A Death in Venice
- Downloads：2335
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2024-03-29 17:20:52
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Verity Bright
- ISBN：B0CN6ZXXSB
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
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！
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！
Reviews
Carla
，
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 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。 。。。more
Jessica Winn
，
A Death in VeniceGenre: cozy mysteryRating: 3/5 Thank you @netgalley for a fun little cozy mystery read！！ This is my first of Verity Bright’s mysteries， and it was a fun one。 The whimsical dialogue and exciting setting （1920s Venice！） were a delight to follow along with， and the cover art definitely sets the scene perfectly。 The murder mystery got a bit weedy for me， but still an enjoyable read！ Pros: - Setting - Dialogue and prose were lots of fun - Cheeky little side characters Cons: - Mystery A Death in VeniceGenre: cozy mysteryRating: 3/5 Thank you @netgalley for a fun little cozy mystery read！！ This is my first of Verity Bright’s mysteries， and it was a fun one。 The whimsical dialogue and exciting setting （1920s Venice！） were a delight to follow along with， and the cover art definitely sets the scene perfectly。 The murder mystery got a bit weedy for me， but still an enjoyable read！ Pros: - Setting - Dialogue and prose were lots of fun - Cheeky little side characters Cons: - Mystery was a bit hard for me to follow at times: too much Venetian politicking and not enough Ellie/Clifford shenanigans。 。。。more
Roberta
，
I’ve loved the Lady Eleanor Swift Mysteries since the very first book， A Very English Murder， came out。 A Death in Venice was no exception。This time， Eleanor， Clifford， and their animal and human entourage are in Venice。 It’s not long before Eleanor gets wrapped up in a mystery！I loved reading this book， the plot is intriguing， and I enjoyed watching Eleanor try and figure it out， especially as there didn’t seem to be much in the way of motive to start with。The setting was excellent， and really I’ve loved the Lady Eleanor Swift Mysteries since the very first book， A Very English Murder， came out。 A Death in Venice was no exception。This time， Eleanor， Clifford， and their animal and human entourage are in Venice。 It’s not long before Eleanor gets wrapped up in a mystery！I loved reading this book， the plot is intriguing， and I enjoyed watching Eleanor try and figure it out， especially as there didn’t seem to be much in the way of motive to start with。The setting was excellent， and really different to anything we’ve seen Eleanor and Co tackle before。 The colourfulness and unusual landscape of Venice really came through。 It felt like the ideal setting for the intrigue of this particular story。Overall， this was an intriguing and exciting mystery， in a unique setting。 I can’t wait to see what Eleanor and her friends get up to next。I was given a copy of this book， my opinions are my own。 。。。more
eyes。2c
，
Venice during Carnival time set in 1924。 Should be a winner！ Unhappily murder and mayhem was overshadowed by the travelogue aspect。 I appreciated that part but the mystery？ A pity！ I just wasn’t into it。 Too many site descriptors and not enough story。A NetGalley ARC
Annarella
，
This novel is an entertaining addition to this lovely series， a solid mystery and a love letter to Venice。 I loved to see Venice through the eyes of someone in another time and with a different background。I visited Venice with locals and I still cherish the memories of the less known corners and the atmosphere。The band of Eleanor and her friend， Gladstone and Clifford plus the ladies， are in Venice during the Carnevale in 1924。 There will be murders even if Eleanor is loving the city and what sh This novel is an entertaining addition to this lovely series， a solid mystery and a love letter to Venice。 I loved to see Venice through the eyes of someone in another time and with a different background。I visited Venice with locals and I still cherish the memories of the less known corners and the atmosphere。The band of Eleanor and her friend， Gladstone and Clifford plus the ladies， are in Venice during the Carnevale in 1924。 There will be murders even if Eleanor is loving the city and what she sees and would prefer enjoy the city and Carnevale。There’s plenty of twists， feuds that go back in the century and a lot of surprising twists。 The book kept me reading and I enjoyed the solution。The characters are well developed as usual and the solid and tightly knitted plot kept me reading till late in the night。I cannot wait to read the next one， highly recommendedMany thanks Bookouture for this ARC， all opinions are mine 。。。more
Anna Fox
，
I really enjoy the characters （the butler！）。 The mystery kept me guessing and loved the setting。Thank you to the author， publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review。
Janet
，
1924 & Lady Eleanor Swift & her household have been on a grand tour around Italy for a month。 Finally arriving in Venice， she’s thrilled to be attending the famous carnival。 However on her first gondola ride to take in the sights， a passenger in a nearby gondola 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。 The 1924 & Lady Eleanor Swift & her household have been on a grand tour around Italy for a month。 Finally arriving in Venice， she’s thrilled to be attending the famous carnival。 However on her first gondola ride to take in the sights， a passenger in a nearby gondola 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。 The seventeenth book in the series & whilst it could be read on its own I love how the dynamics between Ellie & her staff have developed， especially the relationship with Clifford。 This wasn’t my favourite of the series， maybe because Hugh didn’t feature apart from a couple of phone calls & a telegram。 Ellie finds herself drawn into the conflict between two families & it takes all her resolve & quick thinking to resolve the case。 A well written enjoyable mystery & I look forward to the next in the series。My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read 。。。more
Phrynne
，
