What do you think?
Rate this book
Lady Hardcastle Mysteries #11
An Assassination on the Agenda
They’re hoping this visit is a return journey—but it might be a one-way ticket to murder.
July 1912. Lady Hardcastle and her tenacious lady’s maid, Florence Armstrong, are enjoying a convivial gathering at the home of their dear friends, the Farley-Strouds. The only fly in the idyllic ointment seems to be the lack of musical entertainment for the forthcoming summer party—until, that is, Lady Hardcastle’s brother Harry calls with news of a murder.
Harry dispatches them to Bristol on behalf of the Secret Service Bureau, with instructions to prevent the local police from uncovering too much about the victim. It seems an intriguing mystery—all the more so when they find a connection between the killer and an impending visit from an Austrian trade delegation, set to feature a very important guest…
Summoned to London to help with some very important security arrangements, the intrepid duo will have to navigate sceptical bureaucrats, Cockney gangsters and shadowy men in distinctive hats in their attempts to foil an explosive—and internationally significant—threat.
July 1912. Lady Hardcastle and her tenacious lady’s maid, Florence Armstrong, are enjoying a convivial gathering at the home of their dear friends, the Farley-Strouds. The only fly in the idyllic ointment seems to be the lack of musical entertainment for the forthcoming summer party—until, that is, Lady Hardcastle’s brother Harry calls with news of a murder.
Harry dispatches them to Bristol on behalf of the Secret Service Bureau, with instructions to prevent the local police from uncovering too much about the victim. It seems an intriguing mystery—all the more so when they find a connection between the killer and an impending visit from an Austrian trade delegation, set to feature a very important guest…
Summoned to London to help with some very important security arrangements, the intrepid duo will have to navigate sceptical bureaucrats, Cockney gangsters and shadowy men in distinctive hats in their attempts to foil an explosive—and internationally significant—threat.
Audio CD
First published May 21, 2024
984 people are currently reading
4945 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 307 reviews
July 12, 2024
It's July 1912 and Lady Emily Hardcastle and Florence Armstrong are visiting their friends, the Farley- Strouds, discussing the upcoming summer party, when there is a phone call from Harry Featherstonehaugh requesting their immediate assistance. With very little information they rush off to Bristol to do as they are asked.
This book is a real change of pace for our intrepid duo when they are then called upon to help the Secret Service Bureau prevent a possible international incident in London. All their old spying skills are required plus some actual hand to hand combat and even bomb disposal. It was fun to see them in action when the going gets really tough.
I thought this book was perfect. The dialogue was witty, the action sequences splendid, and the historical background very informative. The plot to assassinate the Austrian Archduke foreshadows real events some two years later which I found fascinating.
I always enjoy this series but this one was the best so far! May there be many more.
This book is a real change of pace for our intrepid duo when they are then called upon to help the Secret Service Bureau prevent a possible international incident in London. All their old spying skills are required plus some actual hand to hand combat and even bomb disposal. It was fun to see them in action when the going gets really tough.
I thought this book was perfect. The dialogue was witty, the action sequences splendid, and the historical background very informative. The plot to assassinate the Austrian Archduke foreshadows real events some two years later which I found fascinating.
I always enjoy this series but this one was the best so far! May there be many more.
July 1, 2024
It was mid 1912 when Lady Hardcastle and Florence Armstrong were summoned to Bristol by Lady H's brother Harry. There had been a murder and Harry didn't want the local police to find who the dead man was. He was an "important man" to the Secret Service Bureau so Lady H and Flo had to take over the investigation. That went down like a lead balloon to the local powers that be, until Harry set them right. Then Harry told Lady H and Flo to pack for two weeks and make their way, as fast as possible, to London...
London, and the flat that Harry had secured for them, felt familiar and good. Dressing to mix, the pair wandered the streets, catching up with a brothel madam, an under world criminal, and more. But it was the sighting of distinctive hats that had Lady H and Flo certain they knew what was going on. Would they be able to keep the Austrian delegate safe? The significant threats needed to be knocked on the head, but could it be done?
An Assassination on the Agenda is another delightful, fun and entertaining episode in the Lady Hardcastle Mysteries - #11 - by T.E. Kinsey which I adored! I laughed out loud on many occasions as the two MCs bickered, argued, teased, and generally got themselves into all sorts of trouble. But their talents haven't changed - if anything, they've improved. And what an outcome! I'm really loving this series and already looking forward to the next. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
London, and the flat that Harry had secured for them, felt familiar and good. Dressing to mix, the pair wandered the streets, catching up with a brothel madam, an under world criminal, and more. But it was the sighting of distinctive hats that had Lady H and Flo certain they knew what was going on. Would they be able to keep the Austrian delegate safe? The significant threats needed to be knocked on the head, but could it be done?
