Lady Eleanor takes her staff away to the seaside as a treat for her 30th birthday celebrations. Ice cream, swimming in the sea, fish n chips and sight-seeing. What could be nicer? Sounds lovely right?! ……But before long a body is discovered and it comes as a massive shock as its someone very well known to our leading lady!

According to the investigating police, Lady Eleanor Swift is considered a suspect. So Ellie and her loyal, intuitive and slightly stuffy butler/sidekick Clifford do a bit of investigating of their own.

Everything about this series transports you back to the 20’s. The vivid descriptions of that time, the clothing worn, food eaten, the language used and the way of life. I absolutely love the pure escapism, fun and adventure of these cosy mysteries and I totally lose myself in them.

I was happy to see the brief return of detective inspector Seldon and another glimpse at his developing relationship with lady Eleanor.
Gladstone the aging bulldog is also a firm favourite of mine!

A wonderful, unputdownable, read in a day kind of book!

Eleanor decides she and her staff have earned a lovely holiday at the sea. On her way out the door, a letter from the hotel arrives. Eleanor puts in her purse and starts her journey. Only to arrive at the Grand as her husband's body is removed on a stretcher. Murdered. Dead for the second time.
Eleanor must find out who murdered her husband - and how he failed to die the first time.
With the help of her outrageously proper butler, Clifford, Eleanor traces Hilary's movements while her ladies have indecent fun.
Overall an enjoyable read. Amazing descriptions of Brighton. And I did not guess the culprit.
I have not read the previous books in this series. Though the background information was sufficient, I feel I would have enjoyed the story as well as the characters more if I had read them.

Lady Eleanor is off on her holidays and of course she takes her staff too so they can all have some R&R in off season Brighton. As usual events intervene and Ellie and her butler Clifford find themselves investigating another murder, that of someone very well known to Ellie. They all still have lots of fun and eat huge amounts of good old English food. (treacle pudding and custard anyone?)

I love the humorous interchanges between Lady Eleanor and Clifford. I really enjoyed the further developments in her romantic involvement - at the current speed we will need about five more books before they get close to a relationship! The author writes beautifully, the mystery is excellent, I never came close to guessing who dunnit and the cover of the book is just beautiful.

The perfect package. I cannot wait for book 6.

Lady Eleanor needs a break - it's spring 1921 and there's been a lot going on in her life- so she rakes herself and her staff off to Brighton for a vacation. This being Ellie, however, you know something's going to happen. When the hotel manager tells her there's a dead man (!), she's shocked, as one would be but then she finds out it's her husband Hilary who she thought died 6 years ago. Well, luckily, Clifford the butler, her crime solving partner, is along with her so they investigate, as does Detective High Seldon, a sort of love interest of Ellie's. It's a fun historical cozy with some genuine laughs (in part due to Gladstone the dog). Don't worry if you haven't read the earlier books as this will be fine as a standalone but know that readers of the series will be pleased to learn a little more of Ellie's backstory. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Cheery.

As Lady Eleanor Swift arrived at the Grange in Brighton, England, for their much longed-for holiday, the lack of staff in the foyer had Clifford ringing the bell. When men carrying a stretcher walked toward her, followed by a policeman, Ellie was on hand when the covering sheet fell to the floor. When she saw who was lying on the stretcher, Ellie collapsed in a dead faint…

When the local policeman decided Lady Swift was a suspect in the mysterious death of the man who was her husband – the husband she’d thought dead the past six years – she tried to protest her innocence. But he didn’t believe her; consequently, she and Clifford decided to investigate themselves to find the killer. But when the staff of Henley Hall arrived the following day, Clifford and Ellie decided not to include them in their search – to let them enjoy their holiday.

The suspects were many, so could Ellie and Clifford narrow it down? When a second body was found, they realized the danger was increasing, as some would believe Ellie held what was the killer’s motive. Would they uncover the murderer before there were more bodies by the seaside?

Mystery by the Sea is the 5th in A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series by Verity Bright and once again it was written with humour, hidden clues and dastardly criminals. Ellie and Clifford – along with Gladstone – make a great sleuthing team, and I am very much looking forward to #6. The characters are all exceptional and the setting in 1921 after the first world war works well. Another thoroughly enjoyable episode, Mystery by the Sea is one I highly recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

This was my second book of the series.
It was great to see the the Hendley Hall family on holiday. This was a mystery full of twists and turns and there was no inkling given to the identity of the murderer until the big reveal at the end. I enjoyed seeing Brighton through the eyes of Lady Eleanor and her 'gang' and enjoyed a trip to the beach (something we have missed out on doing during lockdown...)
It was also nice to find out more about Lady Eleanor's past and it was good to snatch a glimpse of a possible future with DCI Seldon.
Great fun and frolic in the sand and a good read.

