Tag Archives: novels set in the 1920s

#BookReview ‘Murder in an Irish Castle’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

Murder in an Irish Castle by Verity Bright is another Christmas instalment in the 1920s Lady Eleanor Swift mystery series, but with a big difference. The setting is in the west of Ireland at the remote estate inherited by Eleanor from her late Uncle Byron and never before visited. Arriving in December 1922 in the aftermath of the Irish War of Independence, snow is on the ground and the welcome is just as cold. After a long journey in the Rolls Royce, Eleanor and faithful butler Clifford find an unconscious man in an isolated lane near the estate. They seek help at the nearest building, an abbey, which is the first of many unexpected things they encounter. The behaviour of the abbess and doctor is distinctly odd. The poor man’s death, however, seems predictable.
Invited by the committee of Derrydee, the village closest to Hennelly Towers, Eleanor anticipates a warm welcome. But the house is empty, there is no staff, no food, no welcome and Miss Breen, whose name is on the invitation received by Eleanor, says she didn’t send it. This is the first in a series of denials, objections, obfuscations and lies that Eleanor and Clifford face.
I think this is the slowest start of all the titles I’ve read so far, and this is twelfth book. Perhaps the chill I feel reflects the cool welcome Ellie and Clifford receive from the locals. But ever the troupers, they make the best of it. With Gladstone and a newly adopted kitten, they settle into Hennelly Towers, make Christmas decorations, find a local hostelry for sustenance and then set about confirming the identity of the poor man and establishing the cause of his death. From day one it feels as if people are either lying to them, avoiding the truth or attempting to stop their investigations. As the story progresses, this feeling deepens. And then at 50% there’s a bombshell, and the story takes off.
The plotting is complicated and there are so many guilty-looking suspects. I guessed wrong again but was nearly right, so much so that I wanted to start reading from the beginning again to see what I missed. This is a clever, unusual storyline, deeply based in 1920s Ireland. Eleanor and Clifford are on their own. There is no help from Detective Chief Inspector Seldon, they are snowed in, without transport or telephone. And even murderers can appear friendly and smiling.
At one point Eleanor says, ‘this is definitely the most difficult of all the unpleasant matters we’ve tried to solve.’ For me this is a book of two halves, a slower beginning and a sprint to the end. Darker and creepier than the earlier books.

If you like this, try:-
‘Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet’ by MC Beaton #2AGATHARAISIN
‘A Death in the Dales’ by Frances Brody #7KATESHACKLETON
‘Murder at the Playhouse’ by Helena Dixon #3MISSUNDERHAY

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#BookReview MURDER IN AN IRISH CASTLE by Verity Bright @BrightVerity https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-8r5 via @SandraDanby

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

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

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

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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

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

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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

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 ‘Mystery by the Sea’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

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Lady Eleanor Swift, who has been a ‘lady’ for less than a year, is going on an elegant seaside holiday but is more used to travelling by bicycle in foreign climes. She doesn’t know what to pack. One thing is certain; Ellie will encounter another murder which simply must be solved. Mystery by the Sea by Verity Bright is fifth in this 1920s cosy historical mystery series. Eleanor, accompanied by her household staff, visits the seaside at Brighton [though the real thing has a pebble beach, not sandy]. Such a glamorous destination in the Twenties, the tourists visit The Royal Pavilion, the Grand and Metropole Hotels, drink cocktails, eat fish and chips and gourmet food, and generally let their hair down. But Eleanor, and butler Clifford, have kept a secret from their cook, housekeeper and maid. There has been a murder at their hotel, the Grand [the three staff and Gladstone the dog are staying nearby], and the victim is none other than Eleanor’s husband. Who died six years earlier.
The hunt for the truth is a race through clues and tangled suspicions, a disagreeable local policeman, dodgy suspects who all seem to have something to hide and a femme fatale who seems preoccupied with Eleanor, all wrapped up in Eleanor’s grief and confusion at the news about her husband. How did Hilary, shot dead by firing squad in South Africa, come to be in Brighton in 1921? Complicated by the presence of a certain Detective Chief Inspector, on holiday from his usual beat in Oxford and London. With Eleanor’s emotions in a spin, she tries to make connections between the Hilary she knew and loved, with the danger and threats surrounding her in such a glamorous place.
The best of the series so far, if a little edgier. It’s becoming addictive.

