Murder on the Rocks

Lady Hardcastle Mysteries #13

by T.E. Kinsey

February 1913. Lady Hardcastle and her diminutive but mettlesome lady’s maid, Flo, have been invited by their friend JB McIntyre to spend the weekend at his recently renovated Tudor fort on a remote island off the Devonshire coast. But the holiday quickly turns sinister when first a number of valuable jewels go missing—and then a fellow guest is murdered with a most unusual weapon.

Asked by JB to investigate, the stakes are raised for the sleuthing duo when a violent storm traps the group on the island and cuts them off from help. Is the murderer in their midst? With everyone claiming to have an alibi—but each also having a skeleton in their closet—can Lady Hardcastle and Flo unravel this complex web of secrets and deception before the killer strikes again?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery

296 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 26, 2026

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

reading vlog: https://youtu.be/RKiWWJAjQ4I

LADY HARDCASTLE AND FLO ARE BACK BABYYYY!! this is SUCH a great entry in the series!! loved the take on the closed isolated circle mystery - loved the setting, really liked the wider cast of characters, and loved the red herrings and clues! now excuse me whilst i go cry over being up to date on the series

[Sophia]

Lady Hardcastle and Florence are invited to the grand opening of an island hotel only to be trapped on the island with a murderer. TE Kinsey’s Edwardian Era historical cozy mysteries continue to entertain and enthrall with a little whimsy with one’s murder.

My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 7.15.26.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is always going to be a good time with Lady Hardcastle and Flo and this was no exception. The mystery didn’t hold together quite as well as I would have liked but it didn’t matter because I just love spending time with my favorite mystery-solving duo!

And bonus points for Elizabeth Knowelden’s amazing audiobook narration! If you haven’t tried this series on audio yet, you are missing out!

[Grandma Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a highly entertaining and prolific series. A series I will reread. Love Lady Hardcastle and Flo. They are more like friends with witty banter abounding. Jewels are stolen and of course murder. No case is too difficult for our lady sleuths. The cases are complex and with many red herrings. I often smile or even laugh out loud while listening to these books. Highly recommend.

I was blessed with an ARC and ALC. Thank you NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.

[Catarina ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book.
Another great cozy murder mystery in this series! These books are always such an easy and enjoyable read, and I love coming back to these characters every time. These books always feel like a breath of fresh air, which sounds slightly concerning considering there’s always a murder involved!

[Chautona Havig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well worth the wait. Lots of twists and turns, everyone with motive, and even more questions than answers for most of the book. I figured out part of it, but not all of it. That's always extra cool.

I noticed that though it was the same narrator (Listened to the audiobook), this time Flo's voice wasn't as distinct from Lady Hardcastle's. Because of it, I occasionally got confused. It wouldn't have bee a big deal except that I really always did love Flo's voice, so that was a disappointment.

[Emily Johns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily & Flo are such reliable characters in this next book of the Lady Hardcastle series - you know exactly what you’re getting with them, and they never disappoint! I would say very much an easy read & gentle storyline, so if you’re looking for major plot twists & dramas, this won’t be for you. The story takes place away from their usual village, which I didn’t mind, but somehow wasn’t quite as refined as some of the other on-location murder mysteries in the series. Still, an enjoyable read.

[Heidi S. Trauger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite in the series. They are in an isolated location with only a few people so the story tends to be a bit boring with very little happening. You also really notice the lack of police help as they miss major steps that would provide clarity early in. Instead the story is about not knowing anything and just conversion and drinks. No action, very little investigation and circular conversation.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well.
I NEVER saw THAT coming!!

I love how this series still feels fresh and fun even after 13 books [HOW did that happen? I am always so glad I took a chance with this series when I got the first one from Kindle First so long ago]; even using the very popular "locked room" trope felt new and fresh given the location [a CASTLE on an island!! A storm!! D E A D people!!] and a plethora of very odd "bedmates" - even Lady H and Flo are flummoxed for awhile [I know I certainly was!]. but they get there in the end, and what an end it was! My flabbers were totally and completely gasted, which is always the best thing ever when reading a mystery and I was left very satisfied.

