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Lady Eleanor Swift #11
Death Down the Aisle
The society wedding of the decade has the blushing bride, beautiful flowers… and the groom arrested before he can walk down the aisle? Thank goodness Lady Swift is on the guest list!
Lady Eleanor Swift isn’t normally one for grand social occasions, but who can resist a wedding? Especially when it’s her old friend, Constance Grainger, marrying the most eligible bachelor in town, Lord Peregrine Davencourt. Eleanor is taking Gladstone the bulldog as her plus one, with a smart new bowtie to match her bridesmaid’s dress.
But the big day is ruined when the groom is arrested for murder before he makes it to the altar. In a baffling twist, it turns out he was already engaged to the lovely Daisy Balforth, who has been found dead at the local inn with Lord Davencourt kneeling over her. The gossip pages will have a field day!
The distraught bride-to-be asks Eleanor to clear her fiancé’s name, as she’s certain he wouldn’t hurt a fly. With help from handsome Detective Seldon, Eleanor examines the evidence. But she’s barely had time to write down her suspect list before Constance’s father is set upon by a bearded stranger on the golf course. Clearly there is more to this story than Eleanor first thought, but can she catch the real killer before the wedding turns into her wake?
A delightfully gripping historical cozy whodunnit full of intrigue and wit. Fans of T E Kinsey, Agatha Christie and Lee Strauss will be totally charmed.
Lady Eleanor Swift isn’t normally one for grand social occasions, but who can resist a wedding? Especially when it’s her old friend, Constance Grainger, marrying the most eligible bachelor in town, Lord Peregrine Davencourt. Eleanor is taking Gladstone the bulldog as her plus one, with a smart new bowtie to match her bridesmaid’s dress.
But the big day is ruined when the groom is arrested for murder before he makes it to the altar. In a baffling twist, it turns out he was already engaged to the lovely Daisy Balforth, who has been found dead at the local inn with Lord Davencourt kneeling over her. The gossip pages will have a field day!
The distraught bride-to-be asks Eleanor to clear her fiancé’s name, as she’s certain he wouldn’t hurt a fly. With help from handsome Detective Seldon, Eleanor examines the evidence. But she’s barely had time to write down her suspect list before Constance’s father is set upon by a bearded stranger on the golf course. Clearly there is more to this story than Eleanor first thought, but can she catch the real killer before the wedding turns into her wake?
A delightfully gripping historical cozy whodunnit full of intrigue and wit. Fans of T E Kinsey, Agatha Christie and Lee Strauss will be totally charmed.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 31, 2022
1650 people are currently reading
905 people want to read
About the author
Verity Bright
26 books384 followersVerity 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
August 14, 2022
Another great story from this series with beautiful characters and covers to die for. The authors are doing a fabulous job of keeping Ellie and Hugh's relationship on a very slow burn - book 11 and I think this may be their first proper kiss.
For me the best thing about these books is the relationship between Lady Eleanor and her oh so proper butler, Clifford. They are like a comedy duo and it would be hard to say who gets the best lines. And then there is Gladstone the dog who would like to eat all day and loves dressing up.
In Death Down the Aisle Ellie runs to the aid of a friend whose wedding is about to be called off due to the discovery of a breach of promise against the prospective groom from a previous fiancee and which is then further complicated by a murder. Lady Eleanor, Clifford and Detective Seldon work as a team to try and get the bride - and the groom - to the church on time.
I loved every minute of it and hope there are going to be many more. Maybe it could take eleven more books to get Elly and Hugh to the church themselves.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
For me the best thing about these books is the relationship between Lady Eleanor and her oh so proper butler, Clifford. They are like a comedy duo and it would be hard to say who gets the best lines. And then there is Gladstone the dog who would like to eat all day and loves dressing up.
In Death Down the Aisle Ellie runs to the aid of a friend whose wedding is about to be called off due to the discovery of a breach of promise against the prospective groom from a previous fiancee and which is then further complicated by a murder. Lady Eleanor, Clifford and Detective Seldon work as a team to try and get the bride - and the groom - to the church on time.
I loved every minute of it and hope there are going to be many more. Maybe it could take eleven more books to get Elly and Hugh to the church themselves.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
August 17, 2022
With one week until the wedding of Lady Eleanor Swift's best friend Constance Grainger to Lord Peregrine Davenport, Ellie was enjoying preparations and her duties as bridesmaid. But when a young woman was murdered in The Eagle, a local inn, and Peregrine was discovered beside her body, the arrest was swift. Detective Hugh Seldon asked for Ellie's help as the force was down in numbers, so with Clifford by her side, as well as their bulldog Gladstone, the ideas were flowing. Constance was distraught as she knew Peregrine wouldn't hurt a fly - but convincing others would be a challenge...
When Sir Grainger was attacked, and another man murdered, it was obvious someone didn't want to be discovered. But Ellie's determination didn't waver. Would she, along with Clifford and Hugh, be able to get Constance and Peregrine down the aisle?
Death Down the Aisle is the 11th in A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery by Verity Bright and I loved it. I love every cover and this one is particularly good! The plot is clever with many side characters in the form of the Women's League, and the support of Eleanor's staff who once again, play an exceptional role. I'm not sure how the author continues with these original and captivating stories, but I hope it continues for a long time to come. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
When Sir Grainger was attacked, and another man murdered, it was obvious someone didn't want to be discovered. But Ellie's determination didn't waver. Would she, along with Clifford and Hugh, be able to get Constance and Peregrine down the aisle?
Death Down the Aisle is the 11th in A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery by Verity Bright and I loved it. I love every cover and this one is particularly good! The plot is clever with many side characters in the form of the Women's League, and the support of Eleanor's staff who once again, play an exceptional role. I'm not sure how the author continues with these original and captivating stories, but I hope it continues for a long time to come. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2022
⭐⭐⭐⭐-- As always, love the covers on these books!
This has become one of my favorite historical cozy mystery series. I love Eleanor and Clifford and their relationship and banter. I love the staff at Henley Hall. I love Gladstone her dog. The writing is always excellent. I love the setting (time period) and the historical details. ❤️ That said, this was probably my least favorite I have read to date. The mystery just didn't hold my interest as much as previous books. I am also not a fan of slow burn romances and the romance between Hugh and Eleanor is like watching paint dry. However, there was a snail move forward in their relationship in this book, so 🤞🏻 these authors start to move these two forward a bit faster. All in all though, I continue to love this series and can't wait to get my hands on the next installment. Especially as it is a Christmas themed one! 🎄
**ARC Via NetGalley**
This has become one of my favorite historical cozy mystery series. I love Eleanor and Clifford and their relationship and banter. I love the staff at Henley Hall. I love Gladstone her dog. The writing is always excellent. I love the setting (time period) and the historical details. ❤️ That said, this was probably my least favorite I have read to date. The mystery just didn't hold my interest as much as previous books. I am also not a fan of slow burn romances and the romance between Hugh and Eleanor is like watching paint dry. However, there was a snail move forward in their relationship in this book, so 🤞🏻 these authors start to move these two forward a bit faster. All in all though, I continue to love this series and can't wait to get my hands on the next installment. Especially as it is a Christmas themed one! 🎄
**ARC Via NetGalley**
October 5, 2022
Wedding bells are ringing in this, the eleventh installment in the Lady Eleanor Swift Series but, wait, what’s that? Yes, the groom arrested for the murder of his former fiancée! Thank goodness Lady Swift is a bridesmaid and will do everything in her power for her best friend’s wedding to go forward.
This series keeps being great entertainment. It has fast become one of my favorite historical cozy mystery series thanks to a cast of wonderful characters you can’t help but love and some engaging mysteries that, do not only put your brains to work, but offer lots of interesting historical details I can’t have enough of (the breach of promise thing was so shocking!), so don’t miss the author’s note at the end.
If you’re already read some of the books in the series you know what to expect. Ellie is as lovable, fierce and funny as always, especially when dealing with her dear butler Clifford. The love and respect they have for each other is palpable in each and every interaction.
In the prior book of the series I complained about the lack of screen time for Inspector Hugh Seldon, Ellie’s beau, and this time my wish came true as their relationship is finally moving forward (talk about a slow burn!). They’re so cute together and I love how Hugh’s slowly learning to love and respect Ellie for who she is, not trying to make her change to conform with the times.
The whodunit got me this time and I could not guess the culprit, though in fairness I think it was quite difficult to do it this time.
If you’re in the mood for some light, cozy mystery, with a heroine that defies convention, some witty banter and a fun mystery to try to solve, don’t look further, Death Down The Aisle is the one for you!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This series keeps being great entertainment. It has fast become one of my favorite historical cozy mystery series thanks to a cast of wonderful characters you can’t help but love and some engaging mysteries that, do not only put your brains to work, but offer lots of interesting historical details I can’t have enough of (the breach of promise thing was so shocking!), so don’t miss the author’s note at the end.