Another beautiful cover on this seventeenth book in the series。 How can you resist picking up a book which looks like this！Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler， Clifford， are still on their grand tour of Europe and this time they are in Venice。 Only Elly could witness a murder in a gondola almost as soon as she has arrived in the city。 So instead of sightseeing， partying and shopping she finds herself investigating and getting herself into some very dangerous situations。 Of course Clifford is there Another beautiful cover on this seventeenth book in the series。 How can you resist picking up a book which looks like this！Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler， Clifford， are still on their grand tour of Europe and this time they are in Venice。 Only Elly could witness a murder in a gondola almost as soon as she has arrived in the city。 So instead of sightseeing， partying and shopping she finds herself investigating and getting herself into some very dangerous situations。 Of course Clifford is there to help but she is very resourceful and manages to save herself more than once。 A very enjoyable， fun read and I am already wondering where Elly and the team will be going next。Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book。 。。。more
Jan Mawdesley
，
Lady Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Swift is taking a holiday in Europe arriving in Venice at Carnival time; she has not only bought along Gladstone and Tompkins but the entire staff， overseen by the absolutely loyal and almost unshakable Clifford。 Hugh， due to the pressure of work， has remained in England。Ellie is finding Venice amazing， overwhelming and charming， but when she accidently bumps into a young lady， sending her handbag flying， the contents strewn over the cobbled paving， she is mortified。Helping Lady Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Swift is taking a holiday in Europe arriving in Venice at Carnival time; she has not only bought along Gladstone and Tompkins but the entire staff， overseen by the absolutely loyal and almost unshakable Clifford。 Hugh， due to the pressure of work， has remained in England。Ellie is finding Venice amazing， overwhelming and charming， but when she accidently bumps into a young lady， sending her handbag flying， the contents strewn over the cobbled paving， she is mortified。Helping pick up the contents she chats with the young woman who replies in a very enigmatic style， before quietly disappearing in the crowd， but just before she completely vanishes， Ellie realises there is an item left behind， that of a beautifully crafted Venetian glass heart。And so begins the latest and to date most intriguing adventure to involve Ellie and Clifford， as they discover in the most horrific way possible， that Eleanor has landed herself in a decades long feud between two powerful families， with someone out to destroy the fragile truce， or anyone and anything that gets in their way。A Gondola ride later that day sees Ellie and Clifford witness to very disturbing incident on the canal resulting in the death of a City official， also a member of one of the families。 When her hotel room is ransacked， with nothing taken， a second murder occurs， that of the Gondolier ferrying the murdered man， Ellie’s instinct for solving mysteries sees her begins to wonder what is really going on。Verity Bright has captured the magic of Venice， the myriad of winding canals and narrow lanes that make up the City， the centuries old beauty of the buildings and the immense pride the Venetian's have in their City built on nothing but timber piles， in the fast pace murder mystery， A Death In Venice that pushes both Ellie and Clifford into territory never faced before， as they struggle to survive against a killer who really means business。A Death In Venice would have to be considered as the best yet from Verity Bright。 What will Lady Eleanor Swift and the indomitable Clifford get up to next。 I for one can’t wait to find out！ 。。。more
Kacey/Kris
，
Another wonderful book from Verity Bright in her series of A Lady Eleanore Swift Mystery。 Eleanore has done it again in the beautiful place of Venice。 She is witty and adorable。 The story is fascinating， gripping， and hard to put down。
DJ Sakata
，
Favorite Quotes:‘Still harbouring a yearning to join the profession， my lady？ Rigidly following a routine meal schedule and indulging in only lady-like portions？’ She shook her head in horror。 ‘Not a chance， Clifford。 What a hideous idea！’Clifford！ I’ve just had the most extraordinary moment where words came out of my mouth before I’d even had the thought。‘You shouldn’t be mixed up in any of this awful trouble， anyway。 I so wanted you to come away purely for a holiday。’ ‘Which it has been，’ he s Favorite Quotes:‘Still harbouring a yearning to join the profession， my lady？ Rigidly following a routine meal schedule and indulging in only lady-like portions？’ She shook her head in horror。 ‘Not a chance， Clifford。 What a hideous idea！’Clifford！ I’ve just had the most extraordinary moment where words came out of my mouth before I’d even had the thought。‘You shouldn’t be mixed up in any of this awful trouble， anyway。 I so wanted you to come away purely for a holiday。’ ‘Which it has been，’ he said drily。 ‘In inimitable Lady Swift style; replete with inappropriate venues， danger and， ahem， bodies。If a compliment was intended， please forgive my having missed it。My Review:I adore this delightful series。 The crafty writing duo known as Verity Bright just keeps getting better with each new addition。 Their writing style is smooth， witty， wryly amusing， and unfailingly entertaining。 This installment was opulently detailed with the brilliance and colorful splendor of Venice and had me wanting to pack my bags and hop on a gondola myself。 The mystery was well-plotted and unsolvable for anyone but the uncanny brain trust found in the pairing of Lady Swift and her infinitely prepared butler， Clifford。 。。。more
Brenda
，
