Showing posts with label Lady Hardcastle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lady Hardcastle. Show all posts

Saturday, September 2, 2023

A Fire at the Exhibition by T. E. Kinsey

Lady Hardcastle and Emily are caught up in another mystery when the spring brings an art exhibition to the village of Littleton Cotterell. People are buzzing over the jewel-studded copy of Shakespeare's folio. This is, of course, one of the items that goes missing when a small fire is set causing everyone to panic and run out of the hall. Also missing are a bust and a painting of the local Grange.
The thefts are bad enough but then a man is murdered during the local bicycle race. Luckily Lady Hardcastle and Emily are among the first on scene having recently taken up  the art of cycling themselves. 
There are any number of suspects including an old friend of Emily's from the circus, treasure hunting twins, and even the Farley-Strouds themselves.
A nice addition to the series and I look forward to reading more. 

Four stars
This book comes out September 5, 2023
ARC kindly provided Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Saturday, November 26, 2022

An Act of Foul Play by T E Kinsey

Of course Lady Hardcastle and Flo don't cause strange things to happen around them but somehow they are again caught up in a murder. This time, it's Lady Hardcastle's birthday (44th) and they are attending the theater with a large group and enjoying themselves quite thoroughly. But, after a long intermission, the curtain rises on the second act but one of the four actors on the stage is dead, stabbed. It seems like only the other actors would have had the chance to do the deed. 
They are joined in this adventure by Flo's twin sister who is taking a vacation while her husband is out of town for the army. It was nice to have a new face in the adventures and to see Flo and Lady Hardcastle work with someone who wasn't the Inspector. 

Four stars
This book comes out June 7, 2022
ARC kindly provided Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley
Opinions are my own


Thursday, June 2, 2022

Rotten to the Core by T. E. Kinsey

Lady Hardcastle and Flo are back! Lady Hardcastle is still involved in filmmaking and as they leave the grocer's, they meet a mysterious (and beautiful) on the way out who is looking for the Dog and Duck. They decide to visit the local pub themselves but it's overrun by the Weryers of the Pomary (the Guardians of the Orchard), twelve men who traditionally get the bar to themselves for their meetings. But suddenly, one of the Weryers is dead. And then another. 
We get to learn more about village politics and revisit a number of characters in the village. There is some self-reflection as one of the characters comments on the number of dead bodies that the two ladies run into.

Four stars
This book comes out June 7, 2022
ARC kindly provided Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley
Opinions are my own


Sunday, November 29, 2020

The Fatal Flying Affair by T. E. Kinsey

 Flo and Lady Hardcastle are once more pretending to be relaxing in the country but then they get the chance to learn to fly. Well, regular readers will know that Lady Hardcastle will foot the bill for the plane while Flo will become the pilot (which, by the way, she is very excited to do.) Except is the chance to fly the only reason they're checking out the Bristol Aviation and and Aeronautics Company? Of course not. Lady Hardcastle's brother has called on them to come to the aid of their nation once again. It seems that someone is leaking information about the Top Secret Project to the Germans. And, while no one is currently at war, it seems that Germany might be gearing up for it so they need to figure out what is going on and fast. All this while figuring out what they are going to do for the Littleton Village Show.
A wonderful addition to the series. You don't HAVE to have read the other books in the series but I highly recommend it. There were three words I had to look up in this book which meant that, not only was it entertaining, I was learning things as well.

Four stars
This book comes out December 3, 2020
Follows Death Beside the Seaside
Followed by Rotten to the Core
ARC kindly provided by Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley
Opinions are my own



Thursday, November 7, 2019

Death Beside the Seaside by T E Kinsey

Flo and Lady Hardcastle are on the road again. This time they are heading to the seaside to enjoy time away from the country. But the country isn't all it's cracked up to be. Though they found a quaint little hotel by the seashore, they seem to be the only English people staying there. Except for Dr. Goddard. He's a scientist with loose lips since he seems to be telling all and sundry that he is working on a top secret project and he has brought it with him.
 
Well, not surprisingly, Dr. Goddard disappears somewhat abruptly and so does his strongbox. But then dead bodies start cropping up and Flo and Lady Hardcastle are dragged back into the world of spy vs. spy.
This book probably could have been cut by 100 pages and still had the same story. There was so much exposition it got rather boring. There were touches of humor here and there (Mr. Righty and Mr. Lefty) but I wish the pacing had been more along the lines of previous books.

Three stars
This book came out October 22nd
Follows The Burning Issue of the Day
Followed by The Fatal Flying Affair
ARC kindly provided by Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley
Opinions are my own


Monday, June 5, 2017

Death Around the Bend by T E Kinsey

Lady Hardcastle and her trusty sidekick/maid Florence "Flo" Armstrong are leaving home and heading to the country estate of Lord Riddlethorpe, also known as "Fishy." He is a racing man and the two ladies are sure they can talk him into letting them drive his cars. It turns into even more fun when he sets up a ladies' race and Flo gets to take the place of one of the lady guests who doesn't want to participate. But neither lady gets a turn behind the wheel because the male guests end up racing first and one of them dies. 
The man wasn't inoffensive but he certainly didn't deserve to have his brake lines cut. Lord Riddlethorpe asks Lady Hardcastle (and his butler asks Flo) to investigate. One more person will die before the culprit is found but Flo and Lady Hardcastle prevail.
Even though the feint was obvious, I still enjoyed this book. The ending was a bit... meh.. but overall a fun, fast, and easy read.

Four stars
This book comes out June 8
Follows In the Market for Murder
Followed by A Picture of Murder

Thursday, December 15, 2016

In The Market For Murder by T E Kinsey

In The Market For Murder by T E KinseyThe book opens with Lady Hardcastle and Florence, "Flo," going slowly as Lady Hardcastle recovers from the gunshot wound she sustained at the end of the last book. Then they're attend a local market where they  meet a man who is later to die under suspicious circumstances. But that's not the only suspicious thing happening in town. There's a ghost, a medium who may or may not be a fake, and the theft of a trophy from the local rugby club.
All of the mysteries are woven together pretty nicely... until the end. Then it feels a little choppy. But overall a fast and enjoyable read.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out December 20
Follows A Quiet Life in the Country
Followed by Death Around the Bend

Saturday, October 1, 2016

A Quiet Life In The Country by T E Kinsey

A Quiet Life in the Country by T E KinseyFlo Armstrong (our narrator) is a long-time ladies made to Lady Hardcastle. Their previous occupation is hinted at during the stories but it seems that Lady Hardcastle (and thus Flo) must have been a spy during the recent war. It brought them close together, as close to chums as one can get being in different social strata. They've moved from London to the country because Lady Hardcastle was looking for a bit of peace and quiet and a house has become available.
It's unfortunate that soon after they arrive, they find a man hanging in the woods. One who most certainly could not have committed suicide. A man is quickly put in jail for the murder but both Armstrong and Lady Hardcastle are skeptical it is the right man. Then another man is murdered (a trumpet player) and an emerald stolen.
Though this the first book in the series, there are hints of grand adventures that Armstrong and Lady Hardcastle have gone through before. It was an interesting book. The ending was a bit strong but otherwise It was an okay cozy.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out October 4
Followed by In the Market for Murder