Nathan, as the Liverpudlian outsider, is alternately a humorous or serious foil for Jodie’s quick wit. Awkward questions are asked as always by Jodie’s mother Shirley and daughter Daisy, making Jodie stop rushing around and reconsider her assumptions.
The first theory is that one fisherman is invading the territory of another or illegally fishing in protected waters. Then smuggling is considered, for centuries isolated Cornish beaches have been the secret locations for smugglers and wreckers. Or perhaps it is drugs. The plot moves quickly and there are a lot of theories and suspects. Meanwhile Jodie and Nathan are getting more serious, Daisy is growing up and becoming more independent, and Shirley has an admirer.
A quick, light-hearted read, well-written with good character progression from book to book. Jodie is a heart-warming character, straight-talking, sometimes impulsive, who is juggling life as a single mother while holding down two jobs. Perhaps something will have to give?

Here are my reviews of the other books in the Nosey Parker series:-
THE CORNISH WEDDING MURDER #1NOSEYPARKER
THE CORNISH VILLAGE MURDER #2NOSEYPARKER
THE PERFECT CORNISH MURDER #3NOSEYPARKER
A CORNISH CHRISTMAS MURDER #4NOSEYPARKER
A CORNISH RECIPE FOR MURDER #5NOSEYPARKER
THE CORNISH CAMPSITE MURDER #7NOSEYPARKER
THE CORNISH CASTLE MURDER #8NOSEYPARKER

If you like this, try:-
‘The Marlow Murder Club’ by Robert Thorogood #1MARLOWMURDERCLUB
‘Murder in the Belltower’ by Helena Dixon #5MISSUNDERHAY
‘A Death in the Dales’ by Frances Brody #7KATESHACKLETON

And if you’d like to share a link:
#BookReview A CORNISH SEASIDE MURDER by Fiona Leitch https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-8eF via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘A Royal Murder’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

15 Replies

The twists and turns in the Lady Eleanor Swift cosy mysteries written by Verity Bright are becoming even more tangled now the series is well-established. A Royal Murder involves a death at Henley Regatta, the royal protection police, a Russian spy and a criminal mastermind. The stakes are higher, and so are the risks to Ellie. Ellie is not in her comfortable place when she is ushered to the regatta by her new best friend, society girl Tiffany Persephone Fitzroy, better known as Tipsy. Ellie, who has already failed to live up to Tipsy’s long list of necessary style improvements to facilitate her entry into the highest of society – including pretending to have a ladylike appetite – is to be introduced to the king’s first cousin, once removed. Tipsy insists Eleanor must look her ‘fabulous best’ when she finally meets Xander Taylor-Howard at Henley. Soon she is trussed up in a sea of ivory silk frills and an enormous matching hat with ostrich feathers. Worst of all, Ellie must go the regatta looking like a ‘walking wedding cake’ where her favourite detective chief inspector, Hugh Seldon, is in charge of security.
Xander turns out to be a bit of a playboy. Unfortunately after the races at the prize-giving ceremony, he drinks from his glass of champagne and drops dead. Because Xander is one of the royal family, the murder hunt is run by the royal police headed by Sir Percival Westlake. Seldon is off the case but, much to her bemusement, Lady Swift is recruited by Sir Percival to investigate the people on his list of suspects.
Ellie and Clifford, her faithful butler, chase around interviewing suspects, secretly meeting the disgruntled Seldon to swap theories and discoveries. Xander Taylor-Howard had many secrets to hide, disgruntled husbands who have been cheated on, angry former girlfriends who were unceremoniously ditched. But when a second man is murdered, other secrets are uncovered. Who did Xander owe money to and how much; enough to be worth killing for. Or perhaps he was selling state secrets to the Russians.
The danger is more intense in this novel and, despite their best efforts, neither Clifford or Hugh can prevent Ellie from marching straight into trouble. But the familiar delights are still present; Clifford’s Mastermind-like ability to know the answer to every question; bulldog Gladstone’s ability to jump into the stinky overflow pond, the gorgeous food cooked by Mrs Trotman. And the ending is lovely.
Such an effortlessly entertaining series, the books continue to get better. A Royal Murder, the ninth instalment, has a lively cast of goodies and baddies. Ellie is unconventional and ahead of her time, Hugh is the strong silent hero, Clifford in indefatigable.