An Assassination on the Agenda is another delightful, fun and entertaining episode in the Lady Hardcastle Mysteries - #11 - by T.E. Kinsey which I adored! I laughed out loud on many occasions as the two MCs bickered, argued, teased, and generally got themselves into all sorts of trouble. But their talents haven't changed - if anything, they've improved. And what an outcome! I'm really loving this series and already looking forward to the next. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
April 4, 2025
A mysterious man is killed in a Bristol park. Normally a matter for local police, Lady Hardcastle and Armstrong (our narrator) are dispatched to the city to “take over” and make the case disappear from local view.
"He glanced at the letters and handed them back. ‘This changes nothing,’ he said. ‘The War Office has no jurisdiction here. My officers are tasked by the Crown with the policing of the City of Bristol and that is what we shall do. Inspector Sunderland is the senior officer on the investigation and he will be reporting directly to me as always. You and your lady’s maid will cease your attempts to interfere in this case and you will both go home to your village in the back of beyond where I sincerely hope you will live long, happy lives, far away from the important work of the Bristol Constabulary. Do I make myself clear?’
‘Your wishes are as clear as the water of a fresh mountain spring,’ said Lady Hardcastle. ‘But as my dear mother always used to say: “If wishes were horseradish, dear, beggars would eat roast beef more often.” That you wish a thing to be so does not make it so. And . . . so . . . unfortunately, I must insist that Miss Armstrong and I really are taking over this case on behalf of the War Office, no matter how much you fuss and bluster. Your officers will report to that government department through us. You will be kept informed, of course, and any information we uncover which is relevant to your work but not to ours will be handed over at once. Do I make myself clear?’"
If you enjoy the style and slang, period and just plain fun words such as affray, parped, rozzers, barney, hugger-mugger, totties, wotcher, palaver, titivate, barnet, aspidistra, arriviste, bermondsey, titfer, bravos, and charabanc.
"‘Do you have a plan?’ ‘I’m not sure we have much option but to do as he suggests: waft our credentials under a few people’s noses and stake our shaky claim to the case.’ ‘They’re not going to like it.’ ‘They’re going to be livid. I predict a good deal of bombast, chest puffing, and “I don’t care if your letters are signed by the King himself”.’ I sighed. ‘I usually regard not being taken seriously as an advantage in our line of work, but there are times ."
The place (of course) is England. The time is right before The Great War. While some, with good reason, would prefer to read The Guns of August, I enjoyed Kinsey’s take on the “events” leading up to this quite avoidable World War. While this is the major focus of the plot, it was a delight to see Kinsey take up the period’s conflicts over women’s rights and the role of women in the workplace. It is done with pointed good humor.
"‘Sometimes I miss my uniform,’ I said later, as Lady Hardcastle buttoned me into an evening dress. ‘As long as it was starched in the right places and looked reasonably clean, no one expected me to change it four times a day. I mean, obviously I look utterly splendid, but life is simpler when you can just chuck on a frock before breakfast and shrug out of it at bedtime.’
‘It’s an essential part of upper-class living, though, dear. How else would people know one had more money than good sense?’
‘If that’s what’s important, why not simply wear your most recent bank statement on an elegant chain around your neck, and forget about the tyranny of morning dresses and afternoon dresses and dinner dresses and everything in between.’"
Real people and events are seamlessly woven into this light-hearted thriller.
One of the best Hardcastle and Flo adventures.
Both read and listened to....Elizabeth Knowelden was a fine reader.
4*
"He glanced at the letters and handed them back. ‘This changes nothing,’ he said. ‘The War Office has no jurisdiction here. My officers are tasked by the Crown with the policing of the City of Bristol and that is what we shall do. Inspector Sunderland is the senior officer on the investigation and he will be reporting directly to me as always. You and your lady’s maid will cease your attempts to interfere in this case and you will both go home to your village in the back of beyond where I sincerely hope you will live long, happy lives, far away from the important work of the Bristol Constabulary. Do I make myself clear?’
‘Your wishes are as clear as the water of a fresh mountain spring,’ said Lady Hardcastle. ‘But as my dear mother always used to say: “If wishes were horseradish, dear, beggars would eat roast beef more often.” That you wish a thing to be so does not make it so. And . . . so . . . unfortunately, I must insist that Miss Armstrong and I really are taking over this case on behalf of the War Office, no matter how much you fuss and bluster. Your officers will report to that government department through us. You will be kept informed, of course, and any information we uncover which is relevant to your work but not to ours will be handed over at once. Do I make myself clear?’"