This was a completely fantastic read!

Elizabeth Knowlden is an amazing narrator and I always look forward to listening to her tell the story and such is the case here. She brings this story to life and makes an already fantastic book that much better. I highly recommend her for any book, but especially for this series!

Thank you to NetGalley, T E Kinsey, Elizabeth Knowlden - Narrator, Amazon Publishing UK/Thomas & Mercer, and Brilliance Publishing/Brilliance Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

[Dogeared · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this series and the characters. Feisty women, humour, culture, and always a good mystery. I spotted whodunnit, but not why… and there was still a twist I didn’t spot, so bravo for still managing to keep you guessing right to the end. And yay for bringing this book down to Devon! I would happily read this series all day long, and already can’t wait for the next book. If you love funny, cosy historical mysteries with awesome women leads, please read this series!

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cozy mystery series finds Lady Hardcastle and her lady's maid/companion, Flo, invited to a pre-opening stay at a resort in a renovated Tudor fort on an island off the coast of Devonshire. It's all fun and lawn games until some expensive pieces of jewelry go missing, then someone turns up murdered. It's up to these sleuths to unravel all the lies the other guests have been spinning. In between recitals and tea, that is.
It works as a cozy mystery thanks to the main characters' wide range of interests and "special skills" (honed over the past dozen books). Entertaining in that very British way that makes me want an invitation to someone's country estate for a long holiday weekend -- without the murder, of course.
It's well-narrated and atmospheric, evoking the time (1913), with a nod to the pleasures of electricity and on-demand (radiator) heating.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @BrillianceAudio, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #MurderontheRocks for review purposes. Publication date: 26 May 2026.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder on the Rocks by T.E. Kinsey was a solid three-star read for me. I always enjoy returning to the world of Lady Hardcastle and her loyal lady's maid, Flo, and this installment was a fun, cozy mystery to spend time with.
When Lady Hardcastle and Flo are invited to a remote island for a relaxing getaway, things naturally do not stay peaceful for long. Before long, there is a jewel heist to investigate and, of course, a murder mystery to solve. Watching this clever duo untangle the clues is always entertaining.
If you're a fan of Agatha Christie, I think you'll likely enjoy this series. It has that charming Victorian-era detective feel, complete with witty banter, intriguing suspects, and a cozy atmosphere that makes these books such enjoyable comfort reads.

[Ashton Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was just so fun!! if yall know anything about me, you know i WILL devour a murder mystery in a giant house by the water which likely becomes isolated right when the murder occurs 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

was it unpredictable? Um not really 😭 BUT I don’t even care. the characters - especially our two leading ladies - are absolutely the most fun charming individuals I’ve had the pleasure of following along with as narrators, and waltzing along as they pieced everything together (honestly pretty leisurely 😂) was a soothing fun way to pass the time.

I recommend this to anyone who, like me, loves a mystery along the lines of ‘and then there were none’ and who like their murders solved the cozy way 🥰

⭐️ grabbed an e-arc on netgalley when it was ‘read now’ - thank you to Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read! ⭐️

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 13 in the Lady Hardcastle series.

Her Ladyship and Maid Armstrong are in Devonshire. Their good friend JB invited them to his fort a mile off the coast for a long weekend among friends.

First some baubles go missing, then a guest dies, then a storm hits ...

Hardcastle and Armstrong are trying their best to solve the mysteries before connection to the mainland, and the police, can be re-established.

Another wonderful entry in the series, which at one point might hint at a future spin-off series (or I read too much into it).

[Preeti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cant even believe I have read 13 books in this series and has rated almost every book 4 star or above. But, after 12 books with Lady Hardcastle and Flo, I think a close circle mystery(my favt) was bound to happen.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up
As always the characters of Lady Hardcastle and her “tiny servant” shine through but I felt the plot was weak and some what predictable with a little too much banter. Not the best of this usually entertaining series.

