Tea and cake at The Ritz, a stolen pearl necklace and a missing dead body… Lady Swift is back on the case!
Lady Eleanor Swift has been eagerly awaiting her trip in a hot air balloon to take in London’s amazing sights. But what she witnesses instead is a murder! From way up high she sees a man in a dark coat shoot another man dead, but by the time she arrives back on the ground, Eleanor can find no trace of the body. Just the broken piece of a pearl necklace clasp, trodden into the dirt.
Back at The Ritz hotel, over afternoon tea, Eleanor’s old friend Lady Philomena Chadwick confides in her about a scandalous theft. Lady Chadwick is certain someone on her staff has stolen her priceless pink pearl necklace. Eleanor is immediately suspicious when the description matches the jewellery she spotted at the crime scene.
Much to her butler Clifford’s amusement, Eleanor goes undercover as a governess in the Chadwick’s sparkling Mayfair mansion. As she sets about questioning the disgruntled staff, she uncovers a treasure trove of gossip. But how do a secret love affair, a flirty footman with a fondness for spying, and a housemaid hiding a nightly visitor connect to the murder?
And when Eleanor’s beau, Detective Hugh Seldon, is brought in to investigate a string of further robberies in Park Lane, Eleanor is certain that Chadwick House is hiding the unlikeliest gang of jewel thieves below stairs…
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but will this necklace get Eleanor killed before she uncovers the hidden gem she needs to crack the case?
Murder in Mayfair is a totally gripping and twisty Golden Age whodunnit set in London, perfect for fans of T.E. Kinsey, Agatha Christie and Catherine Coles!
Today I am delighted to be back on tour with another outing with the wonderful Verity Bright. This time it is Murder in Mayfair and Lady Swift is searching for her most illusive murderer yet!
I love these cosy crime novels. This is book 18 in the series and I am enjoying them more and more as we go along. 18 murders to solve! Poor Lady Swift always seems to get herself caught up in the most heinous of crimes and each time she shows great courage, wit and quick-thinking. This time we are away from Henley Hall staying in London and visiting the British Empire Exhibition. A little time travel takes us back to the sites and attitudes of the time. How different things were only a hundred years ago and yet you can see the seeds of change beginning to filter through as we follow each story. I love the attention that Verity Bright gives to the historical detail throughout.
Eleanor is, as always, a highly likeable character. I love her interactions with both staff, friends and acquaintances. Clifford and Hugh are equally enjoyable – how lovely to see a little more of her dashing fiancé in this story. I would love to see them spending even more time together. I also enjoyed Eleanor’s stint as a governess. She really does seem to have a knack of handling any situation and getting herself out of trouble (or into it). The balloon flight was particularly enjoyable. 🙂
If you enjoy a light, entertaining read with likeable characters and the odd rouge thrown into the mix then I’m sure you would this comforting series – perfect escapism in a bygone world.
Thank you to Sarah at Bookouture for inviting me to take part in this blog tour and for providing me with a copy of the book via Netgalley. As enjoyable as always.
About the author
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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Tales Before Bedtime 