Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for A Death in Venice by Verity Bright. This is the 17th book in the Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Series, but they can be read as standalone stories. I have only read four of them and have enjoyed them all. I am trying to go back and read this series from the beginning, as I want to read all of Lady Eleanor Swift’s adventures.

A Death in Venice (Lady Eleanor Swift #17) by Verity Bright

Published March 28th 2024 by Bookouture

Stunning views across the Grand Canal and a hotel suite fit for royalty… Lady Eleanor Swift is having a jolly good time on her Italian vacation, until a gondola ride is cut murderously short!

1924. Lady Eleanor Swift has been on a grand tour around Italy for a month with her butler Clifford. Finally arriving in Venice, she’s thrilled to be attending the famous carnival: all that’s needed is the perfect bejewelled costume for her faithful bulldog, Gladstone. But on her first gondola ride to take in the sights, a passenger collapses into the canal with a knife sticking out of his back.

Eleanor saw an argument break out between the gondolier and the victim, Councillor Benetto Vendelini, and it turns out they’re rivals from the city’s two great families. Vendelini’s murder is sure to reignite their centuries-long feud. While attending a glitzy ball that night, Eleanor learns of a plot to steal a precious family heirloom from the Vendelini household. Is the stolen item the key to solving this baffling murder?

In this floating city of tiny winding alleyways, Eleanor traces the missing heirloom to an antiques dealer in a far-flung corner of town. But when her handbag is snatched by a cloaked thief, she realises the murderer is dangerously close. Can Eleanor unmask this most cunning of killers, before she joins the other victim at the bottom of the Grand Canal?

An utterly gripping historical murder mystery set in Italy, full of intrigue and charming characters. Fans of T.E. Kinsey, Agatha Christie and Catherine Coles will be totally hooked by A Death in Venice!

5 Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Death in Venice is the 17th Lady Eleanor Swift mystery and I am still very much enjoying her exploits. As the title suggests, Eleanor, her butler Clifford and her four ladies are in Venice for a holiday. Of course she goes nowhere without Gladstone, her bulldog and their cat, Tompkins. They plan on attending Carnival and she has been invited to the Countess’ party. While touring and going on a gondola ride, they witness the killing of a local politician, Councillor Benetto Vendelini. Is this a murder to try and start up the feud between two of the great families of Venice? As more murders occur and Eleanor seeming to be stalked, they get involved in the investigation to find the killer.

A Death in Venice has a bit of a Romeo and Juliet vibe happening. There is a missing artifact that is needed to be found in order to stop a centuries old feud from being reignited. There is a young couple who are in love, but someone is trying to stop them from getting married. There are murders, stalking, stolen purses, rooms being ransacked and a kidnapping all wrapped up in an entertaining historical cozy mystery. I learned a lot about gondoliers, gondolas and how Venice was built while trying to solve this mystery before Eleanor did. I enjoy Eleanor’s irreverent attitudes toward her staff, who she enjoys spending time with and pays for their vacation. They pop in and out of the story and add some comic relief. There is some danger, but Clifford is always there to keep Eleanor safe. There is a bit of a misunderstanding between Hugh and Eleanor which was a bit frustrating, but it was all worked out in the end. I have to mention, Kip, the young man from London who is trying to reenact Lord Byron’s adventures during his time in Venice. It was fun, but he also plays a role in solving the mystery. This was a wonderful addition to this series and I am already looking forward to seeing where the next book will take us. If you enjoy a good historical cozy mystery, especially one with some humor and great characters, then I recommend you pick this one up.

Buy Link: Amazon

About 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.

Find her on Twitter at: @BrightVerity

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