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Hardcastle and Florence are currently my favorite sleuths. This book did not disappoint.

[Anita Rut · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ☆

Þrettánda bókin í uppáhalds bókaseríunni minni. Lady Hardcastle og Flo eru í stuði eins og alltaf, og nú þurfa þær að leysa closed circle isolated mystery, my fave! Næstu takk.

[michelle goik · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars!

Another winner from one of my favorite authors and series. Lady Hardcastle and Flo are always such a fun duo! They are witty, clever and endlessly entertaining. The remote island setting, trapped with a killer. The humor made this such a great read. Hard to believe this is book 13 and the series is still this good.

[Weezey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series!
It took me a bit to get myself to sit down and finish this book just due to my schedule, not the storyline itself.
I have to say this was probably my favorite mystery out of them all. But I missed the small town comings and goings since this mystery was set in vacation.
This series never fails me.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily and Flo travel to a rock off the coast of Devon at the request of an old friend, JB McIntyre, an American millionaire who owns an old Tudor fort turned luxury hotel. JB has gathered a group of his eccentric friends for a preview of his hotel. It's February and during a winter storm the ladies have to solve the problem of missing jewels. At first what seems like a prank turns sinister and then they have to find a murderer, all before Tuesday when the police can arrive!

The premise is very Christie-esque but with the usual coziness of this series. There were enough twists to keep me guessing. I did figure out some of it but there was a last minute plot twist I didn't see coming! It gets a little repetitive in the middle and bogged down at times by descriptions of the latest inventions but overall, it's a fun story. I always enjoy hanging out with Emily and Flo. There are references to previous adventures, some they've told us about in previous books and some I wasn't aware of.

Usually I miss the Farley-Strouds and Daisy when the ladies travel but this story has a bunch of new quirky characters to enjoy. The banter between Emily and Flo is delightful as always and others are now seeing Flo in the way Emily sees her. They're an inseparable duo and quite famous for their exploits by now. They like to keep their skills under their hats, especially Flo, who being small, is always underestimated. Anyone who knows her knows to back Flo in a fight though! The bond between these two women is incredible and unmistakable to anyone who cares to see it. They've been through a lot together and always have each other's backs. They remind me a lot of the Gilmore Girls. Emily appears scatterbrained but she's sharp as a tack when she wants to be. She's always cracking jokes and teasing Flo who answers back. Flo is the more practical one and without her, Emily would never eat, get dressed or be able to find anything. I can relate a lot to Emily LOL! They're both so much fun to spend time with though.

JB McIntyre is based on JD Rockefeller but unlike Rockefeller, JB has gotten out of the robber baron game. He's more of a philanthropist now and a businessman of smaller ventures. His latest project is turning an old Tudor fort on an island off the coast of Devon into a luxury hotel with all the latest modern amenities - except ice, apparently refrigeration has only just been invented and not commercially available yet and no one will deliver natural ice to the island. JB is into the latest gadgets and things and also a collector of antiquities. He collects, among other odd objects, a narwhal tusk. Cringe yes... it was legal in 1913 ... and various weapons. JB is eccentric but friendly and kind. He's generous with his friends, of whom there are many.

