Truly, is there anything Lady Eleanor and Clifford can't do?! In this book they are at Eleanor's alma mater and a murder occurs. Grab a copy of this book and curl up and spend a pleasant afternoon reading! You'll be delighted by this historical cozy and it's wonderful characters. I'm ready for book 8!

This is the second book by author Verity Bright that I am reading and once again I must admit that I loved it. I first met Lady Eleanor Swift in 'Murder in the Snow', Book 4 of the series. Surprisingly or maybe not, I was able to dive right in and connect with all the characters in the story. Having missed some of the books in between, the current one is no different. I was instantly transported back to the 1920s along with Eleanor, Clifford the Butler and Hugh the Police Inspector.

I quite liked how the author shows us a different aspect of Eleanor's life in this book, bringing to us a glimpse of her past while also showing how she could be an inspiration to the younger generations. For the time period in which the story is set in, Eleanor's ways were indeed quite progressive and it was heartening to read about her ability to share some of her experiences with the children at the school and with us too!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the strong bond between Eleanor and her butler, Clifford. This is unique and endearing. The hint of romance in the background with the Police Inspector made the story all the more interesting. Even though the death of an old teacher was quite saddening, I enjoyed reading about how Eleanor conducts her investigation and tries to bring the killer to justice. Sometimes the reader is torn between exasperation and laughter at the main characters and this just adds to the appeal of the plot. The other characters in the book including the children under Eleanor's temporary care were engaging and made me feel a part of them as the story progressed.

This book is definitely a must read for fans of cozy mysteries or any mystery in general! I highly recommend the author's books and this entire series (even though I have not read most of the books in the series! I hope to rectify this very soon).

Its 1921 and Lay Eleanor Swift has been invited to the annual Speech Day at her old alma mater

St Mary's Boarding School. Unfortunately, her favourite teacher, Mrs Wadsworth, is found dead in the library just

as the day's events are getting underway..Eleanor and her multi-skilled butler Clifford are once again

investigating a puzzling death...

With flirtation and her eyes on DCI Hugh Seldon, there are several suspects and clues to sort through in this

cosy murder, I enjoyed reading this whodunnit immensely..

The 7th book in the cosy crime series sees Lady Eleanor giving a speech at her old school. When her favourite teacher is discovered dead in what at first look to be a tragic incident sees Eleanor going into the school as a head of house, whilst doing some detective work of her own.

This was a good read. Positives was seeing more of the detective, but I missed the cook and the usual house staff.

A copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my review.

With trepidation, Lady Eleanor Swift begins her next adventure… guest speaking at her old school. “A Lesson in Murder”, by Verity Bright, wastes no time and soon Ellie is in the midst of an investigation…again, and much to the disgruntlement of Detective Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon. To protect the reputation of the school, it becomes apparent that Ellie will have to go under cover, this places a number of children in her care… thank goodness for Gladstone and Clifford.

A suspicious death isn’t all that’s happened at the school and Ellie finds many a thread to unravel from the arts department to the library, from sports to maintenance, around every corner there is something to investigate. With Hugh guiding her, she pieces together the landscape narrowing down the suspects whilst also learning more about her mother and herself. The children add a delightful element as does the repartee between Hugh and Ellie. Once again, I’m left wanting more and having thoroughly enjoyed the treat!

It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale and highly recommended!

In this installment of the Lady Eleanor Swift mysteries, Lady Eleanor (Ellie) is invited to be guest speaker at Speech Day at St. Mary's Boarding School for Young Ladies. Although happy to reconnect with her favourite teacher, Mrs. Wadsworth, being back at her old school makes her feel uneasy due to the unhappy memories of the years she spent there.

Despite her butler Clifford's encouragement, she is nervous about speaking in front of an audience, but before she can take to the stage, the proceedings are disrupted when Mrs. Wadsworth is found dead in the library. Clifford and Ellie's keen eye for detail suggests that this was not an accident as first assumed. When the police arrive, Ellie is pleased to see that Detective Inspector Hugh Seldon has been assigned the case.

However, a prolonged visible police presence at the school would gain the attention of the press and should be avoided due to many of the students' fathers having diplomatic or government posts. With no female detectives in the force to call upon, Hugh reluctantly agrees to let Eleanor help. She becomes the new boarding house mistress for Holly House and Clifford hangs up his butler's uniform temporarily to become the school's handyman. Of course, the sleuthing trio wouldn't be complete without Gladstone, the bulldog. He is his usual hungry and mischievous self, devouring sausages, digging up flowerbeds and surprisingly making his stage debut.