If you like this, try:-
‘Death and the Brewery Queen’ by Frances Brody #12KATESHACKLETON
‘Agatha Raisin and the Murderous Marriage’ by MC Beaton #5AGATHARAISIN
‘The Secrets of Gaslight Lane’ by MRC Kasasian #4GOWERDETECTIVE

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview A ROYAL MURDER by Verity Bright @BrightVerity https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7Jh via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘A Cornish Recipe for Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #crime #cosycrime

10 Replies

A Cornish Recipe for Murder is another reliable instalment from the Nosey Parker series of cosy crime novels by Fiona Leitch. Former Metropolitan Police officer now caterer, Jodie Parker, has been secretly entered by her daughter, mum and boyfriend into a television baking contest. The Best of Britain Baking Roadshow has arrived in Cornwall at Boskern House, a stately home near Penstowan. The winning baker will compete in the national televised final. So, no pressure. Although cakes are not Jodie’s strong point, she throws herself into the competition against four other amateur bakers to become the Cornish regional baking champion.
The on-screen and off-screen team includes a complex mixture of personalities which provides lots of possibilities for disputes, injured pride, romance, reprisals, cheating and… murder. When a body is found in the grounds of the house, the local police arrive headed by DCI Nathan Withers, Jodie’s boyfriend. With the distraction of a murder to solve, Jodie finds it difficult to concentrate on her cakes. Each day has a different baking challenge and the contestants are filmed as they bake, followed by drag queen host Barbara Strident/Russell Lang, and two professional bakers Pete Banks and Esme Davies as judges. Every suspect is a stranger to Jodie, so red herring follows red herring. Suffice to say, not everyone is who they say they are. When Jodie’s chocolate custard filling is tampered with, her ingredients didn’t include salt, she realises she must be getting close to the perpetrator.
I really enjoyed this story, a quick read after a more serious historical novel. It’s a nice balance of murder mystery, satire of television baking shows, and more about Jodie’s home life and relationship with daughter Daisy and mum Shirley. And things are getting much closer with Nathan, which raises a different set of questions.
All in all, a fun read. An antidote to everyday life.

Here are my reviews of the other books in the Nosey Parker series:-
THE CORNISH WEDDING MURDER #1NOSEYPARKER
THE CORNISH VILLAGE MURDER #2NOSEYPARKER
THE PERFECT CORNISH MURDER #3NOSEYPARKER
A CORNISH CHRISTMAS MURDER #4NOSEYPARKER
A CORNISH SEASIDE MURDER #6NOSEYPARKER
THE CORNISH CAMPSITE MURDER #7NOSEYPARKER
THE CORNISH CASTLE MURDER #8NOSEYPARKER

If you like this, try:-
‘Death at the Dance’ by Verity Bright #2LADYELEANORSWIFT
‘The Diabolical Bones’ by Bella Ellis #2BRONTEMYSTERIES
‘Fortune Favours the Dead’ by Stephen Spotswood #1PENTECOST&PARKER

And if you’d like to share a link:
#BookReview A CORNISH RECIPE FOR MURDER by Fiona Leitch https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-83e via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘Death on a Winter’s Day’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

