Lady Eleanor Swift is involved in the planning of a community celebration for King George V’s birthday. But the plans go awry when the chair of the committee is found strangled to death by bunting…
Murder by Invitation is the 15th book in the Lady Swift series of cosy historical murder mysteries. Each book has a standalone case but the personal relationships have developed over the course of the preceding books.
Eleanor and her wonderful butler Clifford are working hard on a village event when they receive news that Mr Prestwick-Peterson has been killed. Along with Ellie’s new fiance Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon, the trio begin to investigate the death. Fans of the series will be delighted by the village’s excitement at their engagement and this provides light relief from the topic of murder.
As usual in this series, there are plenty of suspects and motives for Eleanor and Clifford to expose and unpick. She throws herself into situations while he provides the steadying support. I enjoyed being back at Henley Hall with the other staff as well, and seeing Eleanor and Clifford’s relationships with the other villagers.
There is little detail about the body or any violence, as you would expect from the genre of cosy murder mystery. I liked the historical aspects to the book and the atmosphere of village life that is created.
Murder by Invitation is an enjoyable addition to this entertaining series.
Book Description:
Lady Swift has been cordially invited to a huge royal celebration in Little Buckford to toast the King’s birthday… but wait, is that a body in the village hall?
Lady Eleanor Swift and her loyal butler Clifford are busy lending a hand with preparations for the big day. The grand dining room at Henley Hall is overflowing with home-sewn flags, paint and royal rosettes. Even Gladstone the bulldog and his new friend Tomkins the ginger cat are invited!
But just days before the event Mr Prestwick-Peterson, the chairman of the celebrations committee, is found dead in the village hall: strangled with handmade red, white and royal blue bunting.
With the village hall in total disarray and a key part of the decorations missing, Eleanor wonders if someone dastardly is sabotaging the King’s birthday celebrations?Teaming up with her handsome beau Detective Hugh Seldon to question the local butcher, baker, and pub landlord it becomes clear that the meddlesome busybody Mr Prestwick-Peterson was not universally liked in charming Little Buckford. Indeed, the only mystery is why he wasn’t murdered before…
Searching Mr Prestwick-Peterson’s pristinely organised rooms, Eleanor is surprised to find a faded photograph of a beautiful young woman hidden within the pages of a novel. Could this be the key to untangling this very village murder? And can Eleanor catch the killer before the party is over for her, too?
A totally charming, unputdownable Golden Age murder mystery with characters readers will adore. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss.
Author Bio:
Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humour, before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.
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