I like how Ellie, with the help of Clifford, continues to negotiate her way through the aristocratic world, uncovering more information about her family along the way. Her romance with Hugh is progressing well now that they can be in each other's company without arguing, but I'm sure there will be more disagreements in the future because murder follows Ellie wherever she goes.

A Lesson in Murder is all that I've come to expect from this mystery series. There are lots of quirky characters, interesting crime scenes, humour and a lovable core of characters that are becoming as dear as old friends. This makes me eager for the next book which takes our sleuths to Scotland for Christmas. What a delight that will be!

Oh how I love a good Lady Eleanor novel. In this 7h book of the series, Lady Swift is invited back to her old boarding school to address the students. Naturally, someone ends up dead and Lady Swift is wrapped up into another murder. This book dives into her history and family a bit more, which I love. Her family is such a mystery and in this novel, we find information about her mother in the most unlikely of places.

Favorite Quotes:

The staffroom had the air of a space that had just been bustling with activity and was trying to catch its breath.

He ran a hand over his tousled mousy hair, which looked as if he had trimmed it himself in front of an inadequately lit mirror.

I really don’t know how you fit your colossal brain under your bowler hat. Surely, Mrs Butters must have needed to let the seams out?


My Review:


I continue with my love of the adorable Lady Swift and Clifford, her wizardly wise, ever-ready, and perfectly prepared butler. I will never tire of her humorous adventures and shenanigans or the smooth and engaging storytelling of the writing team known as Verity Bright. The storylines were colorfully detailed, pleasantly familiar, cleverly plotted, wryly amusing, and with, as usual, the culprit and motives being 100% unpredictable until the very last chapter.

Lady Eleanor Swift's latest murder investigation takes place in her old boarding school. The suspects are numerous, and Ellie and Clifford pose as school staff to find the murderer. The school setting is atmospheric and evokes classic murder mysteries. The engaging characters and twisty mystery plot make this another addictive read.

I received a copy of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The historical cozy mystery “Murder at the Fair” was one of my very first advanced copy reads.

I immediately fell in love with Verity Bright’s spunky protagonist, a 1920s heiress named Lady Eleanor Smith.

So when I saw “A Lesson in Murder,” the latest Lady Eleanor adventure, would be released this September, I immediately added the book to my wishlist.

And to be quite candid, this wholesome whodunnit entirely exceeded my already high expectations.

Taking place entirely within St. Mary’s school for girls, the very boarding school Lady Eleanor attended as a child, this entry has an inherent sense of nostalgia.

The playfulness as Eleanor recounts her days of juvenile delinquency balance splendidly with her race to solve the mysterious murders of two prominent faculty members.

I just can’t recommend this riotous romp enough.

The latest in the Eleanor Swift series of cosy murder investigations has confounded me. Not because I couldn’t work out who had done it. I never expected to and didn’t really try. Rather, it’s because in A Lesson in Murder Verity Bright has given us a crossover - or, more accurately given that the Swift series is a crossover in itself, another crossover. This isn’t Agatha Christie meets Downton (as I believe some people say). This is Agatha Christie meets Malory Towers. It’s very different from previous mysteries. It’s more than worth your time.
We’ve left our stately home again, but this time the majority of the staff remain behind, with just Clifford and Seldon joining Ellie as the regular cast. A turn of events requires Ellie to join the school staff as a boarding housemistress and we find her subverting outdated traditions and presenting a more modern approach. There are the usual misogynist attitudes ready to be ridiculed. But the interplay with the house staff is replaced by a possibly more interesting set of relationships with the nine year-old girls in Ellie’s boarding house. She inspires them and spoils them and leads them to success because of course she does, but she learns more about herself and about her long-deceased mother along the way.
Now I used to love a good school story. My 10 year-old self spent half his time at Greyfriars with Bunter, Wharton and Quelch, though these days I am more familiar with Hogwarts. So, in the usual way for this blog, as soon as Eleanor and her butler Clifford holed up at Eleanor’s former boarding school, I set about assigning characters to be played by old Potterverse favourites. I reckoned that the late Richard Harris had the range to play headmistress Miss Lonsdale. Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge was clearly the odious Mrs Coulson. Julie Walters as Acorn Antiques’ Mrs Overall could be Mrs Wadsworth. Yes, Acorn Antiques isn’t Harry Potter. This is a crossover. Do keep up. For good measure we’ll cast Miriam Margolyes though we don’t know as whom. And we need both Maggie Smith and Geraldine McEwan to play Jean Brodie. Jean Brodie isn’t actually in this book, which may assist with our actors’ schedules.
I’ve always enjoyed doing the more surreal parts of reviews for this series. But you don’t really have to have read the book to cast non-existent Brodies. And as I got further into the book I felt that my enjoyment was going in a different direction. The tone is just the right side of sentimental, the relationship between Ellie and Seldon is going well enough for me to be no longer worried that the appalling Lord Goggles is going to make a comeback in a future instalment and the mystery is pretty absorbing. In short, this was my favourite of the series so far. It’s not that I don’t want ever to go back to Henley Hall. But Eleanor Swift is adaptable enough to thrive outside its gates. Just as long as Clifford and bulldog Gladstone are there to accompany her.