If you enjoy the style and slang, period and just plain fun words such as affray, parped, rozzers, barney, hugger-mugger, totties, wotcher, palaver, titivate, barnet, aspidistra, arriviste, bermondsey, titfer, bravos, and charabanc.
"‘Do you have a plan?’ ‘I’m not sure we have much option but to do as he suggests: waft our credentials under a few people’s noses and stake our shaky claim to the case.’ ‘They’re not going to like it.’ ‘They’re going to be livid. I predict a good deal of bombast, chest puffing, and “I don’t care if your letters are signed by the King himself”.’ I sighed. ‘I usually regard not being taken seriously as an advantage in our line of work, but there are times ."
The place (of course) is England. The time is right before The Great War. While some, with good reason, would prefer to read The Guns of August, I enjoyed Kinsey’s take on the “events” leading up to this quite avoidable World War. While this is the major focus of the plot, it was a delight to see Kinsey take up the period’s conflicts over women’s rights and the role of women in the workplace. It is done with pointed good humor.
"‘Sometimes I miss my uniform,’ I said later, as Lady Hardcastle buttoned me into an evening dress. ‘As long as it was starched in the right places and looked reasonably clean, no one expected me to change it four times a day. I mean, obviously I look utterly splendid, but life is simpler when you can just chuck on a frock before breakfast and shrug out of it at bedtime.’
‘It’s an essential part of upper-class living, though, dear. How else would people know one had more money than good sense?’
‘If that’s what’s important, why not simply wear your most recent bank statement on an elegant chain around your neck, and forget about the tyranny of morning dresses and afternoon dresses and dinner dresses and everything in between.’"
Real people and events are seamlessly woven into this light-hearted thriller.
One of the best Hardcastle and Flo adventures.
Both read and listened to....Elizabeth Knowelden was a fine reader.
4*
May 28, 2024
While it may seem silly to start reading a series on book eleven, I think it was still honestly a fun time despite having no prior knowledge or familiarity. This book definitely made me more interested to pick up the rest of the series as it was full of light-hearted humor and banter.
I have two minor complaints. The first pertains to the book-- it got a little too repetitive in the short span to have them encounter gentlemen who were surprised/disbelieving/ornery that they were ladies and not men leading the investigation. I'm sure this is even more tiresome if you've read ten prior books that presumably contain the same.
The second complaint pertains to the audio narration as there is a character named Mr. Featherstonehaugh and the narrator consistently pronounces it "feather stone huff." That's not actually how you pronounce that name (though it is among the silliest of all English pronunciations, so it's an understandable mistake but nevertheless should've been caught).
Thank you to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for granting me an audio ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
------------
Pre-Read
------------
Going into book 11 in a series with zero prior introduction may put me at a disadvantage, but I've heard that the audiobooks are the best way to ingest this series. The problem is, they're quite challenging to get ahold of in the US. So I really hope I'm not doing myself or the book a disservice by jumping in so late in the game!
PLEASE NOTE: I'm not actually looking for advice on where to purchase the series but only providing context on why I personally started with book 11. Please do not comment with additional shopping information as it is not relevant to the review and I will delete those comments.
I have two minor complaints. The first pertains to the book-- it got a little too repetitive in the short span to have them encounter gentlemen who were surprised/disbelieving/ornery that they were ladies and not men leading the investigation. I'm sure this is even more tiresome if you've read ten prior books that presumably contain the same.
The second complaint pertains to the audio narration as there is a character named Mr. Featherstonehaugh and the narrator consistently pronounces it "feather stone huff." That's not actually how you pronounce that name (though it is among the silliest of all English pronunciations, so it's an understandable mistake but nevertheless should've been caught).
FAN-shaw
Featherstonhaugh (/ˈfænʃɔː/ FAN-shaw or /ˈfɪərstənhɔː/ FEER-stən-haw) (also spelt Fetherstonhaugh and Featherstonehaugh) is an English surname. The name comes from Featherstonhaugh in Northumberland, from the Old English feðere, 'feather', stān, 'stone', and healh, 'corner'.
Thank you to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for granting me an audio ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
------------
Pre-Read
------------
Going into book 11 in a series with zero prior introduction may put me at a disadvantage, but I've heard that the audiobooks are the best way to ingest this series. The problem is, they're quite challenging to get ahold of in the US. So I really hope I'm not doing myself or the book a disservice by jumping in so late in the game!
PLEASE NOTE: I'm not actually looking for advice on where to purchase the series but only providing context on why I personally started with book 11. Please do not comment with additional shopping information as it is not relevant to the review and I will delete those comments.