15 Replies

Death on a Winter’s Day is the eighth instalment in the Lady Eleanor Swift between-the-wars cosy mystery series by Verity Bright. Oh what an emotional ending! When a Christmas house party with friends on a remote Scottish island turns out to be less than hospitable, Ellie is a long way away from help. Except of course from butler-cum-personal assistant Clifford and her entire domestic staff, who have travelled with her north of the border to assist in the Christmas festivities. They didn’t expect to be confined to the island when a guest dies, stabbed in the back.
Novice lady of the manor Ellie has to use all her conversational and diplomatic skills at Castle Ranburgh to negotiate the tensions amongst her fellow guests. Already beset by staff problems – hence Ellie’s offer of arriving with her own domestic staff in tow – Baron and Baroness Ashley are struggling to be hospitable hosts. Ellie overhears talk of a business deal in danger of not happening, the usually romantic hosts seem to be at odds with each other, an American guest is rather too fond of the whisky and the Ashley’s begrudging cook is sabotaging the food. Clifford and his team of ladies from Henley Hall try to save the day with Stilton straws and other gorgeous canapes. Then a harmless game of ‘wink murder’ turns into the real thing and the local Inspector removes all boats from the island. The Ashleys, their guests and staff are effectively imprisoned together and squabbles turn into arguments. And there is an armoury, well-stocked with antique but deadly weapons.
At the request of her friend Wilhelmina Ashley, Ellie starts detecting. She and Clifford have already made a few observations of strange behaviour and gossip. An envelope passed to the local inspector. A man with a limp in a corridor he should not be visiting. This is a closed room mystery. The murderer must be one of the people on the island, but though their identities are known their real reasons for being at Castle Ranburgh are not. Why are Lord and Lady Fortescue, cousins of Lord Ashley, attending the Christmas house party when they seem to dislike their relatives so much. Why are Robert Campbell, the local Laird of Dunburgh, and his son Gordon, at loggerheads and is the Laird really the charming genial man he appears to be.
Death on a Winter’s Day includes another discovery for Ellie about her mother, tied in neatly with the sheer beauty and harsh conditions of this part of the Scottish coast. The island sits in a sea loch and can be reached only by boat, rowed over by a local man who appears to wear dead animals strung around his neck. A winter snow storm, a dangerous sea passage and the appearance of a selkie – a mythical creature that can shift form from seal to woman – add to the Scottish atmosphere in an isolated but beautiful corner of the world.
Another fun read, this time with a deadly chase that threatens the lives of all involved. The most touching book so far in this wonderful series.

If you like this, try:-
‘A Snapshot of Murder’ by Frances Brody #10KATESHACKLETON
‘The Ninth Child’ by Sally Magnusson
‘Murder at Enderley Hall’ by Helena Dixon #2MISSUNDERHAY

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview DEATH ON A WINTER’S DAY by Verity Bright @BrightVerity https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7E7 via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘A Cornish Christmas Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #crime #cosycrime

6 Replies

Christmas was long gone when I started to read A Cornish Christmas Murder by Fiona Leitch but it didn’t matter. Although this is a murder tale starting three days before Christmas, the festive season is a background theme rather than being key to the story. Fourth in the Nosey Parker cosy crime series featuring ex-Metropolitan Police caterer Jodie, this is a closed room mystery in a snowbound country hotel high on Bodmin Moor. Jodie, mum Shirley, daughter Daisy and friend Debbie have got a last-minute catering job at Kingseat Abbey, a country mansion being renovated into a hotel. A charitable foundation, run by a millionaire with a notorious bad boy reputation, has hired the hotel as venue for a Christmas party for local children. The party is a success but after the departure of the children, the weather turns nasty. Jodie and friends are snowbound with the hotel’s owner and staff plus the millionaire, his son and charity manager. They are soon joined by people lost in the snow; four Japanese girls whose car is in a ditch, and a mysterious couple who are rather vague about who they are. While Jodie rustles up food for the group, hotel manager Lily – who grew up in Penstowan with Jodie – attempts to find beds for the unexpected guests in the partially-redecorated hotel. Next morning, one of the group is found dead in a locked bedroom.
The police are informed but, because of the snow, are unable to get to the remote hotel. Jodie’s boyfriend DCI Nathan Withers, stuck in Penstowan, reminds her that the murderer is most likely still in the house and urges her not to start investigating. Of course she ignores his advice. While Daisy proves herself to have inherited her grandfather’s sharp eye for clues, Jodie tries to keep all the guests in the house without frightening them. But the hours pass without the police arriving.
This is a great locked room mystery in a house with a sinister history, a hidden priest hole and secret passages, and the brooding silence of the snow-covered moors around them.
Despite there being too many toilet jokes – I don’t remember noticing them in the earlier books – this is an easy read with enough laughs and unpredictable elements to keep me guessing until near the end. Oh, and there are some tempting Christmas recipes at the end.
The baking theme continues in book five, A Cornish Recipe for Murder, to be reviewed here soon.