I wasn't quite sure where this story was going to go. Ellie was invited to be a guest speaker at her old school. A school she had mixed feelings about. How was it all going to play out? There was obviously going to be a murder. There was obviously going to be an investigation that included Ellie, and Clifford with the trusty bulldog, Gladstone, vying for attention, but there was so much more to it than that. Despite the red herrings, I was once again close but then there was that final twist that caught me out.

The stay at the boarding school that both she and her mother attended added a great context to the investigation it meant the reader got to learn a lot more about her past. Not just about her mother but also the choices her uncle made.

I did miss Henley Hall, the village and the neighbours so perhaps they'll be back in the next one? Also
the cliffhanger in the romance department is killing me and I'm hoping we will be able to see just what's developing really soon

I really enjoyed the previous books in this series and Book 7 certainly kept my attention so I'm really looking forward to Book 8. Well done Verity Bright

My thanks to Bookouture, #Netgalley and the author for my Advance Reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another amazing outing for the unlikeliest of investigation teams, Lady Eleanor Swift, butler Clifford and their bulldog companion Gladstone. This is the 7th outing for the trio and again Verity Bright has expanded our knowledge on the background of Eleanor as in this book she revisits her old boarding school.

Much more than a speech is required when not one but two members of staff are found dead and Eleanor and Clifford temporarily join the staff to investigate undercover.

The relationship between the two is very companionable, despite their differences in society. They work well as a team and we also see a relationship blossoming for Eleanor with DCI Hugh Seldon.

The book is a great addition to the series and although this can be read and enjoyed as a standalone novel I would recommend reading the series from book one to enjoy the characters as they develop.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Already we are on book 7 in the series and I think this has been my favourite so far. It is always a pleasure to be back in the company of Eleanor, Clifford and of course Gladstone the bulldog. This time they are taking us back to school as Eleanor is swiftly caught up in a murder at St Marys. Eleanor has mixed feelings about returning there as her childhood memories weren’t all good but when her favourite teacher is found dead she jumps at the chance to stay there working undercover as a house mistress, whilst she and Clifford attempt to find out who may have been responsible. It’s tricky investigating a suspicious death in a place that doesn’t like the whiff of a scandal but Eleanor and Clifford set to their subtle undertaking (well as subtle as Lady Swift ca be!).

This is another gentle, yet engaging thriller that I very much enjoyed. Eleanor is super company and I feel that I am getting to know her even better with each story. In A Lesson in Murder, Eleanors relationship with Chief Inspector Seldon develops further (with a good few ups and downs along the way) and we also venture back into Eleanor’s past and discover a little more about her childhood and her mother in particular. Whilst each book is devoted to a particular mystery there is a sense of gradually uncovering more and more about Eleanor and what happened to her parents.

This is a wonderful, light hearted, funny series that brings some welcome relief and I’m very much enjoying it. Although it does rather make me crave some delicious cake whilst reading! A Lesson in Murder ends on a rather delightful note and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book, Death on a Winter’s Day, later this year.

4.5 Stars

The charming and irrepressible Lady Eleanor Swift is back on the case in Verity Bright’s latest delightful historical cozy mystery, A Lesson in Murder.

Lady Eleanor might be making quite a name for herself as a high society sleuth with a penchant for solving mysteries, but she’s been invited to her old school St Mary’s by her favourite teacher Mrs Wadsworth to talk about her travels. Eleanor is looking forward to going back to her alma mater and to inspire a whole new generation of young women, but no sooner has she set foot inside the school that she receives some shocking and crushing news: Mrs Wadsworth has been murdered!