Lady Eleanor Swift， her butler Clifford and the four ladies from Henley Hall， along with Gladstone （the dog） and Tomkins （the cat） were in Venice for a much needed holiday。 On a gondola with Angelo， their gondolier， Ellie was in awe of everything around her。 Clifford was as well， but didn't show it as much as his mistress did。 But when a speedboat zoomed past and the gondola rocked in the wake， a man fell overboard from the gondola ahead。 When he was dragged from the canal， he was dead。 Ellie wa Lady Eleanor Swift， her butler Clifford and the four ladies from Henley Hall， along with Gladstone （the dog） and Tomkins （the cat） were in Venice for a much needed holiday。 On a gondola with Angelo， their gondolier， Ellie was in awe of everything around her。 Clifford was as well， but didn't show it as much as his mistress did。 But when a speedboat zoomed past and the gondola rocked in the wake， a man fell overboard from the gondola ahead。 When he was dragged from the canal， he was dead。 Ellie was sure it wasn't an accident。。。The rivalry from the two greatest families in Venice was known to be long and bitter， and with a carnival starting in a few days， the feud of centuries looked set to raise up once again。 With stolen artifacts， a thief stealing Ellie's handbag， and a burglar ransacking her hotel room， Ellie could feel herself becoming deeply involved with something sinister in Venice。 She and Clifford were desperate to solve the crimes， find the murderer and get on with their holiday。 But could they do that， with the murderer having struck again？A Death in Venice is the 17th in The Lady Eleanor Swift series by Verity Bright and I enjoyed it very much。 A lot of description of a beautiful city; set in 1924 （100 years ago！） with characters who were determined to better "the other side"; gondolas， bridges and people - everywhere。 A fun read， with Clifford as his usual stiff butlery self。 Recommended。With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Denise
，
A murder interrupts a vacation in this cozy mystery。 Lady Swift and her household are on a grand tour when they stop in Venice。 While gliding along the canals in a gondola， Eleanor and her butler， Clifford， witness a murder。 Of course， they get involved and uncover a longstanding family feud reminiscent of Romeo and Juliette。 Can they save the day and let true love prevail。I was a bit disappointed in this installment。 It was quite like a tour guidebook about Venice， which is interesting enough， A murder interrupts a vacation in this cozy mystery。 Lady Swift and her household are on a grand tour when they stop in Venice。 While gliding along the canals in a gondola， Eleanor and her butler， Clifford， witness a murder。 Of course， they get involved and uncover a longstanding family feud reminiscent of Romeo and Juliette。 Can they save the day and let true love prevail。I was a bit disappointed in this installment。 It was quite like a tour guidebook about Venice， which is interesting enough， but the actual plot and the murders and their involvement seemed a bit too far-fetched。 I missed the usual funny banter between Ellie and Clifford。 For some reason， it all just seemed off from the usual stories in this series。 Truth told; it was sort of boring。 Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review。 I really have enjoyed this series and have read all of the books and hope for a return to the usual in the next volume。 。。。more
Shaina
，
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Verity Bright for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Death in Venice coming out March 28， 2024。 The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own。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 r Thank you so much to NetGalley and Verity Bright for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Death in Venice coming out March 28， 2024。 The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own。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？I have several books by this author， but this is the first one I’ve read。 Historical cozy mysteries is one of my favorite genres。 I’m obsessed with Venice， so I was really excited to receive this book。 I thought there was a lot of world building and explaining what it’s like in Venice。 I think Eleanor is a strong heroine and I enjoyed her asking a lot of questions and trying to solve the murder。 I loved it！ I definitely need to read more books in the series。I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical murder mysteries located in famous cities！ 。。。more
Nadishka Aloysius
，
This sure brought back memories of my trip to Venice over a decade ago。 The descriptions were so authentic， atmospheric， and engaging to the senses it is worth reading this just to enjoy a slice of that city！ As for the mystery I was a little disappointed with the reveal at the end as it did not really add up well and felt forced and sudden。 But I must admit I did not guess the culprit
Lori D
，
What could Lady Eleanor be up to in Venice？ It seems that mystery and murder never take a holiday when she， he butler and of course her faithful dog find themselves in the middle of a murder。A man is stabbed and it appears to go back to a family feud， centuries old。 Or is it？ A fun journey as usual that will leave you turning to get to the last page！！
Elaine Tomasso
，
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of A Death in Venice， the seventeenth novel to feature Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler， Clifford， set in 1924。On holiday in Venice Eleanor is enjoying her first gondola trip when she sees a dispute on another gondola end with the passenger in the canal， a knife in his back。 The victim is town councillor Benetto Vendelini and the gondolier is a member of the opposing family in a centuries long feud， currently in an uneasy truce。 I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of A Death in Venice， the seventeenth novel to feature Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler， Clifford， set in 1924。On holiday in Venice Eleanor is enjoying her first gondola trip when she sees a dispute on another gondola end with the passenger in the canal， a knife in his back。 The victim is town councillor Benetto Vendelini and the gondolier is a member of the opposing family in a centuries long feud， currently in an uneasy truce。 So will the truce last？I enjoyed A Death in Venice， due to the fun and amusing dialogue between Eleanor and Clifford。 I must admit that I thought the plot was thin and barely credible with all sorts of unlikely events， not least Eleanor sticking her nose in， as normally there is some kind of justification for it whereas this feels contrived。Much of the early novel is spent touring the highlights of Venice so it’s quite slow， dead bodies notwithstanding。 It introduces several characters and examines the feud。 The action heats up in the second half， but I can’t say that I found it riveting or cared overly much about the outcome。 Is it not a bit patronising to centre the plot on an Italian cliché of feuding families？Still， Eleanor， Clifford and the Ladies supply fun and laughter to make it an entertaining read。 。。。more
