Murder by Invitation by Verity Bright Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: 27 September 2023
Publisher: Bookouture
Format: Print, e-book and audio
Series: A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #15
Genre: Historical Mystery, Cosy Mystery

Synopsis

Lady Swift has been cordially invited to a huge royal celebration in Little Buckford to toast the King’s birthday… but wait, is that a body in the village hall?

Lady Eleanor Swift and her loyal butler Clifford are busy lending a hand with preparations for the big day. The grand dining room at Henley Hall is overflowing with home-sewn flags, paint and royal rosettes. Even Gladstone the bulldog and his new friend Tomkins the ginger cat are invited!

But just days before the event Mr Prestwick-Peterson, the chairman of the celebrations committee, is found dead in the village hall: strangled with handmade red, white and royal blue bunting.

With the village hall in total disarray and a key part of the decorations missing, Eleanor wonders if someone dastardly is sabotaging the King’s birthday celebrations?Teaming up with her handsome beau Detective Hugh Seldon to question the local butcher, baker, and pub landlord it becomes clear that the meddlesome busybody Mr Prestwick-Peterson was not universally liked in charming Little Buckford. Indeed, the only mystery is why he wasn’t murdered before…

Searching Mr Prestwick-Peterson’s pristinely organised rooms, Eleanor is surprised to find a faded photograph of a beautiful young woman hidden within the pages of a novel. Could this be the key to untangling this very village murder? And can Eleanor catch the killer before the party is over for her, too?

A totally charming, unputdownable Golden Age murder mystery with characters readers will adore. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss

My Thoughts

Little Buckford's birthday celebration in honour of King George V is put in jeopardy when the committee chairman, Mr Prestwick-Peterson, is found dead in the village hall, throttled by bunting made by the female staff of Henley Hall. As expected, Eleanor and Clifford are drawn into the investigation, but this time they are working openly with Detective Hugh Seldon, Eleanor's fiancé.

The victim was an unpopular, interfering busybody, which makes for a long suspect list. Another line of enquiry is that anarchists and anti-royal sympathisers wish to sabotage the event, an alarming prospect for the inhabitants of Little Buckford.

As the investigative trio dig deeper, other clues surface that point to a false identity and a crime of a more personal nature. A quick trip over the border for Eleanor and Clifford uncovers a tragedy that helps unmask a murderer, the pursuit of whom will have devastating and unforeseen consequences.

This story line is a little grittier than those of the previous novels, but it still contains the elements that make this such a great series. I always look forward to the entertaining banter between the main characters, lots of giggling from 'the girls' and the endearing presence of Gladstone, the bulldog, and his feline friend, Tomkins.

What also makes this a memorable instalment, is that the dishy Hugh has much more page time. He comes under the scrutiny of the villagers not only as the detective in charge of the investigation, but more importantly as Eleanor's intended. Not one for being the centre of attention, especially after his first encounter with the inhabitants of Little Buckford didn't go too well (a previous case) and some still suspicious of him, he accepts it with good grace. Later, he does charm them with his public declaration of love for Eleanor.

Book 16 is due out at the beginning of December and takes Eleanor and company to spend Christmas in Cornwall. Another great read coming up!

Meet the Author

Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humour, before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.

Connect with Verity: Twitter



Where to Purchase

Amazon

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