A Fire at the Exhibition by T. E. Kinsey

December 17, 2023

A Fire at the Exhibition by T. E. Kinsey

Lady Emily Hardcastle and her maid/sidekick/BFF Florence Armstrong are enjoying the May Day festival in their village of Littleton Cotterell, which includes the inaugural May Day art exhibit. In addition to artworks created by the local residents, there are pieces from the local museum and a few pieces borrowed from Sir Hector Farley-Stroud, plus a priceless volume of Shakespeare's plays. But shortly after the exhibition opens, thick black smoke rolls through the exhibit hall, causing the building to be evacuated. When the smoke clears, several pieces of art (including the Shakespeare volume) are missing. A few days later, following the local bicycle race, one of the riders is found dead.

The tenth adventure for Lady Hardcastle and Flo. There are three mysteries here: the art theft, the murder, and a possible secret treasure. Love the puns, witticisms, and malapropisms between Lady H. and Flo. Fun and relaxing.

Example of a ladies' cycling costume, circa 1920

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

A Baffling Murder at the Midsummer Ball by T. E. Kinsey

September 5, 2021

A Baffling Murder at the Midsummer Ball by T. E. Kinsey

London's best jazz band, the Dizzy Heights, have been booked to play at the Midsummer Ball at a ritzy country house. They expect a weekend filled with rich people, flappers, and champagne. The gig is a success, but just as they are packing up to go home, a driving rainstorm cuts off the roads, the telephone, and the power lines, stranding the group and the family. When one of the family is found dead in a locked room, the Dizzy Heights and their entourage realize that this is going to be a tougher job than they thought.

The second outing for the Dizzy Heights gang, set in the 1920's, with crossover from the Lady Hardcastle series. A locked room cozy mystery, light and fun. Great historical details. I love mysteries set at English country houses.

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.

The Deadly Mystery of the Missing Diamonds by T. E. Kinsey

February 17, 2021

The Deadly Mystery of the Missing Diamonds by T. E. Kinsey

In post-World War I London, the Dizzy Heights jazz band has a permanent gig at the prestigious Aristippus Club. The owner plans a dance contest to attract new customers. But the musicians learn that a jewel thief is planning to steal a cache of diamonds hidden somewhere in the club on the same night as the dance contest, when there will be a lot of people around. The musicians are perfectly placed to do some light snooping, but the stakes are unexpectedly raised when a murder occurs at the club.

This was an Amazon Kindle First Read in 2021. T. E. Kinsey also writes the Lady Hardcastle series, and some characters from that series appear here. You don't need to have read any of the Lady Hardcastle books to enjoy this series, but that is a fun series too.

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.