MoonglotexasKel’s Review:
Verity Bright is back with the latest addition, The French for Murder, to her wonderful Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series. The whole household has up and offed to France for a beach holiday and much needed rest and relaxation but trouble is afoot from the moment they arrive…there is a dead body in the wine cellar! Any hope of staying out of the investigation goes out the window when Clifford, Eleanor’s beloved butler, is arrested for murder.
In no time at all, Eleanor finds herself on the hunt for the true killer. The victim’s identity leads her to a movie set and immerses her in the lifestyle of the rich and famous! Parties, fast cars and tall tales are the order of the day and it’s a race against the clock to unearth truth.
As always, the dialogue amongst the characters sparkles and the mystery is an interesting one! It’s a page-turner and I read it straight through. I had hoped to see a little more of our favourite Inspector and do hope he has a staring role in the next novel. If you love historical mysteries, cosy and well-written, this one is for you! It’s five out of five on the enJOYment scale and highly recommended.
Ka’s Review:
Once again this was a delightful read. A new environment as the household goes on holiday to the south of France.
It soon becomes evident that Eleanor and Clifford are not going to get the break they were hoping for! I mean who would dream of arresting the inimitable Clifford! Once again, their bond is in evidence as they tackle this curious case and a police (and community) mindset that is so different to the one they are used to dealing with. back home. The repartee continues and ultimately, in true Eleanor Swift style, all is again well!
As always, Gladstone, the bulldog is a delight. Perhaps Detective Seldon will make more of an appearance in the next murder mystery?
This series is so enjoyable, and the author does well to bring us intriguing plot twists as well as humour and style (though the excesses of the artistic community Eleanor spent time with are not my personal choice :)) A most enjoyable cosy mystery!
We received complimentary copies of the book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in these reviews are completely our own.
From the back cover:
A grand villa, croissants for breakfast and a dead body in the wine cellar… Lady Swift can’t seem to take a vacation from murder!
Summer 1923. Lady Eleanor Swift is finally persuaded by her butler, Clifford, to take a villa in the south of France for the season. She plans to do what a glamorous lady abroad should: long lunches on the balcony followed by lazy afternoons lounging by the pool. Even Gladstone the bulldog is looking forward to a daily paddle in the ocean.
But when Clifford examines the wine cellar, he discovers there are no decent reds but there is a very dead body. The victim is famous American movie star Rex Armstrong. Poor Rex seems to have been stabbed with a sword from the film set. So how did he end up in Eleanor’s villa?
Before Eleanor even has time to change out of her travelling suit, her beloved butler is arrested for the crime. At sea without her right-hand man, Eleanor must gather her wits if she’s to outsmart a murderer and save Clifford.
Attending a glitzy party at the luxurious Hotel Azure with the film’s cast and crew so she can question her main suspects, Eleanor overhears the director having a most unsettling telephone call that throws all her theories out of the water. Can Eleanor unmask the true killer before her time abroad is cut murderously short?
A gripping historical murder mystery full of charm and intrigue, set in the beautiful French Riviera. Fans of Agatha Christie, T E Kinsey and Lee Strauss will adore The French for Murder.