If you’re already read some of the books in the series you know what to expect. Ellie is as lovable, fierce and funny as always, especially when dealing with her dear butler Clifford. The love and respect they have for each other is palpable in each and every interaction.
In the prior book of the series I complained about the lack of screen time for Inspector Hugh Seldon, Ellie’s beau, and this time my wish came true as their relationship is finally moving forward (talk about a slow burn!). They’re so cute together and I love how Hugh’s slowly learning to love and respect Ellie for who she is, not trying to make her change to conform with the times.
The whodunit got me this time and I could not guess the culprit, though in fairness I think it was quite difficult to do it this time.
If you’re in the mood for some light, cozy mystery, with a heroine that defies convention, some witty banter and a fun mystery to try to solve, don’t look further, Death Down The Aisle is the one for you!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2025
These books are always more-than-slightly madcap, but so much fun! Sometimes P.G. Wodehouse meets Patricia Wentworth is just what I'm in the mood for. This one had some interesting after-effects of WWI, too. And we got lots of Hugh, which is always delightful. Clifford is my absolute favorite character in the series. I'm not quite sure how he puts up with Eleanor as well as he does. ;)
September 6, 2022
“The society wedding of the decade has everything: the blushing bride, beautiful flowers… and the groom arrested before he can walk down the aisle?”
When I saw the title of this, the eleventh Lady Eleanor Swift, Golden Age Cozy Murder/ Mystery, I must admit to doing a small ‘double take’, almost convinced that the storyline had already appeared before. Trawling back through all my recent reviews finally calmed my fears, when I discovered that in fact a similar title had appeared in another Cozy Mystery series, by a different author. Having now read this intriguing storyline, I also realise that the idea of a story is all they have in common, as Eleanor could never manage to get caught up in a straightforward case, which doesn’t involve a complicated suspect list, a veritable shopping list of crimes, and an all but inevitable brush with both the law and near death!
In fact, this incident also made much of an old law of the land, known as “Breach Of Promise”, whereby a man could be sued if he broke off an engagement to be married (good job that one doesn’t still apply today!). There was obviously much more to this law than those few simple words and my potted explanation, so I strongly suggest you to read the short ‘history’ section at the end of the book, which explains this and other historical facts alluded to within the book’s narrative, although I always tend to seek out those additional sections and brush up on the facts, before I begin reading, but that’s just personal preference and choice.
...
Death, and more particularly murder, seems to follow Eleanor around, on this occasion, even as her best friend is getting married and Eleanor finds herself being trussed up in all manor of finery and frippery for the day, as one of the bridesmaids. Unfortunately, at the eleventh hour the bridegroom finds himself charged with the murder of a young lady he was once acquainted with, and without the help of Eleanor and Clifford, he looks all set to miss his own wedding. Yes, the Honourable Peregrine Davenport, may be hapless, naive and not without some blame in the overall situation; however no one, not even Eleanor’s beau, Detective Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon, really believes him to be capable of the crime of which he is accused and to be honest, looks so guilty of.
Hugh, who usually deplores the danger Eleanor constantly manages to court, has however, found it necessary to hold his counsel on this occasion, as he is desperately short of boots on the ground to cope with the ever-growing complexities surrounding Peregrine’s arrest and needs all the help he can get, especially as it transpires, with some female questioning techniques when dealing with certain witnesses and suspects. Unwittingly and conveniently, Hugh has played right into Eleanor’s hands, as she has recently joined her local branch of the WI, in a vain attempt to up her game in the aristocracy stakes. Their current struggle, protest, petition, and impending march on authority, revolves around the notion that there should be more women on the police force, their argument being that women were good enough to take on those responsibilities during WWI, whilst the men were off fighting on the front line, but now that peace has been re-established, teams of female police officers have been largely disbanded and mothballed.
These are the two separate strands of the storyline, which become inextricably woven together as the case progresses and becomes evermore complicated. The suspect list just keeps on growing, with a wide spectrum of both male and female candidates from all walks of life, finding themselves well and truly ‘in the frame’. Even Clifford’s razor sharp intellect and cunning mind is having difficulty untangling this web of lies and deceit. They do say that ‘Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!’ so eventually it takes a bruised and battered Eleanor to work out the bare bones of the vengeful act which began this chain of interconnected events. Although the final proof of guilt and missing piece of vital evidence, was actually spotted by a very unexpected and reliable source ‘out of the mouths of babes’, so to speak.
Clifford is having his most difficult time yet, as he finds himself worrying more than he has ever found necessary before, for both Eleanor’s mental and physical wellbeing and unusually for him, begins to allow his emotions and feelings to bubble away very close to the surface. A very grateful and relieved Hugh, finally manages to untangle the mess which Peregrine managed to place himself front and centre of; commends the ladies of the WI for their invaluable help and vows to assist them all he can in their cause for female police equality; and is rewarded by the spectacle of seeing a delightfully bedecked, though far from demur Eleanor, following the bride down the aisle.
...
Well structured, multi-layered and highly textured, this storyline is fluently written in short, easy to navigate chapters, which keep the pace of the action non-stop and ever evolving, although I was never able to spot the real villain of the piece. In this story, revenge is definitely a dish best served cold, although past traumas do have to be allowed for, as no one really understands the fragility of the human mind, or the consequences of war, despite the outward show of bluff and bravado.
Well, once again Eleanor starts out with all good intentions of carrying out her late Uncle’s dying wish, by becoming ‘Lady Of The Manor’. She has so far inherited both the title of Lady and the stately manor to go with it, however taming her indomitable spirit and lust for adventure and thrills, into something more dignified and ladylike, is proving just one step too far for Eleanor, even with the unswerving devotion to duty by Clifford, her Uncle’s butler / valet, who was given a deathbed promise of his own to fulfil. In fact, it often appears that Eleanor’s rather bad habits are rubbing off on Clifford, rather than the other way round, as he is definitely beginning to enjoy some of the lighter, more unscripted moments of life, apart from when he is trying to stop Eleanor from getting herself killed that is, although I suspect he rather enjoys his role as an amateur sleuthing partner! In fact his ability to multi-task on all levels is truly outstanding, and his knack of knowing what Eleanor is thinking long before the notion has ever crossed her mind at all, is astounding. However perhaps not quite so surprising when Eleanor begins to wheedle small snippets of information from him, about his life before Henley Hall and how he is the self-made man she sees before her now. Regardless, all I know is that every woman needs a Clifford in her life, even if she doesn’t realise it yet!
Having secured from Hugh the reasons behind his seeming reticence to fully commit to a relationship with her, discussed the situation and reached a mutual agreement for a way forwards, things seem to be progressing at a slightly faster pace now, which suits Eleanor’s nature and makes her far more comfortable with the situation. In fact, Hugh has now taken the monumental decision to show Eleanor his own home, the house he had shared with his late wife, so I suspect it won’t be too long before the relationship comes out into the open and becomes public knowledge – please!
As ever, Eleanor’s ever faithful dog Gladstone, manages to get in on the act and joins the protest march full throttle, albeit a more unsuitable police dog you might ever have the privilege of meeting. As usual though, he can often be more of a hindrance than a help when his mistress is crime solving and trying to be as inconspicuous as possible!
As usual, Verity has created a multi-faceted, well drawn and defined cast of secondary characters, who I could clearly visualise in my minds eye, especially Lady Davenport (Peregrine’s formidable mother). Whether they are on the side of good or bad, all are authentically realistic and genuinely believable in the individual roles which have been created for them. Theirs is collectively a strong voice, with which they tell their own story, although some are more reliable witnesses, easy to connect with and relate to than others.
Whilst I could always feel quite comfortable dipping in and out of the series, as there are generally enough background story clues to bring a reader up to speed, reading book #1 would always offer that slightly more detailed insight into the history between the main protagonists, so that you can see how the synergy between them is growing and becoming stronger over time.
I read to relax, be entertained and enjoy a few hours of delicious escapism from the real world and a Lady Eleanor Swift story always sets me up, although 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 – but only until next time!
When I saw the title of this, the eleventh Lady Eleanor Swift, Golden Age Cozy Murder/ Mystery, I must admit to doing a small ‘double take’, almost convinced that the storyline had already appeared before. Trawling back through all my recent reviews finally calmed my fears, when I discovered that in fact a similar title had appeared in another Cozy Mystery series, by a different author. Having now read this intriguing storyline, I also realise that the idea of a story is all they have in common, as Eleanor could never manage to get caught up in a straightforward case, which doesn’t involve a complicated suspect list, a veritable shopping list of crimes, and an all but inevitable brush with both the law and near death!
In fact, this incident also made much of an old law of the land, known as “Breach Of Promise”, whereby a man could be sued if he broke off an engagement to be married (good job that one doesn’t still apply today!). There was obviously much more to this law than those few simple words and my potted explanation, so I strongly suggest you to read the short ‘history’ section at the end of the book, which explains this and other historical facts alluded to within the book’s narrative, although I always tend to seek out those additional sections and brush up on the facts, before I begin reading, but that’s just personal preference and choice.