July 9, 2025
reading vlog: https://youtu.be/jAHVnp2GrVU
lady hardcastle is going to bring it to you every ball! loved the higher stakes + more expanded world of this one! t e kinsey i'm afraid you can never stop writing this series it's simply not allowed
lady hardcastle is going to bring it to you every ball! loved the higher stakes + more expanded world of this one! t e kinsey i'm afraid you can never stop writing this series it's simply not allowed
May 26, 2024
What joy! Emily, Lady Hardcastle, and her sassy maid and sidekick Florence Armstrong, are back in the spy game! Lady Hardcastle’s brother, Harry Featherstonehaugh, a big deal in England’s espionage unit, the Secret Service Bureau, has called the duo back into service to look into some foreign terrorists out to upset a meeting between the London Trade Federation and their Austrian counterparts; that’s because some royals from the Austro-Hungarian Empire are expected to be tagging along. There’s been one murder already, and Harry’s sure there will be more if they’re not stopped.
Author T.E. Kinsey’s deft touch and exhaustive research means that I learned so much about the Great Powers and the lead-up to World War I without even realizing it. So wisdom and entertainment in one package makes this novel a winner.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review.
Author T.E. Kinsey’s deft touch and exhaustive research means that I learned so much about the Great Powers and the lead-up to World War I without even realizing it. So wisdom and entertainment in one package makes this novel a winner.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review.
September 4, 2024
Sent to keep a government espionage agent’s murder off the local radar, Emily and Flo’s investigation takes them to London, the dark shadows of the east end, and straight back into the international spy scene they retired from as they work to prevent a plot with global ramifications. TE Kinsey’s Lady Hardcastle series continues to sparkle and amuse as the lady and her maid bring their unique talents to bear when on the case.
An Assassination on the Agenda is the eleventh of the series of mostly standalone mystery books. This, too, could standalone, though many of the side characters are familiar from earlier books.
In the latest, Emily and Flo are visiting their friends at The Grange and speculating how to help them find replacement musicians for their party when Emily’s brother Harry requires them to head off to take over a local murder investigation. Next thing they know, the pair are right back into the Great Game of their earlier years. Since the beginning, readers know that Lady Hardcastle and Florence were not simply two women retiring to life in a country village after a sedate career as a minor diplomat’s widow. No, this pair were British spies abroad and good at it, too. Therefore, seeing them move from solving rural murder mysteries to the big stage of a political intrigue in London involving foreign powers was rather exciting.
The powers that be are all men and they are all derogatory about Emily and Flo’s ability to work the case. Harry is their only champion, but not their only allies. How fun to meet a few unusual east end contacts who dish the tea so the ladies can crack the case. This is still a cozy historical mystery, but it does have a slightly darker theme with this being 1912 and WWI looming not so distant especially with the plot the ladies have to thwart in this one.
In summary, another fantastic outing with an intrepid pair of Edwardian Era lady sleuths whose lively banter had me giggling and sleuthing antics were highly entertaining. A good blend of historical background and clever mystery plot that I can recommend to other readers.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at The Quill Ink 8.22.24.
An Assassination on the Agenda is the eleventh of the series of mostly standalone mystery books. This, too, could standalone, though many of the side characters are familiar from earlier books.
In the latest, Emily and Flo are visiting their friends at The Grange and speculating how to help them find replacement musicians for their party when Emily’s brother Harry requires them to head off to take over a local murder investigation. Next thing they know, the pair are right back into the Great Game of their earlier years. Since the beginning, readers know that Lady Hardcastle and Florence were not simply two women retiring to life in a country village after a sedate career as a minor diplomat’s widow. No, this pair were British spies abroad and good at it, too. Therefore, seeing them move from solving rural murder mysteries to the big stage of a political intrigue in London involving foreign powers was rather exciting.
The powers that be are all men and they are all derogatory about Emily and Flo’s ability to work the case. Harry is their only champion, but not their only allies. How fun to meet a few unusual east end contacts who dish the tea so the ladies can crack the case. This is still a cozy historical mystery, but it does have a slightly darker theme with this being 1912 and WWI looming not so distant especially with the plot the ladies have to thwart in this one.
In summary, another fantastic outing with an intrepid pair of Edwardian Era lady sleuths whose lively banter had me giggling and sleuthing antics were highly entertaining. A good blend of historical background and clever mystery plot that I can recommend to other readers.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at The Quill Ink 8.22.24.
May 23, 2024
While this one is a mystery, yes, it actually plays out more like the stories that Lady Hardcastle and Flo tell about their "good old days" so to speak. The journey was great fun, and I liked the allusions to the assassination of 1914 in Sarajevo with a twist. Kinsey did a great job of creating scenes of "what might have been."