This group of friends is a mixed lot of business and artistic interests who have known each other a long time. Granville Bridgewater, JB's English attorney is the life of every party. He cracks jokes and tells the same long-winded stories over and over again. (They're funnier when everyone is drunk, otherwise the friends tease him about how tired his jokes are). He's quick to welcome the ladies to the friend group and always jovial and friendly. His wife, Dorothy, aka Dotty, is also friendly and welcoming. She's delightful because she speaks her mind and everyone thinks she's "dotty" (no brains) but I don't think she really is. She's just even tempered and good natured with a sense of humor about her memory. Robert Sidwell-Plant (RVSP) and his wife Patience are a mixed match couple. He's very, very proper. He never sets a toe out of line and likes his life orderly. Patience is more lively and fun and probably tired of being married to a stuffy bore. I don't blame her. He sounds controlling and horrid. They don't appear to be a loving, happy couple. George Wilson is on hand to help JD with his antiques collection. Wilson is the youngest and newest member of the group. He seems a little aloof and brooding but also a ruthless businessman who always thinks about the value of an object. He claims his wealthy clients typically think that way and not about sentiment so he's gotten into the habit of assessing everything. Unbeknownst to Wilson, he's actually been invited because JB is trying to play matchmaker. He thinks his new friend Lily Thacker, a photographer, would be a good match for George and wants to fix them up. Oh dear! The young people don't seem to want to be fixed up but also may be on their way towards coupling up naturally. Lily seems anxious and like she doesn't fit in. She was hired to take photographs but doesn't bring a professional camera. She says she only brought one for snaps right now and will bring the professional to the hotel later. Yet she doesn't know Emily's friend and doesn't seek Emily out to discuss photography. That raises red flags for me but that doesn't mean she's not who she says she is. She does say she's new to photography and doesn't know the greats yet. It IS a newish medium, especially for art and for women so she could be telling the truth and just feeling like a fish out of water because she doesn't know anyone and they're all from the smart set. She's a working gal, middle class probably, but not in the league of JB's older and wealthier friends.

Mrs. Clarice Everett is a concert violinist, virtuoso, very famous and also blind. She seems to have a chip on her shoulder about her blindness. She has caustic comebacks for every dumb assumption and question people make but ALSO innocent word usage like "watch" and "see." I'm not blind so I cannot speak to what it feels like but she's known these people a long time and considers them friends. She should know they don't mean anything by it. Clarice is a bit edgy because her husband is abusive. He's one of those "A Star is Born" characters who can't stand to see his wife's fame eclipse his. Once a famous concert pianist in his own right, Edgar Everett is now reduced to being known as Clarice's accompanist. I can't stand men like that and no one really knows why Clarice puts up with it. They all side with her, even the men, and while she explains her reasons for staying, "inertia" doesn't sound like a good excuse. She has an offer of a place to stay and help making concert bookings and finding a new accompanist. Edgar is awful and no one likes him. He shouldn't have been invited to the party.

Mr. and Mrs. Crawford are the caretakers of the hotel. She's kind, grandmotherly and a good cook. He seems lazy and unwilling to help. He tends to arrive late when he's called and he's not a good enough servant to anticipate the needs of the guests. I suspect they're up to something and it's not efficient hotel management.

Granville lives beyond his means. Credit cards don't exist yet and he must work hard to make money off wealthy individuals like JB. His wife is always decked out in the loudest, most expensive jewels. Dotty and Patience are locked in a rivalry over who can wear the most expensive, brightly colored gems at any given house party. When their jewels go missing, it causes a great deal of consternation. The ladies think it may be a prank, probably Grenville teasing them about their rivalry and love of expensive gemstones but what if it's not? Then there's a thief among them. Now who would be so stupid as to steal a friend's jewelry that is easily identifiable? I wonder if George Wilson stole them to sell to a wealthy collector? Or did Granville steal them for the insurance money? If he did take the jewelry, RVSP is in on it. Are they trying to teach their wives a lesson? It seems cruel if they are. If this is a prank, it goes on too long. If it's insurance fraud, I don't think RVSP would be in on it. He seems too stuffy and proper. However, the comments and the wink Flo observed could be a misunderstanding about something else entirely or perhaps Sidwell-Plante does mean he's tired of Granville borrowing stories from other people, embellishing them and retelling them as his own. Maybe he borrowed one of his old friend's stories and it's embarrassing the staid gentleman and has nothing to do with the missing jewels. Whatever is going on, these men don't seem to be friends anymore. Is their beef something worth killing over? Granville doesn't seem the type. I like him and want him to be innocent. Sidwell-Plante is too proper to commit murder and that leaves the women, JB, the Crawfords and George Wilson. Are the thief and the murderer one and the same? How can any of this have happened when everyone has alibis? It's up to Emily and Flo to figure out the HOW in order to figure out WHO.