...
Death, and more particularly murder, seems to follow Eleanor around, on this occasion, even as her best friend is getting married and Eleanor finds herself being trussed up in all manor of finery and frippery for the day, as one of the bridesmaids. Unfortunately, at the eleventh hour the bridegroom finds himself charged with the murder of a young lady he was once acquainted with, and without the help of Eleanor and Clifford, he looks all set to miss his own wedding. Yes, the Honourable Peregrine Davenport, may be hapless, naive and not without some blame in the overall situation; however no one, not even Eleanor’s beau, Detective Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon, really believes him to be capable of the crime of which he is accused and to be honest, looks so guilty of.
Hugh, who usually deplores the danger Eleanor constantly manages to court, has however, found it necessary to hold his counsel on this occasion, as he is desperately short of boots on the ground to cope with the ever-growing complexities surrounding Peregrine’s arrest and needs all the help he can get, especially as it transpires, with some female questioning techniques when dealing with certain witnesses and suspects. Unwittingly and conveniently, Hugh has played right into Eleanor’s hands, as she has recently joined her local branch of the WI, in a vain attempt to up her game in the aristocracy stakes. Their current struggle, protest, petition, and impending march on authority, revolves around the notion that there should be more women on the police force, their argument being that women were good enough to take on those responsibilities during WWI, whilst the men were off fighting on the front line, but now that peace has been re-established, teams of female police officers have been largely disbanded and mothballed.
These are the two separate strands of the storyline, which become inextricably woven together as the case progresses and becomes evermore complicated. The suspect list just keeps on growing, with a wide spectrum of both male and female candidates from all walks of life, finding themselves well and truly ‘in the frame’. Even Clifford’s razor sharp intellect and cunning mind is having difficulty untangling this web of lies and deceit. They do say that ‘Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!’ so eventually it takes a bruised and battered Eleanor to work out the bare bones of the vengeful act which began this chain of interconnected events. Although the final proof of guilt and missing piece of vital evidence, was actually spotted by a very unexpected and reliable source ‘out of the mouths of babes’, so to speak.
Clifford is having his most difficult time yet, as he finds himself worrying more than he has ever found necessary before, for both Eleanor’s mental and physical wellbeing and unusually for him, begins to allow his emotions and feelings to bubble away very close to the surface. A very grateful and relieved Hugh, finally manages to untangle the mess which Peregrine managed to place himself front and centre of; commends the ladies of the WI for their invaluable help and vows to assist them all he can in their cause for female police equality; and is rewarded by the spectacle of seeing a delightfully bedecked, though far from demur Eleanor, following the bride down the aisle.
...
Well structured, multi-layered and highly textured, this storyline is fluently written in short, easy to navigate chapters, which keep the pace of the action non-stop and ever evolving, although I was never able to spot the real villain of the piece. In this story, revenge is definitely a dish best served cold, although past traumas do have to be allowed for, as no one really understands the fragility of the human mind, or the consequences of war, despite the outward show of bluff and bravado.
Well, once again Eleanor starts out with all good intentions of carrying out her late Uncle’s dying wish, by becoming ‘Lady Of The Manor’. She has so far inherited both the title of Lady and the stately manor to go with it, however taming her indomitable spirit and lust for adventure and thrills, into something more dignified and ladylike, is proving just one step too far for Eleanor, even with the unswerving devotion to duty by Clifford, her Uncle’s butler / valet, who was given a deathbed promise of his own to fulfil. In fact, it often appears that Eleanor’s rather bad habits are rubbing off on Clifford, rather than the other way round, as he is definitely beginning to enjoy some of the lighter, more unscripted moments of life, apart from when he is trying to stop Eleanor from getting herself killed that is, although I suspect he rather enjoys his role as an amateur sleuthing partner! In fact his ability to multi-task on all levels is truly outstanding, and his knack of knowing what Eleanor is thinking long before the notion has ever crossed her mind at all, is astounding. However perhaps not quite so surprising when Eleanor begins to wheedle small snippets of information from him, about his life before Henley Hall and how he is the self-made man she sees before her now. Regardless, all I know is that every woman needs a Clifford in her life, even if she doesn’t realise it yet!
Having secured from Hugh the reasons behind his seeming reticence to fully commit to a relationship with her, discussed the situation and reached a mutual agreement for a way forwards, things seem to be progressing at a slightly faster pace now, which suits Eleanor’s nature and makes her far more comfortable with the situation. In fact, Hugh has now taken the monumental decision to show Eleanor his own home, the house he had shared with his late wife, so I suspect it won’t be too long before the relationship comes out into the open and becomes public knowledge – please!
As ever, Eleanor’s ever faithful dog Gladstone, manages to get in on the act and joins the protest march full throttle, albeit a more unsuitable police dog you might ever have the privilege of meeting. As usual though, he can often be more of a hindrance than a help when his mistress is crime solving and trying to be as inconspicuous as possible!
As usual, Verity has created a multi-faceted, well drawn and defined cast of secondary characters, who I could clearly visualise in my minds eye, especially Lady Davenport (Peregrine’s formidable mother). Whether they are on the side of good or bad, all are authentically realistic and genuinely believable in the individual roles which have been created for them. Theirs is collectively a strong voice, with which they tell their own story, although some are more reliable witnesses, easy to connect with and relate to than others.
Whilst I could always feel quite comfortable dipping in and out of the series, as there are generally enough background story clues to bring a reader up to speed, reading book #1 would always offer that slightly more detailed insight into the history between the main protagonists, so that you can see how the synergy between them is growing and becoming stronger over time.
I read to relax, be entertained and enjoy a few hours of delicious escapism from the real world and a Lady Eleanor Swift story always sets me up, although 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 – but only until next time!
August 31, 2022
Another entertaining read in this cozy historical mystery series.
In this eleventh installment, Lady Eleanor Swift needs to find out who murdered Daisy Balforth so that her best friend, Constance Grainger, can marry the dashing Lord Peregrine Davencourt. It seems that Peregrine had once promised marriage to Daisy and now she is suing him for breach of promise! Not only is he in trouble for that offense, he's now the main suspect in Daisy's death.
Eleanor and her butler, Clifford, join forces with her beau, Detective Hugh Seldon, to get to the bottom of the situation so that the wedding can go on as planned.
Although Eleanor is an unlikely amateur sleuth given this time period (1920s), she is not an ordinary lady of the manor having come into the title quite late in her life. In her early 30s, she has had some crazy adventures in her past and is now quite fearless -- much to the chagrin of both her butler and her beau. I enjoy her independent sprint, her generous nature, and her sense of humor and wit. This is one of the few series that I continue to follow having tired of so many of the others. I enjoy all the period details and descriptions and the plots are always complicated trying to figure out the whodunit aspect. Can't wait for the next!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. Be sure to give it a try and start at the beginning.
In this eleventh installment, Lady Eleanor Swift needs to find out who murdered Daisy Balforth so that her best friend, Constance Grainger, can marry the dashing Lord Peregrine Davencourt. It seems that Peregrine had once promised marriage to Daisy and now she is suing him for breach of promise! Not only is he in trouble for that offense, he's now the main suspect in Daisy's death.
Eleanor and her butler, Clifford, join forces with her beau, Detective Hugh Seldon, to get to the bottom of the situation so that the wedding can go on as planned.
Although Eleanor is an unlikely amateur sleuth given this time period (1920s), she is not an ordinary lady of the manor having come into the title quite late in her life. In her early 30s, she has had some crazy adventures in her past and is now quite fearless -- much to the chagrin of both her butler and her beau. I enjoy her independent sprint, her generous nature, and her sense of humor and wit. This is one of the few series that I continue to follow having tired of so many of the others. I enjoy all the period details and descriptions and the plots are always complicated trying to figure out the whodunit aspect. Can't wait for the next!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. Be sure to give it a try and start at the beginning.
August 31, 2022
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'Death Down The Aisle' by Verity Bright.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Verity Bright, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 31st August 2022.
This is the eighth 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 Murder' (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), 'Death On A Winter's Day' (8th book in the series), A Royal Murder (9th in the series) and 'The French For Murder (10th in the series which I would also recommend reading.
I was originally drawn to this book by its fantastic eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of T E Kinsey, Agatha Christie and Lee Strauss will be totally charmed.' 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', 'French For Murder', 'A Royal 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).
This novel consists of 35 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!
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.
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.
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO VERITY ON YET ANOTHER PAGE TURNING SUCCESS!!
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.
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. I must add that I absolutely adore the cover of this book and I think it's one of the nicest in the series so far. 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!! If your looking for a dog dressed as a policeman, a Lady with an attitude and a lighthearted cozy murder mystery then look no further!!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Verity's historical notes that she includes at the back of the book so ensure you don't forget to read those. I love learning about history do was fascinated by the information she includes in the historical notes about:
*Breach of promise
*Women's Institute
*Women in the police force
*WWl Air raids
*Conscription in WWl
*Identity tags
*Ghosts and WWl
*Hypnotism
Thank you Verity for including these, I learnt quite a few facts that I had no idea about previously.
