‘Wrapping presents and singing at midnight mass on a frosty night… Lady Swift is determined to enjoy Christmas at home this year, until another body turns up!‘
– Murder on a FrostyNight
[ About Murder on a Frosty Night ]
Winter 1925. Eleanor and Hugh are decking the halls for their first married Christmas together when butler Clifford arrives with a mysterious telegram. A lucrative case awaits their new detective agency… but in the most remote county in England. The note insists they must be there by midnight to accept the job.
After a snowy journey, they arrive at the tiny hamlet of Yorelow to find their client, Osmund Unwin, dead in the churchyard as midnight mass ends. They realise they are now in the absurd situation of having to solve the murder of their client – who they never met – to solve a case they know nothing about and officially never accepted!
There is very little festive goodwill to go around, as it seems half the village had a grudge against the rich man. Was it one of the Frisham sisters, owners of the tavern and rumoured to be in a love triangle with Unwin? Or perhaps his maid, who never had a nice thing to say about him?
When another body is found in the ruins of the castle overlooking the town, Eleanor is baffled. Clearly there’s more to this nightmare before Christmas than the gang first thought…
[ My Review ]
Murder on a Frosty Night by Verity Bright publishes December 8th with Bookouture. It is A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Book 24 and is described as ‘a totally unputdownable historical murder mystery set in an English village at Christmas, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Catherine Coles!‘
Although book 24 in this series, which by the way is some achievement, I have never read any of the hugely popular Lady Eleanor Swift mysteries before. I was a little reticent going in but I needn’t have worried as it stands perfectly fine on its own. Having inherited Henley Hall estate from her uncle, Lady Eleanor Swift, with her butler Clifford, have been involved in some amateur sleuthing over the years. Now, recently married, Eleanor’s husband, ex-detective Hugh Seldon joins the team as they launch their new detective agency. Hugh is used to Eleanor’s quirky ways and is happy to support her in this new venture but even he is slow to accept their first case, which lands at their door on Christmas Eve.
Eleanor thrives on mischief and excitement so is delighted at the prospect of the long journey that would be ahead of them should they accept. She is quite willing to leave the household festivities to the staff who, by the way, also feature strongly in this series. Hugh had been hoping for a more relaxed first Christmas together but Eleanor’s enthusiasm is infectious and soon the pair, with Clifford accompanying them, head off to the secluded hamlet of Yorelow.
Through treacherous conditions, they eventually arrive at their destination but, on searching out their client, they discover he is dead. Immediately they find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery, one where the locals all seem to have either motive or opinion. With the weather and the festive season causing issues with any outside assistance, Eleanor, Hugh and Clifford soon become embroiled in a bewildering investigation.
With Hugh’s past experience, the local policeman is only too happy with any help, as dead bodies are not normally within his daily remit. But as they trio slowly begin to unearth some local hearsay and truths, they soon discover that this wee hamlet harbours plentiful secrets and a buried past.
I originally chose to read Murder on a Frosty Night because I wanted some escape from the grim news that permeates society at the moment. Although a murder mystery, Verity Bright writes books that offer light-hearted entertainment with the effervescent Eleanor Swift at the helm. With a bubbly personality and the ability to see the positive in most things, she is a breath of fresh air with a perpetually jolly disposition.
Murder on a Frosty Night sparkles with a festive atmosphere amidst the snow covered valley of Yorelow. The cosy murder mystery element is well developed with a wonderful cast of characters that come alive as the pages turn. The ideal seasonal read to snuggle up by the fire with, Murder on a Frosty Night is sure to be another hit for Verity Bright.
[ Thank you to Bookouture for a copy of Murder on a Frosty Night in exchange for my honest review ]
[ 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.
Thanks so much for reviewing Murder on a Frosty Night. I’m so pleased you found it easy to get into despite it being the first in the series that you have read.
Mark it’s a credit to the writing! I wish you well Mark. Look after yourself.