Donna Huber
，
This was a fun read。 It makes me want to visit Venice though it probably isn't much like what Eleanor visited in the 1920s。 I like the changing dynamic between Eleanor and Clifford。 Of course， the ladies are present on this vacation though we only got little glimpses of them。 Full review soon。 This was a fun read。 It makes me want to visit Venice though it probably isn't much like what Eleanor visited in the 1920s。 I like the changing dynamic between Eleanor and Clifford。 Of course， the ladies are present on this vacation though we only got little glimpses of them。 Full review soon。 。。。more
The Sassy Bookworm
，
Book Review: A Death in Venice by Verity BrightRating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"Lady Eleanor Swift finds herself embroiled in a murder mystery in the enchanting city of Venice。 As she unravels the clues to solve the crime， she discovers dark secrets and treacherous plots that threaten to shatter the tranquility of the Venetian canals。"Verity Bright's "A Death in Venice" takes readers on a captivating journey through the bustling streets and picturesque canals of Venice in 1924。 Lady Eleanor Swift， accompanied Book Review: A Death in Venice by Verity BrightRating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"Lady Eleanor Swift finds herself embroiled in a murder mystery in the enchanting city of Venice。 As she unravels the clues to solve the crime， she discovers dark secrets and treacherous plots that threaten to shatter the tranquility of the Venetian canals。"Verity Bright's "A Death in Venice" takes readers on a captivating journey through the bustling streets and picturesque canals of Venice in 1924。 Lady Eleanor Swift， accompanied by her loyal butler Clifford， sets out to enjoy the festivities of the famous carnival。 However， their idyllic gondola ride is interrupted by a shocking murder that plunges Eleanor into a web of deceit and intrigue。The author masterfully weaves a tale of suspense， blending intricate details of Venetian culture with a gripping whodunit plot that keeps readers on the edge of their seats。 From glamorous balls to shadowy alleyways， the story unfolds against a rich tapestry of historical backdrop， immersing readers in the sights and sounds of this captivating city。One of the highlights of this book is the meticulous attention to detail in crafting the setting。 Bright's vivid descriptions transport readers to the heart of Venice， allowing them to experience the beauty and mystery of this iconic city firsthand。 The engaging writing style keeps the pace brisk， ensuring that readers are constantly engaged as they follow Eleanor's quest for justice。While the mystery itself is expertly crafted， with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing， the true charm of the story lies in its delightful cast of characters。 From the resourceful Lady Eleanor to her faithful companion Gladstone， each character is brought to life with warmth and wit， making them instantly endearing to readers。However， amidst all the intrigue and excitement， there is one aspect that falls slightly short—namely， the underdeveloped romance between Eleanor and Hugh。 Their relationship feels somewhat lacking in depth and fails to add significant emotional depth to the story。 Despite this minor flaw， "A Death in Venice" remains a captivating read that will appeal to fans of historical mysteries and cozy whodunits。 Whether you're a fan of Agatha Christie or simply love a good old-fashioned whodunit， this book is sure to captivate your imagination and leave you eagerly awaiting Lady Eleanor's next adventure。⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book。 Individual preferences may vary⚠️ 。。。more
Paloma
，
A Death In Venice was such a lovely treat！ The description of the food， the royals， Venice and the gondolas left me happy and fulfilled as if I too had accompanied Lady Swift， her adorable pets and the indispensable Clifford。 It felt like a grown up murder mystery， where it wasn’t solely focused on the murder， but the characters enjoyed their trip and I enjoyed it right alongside them。 I connected with Clifford who is basically the human version of Wikipedia。 Oh， and I really liked reading Lady A Death In Venice was such a lovely treat！ The description of the food， the royals， Venice and the gondolas left me happy and fulfilled as if I too had accompanied Lady Swift， her adorable pets and the indispensable Clifford。 It felt like a grown up murder mystery， where it wasn’t solely focused on the murder， but the characters enjoyed their trip and I enjoyed it right alongside them。 I connected with Clifford who is basically the human version of Wikipedia。 Oh， and I really liked reading Lady Swift's inner voice， it felt like a whole other character。 Highly recommend and it can be read as a standalone。 。。。more
Ink
，
A Death in Venice by Verity Bright is the irst cosy mystery I have read from this author and I understand many， many more have gone before！ Absolutely this can be read as a standalone and I think the series will be an interesting one to dip into based on the writing of this bookI enjoyed the writing style as there was a good mystery and light humour throughout。 The characters are affable and fun and the scene setting was vivid and immersive。 A great read if you enjoy cozy mysteriesThank you very A Death in Venice by Verity Bright is the irst cosy mystery I have read from this author and I understand many， many more have gone before！ Absolutely this can be read as a standalone and I think the series will be an interesting one to dip into based on the writing of this bookI enjoyed the writing style as there was a good mystery and light humour throughout。 The characters are affable and fun and the scene setting was vivid and immersive。 A great read if you enjoy cozy mysteriesThank you very much to Netgalley， Bookouture and the wonderful author（s） Verity Bright for this lovely ARC。 My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own#ADeathinVenice #NetGalley 。。。more
Clare Chase
，