Flo contemplates writing down their stories, but who would read them? ;-) I sure would and hope they have more adventures soon!

On board the train to Devon, the ladies meet Paul Dymond, a toy bear collector. He doesn't have any relevance to the story and seems to be a nice guy. He's traveling with a rare Steiff bear to commemorate the sinking of the Titanic. I had to STOP reading and go look up this bear. My first thought was "I want!" and my second was "Oh no that's creepy! https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-..."

Anyone have a spare 250,000 GBP? And a house without moths?
https://auctiondaily.com/news/steiff-...

or $500 for a replica?
https://samanthasdolls.com/product/ti...

(This repro is not so cute but the moths will eat it only after they finish with wool. https://www.steiff.com/en-us/teddies-...)

[Abbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of my all time favorite series, but I didn’t enjoy this one as much. I still loved the banter between Lady Hardcastle and Flo of course! That will never get old.

However - I didn’t like the closed island setting or that Granville got away with stealing money because he “liked a better lifestyle”. I was confused why Emily would promote that.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I want some light-hearted, historical fun, I know I can always turn to T.E. Kinsey's Lady Hardcastle mysteries, and his latest is no exception.

Murder on the Rocks is essentially a locked room mystery set in a remodeled Tudor fort on a remote island. An old building, an island that's easily cut off from the rest of the world. What could possibly go wrong? Just my kind of mystery!

This book has a small cast, but there are more than enough motives to go around, so everyone is a suspect. I found this particular mystery a bit easy to solve, but I enjoy the banter between Lady Hardcastle and Florence so much that I really didn't care.

If you are in the mood for a light-hearted historical mystery series with two wonderful main characters, you can't go wrong with T.E. Kinsey's Lady Hardcastle.

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)

[Anne Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lady Hardcastle (Emily) and her lady's maid/assistant Florence are hoping for a long weekend to enjoy themselves when they are invited to friend JB McIntyre's island. He's getting it ready to become a resort getaway and wants some friends to test things out. All is well until some valuable jewelry is stolen—and then the rather unpleasant guest is murdered. No one is actually sorry he's dead, but no one wants a murderer on the guest list. Especially when he isn't the only one who gets killed. With everyone trapped on the island until Tuesday, can Emily and Flo solve the crimes and keep everyone else safe?

It's been ages since I read a Lady Hardcastle mystery (I think I read the first one) so I was pretty much coming into the series new. There are throwaway references to other cases, presumably from other books, but none that made me feel lost coming into the series at Book 13. I did enjoy this book, but I can't say it made me feel like I needed to go back and reread the rest of the series. The characters were all pretty basic and mostly 2-dimensional. Friends who aren't entirely friends because they have secrets, or don't like the bullying of a wife. One tells long-winded stories that everyone knows but are entertaining if you've had enough to drink. The servants who smuggle goods. The American millionaire who is obsessed with the latest inventions. The story itself plods along, dragging especially in the middle, before speeding up to the end with the quick solution. I figured out some of it, but there was a good twist in there that helped keep things going.

The best part of the book for me was the description and history of the island fort, which is really well done. The author builds the fort/island into an excellent site to explore and you can see the details inside and out as they are described. The historical accuracy for the time period is subtle but well drawn, and benefits from JB loving to have all the latest gadgets (and showing them off to guests!).