A devastated Eleanor vows to find out who killed her old teacher and bring him to justice. Eleanor’s skills, style and flair for catching criminals has stood her in good stead thus far and she vows to do whatever she can to ensure that Mrs Wadsworth’s murderer is caught as quickly as possible. Eleanor cannot handle any more nasty surprises, but when the art teacher is also found dead, it becomes painfully clear that someone out there wants to eliminate those who taught Eleanor everything she knows. As she begins investigating, Eleanor wonders whether the key to solving this mystery might lie in the most unlikely of places: her mother’s diary.

With Eleanor firmly in the killer’s sights, can she solve this mystery in time? Or will she be the ruthless murderer’s next victim?

Verity Bright’s Lady Eleanor Swift mysteries are such a wonderful treat. A Lesson in Murder is the seventh terrific instalment guaranteed to delight aficionados of the series who lap up these brilliant historical cozies and new fans yet to discover these fun, enjoyable and engrossing tales set in the 1920s.

With Lady Eleanor on top form and plenty of dark secrets, red herrings, rib-tickling humour and jaw-dropping twists and turns, Verity Bright’s A Lesson in Murder is another must-read that has me eagerly awaiting the eighth title in this irresistible series.

When Lady Elenor Swift is invited back to her old boarding school by her favorite teacher Mrs. Wadsworth, to give a speech, she never expected to be back on the case. Lady Elenor is wandering the hallways reminiscing of her time spent at the school. She wanders into the library and discovers a dead body. But, wait is that, no, it couldn’t be….Mrs. Wadsworth? Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon is called to the school, but the incident is kept quiet as to not upset the other students. Murder was not immediately determined. But after little investigation, it is soon determined that murder was the cause of death. So, Lady Eleanor is Mrs. Wadsworth’s temporary replacement in the classroom, but also decides to investigate on her own to find out what happened to her friend. She feels like she owes it to her friend, Mrs. Wadsworth, to find out who murdered her and why. The 1920’s setting and Elenor’s investigative instinct is so much fun to read. I really enjoyed the plot twist and not knowing who the culprit was until the very end. I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy mystery series. I love the writing style of this author.

Thank you Verity Bright for such a wonderful addition to this series. This entertaining and exciting story, makes this book unputdownable. It is definitely a must read and I highly recommend this series.

This series improves with each new instalment, and this is the best so far even if I missed the usual setting.
I had a lot of fun in read this story and it brought me back memories of when I was a young girl studying at a private school.
Even if it was a long time after 1921 some things didn't change and the "rule” and behaving in ladylike way was a must even if they were quite progressive.
Lady Eleanor is an unusual woman, a rebel according to expected woman behaviour of her age, but at the same time her school experience helped her to become what she is. I love her character arc and she grew on me with each book becoming a favourite character.
We get to know about her family, her childhood and some memories are quite moving as we meet the lonely child who loss her family.
Clifford and Gladstone are as lovely as usual, and they play an important part in the story.
It's a complex mystery, a whodunnit based in a closed environment and a mystery full of red herring, twist and turns.
It kept me reading and turning pages as fast as I could, and I thoroughly enjoyed it as it's highly entertaining and gripping.
I appreciated the historical notes at the end of the book and the well written and interesting characters
I can't wait to read the next story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

‘I’m an old girl of St Mary’s. And even though I have no idea why they would ever have wanted me back on the premises, Miss Lonsdale invited me to be the guest of honour at today’s Speech Day.’ - Lady Eleanor Swift.

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘A Lesson in Murder’ by Verity Bright in exchange for an honest review.

This is the seventh in the Lady Eleanor Swift series of historical cosy mysteries set in the early 1920s. While I don’t read a great many cosies this series has become a firm favourite. I also treated myself to its audiobook edition, narrated by Karen Cass, for an immersive reading experience.

June 1921, Lady Eleanor is back at her former boarding school, St Mary’s, to give a speech to the current students. Her favourite teacher, Mrs Wadsworth, had suggested that Eleanor talk about her round-the-world travels. Yet just as she steps up to the lectern and shuffles her notes, a bell sounds and the headmistress rushes off. A few minutes later and the announcement is made of ‘a most unfortunate incident.’ Translate: a body has been found.