What a wonderful addition to the brilliant Lady Eleanor Swift series！ I felt as though I was right there in Venice along with Ellie， Clifford and ‘the ladies’！ The book creates a bewitching backdrop for a thrilling game of cat and mouse and an intriguing mystery。 I also really enjoyed the colourful walk-on characters， and of course， the presence of Ellie’s pets， Gladstone and Tomkins。 It was fascinating to find the historical notes at the end of the book too， giving extra context for anyone who What a wonderful addition to the brilliant Lady Eleanor Swift series！ I felt as though I was right there in Venice along with Ellie， Clifford and ‘the ladies’！ The book creates a bewitching backdrop for a thrilling game of cat and mouse and an intriguing mystery。 I also really enjoyed the colourful walk-on characters， and of course， the presence of Ellie’s pets， Gladstone and Tomkins。 It was fascinating to find the historical notes at the end of the book too， giving extra context for anyone who might want it。 I loved it all， from start to finish！ 。。。more
Stephanie Kollgaard
，
A Death in Venice is a fun and lighthearted journey through Venice marred by some murders the protagonist encounters along the way- and doesn't seem too bothered by aside from her determination to solve the crimes。 This is the first Eleanor Swift book I've read- I was taken in by the title/description and didn't realize initially this is part of a series， however this book stands up well on its own and only alludes somewhat to prior books。 Overall the pacing was uneven。 While there was enough ac A Death in Venice is a fun and lighthearted journey through Venice marred by some murders the protagonist encounters along the way- and doesn't seem too bothered by aside from her determination to solve the crimes。 This is the first Eleanor Swift book I've read- I was taken in by the title/description and didn't realize initially this is part of a series， however this book stands up well on its own and only alludes somewhat to prior books。 Overall the pacing was uneven。 While there was enough action happening that it kept me engaged enough to keep reading and actually want to know what would happen， the main action doesn't occur until nearly 2/3 of the way into the book。 The first 200 or so pages consist primarily of Eleanor "Lady Swift" getting into various confrontations and dead ends （literally and figuratively） with a cast of Italian characters who become hard to keep track of。 These meetings and parties and run ins she has are not pointless- characters who are important to the ultimate resolution of the crimes are introduced in addition to their possible motives for Eleanor to consider。 The introductions and various false starts go on for too long though and the plot begins to drag， particularly by what seems like the millionth time Eleanor reaches a wrong conclusion and announces， "Dash it！" As I read on I realized the plot is influenced by Romeo and Juliet- which is referenced briefly in the beginning by a character- however this book has enough differences that this is not a cozy mystery re-telling of that。A recurring theme throughout Eleanor's adventures is her butler reminding her repeatedly of her social standing and then begrudgingly assisting her with her hijinks， frequently with her cat and dog in tow as her butler apparently carries them all over Venice。 Also popping up at various points are her ladies in waiting who do nothing to advance the plot and appear to only be present for comic relief。 There is also a fiancé who makes appearances via telephone and is not relevant at all to the storyline although presumably is present in the previous books。The final twists were not what I would have guessed at all so I commend the author for that。 However， the plot and ultimate reveal were so convoluted that it could have worked better with whole chapters removed。 This book painted a vivid image of Venice however curiously- despite the character's commentary on how nicely Italian men dress- there was little description of what these men were actually wearing beyond "nice suits"- even a suit that was apparently brightly colored did not have a description of what that color was。 All of this said， the plot was engaging enough that I wanted to continue reading the book to find out what happened next。 I do want to read the first book in this series so I can get a proper introduction to this character and see how the initial books compare to this one。Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review。 This review is my honest opinion。 。。。more
Kaila
，
I usually find Lady Swift books interesting however， this one just didn't do it for me。 It's a mystery that takes place in Venice， specifically beginning while Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler are out viewing the city on a gondola。 They witness a murder， a person stabbed and thrown into the water。 She later finds out those involved are part of long-time feuding families。The book sort of picked up at this point， however not the way I liked。 Everything before that however， was mostly descriptions I usually find Lady Swift books interesting however， this one just didn't do it for me。 It's a mystery that takes place in Venice， specifically beginning while Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler are out viewing the city on a gondola。 They witness a murder， a person stabbed and thrown into the water。 She later finds out those involved are part of long-time feuding families。The book sort of picked up at this point， however not the way I liked。 Everything before that however， was mostly descriptions。 There's quite a bit of unnecessary description and filler in this book， which I honestly couldn't appreciate。 The book was good， but could have been better。I received this book on behalf of NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more
Natasha van Huyssteen
，
I finished a Verity Bright book in a day？ Then you must know it's captivating！ This was such a fun twist on what I would call Romeo and Juliet but without the tragedy。 I could not stop reading because of all the twists and turns included。Did I know who the murderer was？ Certainly not， because I made the rooky mistake of not really focusing 😂 but hey， these books are always so fun to read that I don't mind not knowing the plot。10/10 for transporting me to a country I never visited， even if it doe I finished a Verity Bright book in a day？ Then you must know it's captivating！ This was such a fun twist on what I would call Romeo and Juliet but without the tragedy。 I could not stop reading because of all the twists and turns included。Did I know who the murderer was？ Certainly not， because I made the rooky mistake of not really focusing 😂 but hey， these books are always so fun to read that I don't mind not knowing the plot。10/10 for transporting me to a country I never visited， even if it does take place in the 1900。Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for sending me an ARC for my honest review。 。。。more
