Book tour: Murder on the Nile, by Verity Bright

Book Description:-

A cruise down the Nile, a camel ride around the pyramids, lunch in the shadow of the Sphinx… And a very dead body! 1924. Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler Clifford are touring the great, ancient sights of Egypt on a much-anticipated extended vacation. But when the pair arrive at the docks in Cairo expecting to board the luxurious paddle steamer advertised in their brochure, they are baffled by the crumbling old cruiser waiting for them. And things only go from bad to worse as death stalks the decks of the SS Cleopatra… Two days into the trip one of their fellow passengers, Lieutenant Baxter, is found shot dead in his locked cabin. Immediately suspicious and desperate to see justice done, Eleanor discovers a half-finished note addressed to her hidden in Baxter’s travelling trunk. In it he asks her to deliver a vitally important letter to the authorities at their next stop down river: a priceless treasure worthy of a king has been stolen and an innocent man’s life hangs in the balance. But before the sands of time wipe away all evidence on board, Eleanor must uncover who among the other travellers wanted Baxter dead. Was it the anxious archaeologist who doesn’t have an alibi, the reptile expert with a passion for the murderous Nile crocodile or the art dealer with a devious secret? With the killer readying to strike again much closer to home, can Eleanor dig up the truth before she’s trapped in a tomb under the pyramids forever? A gripping and twisty 1920s murder mystery set in Egypt, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss!

The Author:-

Author 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.

https://twitter.com/BrightVerity

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Verity Bright here: https://www.bookouture.com/verity-bright

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0CYQBKJLNsocial

What I thought:- 

Cruises on the Nile are having a bit of a moment: my sister took one last year with her husband, and my daughter's friend is on one right now.  However, it was, it seems, also possible a century ago, and Verity Bright's book has allowed me to enjoy one from the comfort of my magic armchair.  This is an enjoyable journey through the land of the pyramids and the temptations posed by archaeology, plus the excitement of experiencing a different culture.  A murder on board the river cruiser means that Lady Eleanor and Clifford are in their element, helping to solve this crime.  The new chief of police is also, conveniently, travelling on board to his new posting and at first is reluctant to accept their assistance.  Eventually the intrepid pair win him over and are kept very busy trying to get to the bottom of what is going on.  This is an entertaining tale set in an exotic location, great for escaping from the current stormy weather.

Murder in Mayfair by Verity Bright: Books on Tour

 So sorry to be a day late with my post for this book tour - I misread the schedule below when it was tiy on my phone screen, and was horrified when I pasted it in here in a larger format.

Book description:-

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.

My thoughts:-

A wonderfully breezy read, great fun and with interesting characters.  It was also informative as I'd not previously heard of the British Empire Exhibition, which took place in 1924 in Wembley and bequeathed us Wembley Stadium.  It is at the exhibition that the story opens, a great extravaganza  celebrating the diversity of countries within the Empire.  Lady Eleanor Swyft, a thoroughly modern aristocrat, observes an apparent murder from the vantage point of a hot air balloon, and resolves to discover what happened.  It helps that her young man, DCI Seldon, is assigned to security at the exhibition, and also that her trusty valet is discreetly available to assist as necessary.  There are twists, misdirection and much subterfuge before truth and justice triumph, following a path that is very entertaining to follow.  A hundred years ago, women's position in the world was very different to today, but change was afoot and Lady Eleanor is certainly at its forefront.  an absolute, stylised, pleasure.

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.

https://twitter.com/BrightVerity

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Verity Bright here: https://www.bookouture.com/verity-bright

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0CYHGFFYVsocial