Alas, there is one glaring problem with this one. The wait for the next... excruciating!
Alas, there is one glaring problem with this one. The wait for the next... excruciating!
June 5, 2024
Time spent with Emily & Flo (yes, I think we are on a first name basis by now) is always time well spent. I want to hug this whole series and everyone in it. I thought this entry was another excellent mystery and I feel the series inching closer to WWI and I’m curious where that will take our intrepid sleuths.
May 30, 2024
Lady Hardcastle and Florence Armstrong are back, ready to solve a murder and foil an assassination attempt. When Lady H's brother, Harry, urges the duo to involve themselves in a murder case in Bristol, the two find themselves embroiled in a deeper scheme that might spark a war if not thwarted. Who better to have on the case?
I was so unbelievably excited to return to the hijinks of this lovable and chaotic twosome. Once again, the banter between Lady Hardcastle and Flo was top notch, and I could not wipe the smile off my face. This series is so cozy, and brings me so much joy. I also really enjoyed seeing them in action again - disguises, break-ins, and meetings with gangsters. It was all so much fun.
As always, I feel the need to sing the audiobook's praises. If you are interested in this series at all, the audiobook route is definitely the way to go. The narrator (Elizabeth Knowelden) does an excellent job and really brings these characters to life!
Thank you so much to Netgalley for providing me with an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
I was so unbelievably excited to return to the hijinks of this lovable and chaotic twosome. Once again, the banter between Lady Hardcastle and Flo was top notch, and I could not wipe the smile off my face. This series is so cozy, and brings me so much joy. I also really enjoyed seeing them in action again - disguises, break-ins, and meetings with gangsters. It was all so much fun.
As always, I feel the need to sing the audiobook's praises. If you are interested in this series at all, the audiobook route is definitely the way to go. The narrator (Elizabeth Knowelden) does an excellent job and really brings these characters to life!
Thank you so much to Netgalley for providing me with an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
June 25, 2024
This is such a great series that I am sad to say I have officially caught up with all of the books. There is nothing new that I can say except I thoroughly enjoy the series. We are following Lady Hardcastle and her personal flow as they investigates deaths that they come across. I felt like the humor in this one was really on point and there were numerous times that I chuckled.they’re not the most amazing books, but I find them very relaxing and cozy. If you have not read them before I highly recommend them. The audio is also extremely well done. I now will wait until the next one comes out of this series.
August 18, 2024
Fun seeing Lady Hardcastle and Flo in their roles as secret agents.
February 10, 2025
After a disappointing book 10 in this series it was nice to have the humour and investigative skills of this duo back in form.
May 27, 2024
A very fun entry in the series -- Lady Hardcastle and her intrepid maid Florence are called down to London by Special Branch after a Serbian man is found dead in strange circumstances.
I was starting to feel like Littleton Cotterill was rivaling Three Pines for "village with the most ridiculous number of murders" and that residents would soon begin to flee. So it was nice to have Lady Hardcastle and Flo be out of their usual milieu! And, as always, the banter was top notch.
I was starting to feel like Littleton Cotterill was rivaling Three Pines for "village with the most ridiculous number of murders" and that residents would soon begin to flee. So it was nice to have Lady Hardcastle and Flo be out of their usual milieu! And, as always, the banter was top notch.
May 25, 2024
love this series!
love this series! The banter between lady hardcastle and miss Armstrong is hilarious. They are so clever! And I like that the plots are not gruesome like some mystery series. Not a fan of graphic murder for the sake of shock value. So refreshing!
love this series! The banter between lady hardcastle and miss Armstrong is hilarious. They are so clever! And I like that the plots are not gruesome like some mystery series. Not a fan of graphic murder for the sake of shock value. So refreshing!
May 21, 2025
I got this book as an ARC from NetGalley by author T.E. Kinsey. It is a very slow read, but also pretty good! It's definitely not my regular read, and so it took me a while to get through it, but I did find it to be very easy to read once I got going. I did get confused at the start because this is the 11th book in the series, and I jumped in here, and it definitely builds off of all the other books prior. Given that it is such a slow read for ME, I don't know if I'll read the start of them, but I did enjoy the book! It's a historical story about two women who are detectives in the special services branch of England, and so I had a British accent in my head the whole entire time I was reading it. 😆 Well written, and so glad I read on my Kindle, so I could look up all the terms that were used.
#AnAssassinationontheAgenda
#NetGalley
#AnAssassinationontheAgenda
#NetGalley
May 29, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for the free advanced reading copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway.