Maria
，
This was a dnf for me！ The writing was too flowery so I would forget the story behind all the descriptions！
virginia
，
Wow what a great， little cozy murder mystery I was able to enjoy in one sitting。 As Lady Eleanor Swift begins her holiday in Italy with her uptight but devoted butler， Clifford， her staff of ladies and her lovable yet mischievous dog and cat， I found myself enjoying this story from Verity Bright。 While Eleanor is enjoying the beauty and the history of Venice， I found myself walking right alongside her as she explored St。 Mark’s Square， The Bridge of Sighs， Doge’s Palace， all places I visited a f Wow what a great， little cozy murder mystery I was able to enjoy in one sitting。 As Lady Eleanor Swift begins her holiday in Italy with her uptight but devoted butler， Clifford， her staff of ladies and her lovable yet mischievous dog and cat， I found myself enjoying this story from Verity Bright。 While Eleanor is enjoying the beauty and the history of Venice， I found myself walking right alongside her as she explored St。 Mark’s Square， The Bridge of Sighs， Doge’s Palace， all places I visited a few years ago。 The story begins a few days before Carnivale Season， as Lady Eleanor and Butler Clifford witness a murder one night while they are experiencing a gondola ride。 The setting was rich with descriptions of Venice， and well-researched in the art of the gondola， which figured into the murder mystery beautifully。 As these two well-developed and comical characters become inadvertently drawn into a murder investigation the local policeman didn’t seem very interested in solving， Eleanor and Clifford find themselves being stalked by a mysterious man， who not only robs Eleanor one night but also ransacks her hotel room， drawing the pair deeper into a series of murders involving two feuding families and a dispute which goes back generations。 The story begins when a beautiful young girl drops a piece of Murano glass near Eleanor as she sight-sees， shops， and dines in St。 Mark’s Square。 The story is filled with shopping， engaging characters， two adorable pets， and a butler that every woman wishes she had looking out for her in a foreign city。 As family obligations between two long-time warring families collide with romance， danger finds Eleanor every step of her journey through Venice。 I found myself wondering how this woman could get into so much trouble in a matter of weeks。 Since I had never read a book in the series before this one， I was enamored by the author’s characterizations， vivid setting details and comedic conversations。 But a few things seemed odd to me。 Eleanor is engaged to a cop back in England named Hugh who is mentioned almost as an afterthought leaving a reader begging for a better explanation of who the character is and why the author simply dusts the story with so few details about him。 For an engaged woman who is traveling alone with only her household staff， Eleanor seems overly trusting of the locals she meets， as her intrigue about the murder escalates and pulls her deeper into a web of family feuding。 Although I loved the shopping scenes and the parties， the beach day and the element of mystery surrounding the girl who dropped the glass bauble， I could never quite place the era of the story beyond a few references to her ankle-length dresses。 I thoroughly enjoyed the book because of the endearing characters， the highlights of the City of Venice and the ‘who-dun-its’ that unfold throughout the tale， but something seemed forced and out of kilter as Lady Eleanor， an amateur sleuth worked to solve the murders。 At times I became confused as to which character was which and I felt Hugh， the fiancé and the hilarious ladies on her staff got short changed and required greater development so I could understand why they were mentioned in the first place。 The characters may very well be staples in other books in the series， but I felt as if they were dangled in front of me without much information beyond a casual mention here and there。 But I can say I enjoyed the book and will read a few more in the Lady Swift series。 Four stars for making me laugh out loud a few times and order a few more books in the series for a rainy weekend。 I want to thank Net Galley and the Publisher， Bookouture for the advanced copy。 The opinions expressed here are my own。 。。。more
QNPoohBear
，
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the free advanced reading copy。 All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway。Review with pictures will be on my blog on the publication dateLady Eleanor Swift and her friends/staff and pets are on vacation in Venice for a little fun during Carnival season。 Ellie is enjoying seeing Venice by gondola with Clifford on hand to keep her from falling in the canals。 The ladies are whooping it up enjoying ALL the sites （espe Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the free advanced reading copy。 All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway。Review with pictures will be on my blog on the publication dateLady Eleanor Swift and her friends/staff and pets are on vacation in Venice for a little fun during Carnival season。 Ellie is enjoying seeing Venice by gondola with Clifford on hand to keep her from falling in the canals。 The ladies are whooping it up enjoying ALL the sites （especially the laundry lines and male statues） but for Ellie， her clumsiness and her eagerness to see everything is about to embroil her in affairs that lead to murder and perhaps a reigniting of a blood feud。 All she wants to do is help two young lovers marry and to see the sights of Venice but she can't help but chase down thieves and murderers， with the help of Clifford of course。 I have mixed feelings about this one。 Most of it， especially the first 100 pages， reads like a tourist guidebook to Venice。 Finally， Ellie gets to （briefly） explore places tourists don't usually go （but apparently can if they book a private tour， something my family has never done）。 