Before long Lady Eleanor is utilising her sleuthing skills to discover whodunnit. She is aided by Clifford, her butler, and of course, Gladstone the bulldog. During her investigation, she also temporarily fills the position of boarding housemistress for Holly House.

Due to the exclusive nature of St. Mary’s, the police top brass have sent Detective Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon to the Bedfordshire school to look into the matter. Both he and Eleanor are rather surprised to see each other outside of their usual environment.

Aside from an interesting case to unravel, it was wonderful to see Lady Eleanor interacting with her young charges at Holly House. She was the kind of student always getting into trouble, yet now she is in charge. Being back at St. Mary’s triggers memories of her time there and also of her mother, who had boarded in Holly House years previously. The mystery of her parents’ disappearance when Eleanor was only nine remains an intriguing ongoing subplot.

This was excellent and in my opinion the best in the series to date. It’s wonderful to see how Lady Eleanor is evolving as a character; not only adjusting to her new position as Lady of the Manor, but now experiencing herself in relation to a new generation of young women, themselves on the threshold of entering a wider world.

Overall, I can’t praise this novel and the entire series highly enough. It has the gentle quality that I seek in a cosy mystery and is historically accurate both in the events taking place in the wider world and in terms of the social etiquette of the period. Attention to these kind of details is what elevates this entertaining cosy mystery for me to a 5-star read.

Lady Eleanor Swift has been invited to be the guest of honor at her childhood boarding school's Speach Day. As usual, trouble follows when her favorite teacher is found dead in the library. Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon has no choice but to enlist the help of Eleanor and her butler Clifford as his presence at the prestigious all-girls school would raise concern among the wealthier and more powerful parents. Will they be able to solve the case without causing a scandal?

A Lesson in Murder is book 7 in Verity Bright's Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series. While I have read the last few books in the series, I have not read them all. So whether you are a long-time fan or just now discovering the series, it will be an enjoyable read.

I will admit at first I thought I was not going to enjoy this book. The ladies (the cook, housekeeper, and maid) of Henley Hall do not make an appearance in this story. I so love those characters and though they usually have small parts, they are larger than life characters and I knew their presence would be missed. of course, Clifford and the English bulldog Gladstone accompany Ellie for her stay at St. Mary's boarding school when she steps in as a temporary boarding mistress after the death of Mrs. Wadsworth.

However, the trips down memory lane and things that Ellie learns now about her family are touching. I particularly enjoyed the scene with the candy store owner. During this scene, we learn that her uncle Lord Byron had tried to send her special packages of sweets but the headmistress hadn't allowed it. It was with this scene that my feelings changed and I started thinking it might be one of my favorites in my series. We learn quite a bit about Ellie's childhood. I'm not sure if it had been revealed in the early books in the series (the ones that I have not read) but we find out that her parents disappeared in Peru.

The mystery was fun with a number of red herrings so you aren't sure who the murderer was (or even if there was in fact a murder!) until the end.

I did miss Ellie's household staff, but the children in Holly House (the house where Ellie is temporary boarding mistress) provide plenty of distraction. It is implied they are the naughties of children but really how naughty can 9- to 11-year-old girls be? I'm actually sad that it is unlikely we will see them again (it would be fun though if Ellie invited them to a sleep-over at Henley Hall).

If you are needing a quick, fun read for your weekend, A Lesson in Murder would be the perfect book.

My review is published at Girl Who Reads - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2021/09/a-lesson-in-murder-by-verity-bright.html

Light-hearted cozy English mystery series set in the 1920s never disappoints.

Lady Eleanor Swift is off to be the guest speaker at her old boarding school in this 7th installment. St. Mary's doesn't hold a lot of good memories for her as she attended soon after the disappearance of her parents when she was 9 years old. Unfortunately, the speech day is interrupted by an untimely death of one of Eleanor's favorite teachers. Could it be murder? She is surprised when Detective Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon attends the scene and even more taken aback when she and Clifford are asked to stay on to do some investigating. No sooner do they start making discreet inquiries when yet another suspicious death occurs. Someone is killing teachers, but who, and what could possibly be the motive? No spoilers.

Another enjoyable quick read with some of my favorite characters. I love the banter and interaction between Clifford and Eleanor -- everyone should have such a butler. And will Eleanor and Hugh finally, ever, take their relationship to the next level? Can't wait for the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. And, incidentally, it is best to read this series from the beginning to fully appreciate it.