Although this is the eleventh 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.
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. They are like the perfect comedy duo but don't tell Clifford!! I also love Seldon who is completely overworked but still such a gentleman who is constantly on edge with Eleanor's adventures!! I must say that I love how slow burning the relationship and romance between him and Eleanor has been. It makes a nice change to boy meets girl and gets together within the first few pages. However, I am landed to see them finally have a proper kiss which I believe is actually their first proper kiss although I may be wrong. I loved meeting them all again along with Butters, Trotters, Polly and new maid Lizzie who are all larger than life with their own exceptional personalities. I can't forget the absolutely adorable Gladstone who is an adventure in himself!!! I also enjoyed meeting most of the new characters although I can't say all, e.g Lady Davencourt. I cannot wait to meet them all again and see what they get up to in the next "episode".
A huge congratulations on another fantastic success Verity!!! Here's to looking forward to your next book 🥂
If you are looking for a cosy mystery that will have you laughing until your crying look no further!!!
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!
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.
Genres covered in this novel include Cozy Mystery, Murder, Cozy Crafts & Hobbies Mystery, Cozy Culinary Mystery, Cozy Animal Mystery and Crime amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of T E Kinsey, Agatha Christie, Lee Strauss and anyone looking for a very easy, page turning and enjoyable read.
319 pages.
This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle and £7.61 on paperback via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
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.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#DeathDownTheAisle #Bookouture #VerityBright #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@VerityBright @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
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Review for 'Death Down The Aisle' by Verity Bright.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Verity Bright, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 31st August 2022.
This is the eighth 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 Murder' (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), 'Death On A Winter's Day' (8th book in the series), A Royal Murder (9th in the series) and 'The French For Murder (10th in the series which I would also recommend reading.
I was originally drawn to this book by its fantastic eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of T E Kinsey, Agatha Christie and Lee Strauss will be totally charmed.' 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', 'French For Murder', 'A Royal 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).
This novel consists of 35 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!
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.
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.
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO VERITY ON YET ANOTHER PAGE TURNING SUCCESS!!
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.
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. I must add that I absolutely adore the cover of this book and I think it's one of the nicest in the series so far. 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!! If your looking for a dog dressed as a policeman, a Lady with an attitude and a lighthearted cozy murder mystery then look no further!!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Verity's historical notes that she includes at the back of the book so ensure you don't forget to read those. I love learning about history do was fascinated by the information she includes in the historical notes about:
*Breach of promise
*Women's Institute
*Women in the police force
*WWl Air raids
*Conscription in WWl
*Identity tags
*Ghosts and WWl
*Hypnotism
Thank you Verity for including these, I learnt quite a few facts that I had no idea about previously.
Although this is the eleventh 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.
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. They are like the perfect comedy duo but don't tell Clifford!! I also love Seldon who is completely overworked but still such a gentleman who is constantly on edge with Eleanor's adventures!! I must say that I love how slow burning the relationship and romance between him and Eleanor has been. It makes a nice change to boy meets girl and gets together within the first few pages. However, I am landed to see them finally have a proper kiss which I believe is actually their first proper kiss although I may be wrong. I loved meeting them all again along with Butters, Trotters, Polly and new maid Lizzie who are all larger than life with their own exceptional personalities. I can't forget the absolutely adorable Gladstone who is an adventure in himself!!! I also enjoyed meeting most of the new characters although I can't say all, e.g Lady Davencourt. I cannot wait to meet them all again and see what they get up to in the next "episode".
A huge congratulations on another fantastic success Verity!!! Here's to looking forward to your next book 🥂
If you are looking for a cosy mystery that will have you laughing until your crying look no further!!!
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!
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.
Genres covered in this novel include Cozy Mystery, Murder, Cozy Crafts & Hobbies Mystery, Cozy Culinary Mystery, Cozy Animal Mystery and Crime amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of T E Kinsey, Agatha Christie, Lee Strauss and anyone looking for a very easy, page turning and enjoyable read.
319 pages.
This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle and £7.61 on paperback via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
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.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#DeathDownTheAisle #Bookouture #VerityBright #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@VerityBright @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
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August 31, 2022
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'Death Down The Aisle' by Verity Bright.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Verity Bright, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 31st August 2022.
This is the eighth 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 Murder' (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), 'Death On A Winter's Day' (8th book in the series), A Royal Murder (9th in the series) and 'The French For Murder (10th in the series which I would also recommend reading.
I was originally drawn to this book by its fantastic eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of T E Kinsey, Agatha Christie and Lee Strauss will be totally charmed.' 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', 'French For Murder', 'A Royal 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).
This novel consists of 35 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!
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.
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.
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO VERITY ON YET ANOTHER PAGE TURNING SUCCESS!!
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.
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. I must add that I absolutely adore the cover of this book and I think it's one of the nicest in the series so far. 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!! If your looking for a dog dressed as a policeman, a Lady with an attitude and a lighthearted cozy murder mystery then look no further!!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Verity's historical notes that she includes at the back of the book so ensure you don't forget to read those. I love learning about history do was fascinated by the information she includes in the historical notes about:
*Breach of promise
*Women's Institute
*Women in the police force
*WWl Air raids
*Conscription in WWl
*Identity tags
*Ghosts and WWl
*Hypnotism
Thank you Verity for including these, I learnt quite a few facts that I had no idea about previously.
Although this is the eleventh 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.
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. They are like the perfect comedy duo but don't tell Clifford!! I also love Seldon who is completely overworked but still such a gentleman who is constantly on edge with Eleanor's adventures!! I must say that I love how slow burning the relationship and romance between him and Eleanor has been. It makes a nice change to boy meets girl and gets together within the first few pages. However, I am landed to see them finally have a proper kiss which I believe is actually their first proper kiss although I may be wrong. I loved meeting them all again along with Butters, Trotters, Polly and new maid Lizzie who are all larger than life with their own exceptional personalities. I can't forget the absolutely adorable Gladstone who is an adventure in himself!!! I also enjoyed meeting most of the new characters although I can't say all, e.g Lady Davencourt. I cannot wait to meet them all again and see what they get up to in the next "episode".
A huge congratulations on another fantastic success Verity!!! Here's to looking forward to your next book 🥂
If you are looking for a cosy mystery that will have you laughing until your crying look no further!!!
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!
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.
Genres covered in this novel include Cozy Mystery, Murder, Cozy Crafts & Hobbies Mystery, Cozy Culinary Mystery, Cozy Animal Mystery and Crime amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of T E Kinsey, Agatha Christie, Lee Strauss and anyone looking for a very easy, page turning and enjoyable read.
319 pages.
This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle and £7.61 on paperback via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
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.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#DeathDownTheAisle #Bookouture #VerityBright #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@VerityBright @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
https://www.instagram.com/bookwormwhi...
https://www.instagram.com/bookwormwhi...
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3...
Review for 'Death Down The Aisle' by Verity Bright.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Verity Bright, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 31st August 2022.
This is the eighth 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 Murder' (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), 'Death On A Winter's Day' (8th book in the series), A Royal Murder (9th in the series) and 'The French For Murder (10th in the series which I would also recommend reading.
I was originally drawn to this book by its fantastic eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of T E Kinsey, Agatha Christie and Lee Strauss will be totally charmed.' 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', 'French For Murder', 'A Royal 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).
This novel consists of 35 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!
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.
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.
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO VERITY ON YET ANOTHER PAGE TURNING SUCCESS!!
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.
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. I must add that I absolutely adore the cover of this book and I think it's one of the nicest in the series so far. 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!! If your looking for a dog dressed as a policeman, a Lady with an attitude and a lighthearted cozy murder mystery then look no further!!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Verity's historical notes that she includes at the back of the book so ensure you don't forget to read those. I love learning about history do was fascinated by the information she includes in the historical notes about:
*Breach of promise
*Women's Institute
*Women in the police force
*WWl Air raids
*Conscription in WWl
*Identity tags
*Ghosts and WWl
*Hypnotism
Thank you Verity for including these, I learnt quite a few facts that I had no idea about previously.
Although this is the eleventh 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.
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. They are like the perfect comedy duo but don't tell Clifford!! I also love Seldon who is completely overworked but still such a gentleman who is constantly on edge with Eleanor's adventures!! I must say that I love how slow burning the relationship and romance between him and Eleanor has been. It makes a nice change to boy meets girl and gets together within the first few pages. However, I am landed to see them finally have a proper kiss which I believe is actually their first proper kiss although I may be wrong. I loved meeting them all again along with Butters, Trotters, Polly and new maid Lizzie who are all larger than life with their own exceptional personalities. I can't forget the absolutely adorable Gladstone who is an adventure in himself!!! I also enjoyed meeting most of the new characters although I can't say all, e.g Lady Davencourt. I cannot wait to meet them all again and see what they get up to in the next "episode".