Here are my reviews of other books in the Nosey Parker series:-
THE CORNISH WEDDING MURDER #1NOSEYPARKER
THE CORNISH VILLAGE MURDER #2NOSEYPARKER
THE PERFECT CORNISH MURDER #3NOSEYPARKER
A CORNISH RECIPE FOR MURDER #5NOSEYPARKER
A CORNISH SEASIDE MURDER #6NOSEYPARKER
THE CORNISH CAMPSITE MURDER #7NOSEYPARKER
THE CORNISH CASTLE MURDER #8NOSEYPARKER

If you like this, try:-
‘The Secrets of Gaslight Lane’ by MRC Kasasian #4GOWERDETECTIVE
‘Murder at the Country Club’ by Helena Dixon #9MissUnderhay
‘A Death in Valencia’ by Jason Webster #2MAXCAMARA

And if you’d like to share a link:
#BookReview A CORNISH CHRISTMAS MURDER by Fiona Leitch https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7Yf via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘A Lesson in Murder’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

15 Replies

When Lady Eleanor Swift is asked by her favourite teacher to return to school to give an inspirational talk about her solo travels around the world, Ellie does not expect a dead body. We, of course, do. A Lesson in Murder is seventh in the 1920s-set murder mystery series by Verity Bright. These books are so good. When Mrs Wadsworth is murdered, Detective Chief Inspector Seldon is prevented from taking over the case. Many of the pupils at St Mary’s are the children of diplomats and politicians meaning that police presence on site is forbidden in order to avoid press attention. And so with Seldon – Hugh, to Ellie – observing from a distance, and occasional meetings with Ellie and her butler Clifford in a tea shop, the two amateur sleuths move into the school as undercover detectives. Clifford – a bit of a stretch, this – joins the maintenance team and Ellie becomes temporary house mistress of her old lodgings, Holly House. A list of suspects is drawn up and a plan for questioning is agreed. But of course, Ellie never sticks to a plan. Then a second teacher is found dead.
When Eleanor meets the girls of Holly House, aged 9-11, it’s a reminder of how young she is for all she has achieved. At nine years old she arrived at the school, grieving the death of her parents, lonely at boarding school and her uncle always away, she was rebellious, mischievous and brave. Can she bring her spirit to today’s girls living in Holly House, the youngest of the houses, the overlooked, the quiet and bullied? And what memories of her own past will be unearthed? This storyline is rather endearing, reminding me of Malory Towers. Meanwhile in the background but with increasing intensity, the shy sparring between Eleanor and Hugh continues. As they circle each other with longing, unable to take the next step, being awkward, saying the wrong thing, I wonder how much longer this can be maintained.
The best of the series so far; I seem to keep writing that about these books, the last time was Mystery by the Sea. Both books fill in gaps about Eleanor’s family history and her life before we met her in A Very English Murder. Two thirds of the way through her investigations at St Mary’s, Ellie overhears another truth revealed. ‘Oh Ellie, how many more sad secrets do you have to uncover before you can catch a killer?’ A line not just applicable to the murder, but to Ellie’s own life.
Excellent.

Read my review of other books in the Lady Eleanor Swift series:-
A VERY ENGLISH MURDER #1LADYELEANORSWIFT
DEATH AT THE DANCE #2LADYELEANORSWIFT
A WITNESS TO MURDER #3LADYELEANORSWIFT
MURDER IN THE SNOW #4LADYELEANORSWIFT
MYSTERY BY THE SEA #5LADYELEANORSWIFT
MURDER AT THE FAIR #6LADYELEANORSWIFT
DEATH ON A WINTER’S DAY #8LADYELEANORSWIFT
A ROYAL MURDER #9LADYELEANORSWIFT
THE FRENCH FOR MURDER #10LADYELEANORSWIFT
DEATH DOWN THE AISLE #11LADYELEANORSWIFT
MURDER IN AN IRISH CASTLE #12LADYELEANORSWIFT
DEATH ON DECK #13LADYELEANORSWIFT
MURDER IN MANHATTAN #14LADYELEANORSWIFT
MURDER BY INVITATION #15LADYELEANORSWIFT

If you like this, try:-
‘The Blood Detective’ by Dan Waddell #1BLOODDETECTIVE
‘An Expert in Murder’ by Nicola Upson #1JOSEPHINETEY
‘The Perfect Cornish Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #3NOSEYPARKER

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview A LESSON IN MURDER by Verity Bright @BrightVerity https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7Dw via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘Murder at the Fair’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