A quiet cozy mystery that might appeal to people already in love with the series more than newcomers, but wasn't bad if you can accept a slightly slower than usual pace.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Emma Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flo and Lady Hardcastle are invited to a remote castle on an island by an American friend, JB, who has plans to turn it into a B&B. An assortment of colourful characters - from a blind pianist prodigy to a photographer to a solicitor - congregate to test out the sprawling estate and its modern appliances courtesy of JB’s vast fortune. As they enjoy a retreat of leisure and pleasure, one of the guests is found dead.

Oh I loved this!! I really love this series and I’d forgotten how much. I don’t ask for a lot in my historical mysteries as it’s one of my favourite subgenres and I’ll happily read just about anything but the best have a good puzzle, levity, and plenty of historical detail. Food is a plus. Murder on the Rocks has all of this and more!

The writing is so clever and I kept highlighting entire paragraphs. The banter between Lady Hardcastle and Flo is sharp and so incredibly funny and there’s a guest who makes a joke of everything in this too - his puns added to my enjoyment of the story so much. JB is also a goldmine of information so we’re treated to quite a lot of trivia in this - the origin of the American passion for ice, liquor and more. There’s also a stuffed bear collector in this - an arctophile - who immediately made me want to look up interesting teddy bears. I enjoyed each of the guests and Clarice above all. She’s a blind pianist and her passion for music and lovely nature were a treat to read about. I also loved all the author’s notes at the end which go deeper into the historical details in the story.

I guessed some of the ending but the journey getting there was so good I didn’t mind in the least. This book was such a wonderful way to spend a Sunday!

My endless thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!

[Flávia Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book.

4,5

I must admit that I almost didn’t request this book, since it is the 13th in a series I hadn’t been following. But the cover and the synopsis won me over, and I’m so glad they did, because I found out you do not need to have read the previous books in the series to appreciate the refined humor and wit of Lady Hardcastle and Flossie, their camaraderie, their adventures, and their stories (although I will immediately be starting with the first book now!). I actually ended up marking several passages where past mysteries were mentioned in passing, just so I could identify them later when I read the series in order.

Moreover, I have to applaud T E Kinsey for the incredible research behind the era, the gadgets, and the historical accuracy - even in moments where the author later tells us that somethings did not exist yet in that time, but were included anyway because they were too good to pass on. That, to me, made the reading experience even more charming.

As for the mystery itself, I thought it was very well done. There were no absurd plot twists that made the solution impossible for the reader to guess, but it wasn't crazy obvious either. I would say that I kept the pace with Lady Hardcastle and Flossie throughout the story, even though I was never completely shocked by any plot twist.

This is, to me, the most pure definition of a cozy mystery, so if you are looking for a very historically accurate yet very nonconforming female characters, an amazing and deep friendship (or maybe something more?) between intelligent and funny women, all wrapped around a delightful whodunnit set in a fort on a dramatic island, then welcome to your next read!

[Karra · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a long time fan and devoted admirer of T.E. Kinsey’s Lady Hardcastle series, I can say without hesitation that Murder on the Rocks did not disappoint. Take my advice if you love a good cozy mystery and just READ IT!

This installment finds Lady Hardcastle and her ever-capable companion, Flo, on a train bound for a remote castle, where a lively gathering of guests has assembled under the invitation of a wealthy American, JB. Of course, it doesn’t take long for a most inconvenient murder to interrupt the festivities, casting suspicion upon everyone in attendance.

What follows is everything I’ve come to love about this series: an engaging mystery, a wonderfully drawn cast of characters, and the incomparable wit and banter between Lady Hardcastle and Flo. Their dialogue is as amusing as ever, lending a warmth and charm that truly sets this series apart.

The setting, though removed from the familiar village, is still rich in atmosphere, and the newly introduced characters add a fresh dimension to the story. I also adore the historical details that are always sprinkled throughout. They help bring the narrative to life more vividly in my mind.

I can’t recommend Murder on the Rocks, or any of the others within the Lady Hardcastle series, enough. Each and every one delivers a uniquely entertaining and engaging cozy mystery experience. I’m already looking forward to the 14th installment and can’t wait to find out what’s next for the indomitable Lady H & Flo!