A huge congratulations on another fantastic success Verity!!! Here's to looking forward to your next book 🥂
If you are looking for a cosy mystery that will have you laughing until your crying look no further!!!
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!
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.
Genres covered in this novel include Cozy Mystery, Murder, Cozy Crafts & Hobbies Mystery, Cozy Culinary Mystery, Cozy Animal Mystery and Crime amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of T E Kinsey, Agatha Christie, Lee Strauss and anyone looking for a very easy, page turning and enjoyable read.
319 pages.
This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle and £7.61 on paperback via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
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.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#DeathDownTheAisle #Bookouture #VerityBright #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@VerityBright @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
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September 4, 2022
Death Down the Aisle is the eleventh book in the thoroughly entertaining Lady Eleanor Swift cozy mystery series. Eleanor‘s good friend, Constance Granger, is getting married in just a week‘s time to Lord Peregrine Davencourt. As wedding preparations are underway, Peregrine is not only being charged with breach of contract, but woman that he was supposedly t previously engaged to, Daisy Granger, turns up dead, and he is arrested for her murder. Constance pleads with Eleanor to prove Peregrine’s innocence while desperately hoping that the wedding can take place as planned.
Eleanor, along with her faithful butler Clifford, and her trusty bulldog Gladstone are on the case. She is determined to prove Peregrine’s innocence. But shockingly, there is yet another murder. In this delightful read, not only do we have Eleanor and the rapport that she has with Clifford, there’s also a growing attraction that she has for DCI Hugh Seldon. Hugh is happy that Eleanor can step in where needed in this investigation and knows how adept she is at asking just the right questions.
This is a fun and witty historical cozy mystery for readers who enjoy the exploits of talented amateur sleuths. Eleanor is a true pleasure, and I love how she defies convention, all while Clifford constantly tries to remind her of her role as a proper Lady. It is also quite enjoyable to see how sometimes Clifford is one step ahead of Eleanor and how the pair make a good team when it comes to solving the most difficult of crimes. This wonderful series gets better as each book is released, and I am already eager for book twelve, Murder in an Irish Castle, set to release in November.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/fD9XEgRWiFU
Eleanor, along with her faithful butler Clifford, and her trusty bulldog Gladstone are on the case. She is determined to prove Peregrine’s innocence. But shockingly, there is yet another murder. In this delightful read, not only do we have Eleanor and the rapport that she has with Clifford, there’s also a growing attraction that she has for DCI Hugh Seldon. Hugh is happy that Eleanor can step in where needed in this investigation and knows how adept she is at asking just the right questions.
This is a fun and witty historical cozy mystery for readers who enjoy the exploits of talented amateur sleuths. Eleanor is a true pleasure, and I love how she defies convention, all while Clifford constantly tries to remind her of her role as a proper Lady. It is also quite enjoyable to see how sometimes Clifford is one step ahead of Eleanor and how the pair make a good team when it comes to solving the most difficult of crimes. This wonderful series gets better as each book is released, and I am already eager for book twelve, Murder in an Irish Castle, set to release in November.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/fD9XEgRWiFU
July 25, 2022
Being very diligent in sleuthing out the murderer is always a good thing, but this series has the very best and interesting characters (good, bad, and absolutely silly). The series began as a farce: Eleanor is widowed and is a presumed orphan from South Africa (and world traveler on the cheap) who comes to rural England and finds that she has inherited the title and all that from uncle who is recently deceased. The best part of it all is The Butler Who Knows Everything who helps her with anything, and never treats her like a ninny. Along the way she falls for the widowed Chief Inspector Selden who is so often tangled up in the murders she encounters. She also has a new best friend and is preparing to be a bridesmaid for her. Then things all go sideways and there is another murder to investigate!
I really enjoy all the ongoing (as well as new) characters, but because the mysteries are so well done.
I requested and received a temporary digital ARC of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
I really enjoy all the ongoing (as well as new) characters, but because the mysteries are so well done.
I requested and received a temporary digital ARC of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
September 4, 2022
This wasn’t a bad story and I love Eleanor 's interaction with Clifford and in fact, all her staff .
However there were a few minor annoyances, for example, 1920s police can get sets of fingerprints off a cloth scarf !!?? Eleanor worries about the ‘shiny disc’ that disappears from the murder scene, but very early on she is virtually told what it is and what happens to it. Also the author has Eleanor thinking she knows something important but just can't quite remember it, far too many times. The author uses this later in the story, but was still irritating.
Finally there is Chief Inspector Seldon, I really don’t like him, but I have to admit he wasn’t that bad in this book.
However there were a few minor annoyances, for example, 1920s police can get sets of fingerprints off a cloth scarf !!?? Eleanor worries about the ‘shiny disc’ that disappears from the murder scene, but very early on she is virtually told what it is and what happens to it. Also the author has Eleanor thinking she knows something important but just can't quite remember it, far too many times. The author uses this later in the story, but was still irritating.
Finally there is Chief Inspector Seldon, I really don’t like him, but I have to admit he wasn’t that bad in this book.
September 2, 2022
Death Down the Aisle is the 11th instalment in the Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s. This time, it's September and Ellie is preparing to be a bridesmaid for her friend, Constance Grainger marrying Lord Peregrine Davencourt. Her butler will be going with her as well as Gladstone the bulldog. But before the happy couple gets to say "I do" Lord Davencourt is arrested for murder.
The author's portrayal of Ellie delights me with every book and I love that Ellie's down-to-earth, intelligent, and possesses a wicked sense of humour. Again, a real draw of these tales book for me is the wonderful relationship between Ellie and Clifford and their delightful, occasionally sarcastic repartée. After ten books (I missed book 2 for some weird reason) the characters are like real friends and it is a huge pleasure to spend time with them. The mystery itself was pretty good and the perpetrator was kept under wraps aided by the clever twists. Death Down the Aisle was comfortably paced, compulsive and once again, Verity Bright's highly addictive storytelling really worked for me. I cannot wait for the next Lady Swift adventure and I highly recommend this one. A super, refreshing and effervescent tale as ever.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.
The author's portrayal of Ellie delights me with every book and I love that Ellie's down-to-earth, intelligent, and possesses a wicked sense of humour. Again, a real draw of these tales book for me is the wonderful relationship between Ellie and Clifford and their delightful, occasionally sarcastic repartée. After ten books (I missed book 2 for some weird reason) the characters are like real friends and it is a huge pleasure to spend time with them. The mystery itself was pretty good and the perpetrator was kept under wraps aided by the clever twists. Death Down the Aisle was comfortably paced, compulsive and once again, Verity Bright's highly addictive storytelling really worked for me. I cannot wait for the next Lady Swift adventure and I highly recommend this one. A super, refreshing and effervescent tale as ever.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.
September 1, 2022
I enjoyed all the novels in this series, had a lot of fun and I love the cast of this series. I don’t think I’ve ever rated one of this story less than 4*.
Each novel is better than the previous but this time it was like the author jumped higher and delivered a novel that much better than the previous (which was excellent).
It’s one of those book that I start and end in one sitting. I was going to check how it was and couldn’t stop reading.
A book with a very high rating on the entertainment and plot side.
It’s fast paced, full of surprising twists and I had a lot of fun in following the antics of Eleanor and Gladstone. Clifford and the ladies are as lovely as usual.
I liked how Eleanor is a bit more frail and I love her more because she’s also facing her past and her traumas.
The author did an excellent job in developing the plot and adding details to the character stories.
A very entertaining and gripping read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Each novel is better than the previous but this time it was like the author jumped higher and delivered a novel that much better than the previous (which was excellent).
It’s one of those book that I start and end in one sitting. I was going to check how it was and couldn’t stop reading.
A book with a very high rating on the entertainment and plot side.
It’s fast paced, full of surprising twists and I had a lot of fun in following the antics of Eleanor and Gladstone. Clifford and the ladies are as lovely as usual.
I liked how Eleanor is a bit more frail and I love her more because she’s also facing her past and her traumas.
The author did an excellent job in developing the plot and adding details to the character stories.
A very entertaining and gripping read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
September 7, 2022
Rating: 5 / 5
As the 11th addition to the Eleanor Swift Mystery series, I can unreservedly say that this book contains one of the BETTER mysteries within the series.
I mean, they're all GREAT books, so when I say that something is BETTER about some of them than others, it's like the difference between a 9/10 and a 10(10+)/10.
ALL of the books have a bunch of twists and turns that'll leave you guessing and, to date, I've only ever guessed ONCE who the murderer was, and almost in all cases, the motive itself is still unclear even if the murderer themselves may seem obvious.
Mark that: only ONCE out of ELEVEN times have I been able to guess things. (And I've read enough mysteries to be competently adept at this, let me tell you!)
