Tag Archives: Verity Bright

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

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 #2 AgathaRaisin
‘The Art of the Imperfect’ by Kate Evans #2 Scarborough Mysteries
‘Moonflower Murders’ by Anthony Horowitz #2SusanRyeland

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#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.

Read my reviews of other books in the Lady Eleanor Swift series:-
A VERY ENGLISH MURDER #1LADYELEANORSWIFT
A WITNESS TO MURDER #3LADYELEANORSWIFT
MURDER IN THE SNOW #4LADYELEANORSWIFT
MYSTERY BY THE SEA #5LADYELEANORSWIFT
MURDER AT THE FAIR #6LADYELEANORSWIFT
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

If you like this, try:-
‘Fortune Favours the Dead’ by Stephen Spotswood [#1 Pentecost & Parker]
‘A Death in the Dales’ by Frances Brody [#7 Kate Shackleton]
‘The Cornish Wedding Murder’ by Fiona Leitch [#1 Nosey Parker]

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#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 ‘A Very English Murder’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

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A Very English Murder by Verity Bright is first in the Lady Eleanor Swift series of 1920s historical cozy crime novels. It’s a rollicking mystery that speeds along at a fair clip with lots of red herrings, dastardly villains and multiple glasses of homebrew. Lady Swift inherits her title from her uncle, along with his mansion Henley Hall at Little Buckford in the Home Counties. Accustomed to fending for herself she has travelled alone around the world, in jungle, deserts and cities, plotting routes for travel companies. But now Ellie finds herself in foreign territory; an English village. Not only must she become accustomed to being mistress of a house and its staff, a local celebrity, source of fascination, causer of awkward silences, she also witnesses a murder.
When the local police don’t believe her, given the lack of a body or evidence, Ellie sets off on a detective spree. In her search for clues she gets into scrapes, makes all kinds of wrong assumptions, and some correct ones, doesn’t know who to trust and argues with lots of people. The only ‘character’ she trusts to be on her side is gentle bulldog Gladstone. There’s also a rather dashing neighbour with an airplane, who also may be the murderer. Her title fails to elevate her in the eyes of the local mayor or police – who see only a woman so obviously incapable, ill-equipped and unfit for murder detection – so she teams up with one of her suspects, Clifford the butler at Henley Hall. “A mere woman and a mere servant. Two classes undervalued and underestimated for generations joining together to make a formidable team.”
This is a fun historical mystery which, despite a few unlikely plot points and some silliness, is curiously addictive. It is however set in the Twenties with few references to the events of the day though the upstairs/downstairs divisions at Henley Hall are soon broken down. This was a decade of adjustment after the Great War; the men who didn’t come home, the injured men who can’t work, the women who took on men’s jobs during the war have now been pushed back into a pre-war world. None of this seems to impact on Henley Hall or Eleanor’s lifestyle. Nor is there is mention of women’s suffrage, female MPs or the rights of titled women to sit in the House of Lords; all of which would affect Lady Swift when she inherited her title. But of course this is a cozy mystery, an escape from the real world, and A Very English Murder does this job well.
It’s an entertaining read which made me chuckle. Plus there are plenty of unanswered questions to fuel further adventures.
PS. I loved the cover artwork too.

If you like this, try:-
‘The Vanished Bride’ by Bella Ellis #1BronteMysteries
‘The Mystery of Three Quarters’ by Sophie Hannah #3Poirot
‘A Fatal Crossing’ by Tom Hindle

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

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Tag Archives: Verity Bright

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

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

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

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