"A Very English Murder" is the first in the Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series. It takes place in 1920s England, among the aristocrats. Lady Eleanor Swift is an adventurer who has traveled the globe and seen it all, but returns to England after inheriting a lovely mansion and estate from her dear uncle who recently passed away. She is presumed to be in her late 20s and is a change to the staff of the estate, although they quickly take to her. Even the stuffy butler, very reminiscent of Jeeves, becomes an ally as Lady Swift witnesses a murder in town. Lady Swift visits the police and the Mayor but no one will believe that she witnessed a murder as there is no body and no crime scene. Lady Swift and her butler, Clifford, work together to discover what really went on and why.

I was so excited to read this book as it has some of the coziest mystery elements! England in the 1920s, aristocrats, mansion, down-to-earth servants, I love it! The story was too slow for me to keep my interest and some plot points seemed a little ridiculous. I love the idea of it, so I will try the next in the series. I would recommend to fans of Miss Marple, Downton Abbey, and cozy mysteries. Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

I loved this first entry in what will hopefully become a long series. Do not listen to the blurb. It is nothing like an Agatha Christie novel apart from being set at a similar time.

Lady Eleanor, who is supposedly an intrepid traveller, has inherited her uncle's estate and returns to England to sort out her affairs. She sees a murder take place but because the body disappears the police refuse to investigate. So of course Eleanor has to try and solve the mystery herself. She is assisted by her absolutely wonderful butler and her staff. It seems there has been much more going on in her Uncle's house than meets the eye!

I thought the story was clever, the characters were great and the whole thing was a really good read. There is so much going on that there has to be a book 2 very soon so we can find out what happens next.

I enjoyed this one!
As a person that is not a big fan of historical fiction this was a pretty fast read for me.
I liked the main character a lot even though I wasn't impressed by the mystery, it just felt not well developed.
Overall it was an enjoyable read but I was expecting more depth to it.

Eleanor Swift (Ellie) is the protagonist of this cosy, murder mystery set in 1920s England. Having been orphaned at a young age, Ellie was left in the care of her uncle, Lord Henley, who promptly sent her to an exclusive girls’ boarding school. From there, he paid her no visits and scant attention when she returned to Henley Hall on vacation. Thinking that her uncle, her only relative, did not care about her, Ellie became an intrepid traveller, seeing the world on bicycle, ship and even camel.

On learning of her uncle’s death and that she had become the sole heir to his fortune and title, the now titled Lady Eleanor Swift undertook an arduous 45-day flight from South Africa to Chipstone, after an absence of 16 years. The little village of Chipstone, home to Ellie’s ancestors forms the backdrop of this novel. As this introduction demonstrates, “A Very English Murder” does a good character study of Ellie.

Our heroine soon befriends the bulldog, Gladstone, her aging, belabouring companion who accompanies her on her first jaunt in the rainy countryside. It is in a neighbouring quarry that Ellie witnesses a murder by shooting at around ten o’clock at night. The victim, seen distantly through a small window of a barn, looks familiar. This not being enough, Ellie tries to climb over a high fence to get into the quarry before finding an open gate. Although she is on her own, Ellie is determined to offer the man her help, venturing inside the barn to find that the man is missing, as is a dead body, leaving as evidence a large puddle of blood on the barn floor.

In many crime books, this set of actions, from going out into a potential storm in a strange place, deep at night, to investigating a murder on her own, would have rendered the heroine ‘too stupid to live.’ Said heroine would soon find herself in danger and strife. But that is not this author’s intention. It still renders Ellie a bit silly from early on in the piece. Hardly the fitting actions of a smart sleuth.

To make the investigation procedure worse for Ellie, the local policemen dismiss her reporting of the crime. When they accompany her there, the evidence of the blood and open gate have been covered up. Thus, not knowing whom to trust in Henley Hall, Gladstone forms Ellie’s foil, her companion to whom she speaks to with her conjecture about the murder mystery she’s set upon solving.

Ellie is a fun and likable heroine, albeit a bit woolly. She soon forms a friendship with her staff, particularly the butler, Mr. Clifford, who initially gave Ellie a frosty reception, and who she thought disliked her. It would spoil the story to tell what eventuates, given the paucity of suspects Ellie drums up. It’s enough to say that the banter between Ellie and Mr. Clifford forms a humorous running joke, comprised of the dry humour the British are famous for.