Ahem, but anyway, the reason for why this mystery is so unpredictable is because where we start off and where we end up are two entirely differently places, and, I would argue, even two entirely different plots. Yet, the author seamlessly weaves them together into something tangible and connected, such that, of course, poor Eleanor MUST get involved, and is able to piece everything together by the end.
This series just continues to charm me, over and over again, and I don't see hints of it stopping anytime soon! As usual, Eleanor and Clifford's dynamic is unmatched, and in this book in particular, they've got a deadline for figuring things out and are therefore on the move, chapter after chapter. Sometimes, I really marvel how Eleanor manages to do it all!
Ahem, and, also, FINALLY we get a cover of Eleanor wearing GREEN on the cover, since it IS her favourite colour and something that she's mentioned wearing most of the time in the story, and yet on the covers she's hardly ever shown in green. So...BRAVA for that!
Anyway, quick prediction that I'm going to make here about the series moving forward, just so I don't forget it:
I keep waiting for one of the murder mysteries to end up leading Eleanor to the criminal underlord who was behind her Uncle Byron's murder, but so far we haven't gotten to that part of the story yet. MY prediction is that when we are eventually led to that mystery, it might just end up being the topper to the series, the grand finale?
In that case, fingers crossed that that won't be happening any time soon!
(I'm not ready to relinquish the delights that are Eleanor and Clifford and Gladstone just yet!)
And now, with all that out of the way, let me post
My Updated Ranking of the Lady Eleanor Swift Mysteries
1. Death on a Winter's Day (Book 8)
2. Mystery by the Sea (Book 5)
3. A Very English Murder (Book 1)
4. Death Down the Aisle (Book 11)
5. A Witness to Murder (Book 3)
6. Murder at the Fair (Book 6)
7. The French for Murder (Book 10)
8. Murder in the Snow (Book 4)
9. Death at the Dance (Book 2)
10. A Royal Murder (Book 9)
11. A Lesson in Murder (Book 7)
As the 11th addition to the Eleanor Swift Mystery series, I can unreservedly say that this book contains one of the BETTER mysteries within the series.
I mean, they're all GREAT books, so when I say that something is BETTER about some of them than others, it's like the difference between a 9/10 and a 10(10+)/10.
ALL of the books have a bunch of twists and turns that'll leave you guessing and, to date, I've only ever guessed ONCE who the murderer was, and almost in all cases, the motive itself is still unclear even if the murderer themselves may seem obvious.
Mark that: only ONCE out of ELEVEN times have I been able to guess things. (And I've read enough mysteries to be competently adept at this, let me tell you!)
Ahem, but anyway, the reason for why this mystery is so unpredictable is because where we start off and where we end up are two entirely differently places, and, I would argue, even two entirely different plots. Yet, the author seamlessly weaves them together into something tangible and connected, such that, of course, poor Eleanor MUST get involved, and is able to piece everything together by the end.
This series just continues to charm me, over and over again, and I don't see hints of it stopping anytime soon! As usual, Eleanor and Clifford's dynamic is unmatched, and in this book in particular, they've got a deadline for figuring things out and are therefore on the move, chapter after chapter. Sometimes, I really marvel how Eleanor manages to do it all!
Ahem, and, also, FINALLY we get a cover of Eleanor wearing GREEN on the cover, since it IS her favourite colour and something that she's mentioned wearing most of the time in the story, and yet on the covers she's hardly ever shown in green. So...BRAVA for that!
Anyway, quick prediction that I'm going to make here about the series moving forward, just so I don't forget it:
I keep waiting for one of the murder mysteries to end up leading Eleanor to the criminal underlord who was behind her Uncle Byron's murder, but so far we haven't gotten to that part of the story yet. MY prediction is that when we are eventually led to that mystery, it might just end up being the topper to the series, the grand finale?
In that case, fingers crossed that that won't be happening any time soon!
(I'm not ready to relinquish the delights that are Eleanor and Clifford and Gladstone just yet!)
And now, with all that out of the way, let me post
My Updated Ranking of the Lady Eleanor Swift Mysteries
1. Death on a Winter's Day (Book 8)
2. Mystery by the Sea (Book 5)
3. A Very English Murder (Book 1)
4. Death Down the Aisle (Book 11)
5. A Witness to Murder (Book 3)
6. Murder at the Fair (Book 6)
7. The French for Murder (Book 10)
8. Murder in the Snow (Book 4)
9. Death at the Dance (Book 2)
10. A Royal Murder (Book 9)
11. A Lesson in Murder (Book 7)
July 23, 2022
Lady Eleanor Swift has never been much good at making friends, her independence, uncompromising ideas of right and wrong, and involvement with police investigations, are considered unseemly amongst her peers. Constance Grainger is different however, she loves Eleanor despite everything and now, as she prepares for her wedding, she needs her bridesmaid's help or it may not happen at all.
When a body found in a local hotel has links to Constance and too many other people for her liking, the bride to be asks for Eleanor’s help. With her almost-beau, DCI Hugh Seldon, unable to help as much as he'd like, it's down to her and butler Clifford to get the investigation started. Unfortunately as other crimes are discovered Eleanor is in a race against time to identify their increasingly desperate killer before they strike against the worse possible victim,
Eleven books into the wonderful Lady Eleanor Swift mysteries the standard continues to impress. All the main protagonists play their part once again and are vital to the success of this series. The new characters range from endearing children through frosty aristocrats to chillingly evil antagonists all of whom could be unmasked at the end of the investigation. As this series has progressed the cases have become more complex and multi faceted ensuring Eleanor and Clifford spend a considerable amount of time one step behind and chasing their tails.
The historical information included is as always factual and fascinating and I love the way it fits perfectly into the obviously well researched storyline. The changes in Eleanor’s lifestyle are a forerunner of those taken for granted now and are always an important part of each novel with notes at the end to explain things further.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This is another brilliant addition to this excellent series and highly recommended.
When a body found in a local hotel has links to Constance and too many other people for her liking, the bride to be asks for Eleanor’s help. With her almost-beau, DCI Hugh Seldon, unable to help as much as he'd like, it's down to her and butler Clifford to get the investigation started. Unfortunately as other crimes are discovered Eleanor is in a race against time to identify their increasingly desperate killer before they strike against the worse possible victim,
Eleven books into the wonderful Lady Eleanor Swift mysteries the standard continues to impress. All the main protagonists play their part once again and are vital to the success of this series. The new characters range from endearing children through frosty aristocrats to chillingly evil antagonists all of whom could be unmasked at the end of the investigation. As this series has progressed the cases have become more complex and multi faceted ensuring Eleanor and Clifford spend a considerable amount of time one step behind and chasing their tails.
The historical information included is as always factual and fascinating and I love the way it fits perfectly into the obviously well researched storyline. The changes in Eleanor’s lifestyle are a forerunner of those taken for granted now and are always an important part of each novel with notes at the end to explain things further.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This is another brilliant addition to this excellent series and highly recommended.
September 7, 2022
Okay, as far as "fun" goes, this one is right up there with the rest. We had fun with Clifford, Gladstone, Seldon, and the staff at Henley Hall. Eleanor has another friend (they're popping up conveniently these days), and this mystery deals with a lot of fun elements.
I loved that everyone wasn't as "cut and dried" as far as their personalities and motivations go. I liked a villain who was just that-- a villain. Sometimes, it's nice to see a guy just be a bad guy without all the psychological stuff behind it. It would get old REALLY fast if that happened too often, but that part was fun.
What brought it down a bit for me was that this one was a bit... convenient for Eleanor and Clifford. Yes, they figured things out on their own. But they also relied heavily on police information and another source (won't give that away). I would have liked to see them work a bit harder for the solution.
Still a great read (I listened to the audio--so fun), and I'm already drumming my fingers for the next.
I loved that everyone wasn't as "cut and dried" as far as their personalities and motivations go. I liked a villain who was just that-- a villain. Sometimes, it's nice to see a guy just be a bad guy without all the psychological stuff behind it. It would get old REALLY fast if that happened too often, but that part was fun.
What brought it down a bit for me was that this one was a bit... convenient for Eleanor and Clifford. Yes, they figured things out on their own. But they also relied heavily on police information and another source (won't give that away). I would have liked to see them work a bit harder for the solution.
Still a great read (I listened to the audio--so fun), and I'm already drumming my fingers for the next.
August 27, 2022
I like the indomitable spirit of Lady Eleanor who is definitely different from ladies of this era.
Totally modern in the very best sense of the word, fair and just employer with a sense of humour and love towards all. Also an excellent detective and along with the love of her life the very clever
Detective Hugh can solve most mysteries.
In this story Constance is getting married in a few days and she seems to have it all - a distinguished bridegroom, money in plenty, very much in love with her groom and everything on track till the small matter of a murder of a girl who turns out to be the ex fiancee of the bridegroom. All hell breaks out with the bride's father refusing his consent to the marriage at all, the groom in custody but the bride believes in her groom and Lady Eleanor is sought to clear his name.