15 Replies

When one raft fails to finish the race at the May Fair, honorary guest and amateur sleuth Lady Eleanor Swift is the only person to be suspicious. And so starts Murder at the Fair, sixth in the 1920s cosy mystery series by Verity Bright. And as is the way of these things, the murder at the fair is not the only death in Little Buckford. Warned off any further investigations by Detective Chief Inspector Seldon – who Eleanor sometimes called Inspector, and sometimes Hugh – she believes her suspicions are correct when a spiteful obituary is published in the local newspaper. ‘For Solemn Jon’s death was not an accident, dear reader. It was murder!’ The obituary is signed Willie Green, who just happens to be assistant to ‘Solemn’ John Jon, who was the local undertaker. Green is the argumentative kind of man who exists on the fringe of the village, his brain sloshing with booze, a sharp tongue in his mouth, and so an obvious suspect. Perhaps too obvious?
When a second murder happens, another nasty obituary is published. This death looks like a horse-riding accident until Eleanor sets out to prove otherwise. Her on-off relationship with Seldon continues as they behave awkwardly around each other, not helped by the guilt Ellie feels at going behind his back to investigate the murders. These investigations are fun, supported as she is by loyal butler Clifford who has an astonishing range of suspect skills and tools, including skeleton keys and a pistol, and useful contacts amongst his fellow butlers. Things take a turn for the worse when a third obituary is published, for someone who is still alive.
The series is established now and key characters are familiar, this is the time when the narrative can run out of steam and become formulaic. But Murder at the Fair has a twisty plot with plenty of unexpected hiccups and u-turns. The deathly events occur at a time of great upheaval at Henley Hall, the annual spring clean, when a newcomer to the hall causes early excitement followed by disaster.
Enjoyable, fun, clever and charming, a great book to sink into when relaxation is required.

Read my review of other books in the Lady Eleanor Swift series:-
A VERY ENGLISH MURDER #1LADYELEANORSWIFT
DEATH AT THE DANCE #2LADYELEANORSWIFT
A WITNESS TO MURDER #3LADYELEANORSWIFT
MURDER IN THE SNOW #4LADYELEANORSWIFT
MYSTERY BY THE SEA #5LADYELEANORSWIFT
A LESSON IN MURDER #7LADYELEANORSWIFT
DEATH ON A WINTER’S DAY #8LADYELEANORSWIFT
A ROYAL MURDER #9LADYELEANORSWIFT
THE FRENCH FOR MURDER #10LADYELEANORSWIFT
DEATH DOWN THE AISLE #11LADYELEANORSWIFT
MURDER IN AN IRISH CASTLE #12LADYELEANORSWIFT
DEATH ON DECK #13LADYELEANORSWIFT
MURDER IN MANHATTAN #14LADYELEANORSWIFT
MURDER BY INVITATION #15LADYELEANORSWIFT

If you like this, try:-
‘The Killing of Polly Carter’ by Robert Thorogood #2DEATHINPARADISE
‘The Lost Ancestor’ by Nathan Dylan Goodwin #2MORTONFARRIER
‘A Mansion for Murder’ by Frances Brody #13KATESHACKLETON

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview MURDER AT THE FAIR by Verity Bright @BrightVerity https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7CZ via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

	#BookReview ‘The Sin… on #BookReview ‘Berlin Duet…
	#BookReview ‘The Reb… on #BookReview ‘Berlin Duet…
	#BookReview ‘The Her… on #BookReview ‘Berlin Duet…
	#BookReview ‘The Sar… on #BookReview ‘Berlin Duet…
	#BookReview ‘The Ser… on #BookReview ‘Berlin Duet…

SANDRA DANBY'S BOOK REVIEWS

Sharing thoughts on the books I read, new authors, favourite authors, classics re-visisted

Tag Archives: cosy crime

#BookReview ‘Death Comes to Marlow’ by Robert Thorogood #cosycrime

#BookReview ‘Death down the Aisle’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘The French for Murder’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘A Cornish Seaside Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #crime #cosycrime

#BookReview ‘A Royal Murder’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘A Cornish Recipe for Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #crime #cosycrime

#BookReview ‘Death on a Winter’s Day’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘A Cornish Christmas Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #crime #cosycrime

#BookReview ‘A Lesson in Murder’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘Murder at the Fair’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: