A Royal Murder

Love this series and loved this book.<br /><br />In <a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/59707767.A_Royal_Murder__A_Lady_Eleanor_Swift_Mystery__9_" title="A Royal Murder (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #9) by Verity Bright" rel="noopener">A Royal Murder</a> Lady Eleanor makes a new friend, Tipsy Fitzroy, who seems set upon making her over into a bright young thing. They attend an event at which a royal personage is poisoned and the excitement builds from there. Delightfully there are also a few incidents which make Hugh declare himself at last. Maybe Eleanor can keep him on point from now on!<br /><br />The highlight as usual is Clifford the butler who is becoming more like James Bond every minute. His dialogues with Eleanor are hilarious. He is one of the best cosy characters I have ever met. Suffice it to say I cannot wait for the next Lady Swift adventure. They make excellent reading.<br /><br />Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.<br /><br />

Lady Eleanor Swift’s new friend Tipsy was determined to turn Eleanor into one of the ‘bright young things’ – dressing in the fashion of the day, bagging a prince – while at the royal regatta that was held annually. The spring weather in the year of 1923 was particularly mild and the champagne was flowing. But when the royal host, Lord Xander Taylor-Howard, a man of many dubious talents, dropped to the stage floor after downing his champagne, Ellie, Clifford and Detective Hugh Seldon were on the case. That was, until the royal police stepped in to avoid a scandal – Sir Percival recruited Eleanor while ousting Hugh, and there was nothing they could do about it…<br /><br />Unearthing clues was Ellie’s specialty, and along with Clifford and Gladstone, of course, they managed to do just that. But the secrets Ellie was discovering were drawing danger close to her side. And Hugh along with Clifford, were concerned for her safety. Could they discover the killer before it was too late? <br /><br /><i>A Royal Murder</i> is the 9th in A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series by Verity Bright and once again it was excellent. The usual characters played their starring roles – Clifford is perfection and the expressive Gladstone a laughable charmer. Plus the delightful staff at Henley Hall always make me laugh. All in all, <i>A Royal Murder</i> is another fun and entertaining cozy historical mystery which I recommend. But I also suggest starting at #1 ?<br /><br />With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.<br />

It's spring which means time for the annual royal regetta and a perfect excuse for Eleanor's new friend Tipsy Fitzroy to work her skills on finally turning Eleanor (much to her reluctance) into a proper society lady and finding her a 'royal beau'. The merriment soon turns into a murder investigation when a minor royal, Lord Xander Taylor Howard dies on stage during the prize giving ceremony and the head of the Royal police, Sir Percival is hell bent on making the investigation process a difficult one for Chief Inspector Seldon as his main aim is to protect the Royal family from any scandal at any cost! <br /><br />Even after nine books, the series is still witty and entertaining even if the danger quotient keeps gradually increasing with each passing book. The Henley Hall entourage is an absolute hoot and it is fun to see even the serious Chief Inspector Seldon loosening up in their presence. Clifford is a genius as always and it seems Gladstone has found a new victim to pounce his friendly, dirty paws on ?. <br /><br />My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and the author Verity Bright for the e-Arc of the book.

Favorite Quotes:<br /><br />I’ve only seen blue that deep in the most heavenly exotic lagoons. Those eyes could melt a nun on an iceberg.<br /><br />‘I pity your guardian, since locking one’s ward in the cellar is probably frowned upon in today’s over-liberal times!’ ‘It doesn’t stop him wishing it wasn’t though,’ she said genuinely. ‘Honestly, if it wasn’t frowned on, I’d be lucky to see the light of day most weeks.’<br /><br />… she tried to think of a more flattering description for him rather than “the perfect mix of everything average”, but failed.<br /><br />Sir Percival’s nose is a nasal protrusion worthy of winning prizes.<br /><br />Can you believe, someone once suggested I attract dead bodies like spinsters attract stray cats?<br /><br /><br />My Review:<br /><br />Another lively and entertaining read from the winning husband and wife literary duo of Verity Bright. I am completely enamored with these smooth and creative wordsmiths as well as their engaging series. They never fail to come up with the most clever conundrums with generous servings of amusing humor, vibrant characters, and unpredictable head-scratching mysteries. The storylines were delightfully nuanced, smartly plotted, well-paced, curiously additive, colorfully detailed, and shrewdly contrived. I still struggle to determine if my favorite character is the lovely yet unconventional Lady Swift or Clifford, her ever prepared, indispensable, Google on legs butler. Honestly, I need more of both of them in my life and don’t want to do without either. <br /><br />It has been a good while but I am adding an addition to my Brit word list that I have noted before but had never actually looked up to be sure with good shout – which is slang for a good idea. <br />

Review published in: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://diagnosisbookaholic.blogspot.com/2022/03/a-royal-murder.html">https://diagnosisbookaholic.blogspot....</a><br /><br />9th installment in the Lady Eleanor Swift Series and still a fun read with a cast of lovable characters that it’s always great to meet back.<br /><br />Lady Swift has a new friend, Tipsy, who has decided to make Ellie her new pet project and as Glinda said to Elphaba in Wicked “she’ll help her be popular, but she’s got an awfully long way to go!”. But Ellie resists Tipsy’s advice (well done, Ellie). The Bright Young People is not her scene, but she agrees to go with Tipsy to the Henley Regatta where she’s witness to a royal murder and soon finds herself investigating it.<br /><br />The first half of the book felt a bit slow, perhaps cause Ellie and Clifford’s investigations are constricted to the requirements of the Royal Police, so the interrogations of the same suspects again and again became a bit repetitive. The second half really picked up the pace and the action increased several notches.<br /><br />I love how Ellie’s character has grown since we first met her and the tight family she’s built around her trusted Clifford, the ladies of Henley Hall, Master Gladstone and Chief Inspector Seldon. I think it’s time for her relationship with Seldon to take a step forward for good! All this yes but no, taking a step forward and moving three steps back is starting to get a bit old. I’m really curious to see how Ellie manages around a serious relationship.<br /><br />Although the mystery and the investigation stalled a bit at first, the resolution still delivered some surprises and, although I predicted some of it, it was still pretty satisfying.<br /><br />Another enjoyable cozy mystery that will make you chuckle more than once with its unforgettable duo of sleuths.<br /><br />Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

<br />⭐⭐⭐⭐<br /><br />First off, Netflix, PBS,...someone needs to take note of this series and make it into a tv (mini) series! ?? I adored the previous book in this series and again, this one hit all the marks with me. Well written. Well paced. Plenty of red herrings. Charming characters. I enjoyed the setting in the previous one a tad more. Hence the 4 stars instead of 5 like the previous book. However, this series is shaping up to be one of my all-time favorites. I can't wait to see what these characters get up to in the next book! <br /><br />**ARC Via NetGalley**

<u>Rating:</u> <b>4.5 / 5</b><br /><br />Believe it or not, I actually guessed who the murderer was in this one.<br /><br />*claps for self*<br /><br />I mean, one out of nine's not bad, right? RIGHT?!<br /><br />Ahem, but anyway, this story still had twists and turns insofar as the motive went, and the cast of characters were charming enough to keep the story going--and not to mention Eleanor and Clifford's indomitable teamwork, as always!<br /><br />This time it does indeed centre around a royal murder, for the 18th in line or something to the throne. A minor royal, in other words, but still with connections to the royal family. Eleanor is surprisingly engaged by the head of the royal police to investigate this time, whereas DCI Seldon is, unfortunately, cast to the side.<br /><br />Part of the reason this book scored lower for me, admittedly, has to do with Eleanor and Seldon's relationship during the first half of the novel. At this point, I feel like they already both know each other so well and have gotten through so much together--especially in the last book, <a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/58952100.Death_on_a_Winter_s_Day__A_Lady_Eleanor_Swift_Mystery__8_" title="Death on a Winter's Day (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #8) by Verity Bright" rel="noopener">Death on a Winter's Day</a>--that having them go through a contrived misunderstandings plot felt unnecessary and forced. Besides which, why CAN'T they progress past the butting heads stage? Nine books in, you'd expect they would...<br /><br />Thankfully, the author resolves this at the halfway point, leaving us to enjoy all aspects of Eleanor's story in the second half undisturbed. What I especially liked was how the element of danger was very real in this book, including with a captivating car chase and both Clifford and Eleanor very much in harm's way! It's a cozy mystery, of course, so you know that nothing truly bad could ever <i>really</i> happen, but it still has one's heart racing regardless!<br /><br />All in all, it was a great read and addition to the series, just not one that I'd put on the higher end or anything like that. Looking forward to the next one, for sure!

Lady Eleanor is no ordinary detective. She along with her team at home ably headed by her butler Clifford and with the support of Chief Detective Seldon are able to solve any crime. When a minor Royal is found murdered at the Regatta in broad view of hundreds of people, both Eleanor and Hugh realize that it is an insider job. However from the beginning the Royal Police headed by the insufferable Sir Percival is intent on side lining Seldon and very "reluctantly" drags in Lady Eleanor to conduct a discreet investigaiton into five suspects he thinks are probable murderers.<br /><br />Investigations continue with Seldon silently supporting Lady Eleanor and it is only at the end, that she realises that she has been given a few red herrings and lead on a wild goose chase by the erstwhile Sir Percival for his own personal ends.<br /><br />It had a very surprising twist in the tale which is always there in the series and together with Clifford the domestic troupe, the fabulous food and Gladstone all make up for fantastic light reading. <br /><br />Never disappoints.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW <br /><br />Review for 'A Royal Murder' by Verity Bright. <br /><br />Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Verity Bright, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous <br /><br />Publication date 28th February 2022.<br /><br />This is the sixth book I have read by this author. It is also the ninth book in her 'Lady Eleanor Smith Mystery' series but can be read as a standalone. I have previously read Verity's 'A Witness to Muder' (3rd book in the series), 'Mystery By The Sea' (5th book in the series), 'Murder At The Fair' (6th book in the series), 'A Lesson In Murder' (7th book in the series) and 'Death On A Winter's Day' (8th book in the series) which I would also recommend reading. <br /><br />I was originally drawn to this book by its fantastic eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'Addictive reading for fans of T E Kinsey, Lee Strauss and Agatha Christie.' I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Verity and if this is as good as 'A Witness To Murder', 'Mystery By The Sea', 'Murder At The Fair', 'A Lesson In Murder' and 'Death On A Winter's Day' it is sure to be an epic read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).<br /><br />This novel consists of 36 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!<br /><br />This book is based in England ???????, UK ??. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited and had holidays in England on several occasions so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise anywhere that Verity has based the book on.<br /><br />This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Lady Eleanor Smith. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.<br /><br />A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO VERITY ON YET ANOTHER PAGE TURNING SUCCESS!! <br /><br />Another successful unputdownable cosy mystery by the very talented Verity Bright. I'm always a bit dubious with books based historically as I worry about not being able to 'deal' with the language used but I absolutely love how Verity has written her books. The language used is perfectly suited to the era whilst being easy to read and making it quite humorous on several occasions. The atmosphere and descriptions were perfect. The synopsis and cover also suit the storyline. <br /><br />The storyline had me hooked immediately and I love the way that Eleanor and Clifford go about their detective work. There was so much going on that it kept me entertained thoroughly throughout with mystery after mystery and clue after clue. It was filled with suspense, mystery, laughter, murder, clues, deceit. tension, suspense and so much more!! It is absolutely perfect to read either curled in front of the fire or lying on a beach which not many books can achieve. I never did work out who the killer was and was completely shocked when they were discovered. A great achievement as I am a huge crime fan and tend to work out who did what quite early on, especially considering I have read so many of Verity's books yet she manages to get me everytime. The atmosphere was perfectly suited to the mystery. I also love the fact that although this is a cosy mystery it also had me in stitches of laughter in so many occasions which makes it the perfect light hearted read!! <br /><br />Although this is the eighth book in the series I had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.<br /><br />The characters were all larger than life, realistic and a complete breathe of fresh air. Eleanor is an amazing character, very bubbly and certainly not your typical 'Lady', she is absolutely unique as well as a very strong female lead which is a great bonus for myself being female. I absolutely adore her relationship with Clifford along with the rest of her "staff" that she treats more like friends. The only downfall is that herself and Clifford are fictional as these are two characters I would absolutely LOVE to meet in real life!! Clifford is absolutely fantastic and I really enjoy how he makes me laugh with his diplomatic skills while being extremely sarcastic at times. It is so sweet how he has taken Eleanor under his wing and admonishes her in several occasions in his humerus ways. I loved meeting them again along with Butters, Trotters and Polly who are all larger than life with their own exceptional personalities. I cannot wait to meet them all again and see what they get up to in the next "episode". <br /><br />A huge congratulations on another fantastic success Verity!!! Here's to looking forward to your next book ? <br /><br />If you are looking for a cosy mystery that will have you laughing until your crying look no further!!! <br /><br /><br />This is exactly why you are one of my favourite authors and this is one of my favourite 'series' Verity! A page turning and unputdownable success! <br /><br />Overall a fun and easy to read page turning cozy murder mystery with the perfect amount of crime and humour that will keep you turning the pages. <br /><br />Genres covered in this novel include Cozy Mystery, Murder and Crime amongst others. <br /><br />I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Agatha Christie and anyone looking for a very easy, page turning and enjoyable read. <br /><br />317 pages.<br /><br />This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited (at time of review) which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!! <br /><br />Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook. <br /><br />Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews <br /><br />#ARoyalMurder #Bookouture #VerityBright #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour<br />@VerityBright @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86 <br /><br /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86">https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86</a><br /><br /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?ref=bookmarks">https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...</a><br /> <br /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__tn__=%2As-R">https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...</a>

“At Henley Regatta there are beautiful boats, plenty of bunting, and… is that a body in the marquee?”<br /><br /><br />I am so addicted to this ‘Golden Age’ cozy mystery series, which just keeps getting better and better. The author would really have to ‘drop the baton’ before one of Lady Eleanor (Ellie) Swift’s adventures would get less than full marks from me!<br /><br />It is usually easy for me to slip into the era of a storyline, however sometimes I do have to stop and give myself a good talking to, when my mind wanders too far from the time and place of the crime and the characters as they are depicted, and I start comparing them with the crime detection techniques and forensic testing of the present day. It might be that on this occasion, Ellie herself was so far out of her own comfort zone that she took her eye off the ball momentarily, not because there was anything at all out of context with the narrative or storyline, but simply because the ‘bright young thing’ culture which pervaded events and was determined to distract her, is so far removed from her natural outlook on life. Everyone close to her, has tried and spectacularly failed, to turn Eleanor into the pitch perfect ‘Lady Of The Manor’, that they have given up trying and to be honest, are actually made to feel much more comfortable themselves, when taking her as they find her and accepting that her rather quirky and down-to-earth outlook on her supposed position in life, is what makes her so genuine, unique and endearing.<br /><br />Therefore, the force of nature who is Ellie’s new best friend, one Tiffany Persephone ‘Tipsy’ Fitzroy, really can be overwhelming and begin to grate on one’s nerves, in her efforts to change and transform Eleanor, not only by insisting on the two of them heading off to Henley Regatta, after first coercing Ellie into purchasing some very fashionable, yet totally frivolous and constraining clothes; but by then encouraging her to throw herself at the many eligible, but immensely conceited, titled and idle young men, who frequent such events. For Ellie, who is persevering in her attempts to take her so far rather tenuous friendship with Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon to the next level, she really isn’t interested in any extraneous romantic distractions and soon decides that Tipsy might have her own selfish best interests at heart, not Ellie’s. Beware the wolf in sheep’s clothing, Ellie!<br /><br />Which is just as well, because Ellie, together with her faithful butler come confidante and fellow amateur sleuth, Clifford, soon find themselves embroiled in their favourite pastime, that of solving what fast becomes a rather complicated and convoluted duo of murders. However, on this occasion, the situation is further exacerbated by the fact that both victims are distantly related to the Royal Family, so Hugh and his team have been side-lined by the Royal Police, who take automatic jurisdiction and have personally requested that the duo investigate exclusively and with the utmost discretion, so as not to cause the Royal Household any derogatory press. It soon becomes clear to Ellie and Clifford, that they have been chosen by Sir Percival Westlake, with his own separate and very personal agenda at the forefront of his mind, although they assume, as it transpires incorrectly, it is because of the serious nature of the allegations against the two young men, that of potentially spying and running up huge debts through their nefarious gambling activities. Together with Hugh, who has by now defied his superiors to throw in his lot with Ellie and Clifford, it takes all their combined brainpower to eventually fathom the full extent of Sir Percival’s selfish duplicity and ulterior motives, which are much worse than they had expected, and thus confront and apprehend the murderer. By which time, they have been attacked, followed, had their conversations bugged and all manner of underhand activities, culminating in their final near death chase.<br /><br />As the saying goes, ‘every cloud has a silver lining’, and on this occasion Ellie not only manages to cheat death in her closest encounter yet, but she has also been able to give Hugh a metaphorical nudge in the right direction on the romance front, as he makes it clear that he is ready to move their relationship forward a step or two, although whether it will be quickly enough for an impetuous Ellie, remains to be seen. Whatever happens though, Ellie and Clifford’s luck must surely soon run out and I can’t see Hugh tolerating many more such heart-stopping moments, which place Ellie in terrible danger, as he has had to endure during their Royal Murder Investigation.