My sincerest thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK/Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

#LadyHardcastle
#Netgalley
#cozymystery

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5★s

It was February 1913 when Lady Hardcastle and lady's maid, Florence (Flo) Armstrong were travelling on a train to spend the weekend on a small island off the Devonshire coast, where a good friend, JB McIntyre, had renovated an old Tudor fort. Expecting fun and frivolity, good food and drinks, they did get that, but they also became tangled up in jewellery thefts, and murder. The man murdered was disliked by all, so no love lost there, but JB asked Lady Hardcastle and Flo to investigate, knowing their success rates of the past.

When a violent storm sank their only boat and trapped them on the island, Flo & Lady Hardcastle continued to investigate, but no one expected them to resolve the crime. Except them. It was a difficult one, plus everyone was looking over their shoulders constantly - and then another of their small group was murdered. Who was doing this, and why? Would Lady H and Flo discover the answers?

Murder on the Rocks is the 13th in the Lady Hardcastle Mysteries by T.E. Kinsey and I thoroughly enjoyed it, laughing out loud in a number of places. It wasn't quite as good as usual, but our two sleuths were once again at the top of their game in this highly addictive series.. Looking forward to #14 when we'll hopefully be back at Littleton Cotterell :) Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley & Thomas & Mercer for my digital ARC to read and review.

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Series: Lady Hardcastle Mysteries #13
Publication Date: 5/26/26
Period: 1913 (Devon, England)
Number of Pages: Audiobook (Book has 296 Pages)

This book is filled with a wicked good mystery, witty banter, interesting characters, and excellent narration. You definitely cannot go wrong if you decide to read or listen to this book.

The inimitable Lady Hardcastle and her lady’s maid Flo have been invited to spend a quiet weekend on the small private island of an American friend. Had they a choice, they might have chosen to visit in the summer rather than mid-winter, but they still looked forward to the adventure – and goodness what an adventure it was.

Lady Hardcastle and Flo thought the other guests were an interesting mix of characters and looked forward to getting to know them. Then, there were thefts, then a dead body, then a storm cutting them off from the mainland. Oh! My! They are trapped on an island with a thief and a murderer. Can they solve the crimes and apprehend the criminal before more crimes are committed? As always, the unstoppable duo is on the case, and those criminals don’t have a clue what they are up against.

The narrator, Elizabeth Knowelden, is excellent. She delivers a well-paced narration with distinctive character voices. She also does an excellent job handling the witty banter between Flo and Emily – you can hear the humor in her voice as she narrates.

I recommend this book, this series, and this author.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Carol Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say I enjoyed Murder on the Rocks tons more than the other one in this series I’ve read. Lady Hardcastle and Florence are at a friend’s island fort in Devonshire. JB McIntyre has recently converted the building into a hotel and has invited a group of people a kind of a pre-opening weekend. Of course, it turns into a less than relaxing weekend. First, some jewelry goes missing, then a guest is murdered with a narwhal tusk, and finally a storm rolls in, effectively cutting them off from the mainland.

Lady Hardcastle and Flo are joined by an interesting group of JB’s business associates and friends, all of whom are now suspects. Each of them, of course, has a secret that may or may not be known by the others and a reason for wanting the dead man gone. And they all seem to have alibis, no matter how often Emily and Flo review the timeline. There was a nice twist that I appreciated.

I enjoyed the banter between the two women this time around. It’s clever and feels natural. I enjoy how they poke fun at each other, but still clearly respect the other’s skills and talents. They make a fun team.

The period details are done well, at least they feel like they were, with the guests appreciating the heating system and electricity. New inventions are talked about with excitement.

I listened to the audio and the narrator did a great job bringing all the characters to life. Granted, most of them were a little one dimensional, but each had their own distinct voice. She kept the tone light, as did the author. Overall, I’m glad I gave this series a second chance and will probably keep an eye out for more in the future.