When we meet young Lancelot, a slow-baked romance forms for the lonely Ellie, despite that he must become one of her suspects. The repartee between Lancelot and Ellie is also fun and teasing. Sometimes, all the humour got in the way of the storytelling. I would suggest that the editors reduce this somewhat going forwards. Not everyone shares the same sense of humour, and some jokes were repeated.

The other issue I had was with believability. How the police and villagers can let a rank amateur investigate a suspected murder, and be expected to answer her questions of where they were during the time of the crime, stretches belief. The only way this would have been plausible is if Ellie were a qualified and experienced police officer. A vague caution by a visiting DI does nothing to dispel Ellie’s questionable activities.

I thoroughly recommend “A Very English Murder” as a fun, fast read.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Verity Bright and Bookouture for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book review also appears in Goodreads.com, Amazon and thereadersvault.

After travelling around the world, Lady Eleanor Swift is back in England. She is back to Henley Hall, the house she’s inherited after the death of her uncle. She’s also inherited her uncle’ staff and his dog Gladstone and it’s during an afternoon walk with Gladstone that Eleanor sees a man being murdered. But, by the time she gets the police, the body is gone and there is no trace of murder, so Eleanor starts her own investigation. I liked the character of Eleanor (Ellie), a smart, sassy, heroine, not afraid to stand up for herself and I also enjoyed the cast of characters who surround her. There is suspense and there is humour, making this a fantastic cozy historical novel perfect for all fans of Miss Marple.

Oooh I loved this book. There was something quaint and loving about the entire atmosphere of the story. And yes, there was a murder. Our Lady Eleanor Swift did witness it in shadows but no body. Whatever did happen to it? Ellie started investigating with her trusted Man Friday Clifford.

My first book by author Verity Bright, don't you love a book with has a feel of the times gone past? I was quite naughty in imagining myself to be Lady Swift. (Lady Shalini does have a nice ring to it 😂😂) Eleanor as the lead investigator was quite determined with a great sense of humor. Clifford too supported her ably.

Their conversations had the right amount of bite to it which made it quite entertaining. Romance and love interests didn't really pull me in. I skim read that. Mystery and suspense were low, but I honestly didn't mind that. I wanted a book which would be absolutely soothing to read with a murder in it and this was it.

The entire spotlight was on Ellie, and I was completely drawn to that little group of Ellie, Clifford, and their bulldog Gladstone. The book was everything I wanted in these troubling times. I loved it. Lady Shalini recommended. 😂😂

This story takes place in England in the 1920's. Eleanor Swift has spent the last few years traveling the world and due to the death of her uncle she now finds herself a Lady.
Lady Eleanor returns to her uncle’s home, Henley Hall. Now that he is gone, she is the owner of this old family estate and all it entails. Before long she finds herself witnessing a murder that of course no one believes really occurred.
Like all good heroines in a cozy mystery she embarks on her own investigation to find the killer and prove she is not just a trouble maker.
Well plotted with witty dialogue and a main character who I want to read more of. My only problem and why I can't give this 5 stars is the author goes on and on and on giving descriptions of things that much of the time are completely irrelevant. It really bogs the story down and becomes annoying. Aside from that I do recommend this for a light and entertaining new series.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

DNF @ 20%

The premise was really interesting and Eleanor was immediately likeable as a female lead. Her attitude wasn’t too much of a rich girl stereotype and her relationship with Gladstone was adorable, it really was a simple touch that added some realism to the piece.

Actually reading this was difficult because the writing was very descriptive about everything apart from the things we needed to know about. Eleanors walk to the murder site went on for way too long and then the time she spends in the shack is minimal.

I really wanted to like this but I couldn’t push myself to read something I was struggling to read.

I am pleased to say that I got exactly what I wanted from this cozy mystery - a ‘modern day’ heroine, Lady Swift, who inherits the house her uncle left heron his death - flashes of her life with him, and the cross over of the shared butler, lifford bring the old nad threw together. She’s been an adventurer, so the derring do and detecting she does when she’s witnessed a man shot late in the pouring rain first night she’s in town is credible enough - no one believes her. With a terrific slurpy dog as helper, she solves it (well, in good fashion of these books, we know who it is before she does, really ... but that makes you feel good, no?) - the mystery itself is always only part of the point in these books - it’s all the trappings we explore and sink into of a life gone by ... really pleasant fun and this seems to be the start of a series - I’ll revisit!