Short summary: Lady Hardcastle and Flo try to prevent WWI from happening sooner than it did.
July 1912- Lady Hardcastle and her friend/maid Florence Armstrong are enjoying a lazy summer in the village and think Emily's most pressing problem will be to find a suitable orchestra for the newly wealthy Farley-Stroud's summer party. Then Emily's brother Harry phones from London, he needs them to go to Bristol ASAP. A chap has been shot in the Tramway Centre and the SSB needs Lady Hardcastle and Miss Armstrong on the job to keep it hush-hush. The dead chap was foreign but an agent for Britain. It's up to the ladies to suss out who the man was and who wanted him dead. They uncover a deadly plot to throw Europe into chaos and warfare sooner than she is ready for. Can the ladies figure out who is behind the plot and stop it before a deadly assassination occurs?
Well obviously ... We know World War I started in the spring of 1914 so the plot kind of has to go backwards from there. What might have happened to start the war sooner and how can the characters stop that from happening? With the political plot, this isn't much of a traditional cozy mystery. I couldn't put down the first half as the ladies tried to figure out who was behind the murder and investigate that but the second half didn't interest me so much because we already know the outcome! The history was interesting though. I didn't realize Europe was on the brink of war long before WWI and most people were aware of it. I didn't know anything about Bosnia except for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the Balkan wars of the 1990s. However, I prefer the quiet life in the country murders. This potentially dark story is told with the trademark banter I love so much. Add one sibling into the mix and the banter amps way up.
I just adore Lady Hardcastle. She's so delightfully eccentric. She pretends to be ditzy and fluffy but she's one tough and intelligent lady. Men tend to underestimate her and speak to her rudely because of the persona she chooses to present. She quickly sets them straight. Emily never had children of her own but is delighted to be Auntie Emily to her brother Harry's daughter and the Farley-Straud's grandchildren. She's an incredible auntie because aunties don't have to play by the rules and can be as silly and eccentric as they want. The words she teaches little Addie must be dreadfully naughty LOL! Flo may tease Emily about being perpetually late, not being an early riser, etc. etc. but it's all in good fun. They're like sisters really. Flo has her own eccentricities Emily teases her about. Flo is also highly intelligent and physically fit. She's underestimated because she's petite but "though she be little, she be fierce." I'm fascinated by her daily Tai Chi exercises and the man with the Indian clubs! I see people doing Tai Chi in the park today but in 1912 that must have been an unusual sight, even in London!
Harry is a great brother. He recognizes his sister is smarter than him and fully capable of figuring things out that the thickheads in government cannot. He's proud of his sister's intelligence and past adventures and eager to get her involved. He's also fun, teasing and exchanging banter with the ladies. I agree that his sense of humor nickname for his wife is not charming. I bet he's a good dad to little Addie too.
Harry's colleagues are thickheads and sexist pigs. His boss, Col. Valentine, is the worst. He's arrogant, sexist, refuses to accept or acknowledge Lady Hardcastle as a qualified agent and generally belittles and blusters whenever he is around the ladies. He likes his cushy desk job and plays the political game, telling the bigwigs what they want to hear. He is obtuse and doesn't see the reality of the situation and is quick to dismiss the danger. Sir Montague Winifred, managing director of a tram company is cut from the same cloth. He doesn't suffer fools gladly and thinks Harry is a fool. He doesn't seem to respect Harry much either, thinking Harry is a prankster and thereby dismissing him. With blustering idiots like him in charge, it's no wonder the world went to war. Pearlman and Brownlow, aka Perch and Trout, are brainless SSB men the ladies have met before. They were and still are bumbling fools eager to prove themselves and be seen as important. They act imperious and are hostile to the ladies.
Emily and Flo's friends are much nicer than Harry's. They have two key East End informants. Queenie, a successful brothel owner, is shrewd and enjoys bantering with the ladies. She is happy to help because she knows the young men of her neighborhood are the ones sent into war to die first. Benny Butcher is a hoot. An honest criminal, he's one of London's most wanted AND most informative people. He knows everyone in the East End and even some across the river too. Benny Butcher knows everyone and everything that goes on in his patch. Yet he's very honorable and very patriotic. He has moral codes and protecting the Empire is one of them! He provides potentially key evidence but it seems someone else is after him too! Oh no!
Flo's friend, Daisy Sprocket, in the village, is moving up in the world. Good for her! She'll be running the pub herself in no time.
This wasn't my favorite entry in the series. I liked the first chapter in the village and the trying to figure out who the dead man was but not the politics of impending war. I hope they get back to solving crimes in the country next!
Short summary: Lady Hardcastle and Flo try to prevent WWI from happening sooner than it did.