I really liked those parts and the scenes in the Jewish quarter with the introduction of a Jewish character。 I was a little disappointed Venice of the 1920s is pretty much the same as Venice of the 1990s and not much different from today。 Now you get around by water taxi and gondolas are for tourists。 You can even find gondolas in my city in America。 The politics of 1920s Venice centers around the age old debate of progress vs。 tradition。 I think Venice has done a pretty good job of balancing both but it would be nice to bring back wooden gondolas and have less motor boats。 The descriptions will make you feel like you're there。 If you haven't been， that's great to have but it slows down the pace of the novel and since I've been there once in person and many times through family photos （dating back to before I was even born）， I skimmed for descriptions of how Venice may have appeared different in the 1920s。 I did like the Carnival setting and wanted more of it。 The silly Englishman's subplot was superfluous。 The mystery is either about politics or about family。 I did not like the stereotype of the fiery， passionate， stubborn Italians feuding。 I thought vengeance and blood feuds were more of a southern thing but I looked it up and there was a famous feud that inspired the events of this novel。 I forgot to ask my parents about it。 I must ask them to ask their friends in the Venezia region to tell me about it。 The romance got lost in the family drama。 The identity of the murderer was a surprise。 I had forgotten that person and dismissed them。 I was left confused by the thief's story。 Is he the dark side of Clifford？ The body count is too high for a fluffy cozy mystery like this series。 One nitpick - the Italian word for pasta is macaroni。 Pasta literally means paste and there are many different shapes and sauces and dishes。 Each is regional and you'll only find the freshest ingredients used。 Gelato flavors are seasonal as well and pistachio is a traditional flavor but not a spring flavor but I'm not sure about pistachio salted caramel！ I'd be surprised if that flavor existed in the 1920s。 Speaking of Clifford， he is getting younger by the book！ He's so agile and in fighting condition for an older man。 I loved seeing him light up in the clock tower though and it was sweet of Ellie to arrange that tour for him because she knew he would love it。 He's always looking out for her and doing things she wants to do as well as keeping her safe。 I love how in tune they are with each other's thoughts。 Ellie is a sweetheart of a woman but shockingly naïve at times even after all those dead bodies。 She's growing though and learning， listening to Clifford and trusting her instincts。 I worry about her relationship with Hugh though。 It's just not going to work out if she goes gallivanting off to places hobnobbing with people who don't respect marriage vows and who enjoy a good party。 Ellie isn't like that and Hugh knows it but it sounds like he's jealous and worried anyway。 I hope he can take time off so they can go on vacation together （with Clifford and the ladies to chaperone）。 The ladies are a riot as always。 The laundry hanging between the houses is pretty and the subject of MANY photos。 It's funny to think of how shocking the site of underwear was given what underwear looked like！ Shy Polly is coming out of her shell a bit and growing up。 Lizzie is learning to relax and enjoy the more informal atmosphere of the Henley House family。 While Gladstone doesn't have much to do， Tomkins gets his due， as Venetians love cats。 There was a little too much Tomkins worship and not enough Gladstone for me。The first victim is Signor Benetto Vedelini， an important Venetian businessman and on the city council。 He was always demanding progress and ignoring how that progress would harm the artisans and gondoliers and even the locals who don't make money in the tourism industry。 He sounds like he was arrogant。 He argued with his gondolier， a stranger！ The Vedelinis have been importance in Venice forever so I guess he came by his ego honestly。 The Vedelinis were once engaged in a centuries-long feud with the Marcellos。 The gondolier， Gaspo Secco， was related to the Marcellos。 Gaspo is known for his hot temper but arguing with a customer is a new one。 Gaspo is arrested without evidence but Angelo assumes the feud may be starting again！ If Gaso murdered Benetto， the Vedelinis will seek vengeance and perhaps kill one of the Marcellos in return。 Indeed， when a second body turns up in the canal， everyone assumes the crime was like for like。 But what if it wasn't？ Who else could have killed these men and why？Ellie has a personal gondolier， Angelo。 He speaks excellent English and is happy to show Ellie around but he isn't necessarily bound by loyalty to HER the way her staff is。 He doesn't know her。 He works for a living and she's just another wealthy client。 He seems nice and trustworthy though。 Another new friend I don't quite trust is Vincenzo Vedellini。 He's a member of the Venetian Council like the man who was murdered but he doesn't seem to mind that a family member was killed。 He barely knew the guy he says。 He seems more interested in charming Ellie， possibly with seduction in mind。 Ellie trusts him though and feels she can share what she's learned her investigation。 I'm not sure her instincts are sound on this one。 I don't trust him and I'm certain at the very least， Hugh would like to knock the lights out of this guy and at best， check up on Vincenzo to make sure he's a good person。 If the murder was premeditated and/or if the second murder was part of the blood feud， who ordered the killing？ Ellie is invited to a party at the home of Contessa Contarinia。 Eugenia is friendly enough but a little cold。 She， and everyone else in the family， all seem cowed by the family patriarch， Nonno。 Nonno is stubborn， opinionated and always thinks he's right。 Yup。 That sounds right for the Nonno I know but this Nonno does not have the generous and loving qualities of my family's Nonno！ This one is more like my Italian-born great-uncle who was a boy when this story takes place and grew into a very cranky， mean old man。 This Nonno doesn't hesitate to tell everyone what to do， even other people's servants。 He doesn't like to be contradicted and Ellie， as a modern woman， nearly gives him apoplexy when she speaks up。 