4.5 Stars

This is the first book in the A Lady Eleanor Swift mystery series by Verity Bright.

Wow, we have a feisty new heroine taking command in the historic cozy mystery genre! What a fun new character, she is. And her butler Clifford is this world’s Alfred. Totally digging this series so far!

Lady Eleanor returns to Henley Hall after the death of her favorite uncle. Now she is the owner of the estate and the servants that come with it. There are quite a few people packed into Henley Hall. My favorites are of course, Clifford and the faithful dog, Gladstone. As she nears a quarry, Eleanor sees a man killed while she is out on a walk. She immediately reports it but the police don’t really take women too seriously during this time. Eleanor is quite an independent spirit and is a good model for women to follow in order to take back their personal power.

This book is quite entertaining and a bit forward thinking for the time. Nice to see people being pushed out of their comfort zones by a pretty lady.

If you love a good historic cozy mystery, definitely check this one out . You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

"A very english murder" is the first instalment in a new cozy historical mystery series and a pretty decent one at that. Lady Eleanor Swift returns to England after inhereting her uncle's estate and on her first night there she witnesses a murder, but when she goes back to the crime scene with the police there's no sign of murder. With no body and the police refusing to investigate so she takes upon herself to solve the crime.

Lady Swift is a pretty sympatethic heroine, sassy and very impulsive, being fearless of getting her hands dirty at all times. There's also a good set of supporting characters (all the ladies of Henley Hall, Lancelot, Gladstone...) but it deserves a special mention, Mr. Clifford, the butler and Dr. Holmes to our Lady Sherlock. I loved the unlikely relation that developed between a servant and the lady of the house, as Lady Swift says "a formidable team". The dialogue between these two was so fun to read, full of banter and sarcasm.

In my opinion, the weakest part of the book was the mystery itself, cause I guessed who the villain was as soon as he appeared, but it was entertaining nonetheless. There's also a hint of romance in the form of a couple romantic interests that I'm sure we'll see develop in a love triangle in future instalments of the series.

Light cozy historical mystery with a superb couple of investigators.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

#AVeryEnglishMurder #NetGalley
A good read.
Its a good read which is able to grip you. Its a mystery so nothing to say about this. Go and solve this mystery. The author will definitely prove you wrong.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an advance copy.

First, let me just say how appealing the cover is! The illustrations are catchy and lend a glamorous feel to this historical mystery. As beautiful as the cover may be, I wish the storyline was able to catch up. I wasn't blown away by the mystery, nor did I care for Lady Eleanor, the book's protagonist. Eleanor is a modern woman who is well travelled and independent. But, for a woman whose has slept alone in the African Bush and traversed the trade routes of the Silk Road, she's rather boring. I struggled to make a connection to the characters portrayed. To be honest, it became a chore to finish this book. Nothing grabbed me as interesting. It had a Downton Abbey atmosphere that was reminiscent of watching paint dry. I loved the sidekick, Gladstone. The fat, happy bulldog added much needed humor. I think plenty of readers will enjoy this book. I didn't hate it. It was just one of those books I couldn't wait to finish. Lady Eleanor and Gladstone will have to solve mysteries without me.



**E-copy courtesy of NetGalley.

In “A Very English Murder” by Verity Bright, we’re at Henley Hall. It’s just after WWI. Newly arrived at her newly inherited estate, Lady Eleanor Swift witnesses a murder. Unfortunately, the body disappears almost immediately, and no one believes that she saw anything.

So of course, since the police don’t have any intention in following up, she’s determined to find out the truth and do some detecting work on her own. After all, she’s been all over the world, exploring, working, doing things women of her class, any class, don’t do. And she has support – from her butler.

A dead man turns up fairly quickly, but not in a way nor in the place that Eleanor – “Ellie” -- had seen nor described. Well, game on for our girl, of course. And she has more help from a young man, a member of the local gentry, who may or may not be a suspect. They will banter and bicker outrageously, of course, a staple of the genre, and fans of that sort of thing will not be disappointed.

Remember that butler? There are layers of etiquette that seem out of place here. Okay, I understand we’re supposed to think of Ellie as a “modern” woman, a product of the changes that took place after the First World War, but c’mon, English society didn’t change “quite” that fast. The way they interact with each other just seemed wrong to me, and detracted from my enjoyment of the book. And for someone who’s traveled around the world, she acts likes a giggly schoolgirl. The characterization seems off, too.

