Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★☆

Genre: Cosy Mystery 

Available On: Amazon & Audible

I’m now several books deep into the Lady Eleanor Swift series, and I can confirm it: I’m hooked. Not in a dignified, respectable way either. No, I’m talking devouring-the-audiobooks-while-cleaning-and-ignoring-life levels of addiction. And Murder in the Snow, the fourth instalment of Verity Bright’s cosy mystery series, is yet another delightful chapter in this gloriously bonkers saga.

This time, we’re whisked into a winter wonderland as Henley Hall hosts its first Christmas Eve party under Eleanor’s reign. Between the snow, the carols, the footraces, and the festooned halls, everything screams festive cheer—until, of course, one of the runners collapses at the finish line and promptly dies. 

Naturally.

What initially appears to be a tragic heart attack soon begins to smell suspiciously like murder. And since it wouldn’t be a Lady Swift mystery without Eleanor sticking her nose in where the local constabulary would rather it not be, she and Clifford are soon knee-deep in poisoned puddings, suspect lists, and cryptic clues.

The twist? Clifford thinks the death may be linked to that of Eleanor’s uncle—and for once, I didn’t roll my eyes at the escalation. The mystery feels more personal this time, and the stakes feel higher, even if Seldon continues to dismiss Eleanor’s instincts with the wearied gruffness of a man permanently in need of a nap.

I’ll give a full summary for those interested, for my own thoughts just skip to the next section…

Plot Summary – Murder in the Snow

Set in the winter of 1920, Murder in the Snow finds Lady Eleanor Swift preparing to host her first Christmas at Henley Hall. Determined to carry on her late uncle’s tradition, she throws a festive gathering for the entire village—complete with decorations, a roaring fire, games, gifts, and a Christmas Eve fun run across the snow-covered estate grounds (because forcing a load of malnourished locals to run in freezing conditions is apparently fun?).

What begins as a heartwarming day quickly turns tragic when Conrad Canning, a curmudgeonly local coal merchant, collapses and dies at the finish line of the race. While the village doctor and DCI Seldon attribute the death to natural causes, Eleanor isn’t so sure. Her suspicions deepen when she finds a small, distinctive key dropped near where Canning fell.

With help from her steadfast butler Clifford and her ever-snuffling bulldog Gladstone, Eleanor launches her own investigation. It soon becomes clear that Canning wasn’t exactly loved—he had a history of enemies, debts, and deeply personal grudges. But just as Eleanor begins to map out her suspect list, the village vicar and his housekeeper are also found unconscious in what appears to be another poisoning.

As Christmas draws near, the clues pile up: a mysterious connection to Eleanor’s uncle’s death, poisoned berries turning up in the Hall’s kitchen, and a sense that someone is deliberately planting evidence to sabotage Eleanor and her household. The situation becomes urgent when members of her staff—including her innocent cook—are arrested under flimsy suspicion.

Snowed in and running out of time, Eleanor must unravel the threads of multiple attempted murders, clear her staff’s names, and confront a very personal link between the current crimes and her uncle’s mysterious demise. The final confrontation comes with a dramatic twist, revealing both the method and motive behind the poisoning spree.

Cosy Chaos & Christmas Charm

The charm of this book lies in its festive setting and the beautifully crafted cast of characters. The snow, the roaring fires, the string of increasingly ridiculous holiday traditions—it’s all atmospheric perfection. Henley Hall shines as a backdrop, and the relationships that have been slowly developing since book one finally feel rooted. Eleanor is learning, growing, and starting to feel like a Lady of the Manor (even if she’s still more Indiana Jones than Miss Marple).

I will admit, the contrived nature of how people are just constantly dropping dead right in front of Eleanor is quite ridiculous. But, it’s also a staple of the genre, so you just sort of have to roll with it. Part of the appeal of the small town murder mystery series is the ever increasing absurdity of events, all taking place within a very small geographical area and, apparently, always involving one person or an immediate friend or relative of theirs directly.

As a long-standing Midsomer Murders fan, I applaud this setup. As a romantic suspense author with a series of small-town murder mysteries I’ve written myself, I also know there’s a very fine line you walk. Midsomer Murders is absurd, but at least Barnaby is a detective and therefore has a reason to investigate each case. The fact his family inexplicably witnesses or are involved in an ever-increasing number of murders is farcical, but you forgive it because you love the show.

It’s just kind of accepted that this shit is ridiculous but we’re going with it anyway.

And such is the case with these novels. 

The entire setup is absurd. But once you accept that and run with it you’re free to just enjoy the ride!

Clifford, once again, is the MVP. Sharp, stoic, and several steps ahead of everyone else, he is the Watson to Eleanor’s bull-in-a-china-shop Holmes. That he exists and has the capacity to do all the things he does at an apparently fairly advanced age is never really questioned or explained. I am, at this point, half convinced he’s some kind of otherworldly immortal who is in some way indebted to the family and can’t leave service. 

Their banter remains a highlight of the series.

Gladstone the bulldog is also in fine form, stealing every scene he waddles into and somehow managing to remain the most emotionally intelligent member of the household. I’ve said it in previous reviews, but it bears repeating: you can’t beat a good canine sidekick!

Familiar Tropes, Fresh Wrapping

Yes, there are still the usual irritants: Eleanor recapping her discoveries in triplicate, Seldon’s refusal to believe the obvious for the sake of creating tension between them instead of actually thinking of something creative and giving them both more character development, and a plot doesn’t lean on coincidence so much as leaps into its arms and demands to be carried. 

The “staff member is accused” trope is starting to feel a bit overused, and I wasn’t wild about the recycled poisoned-drink setup from a previous book. But overall, the mystery was satisfying—cleverly plotted with a handful of twists I didn’t see coming and a conclusion that actually felt earned.

Bonus points for the evolving (if exasperating) slow burn between Eleanor and DCI Seldon. Will they? Won’t they? Do I want them to? Honestly, the jury’s still out.

Final Thoughts on Murder in the Snow

Murder in the Snow isn’t flawless, but it absolutely understands what it’s here to do—and it delivers. The charm is in the atmosphere, the character dynamics, and the unapologetically absurd setup that cosy mystery lovers have come to embrace. Yes, the tropes are familiar. Yes, the plotting leans into convenience at times. And yes, Eleanor’s tendency to recap everything three times can be maddening.

But none of that stopped me from thoroughly enjoying the ride.

What this book (and the series as a whole) does particularly well is invite you in. It makes you want to light a fire, pour a cup of tea, and spend a few hours with people who feel oddly like friends—even if someone is inevitably going to be murdered within the next chapter. It’s comfort reading with a splash of poison and a hefty helping of charm.

If you’re already invested in Lady Swift’s world, this entry offers a fun, festive twist on the usual formula. If you’re just starting out, you might want to begin at the beginning to get the most out of the character development and running threads. Either way, you’ll get there eventually—preferably with a mince pie in hand and a bulldog snoring at your feet.