Lady Eleanor Swift is at Buckingham Palace to see her new husband, Detective Chief Inspector Seldon, knighted. Brimming with pride, all she can hope is that Gladstone the bulldog behaves himself in front of the king.
But the happy day is overshadowed when Dilly Dalrymple, a royal guard, collapses. The head of the royal police asks Eleanor and Hugh to investigate the murder – unofficially. This is her first clue that there’s more to the story…
Donning a disguise as a journalist for a well-to-do magazine, Eleanor, with butler Clifford posing as her photographer interview the high-profile guests and residents at the palace. She wasn’t expecting gossiping wives, affairs aplenty and talk of long-lost treasure! Was Dilly killed to settle an old score or was he perhaps a little too close to someone else’s wife?
But when another soldier is murdered at midnight, hours after the palace gates are locked, Eleanor knows she needs to keep her wits about her… And when everyone seems to have a reason to lie, can Eleanor dig up the truth before it’s her head next?
A totally gripping royal whodunnit full of twists, set in 1920s London. Fans of T.E. Kinsey, Catherine Coles and Lee Strauss will be utterly obsessed!
Publisher: Bookouture
Eleanor, Hugh and Clifford jump right into action. Asked to do a quiet, rather unofficial, investigation, the three of them devise a plan and begin looking for the man’s murderer. In a rather lighthearted fashion, Eleanor poses as a journalist, with Clifford as her photographer. This gives them a lot of room to dig deeply into the murder, as well as what might be going on at the palace. I loved seeing another side of Clifford in this book as he really leaned into his role as “Birdie”.
Also, I learned a bit of history! The Beefeaters, Ravenmasters, were something I hadn’t heard of. Their roles, and the esteemed royal ravens that they train and work with, might have seemed like a thing of legend, but their presence and symbolic purpose at the palace exists to this very day.
The mystery itself is top-notch. Eleanor and Clifford particularly shine in this 23rd installment of the series, as well as the other enjoyable characters that were very much a part of the story. Not only do we have Hugh, but Mrs, Butters and the other ladies (lovingly referred to as “aprons”) as they all seamlessly work together as a loving family. Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Eleanor and Hugh’s lovable bulldog Gladstone and their tomcat Tomkins. I love their roles in this book especially with the ravens—one in particular, Rune—as they were interwoven into this story.
I’m sure that I’m not just speaking for myself, but this delightful cozy mystery series has been wonderful from the start, and never loses steam. I am hoping for many more stories with Eleanor, Hugh and Clifford. The loss of Laura, one half of Verity Bright, will undoubtedly be deeply felt by those who knew her. It is hoped that her husband will find solace and comfort in continuing this series.
Thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
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