The story is a good whodunnit going through the list of suspects (which grows) with each passing day starting from the bridegroom's mother a very nasty lady to the bride's own father with reasons of his own. The star of the story however is the relationship between Clifford the butler and Lady Eleanor. Discreet, indispensable, impeccable in behaviour and appearance, a fountain of knowledge and always there when needed this is a story in itself.
Captivating reading. Very descriptive of the times and behaviour of all.
Totally modern in the very best sense of the word, fair and just employer with a sense of humour and love towards all. Also an excellent detective and along with the love of her life the very clever
Detective Hugh can solve most mysteries.
In this story Constance is getting married in a few days and she seems to have it all - a distinguished bridegroom, money in plenty, very much in love with her groom and everything on track till the small matter of a murder of a girl who turns out to be the ex fiancee of the bridegroom. All hell breaks out with the bride's father refusing his consent to the marriage at all, the groom in custody but the bride believes in her groom and Lady Eleanor is sought to clear his name.
The story is a good whodunnit going through the list of suspects (which grows) with each passing day starting from the bridegroom's mother a very nasty lady to the bride's own father with reasons of his own. The star of the story however is the relationship between Clifford the butler and Lady Eleanor. Discreet, indispensable, impeccable in behaviour and appearance, a fountain of knowledge and always there when needed this is a story in itself.
Captivating reading. Very descriptive of the times and behaviour of all.
May 20, 2023
Verity Bright never disappoints.
This series is always such a delight to read, with loads of fun history lessons and lovable characters paired with a light murder mystery.
I tend to prefer the books that focus more on setting in this series, and this one isn’t great for that, but it’s still always fun to spend time with Eleanor and Clifford and, of course, Gladstone!
The denouement was a bit contrived and goofy in this one, but the mystery itself and the solve were fun and satisfying, and the historical notes were—as is always the case with this series—exceptional. The history of breach of promise suits (as well as the inclusion of one as an important plot point in the book) was utterly fascinating.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This series is always such a delight to read, with loads of fun history lessons and lovable characters paired with a light murder mystery.
I tend to prefer the books that focus more on setting in this series, and this one isn’t great for that, but it’s still always fun to spend time with Eleanor and Clifford and, of course, Gladstone!
The denouement was a bit contrived and goofy in this one, but the mystery itself and the solve were fun and satisfying, and the historical notes were—as is always the case with this series—exceptional. The history of breach of promise suits (as well as the inclusion of one as an important plot point in the book) was utterly fascinating.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Read
August 27, 2022Death Down the Aisle is another wonderfully clever "whodunnit" with a leading lady who readers just adore! Along with her butler and dog of course. A highly entertaining read and a must for cozy mystery fans!
August 31, 2022
Lady Eleanor Swift isn’t normally one for grand social occasions, but her best friend, Constance Grainger, marrying the most eligible bachelor in town, Lord Peregrine Davencourt. The big day is rapidly approaching when the groom is arrested for murder. In a baffling twist, it turns out he was already engaged to the lovely Daisy Balforth, who has been found dead at the local inn with Lord Davencourt kneeling over her. The distraught bride-to-be asks Eleanor to clear her fiancé’s name, as she’s certain he wouldn’t hurt a fly. With help from handsome Detective Hugh Seldon, Eleanor examines the evidence. But she’s barely had time to write down her suspect list before Constance’s father is set upon by a stranger on the golf course. Then the hotel manager is killed.
I can’t believe this is the eleventh book in this wonderful series & I'm still wanting more. It could be read as a stand alone but if you love series then I’d recommend reading Ellie’s adventures from the start. I love how the characters have developed throughout the series & there is now quite a cast of regulars. I love Ellie who is abetted by Gladstone her trusty canine & aided by the ever suave & all knowing Clifford. At last Ellie & Hugh’s relationship is moving forward & she actually visits his home. There are plenty of suspects as well as twists & turns before the villain is finally apprehended. I thoroughly enjoyed this engrossing read & devoured it in a couple of sittings
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
I can’t believe this is the eleventh book in this wonderful series & I'm still wanting more. It could be read as a stand alone but if you love series then I’d recommend reading Ellie’s adventures from the start. I love how the characters have developed throughout the series & there is now quite a cast of regulars. I love Ellie who is abetted by Gladstone her trusty canine & aided by the ever suave & all knowing Clifford. At last Ellie & Hugh’s relationship is moving forward & she actually visits his home. There are plenty of suspects as well as twists & turns before the villain is finally apprehended. I thoroughly enjoyed this engrossing read & devoured it in a couple of sittings
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
September 4, 2022
This is another brilliant cosy mystery,
Set in the 1920s period of history,
An Agatha Christie type of thriller
With Lady Eleanor Swift searching for the killer!
A visit to the local inn
A scream - what's happening?
A rush only to discover
Her friend's groom kneeling over another!
Lady Eleanor is asked to help to find out who
This dastardly dead would actually do.
The bride to be is certain it is not her groom
Who brought his blackmailing ex to her doom.
An intriguing read with twists galore
Kept me reading more and more!
This time Eleanor is working with her beau
What it'll lead to - read it to know!
With Clifford and Gladstone involved in the case
And a five year old boy getting out of place.
There's a growing sense of potential romance
I really hope Eleanor and Hugh with give love a chance!
I really enjoyed this historical thriller
And suspected many of being the killer.
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
It is a fascinating cosy mystery and this is my honest review.
Set in the 1920s period of history,
An Agatha Christie type of thriller
With Lady Eleanor Swift searching for the killer!
A visit to the local inn
A scream - what's happening?
A rush only to discover
Her friend's groom kneeling over another!
Lady Eleanor is asked to help to find out who
This dastardly dead would actually do.
The bride to be is certain it is not her groom
Who brought his blackmailing ex to her doom.
An intriguing read with twists galore
Kept me reading more and more!
This time Eleanor is working with her beau
What it'll lead to - read it to know!
With Clifford and Gladstone involved in the case
And a five year old boy getting out of place.
There's a growing sense of potential romance
I really hope Eleanor and Hugh with give love a chance!
I really enjoyed this historical thriller
And suspected many of being the killer.
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
It is a fascinating cosy mystery and this is my honest review.
July 25, 2024
3 stars.
Ellie is one of the bridesmaids for her best friend (who has just popped up out of the blue as I don't think she has been mentioned in any of the previous books?). But when the groom is arrested for the murder of his ex-fiancée, her best friend and would-be bride asks Ellie to investigate and find the real killer.
Interestingly, when Hugh is informed of the murder, he asks Ellie to pose as a policewoman to assist with the questioning because of all the "heightened emotions" around a wedding! But it does feel as if he's getting more used to the idea of Ellie being involved in murder investigations.
The reason for the murders (we always seem to end up with a couple of people being killed) was quite obscured until the very end. And there was quite a tension-packed finale. Overall, another solid addition to the series.
Ellie is one of the bridesmaids for her best friend (who has just popped up out of the blue as I don't think she has been mentioned in any of the previous books?). But when the groom is arrested for the murder of his ex-fiancée, her best friend and would-be bride asks Ellie to investigate and find the real killer.
Interestingly, when Hugh is informed of the murder, he asks Ellie to pose as a policewoman to assist with the questioning because of all the "heightened emotions" around a wedding! But it does feel as if he's getting more used to the idea of Ellie being involved in murder investigations.
The reason for the murders (we always seem to end up with a couple of people being killed) was quite obscured until the very end. And there was quite a tension-packed finale. Overall, another solid addition to the series.
December 1, 2022
Another enjoyable entry in the Lady Eleanor mystery series.
October 29, 2024
This is a review about the series as a whole, rather than a specific book review about each book.
I am enjoying this series somewhat. I do find somethings rather frustrating at times, but overall, I like how things are developing through the whole series and I do want answers to certain questions that still have to be answered. It's a pleasant, not taxing on brain way to spend a couple of hours.
Eleanor. Right. She does not read as a 28 something woman, who eventually hits her 30's as the series progresses. Her character background doesn't fit the character we are presented with. I know she has been somewhat spoiled and is pampered, but she reads as a teenager to me, especially as all her exploring should've made her more mature. She has been travelling the world for 10 years alone. I repeat, travelling alone as a woman in the 1920's. That wouldn't have been easy and you'd need your wits about you. It's not like she's been locked in a manor for 15 years and is finally being released into the world alas Rapunzel. I also find her general horniness, both hilarious and frustrating, especially when she's falling for people she's just met and having romancey moments at the most worst times when she should be focusing on something much more serious. Though I do know it's part of her character that she falls hard over nothing and has a habit of rushing into romances with people she barely knows. She knows this about herself, yet does it anyway, she never really grows in this respect througout the story. I also didn't like that she turned into blushing, awkward giggling girl around males she finds attractive. It's stereotypical and once again, it's reminisce of a teenager. You'd think at 28, you can be around an attractive male and be fine. Most woman I know can. She just doesn't come across as a 28-30 year woman to me. I do sigh when she's like a bull in a china shop where a delicate hand was needed. She sometimes makes life hard for herself though once again, I know that's one huge part of her character traits, but she can come across quite rude at times. But I don't dislike her and I don't mind having her as the main character, I do wish we would have some more character growth within the story though.