I loved this new adventure of Lady Swift and her loyal butler Clifford! Lady Swift decided to take a vacation in Brighton and take her whole household with her but mystery and murder(s) are following her with an interesting twist.
The plot was very well written, it kept me guessing until the end and I couldn't put the book down. The characters are all very lovable and even if we don't see much of the women working at Henley Hall, we still catch a glimpse of the fun they have during this vacation, completely oblivious to the investigation. I'm also very happy to see some development in the romance, I've been rooting for them for a long time!

Highly recommended (also check the previous books, they're all worth it) and I can't wait to read about Ellie's and Clifford's next adventure.

Thank you to the publisher who provided me with an e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am so happy I discovered this series!

Lady Swift and Clifford are a formidable team when it comes to solving murders, and they do it with such flair and humour.

This book, like the others before it, is filled with good humour and clever clues as to who the killer is. I enjoyed the fact that we got more insight into Lady Swift's personal history, and having lived in South Africa for 28 years myself, I am particularly nostalgic hearing about the places mentioned in the book.

Mystery by the Sea is another enjoyable addition to the series, and if you like cosy mysteries, I highly recommend this one.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. Mystery by the Sea is the 5th book in the cozy mystery series featuring Lady Eleanor Swift set in the 1920s. After finding herself involved in several murder investigations after arriving in England upon the death of her great-uncle, Eleanor decides a visit to Brighton might be just what she needs to unwind. Her entire household including the indispensable Clifford are coming along on holiday. Upon her arrival at the Grand Hotel, she is shocked to stumble across a murder and a murder of someone she knows. Her husband, who she believed to be dead is the victim and the cops wonder if she might be involved! Eleanor is determined to figure out who killed her husband and there isn't a lack of suspects staying at the hotel.

As always in this series, the characters are as much of the draw for me as the actual mystery. There are some funny and light hearted moments featuring the members of Eleanor's household as they enjoy a holiday by the sea while Eleanor keeps them in the dark about her investigation. Clifford is there as always to support Eleanor and help her out of some sticky situations. The mystery in this book kept me guessing more than previous titles and I found it very well done. There is a development on the romantic front that I'm excited to see continue in future titles. This book is a nice way to spend a few hours in 1920s England - I continue to look forward to following Eleanor's adventures for many more books.

This was a great read. I love the characters and the setting. I was not able to figure out who did it nor why.
I find this series very entertaining.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review. I'm hoping for many more.

Mystery By the Sea is the fifth book in the successful Lady Eleanor Swift cozy mystery series. I love cozy mysteries, and the fact that this is set in the early 1920s definitely adds to its charm. Eleanor has proved to be quite adept at being an amateur detective. No matter where the location, murders always seem to fall into her path. She works on her own, with the police, or with her trusty butler Clifford and faithful dog Gladstone.

This time around, however, Eleanor has decided to take a break. Defying convention, Elle arranges a little holiday with some of her staff, and hopes that she will enjoy more pleasant experiences for at least a little while. Arrangements have been set for Eleanor and the others to spend a few days at the Grand Hotel in Brighton.

Eleanor is approached by the hotel's frantic manager to look into the mystery of a dead body that had been found in one of the rooms. Shockingly, Eleanor discovers that the dead body is that of her husband. How could that be, when he was thought to have died six years previously? After recovering from imaginable shock, Eleanor immediately begins looking for answers. One of the things she finds definitely has clues, but will there be enough for Eleanor to discover how her husband had been alive all of this time, and why he was just killed at the very hotel that she is visiting with her staff?

This book is excellent, as has been every previous title in the series. I love Eleanor and also the time frame in which this book was written. Her love interest is coming along nicely as well. I also enjoyed how Eleanor, as a well-traveled archaeologist, must learn to live the life of a lady, and follow the rules of society. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Lady Swift's 30th birthday deserves a celebration so she takes her whole household off to Brighton to enjoy some well deserved vacation after the events that took place during Christmas at Henley Hall. But as soon as she enters The Grand Hotel she encounters a body being removed by the police and to her surprise, the dead guy is not a stranger.

As per usual this book was pure and fun escapism. Once again the 1920s are perfectly portrayed. The change of scenery was really nice and all the talk and descriptions of Brighton's landmarks made me wanna go visit (although I had to settle for googling them). The historical context and information provided made the cozy mystery plot even more interesting.

The level of cuteness of all the characters just keeps growing and growing. Ellie and Clifford are a fantastic duo of amateur sleuths; it was so much fun reading about the household women having the time of their lives (much to Clifford's chagrin), and I'm so curious to see how this new relationship with Inspector Seldon develops.

Suspects were aplenty and this time the culprit didn't even cross my mind once. The whole story had a locked room mystery feel that I loved.

