An Assassination on the Agenda by Karen Baugh Menuhin

July 16, 2024

An Assassination on the Agenda by Karen Baugh Menuhin

Lady Emily Hardcastle and her faithful maid and sometimes deadly companion Florence Armstrong are enjoying a summer lunch with their good friends the Farley Strouds, when Emily's brother Harry summons them, because their unique skills are needed first in Bristol, and then in London. The heir to the Austrian throne and his wife are due to visit England with a trade delegation, and Harry has heard rumors of a planned assassination attempt that his department needs to stop. He enlists Emily and Flo to evaluate the security arrangements, since who would suspect a society lady and her maid to head up a security team?

Lady Hardcastle and Flo are back for their 11th adventure, an entertaining mystery filled with charming characters, punny language, malapropisms, and dry British humor. It's best to read the series in order to understand the various characters' backstories, but also for the sheer fun of the series. Perfect vacation or summer reading. Recommended for readers who enjoy cozy light-hearted British mysteries.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie - although they survive the assassination attempt here, they are not so lucky some years later in Sarajevo

An Act of Foul Play by T. E. Kinsey

December 18, 2022

An Act of Foul Play by T. E. Kinsey

Lady Hardcastle and Florence Armstrong return for another adventure, this time investigating the murder of an actor in Bristol. Posing as a pair of socialites wanting to open an artsy theater, they go undercover to learn about the members of the company and who might have had a motive for wanting the man dead. They learn that just about everyone did, so they have to sort through the conflicting stories to get at the truth.

Such a fun series with two appealing heroines. This isn't Holmes and Watson - Flo is just as capable at solving a mystery as Lady H. Very enjoyable cozy read, highly recommended.

Bristol, England

Rotten to the Core by T. E. Kinsey

August 25, 2022

Rotten to the Core by T. E. Kinsey

Lady Hardcastle and Flo are back for another adventure. It's the day after the village fete and there is a heatwave across all of England. Walking to the village pub for refreshment, Lady H. and Flo encounter a stranger, a young and attractive woman, who is looking for a room in the village. When they arrive at the pub, all of the patrons are sitting or standing outdoors, while the pub itself is empty except for one group of men. They are the Weryers of the Pomary (aka, keepers of the orchard) having their regular meeting. Tradition states that they get the pub to themselves when they meet.

But the next morning, the village constable is at Lady Hardcastle's door early, to tell them that there has been a murder and Inspector Sunderland would like them to come round and take a look. One of the Weryers (who happens to own the orchard) has been found dead with a stab wound to the heart (there are an awful lot of murders in a town as small as Littleton Cotterell). Who would do such a thing to a charming, handsome man? Does it have anything to do with the Weryers? Or is the young lady staying at the pub involved? It's up to Lady H. and Flo to snoop around and find out.

This is #8 in the Lady Hardcastle and Flo series. Great fun, lots of puns and malapropisms, plenty of local color, and good mysteries. Highly recommended.

 A cider press

The Fatal Flying Affair by T. E. Kinsey

April 3, 2021

The Fatal Flying Affair by T. E. Kinsey

Lady Emily Hardcastle and her faithful maid/assistant Florence Armstrong are back for another adventure, this time investigating a suspicious death at an airplane (or aeroplane) factory. One of the seasoned pilots was testing a new style of parachute but was killed when the chute failed to open. Lady Emily's brother Harry works for the British government, which is heavily invested in the fledgling aircraft industry. He voices the concern that someone is leaking secrets to their foreign rivals, and he asks Lady Emily and Flo to do some discreet snooping.

Such a fun series! This is the 7th outing for the two retired spies. In addition to solving the mystery, there are frequent outings to the local pub, the Dog & Duck, and helping with the upcoming village show. The humorous asides and puns are great fun. Highly recommended!

Example of a World War I parachute. Parachutes were not regulation gear for pilots or flight crews. In William Faulkner's novel Sartoris, the main character's older brother was a pilot with the U.S. Air Force in World War I, and when his plane is shot down, he jumps from the cockpit without a parachute.

Death Beside the Seaside by T. E. Kinsey

July 28, 2020

Death Beside the Seaside by T. E. Kinsey

July 1910 – after two years of prodding, Lady Hardcastle has agreed that she and Florence Armstrong, her faithful sidekick and maid, should take a holiday at the seaside.  They choose the holiday town of Weston-super-Mare, a couple of hours’ drive from Bristol.  In their new and improved automobile, they set out for traditional English holiday fun, including toffee apples, donkey rides, and Punch-and-Judy shows.  When they arrive at their elegant boutique hotel, they are surprised to find an international group of guests, while the sea is noticeably absent (the tide goes out about a mile at low tide).  But more surprises await Lady H. and Flo as their fellow guests begin to vanish one by one, and they are once again pressed into service to solve the mysterious goings on at the hotel, while at the same time not generating any unfavorable publicity.

Interesting that I picked up two books in a row set in an English seaside towns.  But the tone of T. E. Kinsey’s mystery is totally different from the previous title, much lighter and more humorous.  No one at the hotel is who they appear to be, except for the manager and some of the staff.  We also learn more about Flo and Lady Hardcastle's backgrounds and past exploits.  Characters from previous Lady Hardcastle mysteries make appearances, and there is a great deal of fun and wit as always.  I suggest starting with the first book in the series if you are looking for a light read to relax with.

The Burning Issue of the Day by T. E. Kinsey

August 15, 2019

The Burning Issue of the Day by T. E. Kinsey

When a young suffragette is accused of arson and murder, Lady Hardcastle and her faithful maid/companion Florence Armstrong are asked to investigate by one of her fellow suffragettes.  Working with Miss Dinah Caudle, their adversary in the previous title in the series, they uncover not just a plot to frame the suffragette, but a much larger plot to steal a shipment of South American gold.

I really enjoy the Lady Hardcastle/Florence Armstrong mysteries!  If you are a frequent reader of mysteries (especially cozy mysteries), the plot becomes fairly obvious about 2/3 of the way through the book.  But these are mysteries that you read for the characters and the dialogue, not an intricately formulated plot.  With each new book in the series, the reader learns more about Lady Hardcastle and Flo's backgrounds.  The only disappointment was that the Farley-Strouds appear only once - I do like Lady H.'s eccentric neighbors.

Another good thing about the series is author T. E. Kinsey's attention to historical detail, as noted in the afterword.  There really was a chapter of the WSPU in Bristol in 1910; there is a difference between suffragists and suffragettes; even the key to the cipher in the text is explained. 

This is a series that should really be read in order, beginning with the first title in the series, A Quiet Life in the Country.  The next title is due to be released in October 2019.