July 1912- Lady Hardcastle and her friend/maid Florence Armstrong are enjoying a lazy summer in the village and think Emily's most pressing problem will be to find a suitable orchestra for the newly wealthy Farley-Stroud's summer party. Then Emily's brother Harry phones from London, he needs them to go to Bristol ASAP. A chap has been shot in the Tramway Centre and the SSB needs Lady Hardcastle and Miss Armstrong on the job to keep it hush-hush. The dead chap was foreign but an agent for Britain. It's up to the ladies to suss out who the man was and who wanted him dead. They uncover a deadly plot to throw Europe into chaos and warfare sooner than she is ready for. Can the ladies figure out who is behind the plot and stop it before a deadly assassination occurs?
Well obviously ... We know World War I started in the spring of 1914 so the plot kind of has to go backwards from there. What might have happened to start the war sooner and how can the characters stop that from happening? With the political plot, this isn't much of a traditional cozy mystery. I couldn't put down the first half as the ladies tried to figure out who was behind the murder and investigate that but the second half didn't interest me so much because we already know the outcome! The history was interesting though. I didn't realize Europe was on the brink of war long before WWI and most people were aware of it. I didn't know anything about Bosnia except for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the Balkan wars of the 1990s. However, I prefer the quiet life in the country murders. This potentially dark story is told with the trademark banter I love so much. Add one sibling into the mix and the banter amps way up.
I just adore Lady Hardcastle. She's so delightfully eccentric. She pretends to be ditzy and fluffy but she's one tough and intelligent lady. Men tend to underestimate her and speak to her rudely because of the persona she chooses to present. She quickly sets them straight. Emily never had children of her own but is delighted to be Auntie Emily to her brother Harry's daughter and the Farley-Straud's grandchildren. She's an incredible auntie because aunties don't have to play by the rules and can be as silly and eccentric as they want. The words she teaches little Addie must be dreadfully naughty LOL! Flo may tease Emily about being perpetually late, not being an early riser, etc. etc. but it's all in good fun. They're like sisters really. Flo has her own eccentricities Emily teases her about. Flo is also highly intelligent and physically fit. She's underestimated because she's petite but "though she be little, she be fierce." I'm fascinated by her daily Tai Chi exercises and the man with the Indian clubs! I see people doing Tai Chi in the park today but in 1912 that must have been an unusual sight, even in London!
Harry is a great brother. He recognizes his sister is smarter than him and fully capable of figuring things out that the thickheads in government cannot. He's proud of his sister's intelligence and past adventures and eager to get her involved. He's also fun, teasing and exchanging banter with the ladies. I agree that his sense of humor nickname for his wife is not charming. I bet he's a good dad to little Addie too.
Harry's colleagues are thickheads and sexist pigs. His boss, Col. Valentine, is the worst. He's arrogant, sexist, refuses to accept or acknowledge Lady Hardcastle as a qualified agent and generally belittles and blusters whenever he is around the ladies. He likes his cushy desk job and plays the political game, telling the bigwigs what they want to hear. He is obtuse and doesn't see the reality of the situation and is quick to dismiss the danger. Sir Montague Winifred, managing director of a tram company is cut from the same cloth. He doesn't suffer fools gladly and thinks Harry is a fool. He doesn't seem to respect Harry much either, thinking Harry is a prankster and thereby dismissing him. With blustering idiots like him in charge, it's no wonder the world went to war. Pearlman and Brownlow, aka Perch and Trout, are brainless SSB men the ladies have met before. They were and still are bumbling fools eager to prove themselves and be seen as important. They act imperious and are hostile to the ladies.
Emily and Flo's friends are much nicer than Harry's. They have two key East End informants. Queenie, a successful brothel owner, is shrewd and enjoys bantering with the ladies. She is happy to help because she knows the young men of her neighborhood are the ones sent into war to die first. Benny Butcher is a hoot. An honest criminal, he's one of London's most wanted AND most informative people. He knows everyone in the East End and even some across the river too. Benny Butcher knows everyone and everything that goes on in his patch. Yet he's very honorable and very patriotic. He has moral codes and protecting the Empire is one of them! He provides potentially key evidence but it seems someone else is after him too! Oh no!
Flo's friend, Daisy Sprocket, in the village, is moving up in the world. Good for her! She'll be running the pub herself in no time.
This wasn't my favorite entry in the series. I liked the first chapter in the village and the trying to figure out who the dead man was but not the politics of impending war. I hope they get back to solving crimes in the country next!