Fun historical cozy mystery with doses of humour and a set of characters you'll love from the start.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an absolutely amazing and well written series this is. I couldn’t recommend it enough as a feel good cozy mystery set in the 1920’s.
for starters the cover, as with the previous books in this amazing series, is fabulous and will certainly draw readers in.
The characters in the novel have built up from meeting them in book 1 and developed into treasured friends, with whom we as readers would love to tag along with on their adventures, which as ever turn to solving of murder.
This time we see Lady Eleanor and her staff taking a well earned break at The Grand Hotel in Brighton. The characters are well rounded and the description of the scenery is on point.
As ever Lady Eleanor is her usual self and at the same time as becoming lady of the manor she is feisty and self opinionated and with the help of trusty friend and butler Clifford she is in the case.
Solving the murder of the husband she already thought dead some years ago and forging ahead with a possible new romance works well and I can’t wait to see what happens next to these adorable characters.
5 starts for this book and the series, which you could read as stand alone but I would highly recommend them all.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Bookouture, in return for an honest review. While the fifth book in this series, it is easily read as a standalone. Lady Eleanor Swift is a newly made member of the English aristocracy, compliments of an estate and bequest from her late uncle. As the post WWI era begins, she plans to celebrate her 30th birthday with a long visit to Brighton with her trusty butler, Clifford, her inherited English bulldog, and her staff of three, Mrs. Butters, Mrs. Trotman and Polly. Her lovely vacation plans are immediately interrupted when a dead body is found at the hotel upon her arrival. Unfortunately, Lady Eleanor is intimately familiar with the dead man, although he was supposed to have died years before in the Great War, shot as a deserter. How did he end up at the same hotel, why was he still alive (until recently) and how does Lady Eleanor convince the investigating police officer that she had nothing to do with his death?
The author combines several storylines and does so well. She provides some humorous situations with Eleanor and the staff, some sweet moments as when Polly sees the ocean for the first time and then the horrors of the war and its impacts on people of all walks. She adds historical elements that are interesting. You do have to suspend a bit of belief in what Lady Eleanor can do, within the confines of 1920s English upper crust society. Have fun and enjoy!

'A rest,' she mused. 'Now I do like the sound of that. No nasty business. No sleepless nights trying to work through a notebook's worth of impossible clues. And definitely no heartache over a certain gentleman.'

Off to Brighton with her household staff to celebrate her 30th birthday, Lady Eleanor Swift has every right to look forward to a welcome break: this is, after all, the fifth book in the series covering only a year since she returned to England and she has had more than her fair share of murders to solve recently. What could possibly go wrong...?

Well, apart from the fact that even before she sets foot in her hotel the police are removing the body of a murdered guest, who just happens to be her ex-husband whom she believed to have been killed six years ago. With her trusty butler Clifford at her side, Ellie finds herself drawn into her husband's murky past, involving a shady cast of characters, all of whom had reason to get rid of the murdered man. Faced with an (as ever) hopeless local police force, Clifford finds a way of bringing DCI Sheldon ('Call me Hugh') to Brighton - who just happens to be the man who has set Ellie's heart all a-flutter. As her staff enjoy their beach holiday, unaware of what is going on, our brave threesome set up a cliff-top denouement with the killer in the dead of night.

OK, I keep trying to pick up 'serious' books during this never-ending lockdown, only to find that I need an escape. And this series is just that: perfect curl up and lose yourself in a book escapism. It's fun, never trying to take itself too seriously. The historical setting is perfect (although maybe not entirely accurate), and the characters are developing as each book in the series arrives. It will work as a stand alone, so if you haven't read the previous books then you can dive in and just enjoy this for what it is. Fun, addictive and gloriously silly - absolutely recommended. 4.5 stars.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

A Body In Brighton.....
A holiday is on the cards for Lady Eleanor Swift, reluctant amateur sleuth, when she books into the Grand Hotel in Brighton. Needless to say not all goes according to plan when a death is uncovered at the Hotel and, keen to avoid scandal, the manager asks for Lady Eleanors’ help. Our intrepid sleuth is, however, in for a much bigger shock when she agrees to view the body. Enjoyable cosy mystery with a likeable protagonist and populated with a colourful cast of supporting characters. A fitting addition to the series and an entertaining treat.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Mystery by the Sea, the fifth novel to feature Lady Eleanor Swift, set in 1921 Brighton.

After a tumultuous year Lady Eleanor takes herself and her staff to Brighton for a short holiday. When she gets to the Grand Hotel she discovers there has been a murder, but it is the victim’s identity that shocks her because it is her husband, Hilary Eden, who, she believed, has died six years previously. Deciding to investigate she finds that Hilary had secrets that several people are prepared to kill for.

I thoroughly enjoyed Mystery by the Sea that is a fun, frothy read with a good plot and a well disguised perpetrator and motive. It is silly but hugely entertaining and what more could a reader want?