Also, I know talk of food is a somewhat part of the cozy genre, but it gets tiring that Eleanor eats six heavily calorie meals a day, yet always keeps her figure. It's unrealistic and is a pet peeve of mine, as it's a mythical dream that is used as a stick to beat woman with when they can't achieve it.
I really like Clifford (despite the grating chivalry misogyny and being all proper which can get tiring. And I dislike how he's always reminding the ladies that because Eleanor has a title, that means she's better, worth more and special than them. All people are equal on the whole. A title doesn't mean much in this day and age. I know it's somewhat suitable/normal for the time period, but I think the authors can easily not focus and push this specific idea as much as they do. I know Clifford truly believes that she's better but it's getting old, especially when he pushes it on the staff several times a book.) and the rest of the staff though Clifford should be a bit easier on them, haha. I mean, they're doing several peoples worth of work a day by themselves. And one of them is 15 and started working at 11. (Imagine having an 11 year old as a maid/cleaner/everything else.) Dude doesn't know how to relax and chill. And Gladstone is my favourite. He's a cutie and I love his addition to the story. He makes a cute, fun aspect to the books with his charming personality of constantly stealing shoes and his penchant for digging.
Also, Polly started working at the manor at 11. In 1918, you had to stay in school until you were 14! so what's with that?!? Breaks the immersion. I don't understand why they couldn't have her at like 17? It would change nothing. She can still be a clumsy, young, silly girl at 17. You wouldn't have to change a thing about her character as it was written. I don't understand why the author chose her to come to the manor at 11, and be 15 within the stories narrative. Also, within the books I've read (13 as I type this sentence), we've had 2 Eleanor's birthdays, but Polly still has remained 15 somehow?
General Discussions about the series as a whole, including my thoughts on Hugh so probable minor spoilers;
I am enjoying this series somewhat. I do find somethings rather frustrating at times, but overall, I like how things are developing through the whole series and I do want answers to certain questions that still have to be answered. It's a pleasant, not taxing on brain way to spend a couple of hours.
Eleanor. Right. She does not read as a 28 something woman, who eventually hits her 30's as the series progresses. Her character background doesn't fit the character we are presented with. I know she has been somewhat spoiled and is pampered, but she reads as a teenager to me, especially as all her exploring should've made her more mature. She has been travelling the world for 10 years alone. I repeat, travelling alone as a woman in the 1920's. That wouldn't have been easy and you'd need your wits about you. It's not like she's been locked in a manor for 15 years and is finally being released into the world alas Rapunzel. I also find her general horniness, both hilarious and frustrating, especially when she's falling for people she's just met and having romancey moments at the most worst times when she should be focusing on something much more serious. Though I do know it's part of her character that she falls hard over nothing and has a habit of rushing into romances with people she barely knows. She knows this about herself, yet does it anyway, she never really grows in this respect througout the story. I also didn't like that she turned into blushing, awkward giggling girl around males she finds attractive. It's stereotypical and once again, it's reminisce of a teenager. You'd think at 28, you can be around an attractive male and be fine. Most woman I know can. She just doesn't come across as a 28-30 year woman to me. I do sigh when she's like a bull in a china shop where a delicate hand was needed. She sometimes makes life hard for herself though once again, I know that's one huge part of her character traits, but she can come across quite rude at times. But I don't dislike her and I don't mind having her as the main character, I do wish we would have some more character growth within the story though.
Also, I know talk of food is a somewhat part of the cozy genre, but it gets tiring that Eleanor eats six heavily calorie meals a day, yet always keeps her figure. It's unrealistic and is a pet peeve of mine, as it's a mythical dream that is used as a stick to beat woman with when they can't achieve it.
I really like Clifford (despite the grating chivalry misogyny and being all proper which can get tiring. And I dislike how he's always reminding the ladies that because Eleanor has a title, that means she's better, worth more and special than them. All people are equal on the whole. A title doesn't mean much in this day and age. I know it's somewhat suitable/normal for the time period, but I think the authors can easily not focus and push this specific idea as much as they do. I know Clifford truly believes that she's better but it's getting old, especially when he pushes it on the staff several times a book.) and the rest of the staff though Clifford should be a bit easier on them, haha. I mean, they're doing several peoples worth of work a day by themselves. And one of them is 15 and started working at 11. (Imagine having an 11 year old as a maid/cleaner/everything else.) Dude doesn't know how to relax and chill. And Gladstone is my favourite. He's a cutie and I love his addition to the story. He makes a cute, fun aspect to the books with his charming personality of constantly stealing shoes and his penchant for digging.
Also, Polly started working at the manor at 11. In 1918, you had to stay in school until you were 14! so what's with that?!? Breaks the immersion. I don't understand why they couldn't have her at like 17? It would change nothing. She can still be a clumsy, young, silly girl at 17. You wouldn't have to change a thing about her character as it was written. I don't understand why the author chose her to come to the manor at 11, and be 15 within the stories narrative. Also, within the books I've read (13 as I type this sentence), we've had 2 Eleanor's birthdays, but Polly still has remained 15 somehow?
General Discussions about the series as a whole, including my thoughts on Hugh so probable minor spoilers;
September 6, 2022
Eleanor is settling in with the village even if she is the "lady of the manor". Her relationship with Hugh is also progressing in an adorable fashion. The mystery is interesting. If you enjoy historical cozy mysteries then this one is filled with great characters. Read my full review at Girl Who Reads.
December 12, 2022
Verity Bright is back with the latest addition, Death Down the Aisle, to her wonderful Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series. Eleanor has travelled for the wedding of the season but trouble is afoot from the moment they arrive…the groom has been arrested for murder! Any hope of staying out of the investigation goes out the window as Eleanor is beseeched by the bride to prove the groom’s innocence and get the wedding back on track.
In no time at all, Eleanor finds herself on the hunt for the true killer. The victim’s identity reveals a secret and the mystery has a number of big reveals about the various characters.
As always, the dialogue amongst the characters sparkles and the mystery is an interesting one! It’s a page-turner and I read it straight through. I had hoped to see a little more of our favourite Inspector and do hope he has a staring role in the next novel. If you love historical mysteries, cosy and well-written, this one is for you! It’s four out of five on the enJOYment scale and highly recommended.
In no time at all, Eleanor finds herself on the hunt for the true killer. The victim’s identity reveals a secret and the mystery has a number of big reveals about the various characters.
As always, the dialogue amongst the characters sparkles and the mystery is an interesting one! It’s a page-turner and I read it straight through. I had hoped to see a little more of our favourite Inspector and do hope he has a staring role in the next novel. If you love historical mysteries, cosy and well-written, this one is for you! It’s four out of five on the enJOYment scale and highly recommended.
September 3, 2022
4.5*
I love this series!! I love the character of Ellie. She is kind and funny and adventurous and courageous. I love the relationship she has with the staff at Henley Hall, particularly with Clifford, the Butler. Their banter is fantastic!
Death Down the Aisle is the 11th book in the Lady Swift historical mystery series. Ellie is asked by the bride to look into allegations of breach of promise by the groom with a previous fiance. And then, that previous fiance ends up dead.
I loved the historical aspects of this mystery - women in the police force; the Women's Institute; hypnosis; and the Zeppelin raids of WW1.
The mystery was interesting and well-paced. I liked that I was able to figure out some of it but not all of it. I hope there is more to come from Ellie and the gang!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I love this series!! I love the character of Ellie. She is kind and funny and adventurous and courageous. I love the relationship she has with the staff at Henley Hall, particularly with Clifford, the Butler. Their banter is fantastic!
Death Down the Aisle is the 11th book in the Lady Swift historical mystery series. Ellie is asked by the bride to look into allegations of breach of promise by the groom with a previous fiance. And then, that previous fiance ends up dead.
I loved the historical aspects of this mystery - women in the police force; the Women's Institute; hypnosis; and the Zeppelin raids of WW1.
The mystery was interesting and well-paced. I liked that I was able to figure out some of it but not all of it. I hope there is more to come from Ellie and the gang!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 9, 2022
thank you Netgalley and publisher....
My favorite book in the series. This book was probably the best in my opinion. The story was interesting and seeing Hugh and Ellie start declaring their feelings just made it better.
I loved the mystery and the characters. Def kept me engrossed.
My favorite book in the series. This book was probably the best in my opinion. The story was interesting and seeing Hugh and Ellie start declaring their feelings just made it better.
I loved the mystery and the characters. Def kept me engrossed.
September 27, 2022
No, no, no. I can’t believe I have to wait for the next one! I have loved my time with Lady Swift and if you love a cozy mystery recommend this series. I read all 11 in three weeks.
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