December 4, 2024
First and foremost, I absolutely adore TE Kinsey and his writing! The Lady Hardcastle novels and the Dizzy Heights mysteries really hit for me. The world building and characters are always on point, as well as the humor.
However, compared to previous entries in the series, this one was a bit more difficult for me to read. Some of that difficulty may be personal to me, but the fact this book touches on the politics in Europe ahead of WW1 makes this one a bit too realistic for me. I totally get what Kinsey is doing with the series and I am excited for future entries. I’ll adjust to the new norm in the series since all the characters, new and old, all hit perfectly and feel like real people in the world.
TLDR: Don’t let this lower score from me deter you from reading this book or the series! But this book definitely starts diving into more political and spy shenanigans that will take some adjusting for me to sink my teeth into. I’m sure the next entry will be even better and I will be prepared for it, too.
However, compared to previous entries in the series, this one was a bit more difficult for me to read. Some of that difficulty may be personal to me, but the fact this book touches on the politics in Europe ahead of WW1 makes this one a bit too realistic for me. I totally get what Kinsey is doing with the series and I am excited for future entries. I’ll adjust to the new norm in the series since all the characters, new and old, all hit perfectly and feel like real people in the world.
TLDR: Don’t let this lower score from me deter you from reading this book or the series! But this book definitely starts diving into more political and spy shenanigans that will take some adjusting for me to sink my teeth into. I’m sure the next entry will be even better and I will be prepared for it, too.
September 1, 2024
T.E. Kinsey’s writing is always top-notch and this is no exception. Back with the lovely Lady Hardcastle and her friend and lady’s maid Flo, the book is full of witty repartee and fun moments.
The mystery in this one is of global espionage so the story’s location and format are different from the usual which I enjoyed. Fans of history will spot a number of ominous foreshadowings of the war to come which Kinsey has elegantly worked in. Lady H and Flo are in fine form both in detecting and in succeeding in a male dominated society!
It was a lovely time spent with wonderful characters and a fantastic tale. It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale and highly recommended.
The mystery in this one is of global espionage so the story’s location and format are different from the usual which I enjoyed. Fans of history will spot a number of ominous foreshadowings of the war to come which Kinsey has elegantly worked in. Lady H and Flo are in fine form both in detecting and in succeeding in a male dominated society!
It was a lovely time spent with wonderful characters and a fantastic tale. It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale and highly recommended.
May 22, 2024
excellent
Love these books and reread them at least once a year, for the sheer pleasure of the wordplay.
We are getting closer to the run up to WW1, so the tension is much higher and the plot is very twisty.
Highly recommended
Chris Wallace
Love these books and reread them at least once a year, for the sheer pleasure of the wordplay.
We are getting closer to the run up to WW1, so the tension is much higher and the plot is very twisty.
Highly recommended
Chris Wallace
May 31, 2024
I’m never disappointed with a Lady Hardcastle Mystery!
June 16, 2024
We love this series so much! The banter is such fun and the audio edition is perfection!
Read
September 25, 2024Lady H and her Tiny helper
Another great story from T E Kinsey. The descriptions of the locations make you feel as if you are there. Can't wait for the next one
Another great story from T E Kinsey. The descriptions of the locations make you feel as if you are there. Can't wait for the next one
January 28, 2025
What the heck am I supposed to listen to while cooking between now and May???
Read
May 23, 2024Loved it
When I see that a new book in the Lady Hardcastle series is available, I immediately put down my other books and read it. The story line is always interesting and the humour adds a special seasoning.
When I see that a new book in the Lady Hardcastle series is available, I immediately put down my other books and read it. The story line is always interesting and the humour adds a special seasoning.
May 28, 2024
They all end too soon! I love visiting two of my favorite characters each time a new book is released. I hope that neither Kinsey nor his publishers get tired of this duo for awhile! ❤️❤️
July 3, 2024
The author plays a little loose with history on this one but in spite of that this is one of the best and most suspenseful books in the series. Lady Hardcastle and Flo were really in their element here and make really good agents. They are clever and persistent and so very funny. This was one of my favorites in the series.
June 12, 2024
I rather enjoyed this 11th book in the Lady Hardcastle series. Once again there was historical background to the story, that I found rather intriguing and made the story more engaging.
I enjoyed that it was set in London rather than the village or Bristol. It was a refreshing change!
I enjoyed that it was set in London rather than the village or Bristol. It was a refreshing change!
May 22, 2024
Kinsey does it again
Witty, clever, great plot lines and a continuity of the many subtle and not so subtle mannerisms and skills of the intrepid pair. A great read.
Witty, clever, great plot lines and a continuity of the many subtle and not so subtle mannerisms and skills of the intrepid pair. A great read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 307 reviews