I can say that Ellie and her cohorts carry out a thorough investigation, and do bring a murderer to justice. There’s an exciting, drama-filled finish, with a touch of humor. But the unlikely pairing at the heart of the book is something I couldn’t get past. I won’t be reading any more of Lady Eleanor’s adventures.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a copy of this book, in exchange for this review.

A Very English Murder, by Verity Bright, is set in 1920. Lady Eleanor Swift has not long moved into Henley Hall, a classy mansion in the Chilterns inherited from her late uncle, when she goes for a walk and witnesses a murder at a disused quarry. However, all evidence of it is swiftly removed and the police are loath to investigate, happy to conclude that the victim died in an unfortunate accident at his own home. It’s up to Eleanor, her butler, Clifford, and portly bulldog Gladstone to uncover the truth.

I enjoyed this book for several reasons. For one thing, it’s a great crime story, featuring a tenacious sleuth, twists and red herrings, and a satisfying conclusion. Eleanor knows what she saw, and she’s determined to find out what happened. She asks questions of anyone in the local village who might know something and well and truly sticks her nose in where it’s not wanted, undeterred by the even most unforthcoming characters. She’s not afraid to go where she’s not supposed to, or court danger - even with Clifford as back-up, she gets into some really sticky situations.

As Eleanor reveals throughout the book, though, she’s no stranger to danger: before she inherited the hall, she worked for a travel company, scouting out routes to sell as tourist packages. When she meets with other members of the local gentry, she delights and appals them with her stories of her adventures around the world - some of them love hearing about the extraordinary things she’s seen, while others think it was a thoroughly unsuitable job for a woman. Of course, I was among the former and would happily read a whole series of prequels about her pre-Henley Hall experiences! We’re also given glimpses into Clifford’s past as butler to Eleanor’s mysterious uncle, marking him out as another character with an interesting backstory that I hope we’ll read more about in future books.

I also liked how warm and vivid this book was. Eleanor’s unconventionality doesn’t end with her former career; she treats her servants as friends, even mucking in with the cooking sometimes and eating and drinking with them. In fact, everyone at Henley Hall is really friendly - even Gladstone the dog takes to Eleanor straight away and follows her around for much of the story. This made the Hall feel like a really fun place to live and somewhere I’d want to visit myself. The food itself, whether Eleanor’s eating at home or elsewhere, is also so well-described that my mouth started watering on a couple of occasions!

There are a lot of humorous moments, but the interactions between Eleanor and Clifford are particularly amusing. At the beginning, he seems like a typical, stiff butler, and though he loosens up pretty quickly, he still retains some quirks, such as his frustration that Eleanor doesn’t observe conventional mealtimes, and his tendency to provide extraneous information. In some ways they reminded me of M. R. C. Kasasian’s March Middleton and Sidney Grice - although they’re also very different in the sense that Eleanor is attractive with some amazing-sounding clothes, and Clifford is polite and pleasant.

A Very English Murder is a warm and inviting murder mystery that keeps you turning the pages with intrigue, interesting characters, vivid scenes and humour. I can’t wait to read more books about Eleanor, Clifford, Gladstone and the rest of their household.

"A Very English Murder" is the first book of the Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series. Unfortunately, I found it rather shallow and predictable, verging on the uninteresting. Not for me.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. A Very English Murder is a delightful first entry in a new series featuring one Lady Eleanor Swift. Returning to England following the death of her uncle and inheriting his house, Lady Eleanor quickly finds herself witness to a murder on a stormy night. When she reports the murder, the police are unable to find the body or even evidence of the murder. Teaming up with her butler, Clifford, Eleanor is determined to find the victim and murderer.

As is the case in many cosy mysteries, the characters are just as important to the story as the actual mystery. Ms. Bright has done a good job creating memorable characters that you will want to learn more about in future books. Eleanor is delightful and her background traveling off the beaten path give her a unique perspective for a 1920s era woman. Clifford and Eleanor's uncle clearly have a backstory that is hinted at that I personally can't wait to learn more about. Add in a delightful staff, colorful locals, and the oh-so-charming Lancelot Fenwick-Lanham, and readers won't want the story to end. The only potential downside is that the murderer is easily guessed early on, but watching the characters figure it out is entertaining and delightful.

I saw the cover for this book a while ago and fell in love immediately! Thank you so much to @bookouture and @BrightVerity for this advanced copy in return for an honest review.