<br /><br />Those are the very bare bones of what was in fact a very complex and complicated investigation, and whilst I might have briefly considered the eventual perpetrator as one of my suspects, their name certainly didn’t appear in my final frame, although many other erroneous ones did!<br /><br />This multi-layered, highly textured, traditional murder/mystery storyline, was well structured and fluently written over many concise and well signposted chapters, which kept the action fast-paced and seamless, with never a dull moment. Rich in atmosphere, totally immersive and certainly a story to escape into, some wonderful narrative and dialogue added excellent visual depth to the proceedings; as picnics are shared with Hugh; late night brainstormers turn into marathon draughts and chess matches with the inimitable Clifford; the female members of the household staff, both old and young, can’t hide their feelings about having the dashing detective calling at the Hall on a regular basis; and even the gardener and Gladstone the dog get in on the act, with a hilarious episode concerning a roll in a muddy swamp! When the chips are down and duty calls, this rather eclectic mix of personalities take their responsibilities very seriously. However, there is always time for a little fun and games and those moments are documented by the author, with some delicious bursts of heart and humour.<br /><br />As the series moves on and the characters really take on their own definitive personalities, I unusually find myself trying to visualise them as real, flesh and bones people and what they might physically look like. The times dictate that Ellie really should be only decorous window dressing and as such, when invited to events such as Henley, she should always have a glass in her hand, but always discreetly abstain from eating anything. OK, so either Ellie is much more curvaceous than I see her, or she definitely has hollow legs, as she doesn’t seem to be able to stop, like most of us, at ‘three square meals a day’, with her extensive snack regime known only to Clifford. Hugh, I imagine to be handsome, tall and rather gangly, always smartly turned out, but a little shy and tongue tied at social occasions and definitely married to his job, at which he is rather good. It is definitely Clifford who is something of an enigma. At first I had built up an image of someone rather ‘Poirot’ like, quite short, a little stocky and very silent and fleet of foot. However, having read about his personal exploits and challenges during the progress of this particular case, my view has been revised somewhat and whilst still rather stockily built, I now see him as a rather tall and imposing figure, silent yes, but you would always know when he is in a room. His loyalty to his mistress is without question, although at times he appears to act more like a middle-aged bachelor uncle, than a stuffed-shirt butler!<br /><br />Ellie is a compelling, if unconventional, member of the aristocracy, although whether she will ever quite make it to ‘Your Ladyship’ status in high society, I’m not sure, and does she really aspire to? Clifford is every person’s dream companion, with his uncanny knack of being able to read his mistress’s mind, knowing what she is thinking and pre-empting her every slightest need before she even utters a word. Hugh is developing nicely in his role of charming suitor for Ellie, despite the gossips pointing out that his lowly position as a working class man and a member of the Constabulary at that, is not conducive to him ever becoming Lord of Henley Hall. In fact, all of the characters are maturing and growing in their individual roles, with some excellent vibrant synergy between them, making it easy for me to identify with and remain invested in them, as the series progresses.<br /><br />Oh! and I mustn’t leave Gladstone out of the equation, for whilst he really doesn’t commit too much effort to the work of crime solving, he is a faithful and loyal friend to the entire household, so long as they have a few titbits of food for him on a regular basis and his bed is always in a nice warm spot by the kitchen range, for when life just gets too much for him and he needs his own space and forty winks!<br /><br />A few hours of delicious escapism from the real world and I am always sad to see this dream team, close a case and go off to get on with their own lives, leaving me to return to my own!<br /><br />To catch up with the author and to share some of my favourite moments and extracts from the book, visit...<br /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.fiction-books.biz/reviews/a-royal-murderby-verity-brightbooks-on-tourreview/">https://www.fiction-books.biz/reviews...</a>