The novel is told entirely from “Ellie”’s point of view so the reader gets to speculate alongside her in her investigation and participate in the fun she has with her staff as they move from one outrageous stunt to the next, when not eating the town bare. Obviously this behaviour is not historically accurate but again it adds to the fun and allows the author and her characters to poke fun at the mores of the time. In contrast the novel is strong on historical context, like social events and details.

I loved the plot which is a bit of a pastiche on the fiction of the times with a husband returning from the dead, a daring robbery, secret messages with obscure clues and a wonderful, confrontational denouement that made me laugh. I had absolutely no idea who killed Hilary and couldn’t work it out, even with help from Ellie’s frequent recapping lists. This all added to the fun and makes the novel an absorbing read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Lady Eleanor Swift returns fairly swiftly (sorry) after her Christmas adventure and she’s off on her hols to celebrate her thirtieth birthday in Brighton, staying at The Grand Hotel. Obviously, Ellie being Ellie the staff will join her too and she’s driven down by loyal butler Clifford. However, they arrive to find something very odd going on with very close links to Eleanor’s past.

First of all, the writing captures and evokes the early 1920’s so well. The style is lively, engaging and the company of such food literary companions (not forgetting Master Gladstone the bulldog) is positively spiffing! I love the gentle humour, the colourful and vivid descriptions of places and characters and the use of Brighton famous landmarks adds additional atmosphere. The author weaves historical information both of Brighton and South Africa into the plot and I like that angle. The pace is fast, it’s twisty, quite dramatic and mysterious and highly entertaining. There are plenty of suspects in this one which link well into the story, keeping you engaged to learn who dunnit with the conclusion and unmasking of the villain of the piece a good surprise.

Overall, this is a fun ‘cozy mystery’ with Lady Eleanor and Clifford as amateur detectives being very much in the spirit of famous writers of this genre and time period. Lady E with her auburn locks, generous spirit and very hearty appetite is a wonderful central character. This is a perfect for right now escapist read in entertaining company. I love the cover which is so evocative of the period.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bookouture for the arc for an honest review.

Lady Eleanor Swift is ready for a seaside holiday with her staff in tow, but her holiday becomes more of a nightmare when here arrival at The Grand Hotel coincides with a murder - the murder of her husband who she thought long dead. Determined to prove she had nothing to do with it and find out who her husband really was, Ellie and her faithful butler Clifford set off in pursuit of answers.

Thoughts:
A good mystery, a little long in parts, I could have passed on a few scenes of Ellie eating and thinking, but overall it captured a really nice picture of where they were and you felt like you knew the characters quite well. As a character, Ellie is quite a fun protagonist and the treatment of the era she is in feels realistic. I wouldn't describe her bull dog as her partner in crime, more so her butler Clifford who accompanies her nearly everywhere and helps smooth the way for her. The twist with her husband was a good one and I think longtime readers of the series will particularly enjoy that twist.

Verity Bright’s fifth Lady Eleanor Swift novel, Mystery by the Sea, shows Ellie, her butler, Clifford and most of the staff going on holiday to Brighton, where Ellie will turn thirty during the holiday. Whilst Ellie and Clifford stay at the Grand Hotel, Mrs Butters, Mrs Trotman and Polly stay at a nearby guest house. That allows them to enjoy themselves without Clifford’s disapproving looks.

As Ellie arrives at the Grand, a body is being removed. The sheet covering it slips and Ellie automatically steps forward to replace it. She recognises the corpse and faints. After all, that man died six years earlier – Ellie should know, he was her husband.

Ellie and Clifford have to tackle two mysteries: what actually happened six years ago; and who killed her husband last night? Interspersed with the sleuthing are episodes where they join the staff and try to pretend that they’re enjoying the holiday.

I’ve said it before, but Verity Bright has the knack of making us be in the book with the characters and it was lovely to see Polly, the fifteen-year-old maid, going on holiday and seeing the sea for the first time. I was also touched when Clifford arranged that Polly was able to keep her admission tickets as souvenirs and when he bought her a big guidebook to Brighton Pavilion to remind her of her perfect day.

This book is more poignant than the other books in the series. The local inspector in charge of the case is convinced that Ellie came to meet her husband and that she’s withholding information. There are several other guests that are suspects. None of these characters offer tea and sympathy. In fact, the callousness shown is breathtaking at times. The consequent see-sawing between gaiety with the staff and dangerous unpleasantness with suspects is painful for Ellie and for us.

The book has the usual banter between Ellie, Clifford and the staff – but it also has a well-thought through mystery. The clues were unusual and the denouement surprised me. If you’ve already read any Lady Swift books, you don’t need me to recommend this. If you haven’t, I suggest you buy all five and binge-read them one after another – they keep getting better.

#MysterybytheSea #NetGalley