Death At The Dance by Verity Bright

England, 1920. Lady Eleanor Swift, adventurer extraordinaire and reluctant amateur detective, is taking a break from sleuthing. She’s got much bigger problems: Eleanor has two left feet, nothing to wear and she’s expected at the masked ball at the local manor. Her new beau Lance Langham is the host, so she needs to dazzle.

Surrounded by partygoers with painted faces, pirates, priests and enough feathers to drown an ostrich, Eleanor searches for a familiar face. As she follows a familiar pair of long legs up a grand staircase, she’s sure she’s on Lance’s trail. But she opens the door on a dreadful scene: Lance standing over a dead Colonel Puddifoot, brandishing a silver candlestick, the family safe wide open and empty.

Moments later, the police burst in and arrest Lance for murder, diamond theft and a spate of similar burglaries. But Eleanor is convinced her love didn’t do it, and with him locked up in prison, she knows she needs to clear his name.

Something Lance lets slip about his pals convinces Eleanor the answer lies close to home. Accompanied by her faithful sidekick Gladstone the bulldog, she begins with Lance’s friends – a set of fast driving, even faster drinking, high-society types with a taste for mischief. But after they start getting picked off in circumstances that look a lot like murder, Eleanor is in a race against time to clear Lance’s name and avoid another brush with death…

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. 

Twitter:  @BrightVerity

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/2YIyEEf

Review

I was super stoked to be asked on this blogtour as I really loved the first book. Yes, there are plethora of cozy crimes set in this era but I really like the characters of Eleanor and Clifford! The plot was fantastic, the characters a bit more fleshed out and I just loved the feel of this book. Bring on more I say.

I really liked the pacing as it kicked off with a bang at a huge masked ball, a jewel thief and a murder! Lancelot is then taken prisoner as Eleanor finds him stood over the body. I liked how although he was part of the story, he was in the background and this allowed Eleanor (or should I say Clifford) to find out who the real criminals were. I’m still very intrigued about Clifford and Eleanor’s Uncle as I’m sure there are lots of stories to hear.

It was effortless to read this book as it just flows amazingly well for me. I love all the old language and references to history that are throughout the book. But then this is the era that I am obsessed with. I really enjoyed the imagery that came with the treasure hunt scenes in particular.

I honestly can’t wait for the next one! Hurry up Verity.