If you like this, try:-
‘The Cornish Village Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #2NOSEYPARKER
‘Elizabeth is Missing’ by Emma Healey
‘The Killings at Kingfisher Hill’ by Sophie Hannah #4POIROT

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview MYSTERY BY THE SEA by Verity Bright @BrightVerity https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-70r via @SandraDanby

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

#BookReview ‘Murder in the Snow’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

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Christmas is coming to Henley Hall and Lady Eleanor Swift is hosting a party for the entire village. Gifts, food and drink, games and a cross-country fun run around the grounds of the Hall. When one runner fails to finish the course, Eleanor’s Christmas turns into another detective adventure. Murder in the Snow by Verity Bright is fourth in this fun atmospheric series. When Conrad Canning, coalman to the Hall, dies at the snowy finish line, Eleanor suspects foul play but Detective Chief Inspector Seldon believes it was a heart attack. Until traces of digitalis are discovered. This has uncomfortable connotations for Eleanor and her loyal butler Clifford as it mirrors the unexplained death of Eleanor’s Uncle Byron. Each book features the core characters with the addition of new faces for each murder mystery, but which will be suspects, witnesses, victim and villain. Some resentments are not forgotten with the passage of time, but burn brighter.
The food is sumptuous, as are the homemade alcohol beverages. But this time, both are examined for evidence of cause of death. As Christmas approaches New Year, the beautiful house is covered in snow and the village is cut off from the outside. Clifford deems it dangerous to drive the Rolls along the country lanes having previously ended up in a ditch, and Seldon is stranded in a pub. In pursuit of more evidence, Eleanor and Clifford set off across country wearing snow shoes.
The continuation of Eleanor’s romantic entanglements continues slowly in this story, one step at a time, glances are exchanged and there is some gentle teasing. Like the truth about Uncle Byron, Eleanor’s pursuit of love is a subject developed a little further in each book. I also love the asides about Eleanor’s previous life, exploring routes for travel companies in exotic countries, travelling alone and having all sorts of adventures. Such as her wonderful reply to a retired seaman who caustically refers to what he assumes is Eleanor’s sheltered and privileged life, ‘Ever been halfway over a mountain range with the snow and night closing in, with no prospect of food or shelter and not another human being within a hundred square miles?’
I whizz through these books. They’re such a relaxing read, a great escape from the world outside and a glimpse into the glamorous country house life in the 1920s. With murder thrown in.

If you like this, try:-
‘Murder Under her Skin’ by Stephen Spotswood #2PENTECOST&PARKER
‘Or The Bull Kills You’ by Jason Webster #1MAXCAMARA
‘The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle’ by Stuart Turton

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview MURDER IN THE SNOW by Verity Bright @BrightVerity https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-701 via @SandraDanby

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

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

15 Replies

When the local MP dies in suspicious circumstances at a posh dinner at Farrington Manor, the local women’s political group comes knocking on Ellie’s door. Will she, they ask, stand at the by-election on a platform of women’s rights. In A Witness to Murder, third in the Lady Eleanor Swift 1920s detective series by Verity Bright, is based round Ellie’s electioneering and detecting. Because the MP is not the only one to die. Determined to follow the advice of Detective Chief Inspector Seldon not to get involved in detecting again, Ellie changes her mind when Mrs Pitkin, the cook to Lord and Lady Farrington, is sacked and in disgrace after the fateful dinner. It was her chocolate fudge that is thought to have poisoned Arnold Aris, MP. Ellie’s job gets more difficult when Mrs Pitkin disappears and a second body is found. When Ellie and Clifford find clues to a dodgy land deal, they must discover who gains, who loses, and who is the most desperate.
Finally, the love triangle hinted at in the first two novels becomes more pointed when the second man’s intense looks at Ellie become more overt and at last the rather silly but charming Lord Lancelot Fenwick-Langham has a rival in love for Ellie’s attentions. Lancelot is getting more Wooster-ish with every book and I can’t help but think Ellie’s affection will turn elsewhere.
This series is becoming a firm favourite for me. The pages turn quickly, the mysteries are twisty and this time I didn’t correctly predict the murder. The identity of the murderer prompted possibilities in my mind that I hadn’t previously considered; about Ellie’s own origins, the death of her parents, and the role of her intriguing uncle.
The Twenties setting is charming, if at times suspiciously 21^st century, and the by-election theme in A Witness to Murder adds a tougher edge to Ellie’s adventure. The tone is settling to a hybrid mixture of period crime/comedy/cosy mystery, any danger is lightweight and the most of the daft asides are funny [though Lancelot is too much for my taste]. Just the ticket for a quiet night in.

