Today I am delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the latest instalment in the Lady Swift mystery novels, Murder in an Irish Castle by Verity Bright.

Synopsis

Irish whiskey, rolling green hills, a traditional Christmas feast and… a murder? Lady Swift will need the luck of the Irish to survive this holiday season!

Christmas, 1924. Lady Eleanor Swift has received a rather unexpected invitation to the village Christmas party in the tiny, rural hamlet of Derrydee in the west of Ireland. Eleanor is thrilled about exploring her ancestral roots at her late uncle’s estate and spending the festive season in a castle. Packing Gladstone the bulldog’s coziest Christmas jumper, they set off to the Emerald Isle with her butler Clifford in tow.

Arriving late at night, Eleanor and Clifford are shocked when they find a body sprawled in the snow on the winding country lane outside the estate. The local constable is immediately suspicious and all but accuses the pair of murder. This isn’t the warm Irish welcome Eleanor imagined!

Clifford is certain he recognises the poor fellow from the funeral of Eleanor’s uncle – but what was their connection? Undeterred by the villagers’ lack of gossip on the matter, Eleanor is determined to get justice for the victim. The man’s pockets are suspiciously empty of personal effects, but closer inspection reveals an old key hidden in the heel of his boot. Could this unlock more than one mystery for Eleanor?

But when a fire breaks out at the castle on Christmas Eve, an even bigger question looms: is someone out to ensure the family line dies with Lady Swift? And will Eleanor’s first Irish Christmas be her last?

An utterly addictive festive whodunnit set in Ireland, brimming with mystery, intrigue and wit. Sure to delight fans of T E Kinsey, Agatha Christie and Rhys Bowen.

My thoughts

It warms my heart to know that this series has become so endearing to me. Here we are at book 13 (I think) and it is still such a treat to return to Eleanor and Clifford’s side as they untangle yet another murder mystery. As always danger is never far behind for Lady Swift herself.

On this occasion the story begins late at night on a cold, lonely Irish road with Eleanor and Clifford driving to a remote castle for Christmas, a castle that apparently belonged to her late uncle. Events soon take a sinister turn and the cosy Irish Christmas Eleanor imagined begins to disappear as suspicion, danger, secrets – and of course a dead body – emerge like frosted breath in the cold air.

As well as the mystery aspect of these stories I also enjoy delving a little deeper into our central characters with each book that I read. We even get a little more backstory to our favourite butler (and bodyguard) and a few more questions about Eleanor’s past are answered. As I write this I have not quite reached the end so I am yet to find out the full story here but as always I am enjoying the journey very much. The small historical facts weaved within the text, the wonderful characterisation and that genuine warmth the exudes from both Eleanor and Clifford. Their relationship is as deep as family rather than employer and employee. It really is a joy to return again and I look forward to (I hope) many more adventures with them yet.

Thank you so much to the team at Bookouture for inviting me to take part in this blog tour and for providing me with a digital copy to review. It has been as pleasure as always. Now I must get back to the book and find out how this one ends!