She was only being herself and since she is not a member of the family， she can say what she wants to Nonno。 Did Nonno order a vengeance killing and reignite the blood feud？ I would expect he would go do the deed himself if he could。 He believes business is the lifeblood of Venice but doesn't say if he's for progress or tradition？ I think he must be for progress because it's made him rich。 The Contessa's daughter， Regina， is very cold and unromantic for a young woman。 She wants to marry for money and not love， unlike her cousin Caterina。 Caterina is the romantic in the family， a star-crossed lover。 Caterina is Nonno's ward and she knows he won't approve of her marrying someone from another family- the family they've been at odds with forever！ Her secret fiancé， Leonardo seems weak and silly。 He's young and timid， afraid to approach Nonno and ask permission to marry Caterina。 Signor Friedman， art restorer， is enthusiastic about showing off his museum but not so enthusiastic about the glass figurines Ellie brings him to look at。 She doesn't want to sell them， she wants to know if they are valuable enough to want to steal。 She has to trust Sgr。 F to tell the truth but he seems a little squirrely。 Doctor Pinsky， a Jewish man， is a mysterious figure。 At first he's friendly and engages in sharing his history with Ellie but then he seems a little shady in other scenes。 He's seen lurking and consorting with a thief who steals Ellie's bag and ransacks her room。 Is Doctor Pinsky in league with the thief of his own free will or is he being paid to assist？ Maybe it's a misunderstanding and Ellie didn't see what she thought she saw？ Alas， a third body turns up and Doctor Pinsky is seen nearby。 Wrong place， wrong time or a cold-blooded murderer？Casper Theodore Allegro Fitzmorton Kipling aka Kip is a young， nitwitted， Englishman attempting to help his father live out his dream of recreating Lord Byron's trip to Venice。 That was 100 years earlier and Byron had a reputation。 This is modern times we live in and Kip is just plain silly and stupid to do the things he's doing。 He seems harmless enough。 Ellie mothers him and helps him evade arrest， as if she doesn't have enough on her plate。 Three people are dead， two in the canal and one elsewhere。 A mysterious thief keeps dogging Ellie and steals her bag。 A talented but mute artist has given her a second drawing she didn't pay for and has disappeared。 Could he be the key witness to the first murder？ Is he trying to tell her something with his picture？ Is he dead or disappeared？ Now there's another mystery to solve！This story didn't appeal to me as much as some of the others。 Even though Clifford， the ladies and pets are all here， I miss the village。 I much prefer the stories set in and around Henley Hall。 。。。more
BookswithLydscl |
，
3。75* rounded upLady Swift， Clifford， the Ladies and animal sidekicks are travelling again and this time have set up shop in Venice to experience Carnival。 Whilst riding on a Gondola to take in the sights， Eleanor has the unfortunate bad luck to witness a murder which， as we have come to expect and love， leads Ellie down the winding and narrow streets of Venice seeking to uncover secrets and solve the case。This series is one of my favourite historical 'cosy' mysteries and is reliably fun and （ge 3。75* rounded upLady Swift， Clifford， the Ladies and animal sidekicks are travelling again and this time have set up shop in Venice to experience Carnival。 Whilst riding on a Gondola to take in the sights， Eleanor has the unfortunate bad luck to witness a murder which， as we have come to expect and love， leads Ellie down the winding and narrow streets of Venice seeking to uncover secrets and solve the case。This series is one of my favourite historical 'cosy' mysteries and is reliably fun and （generally） fast paced， and I love the core group of characters！ However， with this instalment， whilst the overall mystery was solid with plenty of red herrings， it didn't quite land for me as well as the previous book did which was one of the best in the series。 I found that the supporting cast of characters/suspects didn't quite gel for me in the way they usually do （though I have to say I did enjoy the very random addition of Kip to the cast） and the story felt like it was missing the verve and vigour that it normally has。 This time round we have a lot more descriptions that felt like filler， especially at the start but once the investigation starts properly for our intrepid duo it picks up pace。Irrespective of these niggles， overall I enjoyed the read as I always do and I eagerly await the next case to come Eleanor and Clifford's way and perhaps we'll get a little bit more Hugh next time！Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital review copy of "A Death in Venice" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review。 。。。more
Avril Hemingway
，
Another great mystery in the beautiful setting of Venice。 As usual our eclectic cast of character's appear to add fun to what otherwise is a serious murder investigation。 Despite the books following a similar pattern each time it never gets old and is always fresh and interesting。 The mystery is as satisfying as ever but I would like to see Hugh more involved in the goings on。 I received an advance review copy for free， and I am leaving this review voluntarily。 Another great mystery in the beautiful setting of Venice。 As usual our eclectic cast of character's appear to add fun to what otherwise is a serious murder investigation。 Despite the books following a similar pattern each time it never gets old and is always fresh and interesting。 The mystery is as satisfying as ever but I would like to see Hugh more involved in the goings on。 I received an advance review copy for free， and I am leaving this review voluntarily。 。。。more
Tag
-
a death in venice 2023 cast a death in venice poirot a death in venice cast a death in venice 2023 streaming a death in venice daniel silva a death in venice film 2023 a death in venice book agatha christie a death in venice hulu cast a death in venice 2023 review a death in venice review
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=A Death in Venice
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=A Death in Venice&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,A Death in Venice&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0