If you like this, try:-
‘Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet’ by MC Beaton #2AGATHARAISIN
‘The Art of the Imperfect’ by Kate Evans #1SCARBOROUGHMYSTERIES
‘Moonflower Murders’ by Anthony Horowitz #2SUSANRYELAND

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview A WITNESS TO MURDER by Verity Bright @BrightVerity https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-6Yz via @SandraDanby

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

#BookReview ‘Death at the Dance’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

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What will Ellie do when the man she is keen on is arrested as a murderer? Death at the Dance is second in the Lady Eleanor Swift series of 1920s historical cosy crime novels by Verity Bright. The first novel, A Very English Murder, set the scene and introduced the characters but Death at the Dance hits the ground running and is better for it. The theme of acting runs throughout. Ellie, who feels she is still learning the role of a ‘lady,’ joins the local amateur dramatic society where she has trouble learning her lines. One of the suspects in A Very English Murder plays a key part in the play and turns out to be a very good actor. The death referred to in the title of this book coincides with a jewel theft, both take place at a fancy dress dance where everyone is in costume – a pirate, a harlequin, a Cleopatra, a bird of paradise. The pirate, Lord Lancelot Fenwick-Langham, is accused of theft and murder. There have been major jewel thefts in the area and a notorious gang is said to be responsible. Detective Chief Inspector Seldon, Ellie’s old nemesis, locks up Lancelot in the local police station.
Once again Ellie teams up with her logical, analytical and practical butler, Clifford, to prove Lancelot’s innocence. To gather evidence she goes out on the town with his friends, the Bright Young Things, including an Indian prince, two sisters, a quiet artist and a glamorous party boy. Apart from horrible hangovers and sore feet, Ellie gathers little proof except the sense that they are hiding something. Time is running out. Lancelot’s trial approaches and no evidence is found to prove his innocence. If convicted, he will hang.
There are some satisfying plot twists, surprises, suspicions that prove true, questionable decisions taken by Ellie and surprising talents shown by Clifford. All backed up with the excellent snuffling of Gladstone the bulldog, and tasty picnic food and breakfasts provided by Mrs Trotman, Henley Hall’s cook.
In my review of A Very English Murder I mentioned the lack of 1920 social, cultural and political references, but there are plenty in Death at the Dance. Suffragism, the partying Bright Young Things, drink and drug abuse.
Faster moving than the first instalment of the series, I’m loving the relationship between Ellie and her butler, the sparring with Clifford is fast, witty and funny.
Bring on the third in the series, A Witness to Murder.

If you like this, try:-
‘Fortune Favours the Dead’ by Stephen Spotswood #1PENTECOST&PARKER
‘A Death in the Dales’ by Frances Brody #7KATESHACKLETON
‘The Cornish Wedding Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #1NOSEYPARKER

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview DEATH AT THE DANCE by Verity Bright @BrightVerity https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-6XT via @SandraDanby

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

	#BookReview ‘Death o… on #BookReview ‘Murder in Manhatt…
	#BookReview ‘Murder… on #BookReview ‘Murder in Manhatt…
	#BookReview ‘Death d… on #BookReview ‘Death on Deck’ by…
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SANDRA DANBY'S BOOK REVIEWS

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

Tag Archives: novels set in the 1920s

#BookReview ‘Murder in an Irish Castle’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

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

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

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

#BookReview ‘Mystery by the Sea’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘Murder in the Snow’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

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

#BookReview ‘Death at the Dance’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

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