A Very English Murder is due to be published on 7th April 2020 and you can preorder a copy here.

Description 🔖

Eleanor Swift is a world traveller and has many a tale to tell from any of the many countries that she has visited, but when she returns to England in 1920, life changes immediately. Lord Henley was her uncle and now that he has passed Eleanor gains a title and a Manor House; Henley Hall.

Life is somewhat quieter than she is used to until she takes an evening walk to the local quarry and witnesses a murder. However when she gets close to the site of the crime there is no body and no evidence to be seen. Nobody seems to take Lady Swift’s claims very seriously so she commits to solving the mystery by herself.

General Thoughts 🤔

I knew I was going to enjoy this book before I’d even started. I love a murder mystery and this is a classic “Agatha Christie eat your heart out” whodunnit. I was instantly swept away in the drama of it all and fell in love with everything about the book (the cover was just the tip of the iceberg).

Characters 👫👭👬

Lady Swift is my new idol. I absolutely adored her. I loved that she didn’t conform to what was expected of her as a Lady, had her own ideas about how she wanted to lead her new life at Henley Hall and was so determined to solve the mystery placed in front of her.

Clifford was a very close second in my favourite characters list. What an absolute legend. I think we all need a Clifford in our lives to be there no matter what. I found it very endearing that his loyalty to Lord Henley automatically transferred to Lady Swift.

Writing Style ✍🏽

Reading this book was like watching a classic whodunnit movie, it felt a teeny bit magical. I haven’t come across a murder mystery book written like this is such a long time and it was lovely to read.

Once you’re in, you’re in and as per any good whodunnit, there are plenty of twists, turns and deterrents to put the reader off the scent. I particularly enjoyed the unravelling of the story at the end when all of the loose ends of the mystery are tied up.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖

I found this book really refreshing to read and I felt like I had been transported back in time. It was like reading the movie Clue (which I love). I am so excited that this is the first in an Eleanor Swift series and will be looking out for the second sitting. I have friends I know will love this book as much as I did and I can’t wait for them to get their hands on it.

I have a confession...I LOVE British mysteries! One of my favorites was Her Royal Spyness. I was worried when I finished that series there would never be another one....Big sigh of relief!! I was lucky enough to discover A Very English Murder (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Book 1) and after reading the synopsis I knew without a doubt Eleanor was going to take me on a fantastic journey and that she did!
Eleanor, an orphaned girl sent off to boarding school grows into a loner traveling the world from jungles to safaris is now coming home to become Lady of Henley Hall after inheriting the house after her distant Uncle passes. She hasn't been there in 16 years! Welcomed back by an icy butler reception, witnessing a murder no one believes happened, and surrounded by deceit with no clue who to trust. Eleanor tackles the investigation herself with her new found side kick, that will steal your heart, "Gladstone" an elderly bulldog also inherited from her Uncle. I found humor in the conversations Eleanor has with herself and Gladstone not to mention the interpretation of his responses.
The exquisitely detailed surroundings make you feel like you are there with her sleuthing through the quaint villages and countryside. One thing I found unique about this book was the slow build and bonding forming with the characters that also built that bond with the reader leaving you wanting to know more about them! The light romance brewing wasn't as strong of a build up as with the other characters but it didn't interfere with the enjoyment of the story. I like a book that leaves me wanting more and this book definitely did that! So if you're looking for a journey with characters you wish were your friends, a light romance, and comical moments, then get comfy and curl up with a cup of tea and this cozy mystery!

'A mere woman and a mere servant. Two classes undervalued and underestimated for generations, joining together to make a formidable team.'

OK, I'm a sucker for this kind of book: the 1920s setting, the country house, the plucky heroine, the bumbling local police, a dashing potential love interest.... It rattles along at a decent pace, and our heroine, the thoroughly modern independent Ellie Swift, now Lady Swift after inheriting her uncle's estate, gets herself into all sorts of scrapes, accompanied by the erudite and enigmatic Clifford, a butler prone to quoting Thomas Aquinas or Shakespeare, and her uncle's elderly bulldog Gladstone.

It's a world where social structures and class systems are just waiting to be knocked down, and the book makes enough but not too much of these themes. It's fun and pacy, the ending is suitably unbelievable but will have you cheering on our sleuths, and the whole thing is just like a big hug. Let's look forward to many more in this series.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)