Lady Eleanor is enjoying a holiday in Egypt and is travelling down the Nile with her steadfast butler Clifford when a death occurs on board. The captain believes it was a suicide but Ellie is certain there is a murderer on the boat…
Murder on the Nile is the 19th book in the Lady Eleanor Swift series of cosy historical murder mysteries.
Ellie had booked hersef onto a bit of a ramshackle boat and Clifford is unimpressed. The situation further deteriorates when they meet the other passengers and then one of them ends up dead. The suicide note doesn;t fool Eleanor for a second and she is instantly convinced that the death was murder. The captain and chief of police are more skeptical and she needs to prove to them that there is a killer on board.
As usual in this series, there are plenty of antics, escapades and outright danger for Ellie to navigate. Luckily she has the ever brilliant Clifford by her side. Unfortunately, her fiance Hugh does not feature at all in this book and there are only a few chapters with the wonderful ladies and pets.
The historical and geographical research for this book brings the plot to life effectively. I particularly enjoyed the archaeology fever described as well as the political situation which added authenticity. Ellie subverts gender and class norms to forge ahead with life, seizing every moment. She has great respect for everyone irrespective of their social status, and this is hugely endearing.
Murder on the Nile is an enjoyable cosy historical murder mystery. Obviously the title and scenerio are reminiscent of the legendary Christie and this book is a great addition to the Lady Swift series.
Book Description:
A cruise down the Nile, a camel ride around the pyramids, lunch in the shadow of the Sphinx… And a very dead body!
1924. Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler Clifford are touring the great, ancient sights of Egypt on a much-anticipated extended vacation. But when the pair arrive at the docks in Cairo expecting to board the luxurious paddle steamer advertised in their brochure, they are baffled by the crumbling old cruiser waiting for them. And things only go from bad to worse as death stalks the decks of the SS Cleopatra…
Two days into the trip one of their fellow passengers, Lieutenant Baxter, is found shot dead in his locked cabin. Immediately suspicious and desperate to see justice done, Eleanor discovers a half-finished note addressed to her hidden in Baxter’s travelling trunk. In it he asks her to deliver a vitally important letter to the authorities at their next stop down river: a priceless treasure worthy of a king has been stolen and an innocent man’s life hangs in the balance.
But before the sands of time wipe away all evidence on board, Eleanor must uncover who among the other travellers wanted Baxter dead. Was it the anxious archaeologist who doesn’t have an alibi, the reptile expert with a passion for the murderous Nile crocodile or the art dealer with a devious secret?
With the killer readying to strike again much closer to home, can Eleanor dig up the truth before she’s trapped in a tomb under the pyramids forever?
A gripping and twisty 1920s murder mystery set in Egypt, 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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