Murder at the Fair by Verity Bright ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Whether you are relaxing on your front porch or taking a trip to the beach, this cozy mystery is the perfect accompaniment. It is a quick, fun read that I finished in just a couple of days - great for a lazy weekend of reading.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

June 2021; Bookouture; 978-1800194205
audio, ebook, print (316 pages); cozy mystery

It is May 1st and the village is all excited about the May Day Fair. Eleanor, being her first time at the village's annual fair, isn't quite sure what to expect. She is the judge of the raft race which her late uncle had started and as tradition must be observed she gamely joins in - though not quite in the expected "Lady of the Manor" way. All are having a gay time until the last raft to arrive at the finish line crosses without its one-man crew. Of course, Eleanor forms a search party and of course, she discovers a body. It's tradition!

So Eleanor, Mr. Clifford, and the reader set off to discover who caused what is presumed an accidental death in Verity Bright's latest mystery Murder at the Fair. Buy it at Amazon (if you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber you can read the ebook for free!)

Many of the characters from previous books who reside in the village make an appearance, but don't worry if you haven't read any of the previous books in this series as they can all be read separately with only a little mention of the previous books - mostly to give background on the possibly growing romantic relationship between Eleanor and Chief Inspector Seldon who in the last book asked her to call him Hugh.

I love the setting and characters of this series. Eleanor is the perfect example of an independent woman in 1920s England. It was a time when more and more women were deciding the traditional roles weren't all they wanted in life, yet society wasn't quite ready for the change- especially in a country village. 

But what I really like about the Eleanor Swift mysteries is that the clues are all laid out for the reader (if you are looking for them) so that you feel like you are solving the mystery right alongside her and her butler. Like Eleanor, I could see all the pieces but couldn't quite put them all together until the very end. Those are the mysteries I like best.

I know some people don't read past the last page of the story, but after you turn the last page there are historical tidbits about places and things mentioned in the story that is quite interesting. 

Also, there is a note about child literacy and the need to help encourage our next generation of readers. If you have been reading Girl Who Reads for the past few years you may remember I have fundraised for a local literacy organization called Books for Keeps. I live in an area where 90% or more of the children receive free or reduced-cost meals at school - meaning their families are living at your below the poverty level. Books for Keeps provides every elementary-age child in my county with 12 free books every summer as many of these children have little or no access to books at home. This was particularly important during the past year when many school and public libraries were closed due to the pandemic. Books for Keeps volunteers and community partners ensured these children received their books. Further, Books for Keeps welcomed the community into their warehouse to pick out books for FREE - these were books earmarked for their annual fundraising book sale. They are doing the same thing this year to make sure every reader has access to books. If you would like to help them continue to provide books to children and communities in need, please consider making a financial donation. 

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.

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